These Are The Times That Try Men's Souls

[CamEdwards]

One of my favorite pieces of early American writing was published in the Pennsylvania Journal on this day in 1776: Thomas Paine's "The Crisis".

THESE are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated.

Here's the History Channel's brief description:

This Day in History 1776: Thomas Paine publishes American Crisis

And here's "The Crisis" in it's entirety:

December 23, 1776

I think most of us think of history as the stuff that inevitably happened, but there was nothing inevitable about the American Revolution. When Paine wrote those words in November of 1776 (just a few months after the jubilation of declaring independence) the Continental Army was getting its ass kicked across New Jersey, the number of men in fighting condition wouldn't even fill a college field house, and their enlistments were up at the first of the year. A lot of Americans thought we were screwed, but Paine was able to rally Americans through his words. Washington had "The Crisis" read to his troops before they engaged (and beat) the Hessians at Trenton just a few days after it was published, and you have to think it had some emotional impact.

Anyway, I could ramble about this for quite awhile. I just wanted to share a great piece of American history with everyone.

[Draft Dodger]

zzzzzz

[Marc Vaughan]

Bah the english empire would still stand if it hadn't been for you darn kids ...

(and that talking dog)



PS- Thanks for posting, I actually love history, especially famous orators ... although my favourite predictably enough is Churchill.