,,the ,,life ,,of ,,thomas ,,paine ,,with ,a ,,history ,,of ,,his ,,literary1 ,,political ,,and ,,religious ,,career ,,in ,,america ,,france1 ,,and ,,england ,by ,moncure ,daniel ,conway ,to ,which ,is ,added ,a ,sketch ,of ,paine ,by ,william ,cobbett ,,volume ,i4 7of ,,ii7 #ahic ,,preface ,,to ,,third ,,edition4 ,in the ,preface to the first edition of this work1 it was my painful duty to remark with severity on the dissemination of libels on ,paine in a work of such importance as ,mr4 ,leslie ,stephen's ,history of ,english ,thought in the ,eighteenth ,century4 ,the necessity of doing so was impressed on me by the repetition of some of ,mr4 ,stephen's unfounded disparagements in ,mr4 ,o4 ,b4 ,frothingham's ,recollections and ,impressions4 ,i have now the satisfaction of introducing this edition with retractations by both of those authors4 ,mr4 ,frothingham1 in a letter which he authorizes me to use1 says3 ,your charge is true1 and ,i hasten to say peccavi ,the truth is that ,i never made a study of ,paine1 but took ,stephen's estimates4 ,now my mistake is clear1 and ,i am willing to stand in the cold with nothing on but a hair shirt ,your vindication of ,paine is complete4 ,mr4 ,frothingham adds that in any future edition of his work the statements shall be altered4 ,the note of ,mr4 ,leslie ,stephen appeared in ,the ,national ,reformer1 ,september #aa1 #ahib1 to which it was sent by a correspondent1 at his desire2 for it equally relates to strictures in a pamphlet by the editor of that journal1 ,mr4 ,john ,m4 ,robertson4 ,the account which ,i gave of ,paine in the book upon the ,eighteenth ,century was1 ,i have no doubt1 erroneous4 ,my only excuse1 if it be an excuse1 was the old one1 'pure ignorance4' ,i will not ask whether or how far the ignorance was excusable4 ,mr4 ,conway pointed out the error in an article contributed1 ,i think1 to the ,fortnightly ,review at the time4 ,he has1 no doubt1 added1 since then1 to his exposure of my 7and other people's7 blunders1 and ,i hope to read his book soon4 ,meanwhile1 ,i must state that in consequence of the ,fortnightly article1 ,i altered the statements in the second edition of my book4 ,i have no copy at hand ,mr4 ,s4 writes from the country and cannot say what alterations precisely ,i made1 though it is very possible that they were inadequate1 as for certain reasons ,i was unable to attend properly to the revision4 ,if a third edition should ever be required1 ,i would go into the question more thoroughly4 ,i have since that time read some letters upon ,paine contributed by ,mr4 ,conway to the ,new ,york ,nation4 ,i had seen the announcement of his new publication1 and had made up my mind to take the first opportunity of going into the question again with ,mr4 ,conway's additional information4 ,i hope that ,i may be able to write ,paine's life for the ,dictionary of ,national ,biography1 and if so1 shall have the best opportunity for putting on record my final judgment ,it will be a great pleasure to me if ,i find1 as ,i expect to find1 that he was greatly maligned1 and to make some redress for my previous misguided remarks4 ,it is indeed to be hoped that ,mr4 ,stephen will write the ,life in the ,dictionary1 whose list of subjects for the coming volume1 inserted in the ,athenaeum since his above retraction1 designates ,thomas ,paine as an infidel writer4 ,mr4 ,stephen can do much to terminate the carefully fostered ignorance of which he has found himself a victim4 ,in advance of his further treatment of the subject1 and with perfect confidence in his justice1 ,i here place by the side of my original criticism a retraction of anything that may seem to include him among authors who have shown a lack of magnanimity towards ,paine4 ,the general statement 7,first ,preface1 p4 xvi7 must1 however1 remain2 for recent discussions reveal a few unorthodox writers willing to throw1 or to leave1 a traditionally hated head to the orthodox mob4 ,on the other hand1 some apology is due for this phrase4 ,no orthodox mob is found4 ,here and there some halloo of the old ,paine hunt is heard dying away in the distance1 but the conservative religious and political press1 ,american and ,english1 has generally revised the traditional notions1 and estimated the evidence with substantial justice4 ,nearly all of the most influential journals have dealt with the evidence submitted2 their articles have been carefully read by me1 and in very few are the old prejudices against ,paine discoverable4 ,were these estimates of ,paine collected with those