England has lost hers in a long chain of right reasoning from wrong principles, and it is from this country, now, that she must learn the resolution to redress herself, and the wisdom how to accomplish it.
In "The American Crisis," Paine argues that England's decline in liberty stems from flawed foundational principles, suggesting America can guide its redemption.
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It was become evident, that no constitution, worthy of being called by that name, could be established on anything less than a national ground.
I know the value of moral instruction, and I have seen the danger of the contrary.
They had a cause at stake, on which depended their freedom or their slavery.
But the spirit of the nation was not to be overcome, and it was so fully sensible of the strong ground it had taken--that of withholding taxes--that it contented itself with keeping up a sort of quiet resistance, which effectually…