NATURAL AND CIVIL 



in which the body of the ptople were found, 

 ■wh^n tlip America,rt war came on. In such 

 circumstances, the common farmer in America, 

 had a more comprehensive view of his rights 

 and privileges, than the specuhitive philosopher 

 of Europe, ever could have of the subject.* 

 The one was in a situation, v.'hcre the language, 

 dictates, and designs of nature, were perpetually 

 occurring to his views- : The other was in a 

 situation, where every thing' in society had de- 

 viated from nature ; and with infinite labor and 

 study, the first principles, must be deduced 

 from theory and reasoning. Learning their 

 principles from the state of society in America, 

 Paine, and other writers upon American poli- 

 tics, met with amazing success : Not because 

 they taught the people principles, which tliey 

 did not before understand ; but because they 

 placed the principles which they had learned of 

 them, in a very clear and striking light, on u 

 most critiad and importaiit occasion. 



When the war canie on, the leaders of mobs, 

 and the mobs which they created, appeared in 

 their true light. : The former sunk into con- 

 teiiipt, and the latter v/e-re soon suppressed. 

 The enlightened, virtuous, substantial body of 

 uncorrupttd citizens, took up the business, 

 Unacquainted with the state of society here, 

 Europe saw with wonder, the spirit of freedom 

 ."unconquerable in America : Rising, the more it 

 suftl-red, the more superior to all the attempts 

 of the wisest and most powerful nation of Lu- 

 rope. The ministers of Britain at that time, 

 were men of great eminence and abilities, in 



*! Afp«n<3ix, No. %ll. 



