It has always been the political craft of courtiers and court-governments, to abuse something which they called republicanism; but what republicanism was, or is, they never attempt to explain.
Paine criticizes courtiers and monarchical governments for misrepresenting and failing to define republicanism.
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It was a sort of new form of government that insensibly served to put the old one out of sight and to unhinge it from the superstitious authority of antiquity.
They had a cause at stake, on which depended their freedom or their slavery.