There is a natural firmness in some minds, which cannot be unlocked by trifles, but which, when unlocked, discovers a cabinet of fortitude.
Thomas PaineNo nation ought to be without a debt. A national debt is a national bond; and when it bears no interest, is in no case a grievance.
Thomas PaineAn 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