If, to expose the fraud and imposition of monarchy … to promote universal peace, civilization, and commerce, and to break the chains of political superstition, and raise degraded man to his proper rank; if these things be libellous … let the name of libeller be engraved on my tomb.”[Letter Addressed To The Addressers On The Late Proclamation, 1792 (Paine’s response to the charge of “seditious libel” brought against him after the publication of The Rights of Man)]



