“History supplies us with examples of almost every possible modification of government.”

— William Smith O'Brien

p. 16 https://books.google.com/books?id=4VUBAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA16
Principles of Government: Or Meditations in Exile (1856), Chapter II. On Centralized and Local Administration

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William Smith O'Brien 3

Irish nationalist politician (1803-1864) 1803–1864

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Context: I almost shudder at the thought of alluding to the most fatal example of the abuses of grief which the history of mankind has preserved — the Cross. Consider what calamities that engine of grief has produced! With the rational respect that is due to it, knavish priests have added prostitutions of it, that fill or might fill the blackest and bloodiest pages of human history.