Thomas Paine

To say that any people are not fit for freedom is to make poverty their choice, and to say they had rather be loaded with taxes than not.

Belief in a cruel God makes a cruel man.

He that would make his own liberty secure must guard even his enemy from oppression, for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself.

I love the man that can smile in trouble that can gather strength from distress and grow brave by reflection. 'Tis the business of little minds to shrink but he whose heart is firm and whose conscience approves his conduct will pursue his principles unto death.

Reputation is what men and women think of us, character is what God and angels know of us.

The harder the conflict the more glorious the triumph.

'Tis the business of little minds to shrink, but he whose heart is firm and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death.

It is not a field of a few acres of ground, but a cause that we are defending, and whether we defeat the enemy in one battle or by degrees, the consequences will be the same.

Any system of religion that has anything in it that shocks the mind of a child cannot be true.

Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil, in its worst state an intolerable one.

The real man smiles in trouble, gathers strength from distress and grows brave by reflection.

Virtues are acquired through endeavor Which rests wholly upon yourself. So to praise others for their virtues Can but encourage one's own efforts.

That which we obtain too easily we esteem too lightly.

He who is the author of a war lets loose the whole contagion of hell and opens a vein that bleeds a nation to death.

I prefer peace. But if trouble must come let it come in my time so that my children can live in peace.

Society in every state is a blessing but government even in its best stage is but a necessary evil, in its worst state an intolerable one.

We can only reason from what is, we can reason on actualities but not on possibilities.

The greatest remedy for anger is delay.

But such is the irresistable nature of truth that all it asks and all it wants is the liberty of appearing.

Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must like men undergo the fatigue of supporting it.