Political Quotes

Thomas Paine: If our enemies can draw consolation from misfortune, and exert themselves upon despair, how much more ought we, who are…

On the recordJanuary 1, 1776
If our enemies can draw consolation from misfortune, and exert themselves upon despair, how much more ought we, who are to win a continent by the conquest, and have already an earnest of success?
Said by
Thomas Paine

Editor's note · Context

In "The American Crisis," Paine uses a rhetorical question to inspire greater effort and confidence among Americans, contrasting their potential for victory with the desperation of their enemies.

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