Thomas Paine

All men can understand what representation is; and that it must necessarily include a variety of knowledge and talents.

Thomas Paine

An army of principles can penetrate where an army of soldiers cannot.

Thomas Paine

An avidity to punish is always dangerous to liberty. It leads men to stretch, to misinterpret, and to misapply even the best of laws.

Thomas Paine

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

Thomas Paine

Aristocracy has a tendency to degenerate the human species.

Thomas Paine

As mystery and miracles took charge of the past and present, prophesy took charge of the future and rounded the tenses of faith.

Thomas Paine

Belief in a cruel God makes a cruel man.

Thomas Paine

Better fare hard with good men than feast it with bad.

Thomas Paine

Beware the greedy hand of government thrusting itself into every corner and crevice of industry.

Thomas Paine

But if objects for gratitude and admiration are our desire, do they not present themselves every hour to our eyes?

Thomas Paine