One member says this is Constitution, and another says that is Constitution--To-day it is one thing; and to-morrow something else--while the maintaining of the debate proves there is none.
From his work "Rights of Man," Paine critiques the lack of a clear, written constitution in England, highlighting the endless debate over its definition.
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The more it is struck the more sparks it will emit; and the fear is it will not be struck enough.
The Parliaments on their part insisted that they had not only a right to remonstrate, but to reject; and on this ground they were always supported by the nation.
The meaning, then, good people, of all this, is: That government is governed by no principle whatever; that it can make evil good, or good evil, just as it pleases.
In fine, society performs for itself almost everything which is ascribed to government.