Select the correct text in the passage.
Which sentence in this excerpt from 'The American Crisis* by Thomas Paine illustrates that it is a persuasive essay?
I shall conclude this paper with some miscellaneous remarks on the slate of our affairs;
and shall begin with asking the
following question, Why
is it that the enemy hath left the New
England provinces, and made those middle once the fear of war? The answer is easy, New England is not
infested with Tories, and we
are. I have been under in raising the cry against these men, and used numberless arguments to shew them their
danger. .. The period is now arrived, in which either they or
must change our sentiments,
or one or
both must fall. And what is a Tory? Good
GODI what is he? I should not be afraid to go
they to attempt to get into arms. Every Tory
with a hundred Whigs against a thousand Tories, were
Is a coward, or
servile, slavish, self-interested fear iys the foundation of Toryism; and a man under such influence, though he may be cruel,
never can be brave.
But before the line
of irrecoverable separation be drawn between us, let us reason the matter together: Your conduct is an invitation to the
enemy, yet not one n
thousand of you has heart enough to join him. Howe
as much deceived by you as the American cause is injured by
you. He expects you will all take
up arms, and flock to his standard with muskets on your shoulders, Your opinions are of no use
to him, unless
you support him personally; for 'tis soldiers, and not Tories, that
wants....
Quitting this class of men, I turn with the warm ardor of a friend to those who have nobly stood, and are
ret determined to stand the matter out:
I call not upon a few, but upon all: not on this
state
that state, but on every state: up and help us; lay your shoulders to the wheel; better have
too much force than too little, when so great an so object is at stake. Let it be told to the future world, that in the depth of winter, when nothing but
hope and virtue could survive, that the city and
the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet and to repulse it. Say not that O
thousands are
gone, turn out your tens of thousands; throw not the burden of the day upon Providence, but "show your faith by your works,"
that God may bless you.
It matters not where you live,
what rank of life you hold,
the evil or the blessing will reach you all. The far and the
near, the home countles and the back, the
rich and the poor, will suffer or rejoice alike. The heart that feels not now is dead;
the blood of his
children will curse his cowardice, who shrinks back at a time when a little might have saved the whole, and made
them happy, 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.
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