The Labor enquirer., 1885-04-11
What Thomas Paine Said About
Them and the Rights
of Man.
Republished by "The Enquirer
for Young Americans to Read
.os and Ponder Over. L., q T.
The Words of Our Sires of I776 Will
Well Bear Careful Study During
4 these Stormy Days.

1t is impossib bic that such goYernments
las have hitherto existed in the world
could have commenced by any other
means than total violation of every
principle, sacred and moral. The OBJ
scurity in which the origin of all the
present old governments is buried i'm.
plies the iniquity and disgrace with
which they began. The origin of the
present governments of America and
France will ever be remembered, be-
cause it Is honorable to record it; but
with respect to the rest, even flattery
has consigned them to the tomb of time,
without an inscription.
1t could have been no difficult thing
in the early and solitary ages of the
world, while the chief employment of
men was that of attending flocks and
herds, for a bandittl of rufians to
over-run a country and lay it under con-
tribution. Their power being thus
established, the chief of the band con-
trived to lose the name of robber in
that of monarch and hence the origin
of monarchy and kings.
The origin of the government of En-
gland, so far as it relates to what is called
lis line of monarchy, being one of the
latest, is perhaps the best recorded. The
hatred which the Norman invasion and
tyranny begat, must have been deeply
rooted in the nation, to have outlived
the contrivance to ubliterate it. Though
not a courtier will talk of the curfew
bell not village IN England has forgot
ten it.
Those bands of robbers having par
celed out the world, and divided it into
dominions, began, as is naturally the
case, to quarrel with each other. What
was at first obtained by violence, was
considered by others as lawful to be
taken, and second plunderer succeeded
the first. They alternately invaded the
dominions which each had assigned to
himself and the brutality with which
they treated each other explains the
original character of monarchy. 1t was
ruffian torturing ruffian. The conqueror
) considered the conquered not as his
prisoner, but his property. He led him
IN triumph rattling in chains, and
doomed him, at pleasure, to slavery or
death. AS time obliterated the history of
their beginning, their successors as
sumed new appearances, to cut OF the
entail of their disgrace, but their princi-
pies and objects remained the same.
What at first was plunder assumed the
softer name of revenue and the power
they originally usurped, they affected to
inherit.
From such beginning of governments,
what could be expected but continual
system of war and extortion? 1t has
established itself into trade The vice
y is not peculiar to one more than to
another, but is the common principle of
all. There does not exist within such
governments stamina whereon to en-
graft reformation and the shortest and
l most effectual remedy Is to begin anew.
What scenes of horror, what perfec-
ton of iniquity, present themselves in
contemplating the character, and review
ing the history of such governments II
we would delineate human nature with
a baseness of heart, and hypocrisy ot
countenance, that reflection would
shudder at and humanity disown, it is
, kings, courts, and cabinets, that must sit
D for the portrait. Man, as he is naturally,
with all his faults about him, is not ur
to the character
Can we possibly suppose that if gov
q ernment had originated in right prin'
f ciple, and had not an interest In pursu
' ing a wrong one, that the world could
have been in the wretched and quarrel
, some condition we have seen it What
, inducement has the farmer. while fol
, lowing the plow, to lay aside his peace
a full pursuits and 60 to war on the farmer
, of another country? Or what induce
, ment has the manufacturer What II
. dominion to them, or to any class of mel
, in a nation? Does it add an acre to any
mans estate. or raise its value? Are no
4 conquest and defeat each of the same
@ price, and taxes the never failing conse
ouence? Though this reasoning may o'
@ good to nation, it is not so to a govern
o ment. War is the faro table of govern
q ments, and nations the dupes of th'
h game.
; If there is anything to wonder at IL
# this miserable scene of governments
r. more than might be expected, it is tn
= progress which the peaceful arts of agri
culture, manufactures, and commerc
= have made, beneath such long accumu
> lating load of Encouragement and op
;; presslon. 1t serves to show that instinC
In animals does not act with stronge
impulse than the principles of societ
and civilization operate in man. Unde
% all discouragements, he pursues his OF
sr iect, and yields to nothing but imposs
" bilities.
c. What Archimedes said of the mechaI
al ical powers, may be applied to reaso
and liberty: "Had we," said he,