of former times the volume would measure this century's advance in political liberty1 and religious civilization4 ,my occasionally polemical treatment of the subject has been regretted by several reviewers1 but its necessity1 ,i submit1 is the thing to be regretted4 ,being satisfied that ,paine was not merely an interesting figure1 but that a faithful investigation of his life would bring to light important facts of history1 ,i found it impossible to deal with him as an ordinary subject of inquiry4 ,it were vain to try and persuade people to take seriously a man tarred1 feathered1 pilloried1 pelted4 ,it was not whitewashing ,paine needed1 but removal of the pitch1 and release from the pillory4 ,there must first of all be an appeal against such sentence4 ,and because the wrongs represented a league of prejudices1 the pleadings had to be in several tribunals--moral1 religious1 political1 social1--before the man could be seen at all1 much less accorded the attention necessary for disclosure of the history suppressed through his degradation4 ,paine's personal vindication would still have required only a pamphlet1 but that it was ancillary to the historic revelations which constitute the larger part of this work4 ,a wiser writer--unless too wise to touch ,paine at all--might have concealed such sympathies as those pervading this biography2 but where sympathies exist the reader is entitled to know them1 and the author subjects himself to a severer self-criticism if only in view of the vigilance he must excite4 ,i have no feeling towards ,paine inconsistent with recognition of his faults and errors4 ,my vindication of him has been the production of evidence that removed my own early and baseless prejudices1 and rendered it possible for me to study his career genuinely1 so that others might do the same4 ,the phantasmal ,paine cleared away1 my polemic ends4 ,i have endeavored to portray the real ,paine1 and have brought to light some things unfavorable to him which his enemies had not discovered1 and1 ,i believe1 could never have discovered4 ,the errata in the first edition are few and of slight importance4 ,i wish to retract a suggestion made in my apology for ,washington which ,i have discovered to be erroneous4 ,it was suggested 7vol4 ii41 pp4 #agc and #chb7 that ,washington's failure to answer ,paine's private letter of ,september #bj1agie1 asking an explanation of his neglect while he 7,paine7 was in prison and his life in peril1 may have been due to its interception by ,pickering 7who had by a suppression of documents sealed the sad fate of his predecessor in office1 ,edmund ,randolph74 ,i have1 however1 discovered that ,paine's letter did reach ,washington4 ,i would be glad if my own investigations1 continued while preparing an edition of ,paine's works1 or any of my reviewers1 had enabled me to relieve the shades with which certain famous names are touched by documentary facts in this history4 ,the publication of those relating to ,gouverneur ,morris1 while ,american ,minister in ,france1 was for personal reasons especially painful to myself4 ,though such publication was not of any importance to ,paine's reputation1 it was essential to a fair judgment of others--especially of ,washington1--and to any clear comprehension of the relations between ,france and the ,united ,states at that period4 ,as the correspondence between ,gouverneur ,morris and the ,french ,minister concerning ,paine1 after his imprisonment1 is in ,french1 and the originals 7in ,paris7 are not easily accessible to ,american and ,english readers1 ,i have concluded to copy them here4 ,a ,paris le #ad fevrier #agid #bf pluviose4 ,le ,ministre plenipotentiaire des ,etats ,unis de l',amerique pres la ,republique francaise au ,ministre des ,affaires ,etrangeres4 ,monsieur3 ,thomas ,paine vient de s'addresser a moi pour que je le reclame comme ,citoyen des ,etats ,unis4 ,voici 7je crois7 les ,faits que le regardent4 ,il est ne en ,angleterre4 ,devenu ensuite ,citoyen des ,etats ,unis il s'y est acquise une grande celebrite par des ,ecrits revolutionnaires4 ,en consequence il fut adopte ,citoyen francais et ensuite elu membre de la ,convention4 ,sa conduite depuis cette ,epoque n'est pas de mon ressort ,j'ignore la cause de sa ,detention actuelle dans la prison du ,luxembourg1 mais je vous prie ,monsieur 7si des raisons qui ne me sont pas connues s'opposent a sa liberation7 de vouloir bien m'en instruire pour que je puisse les communiquer au ,gouvernement des ,etats ,unis4 ,j'ai l'honneur d'etre1 ,monsieur1 ,votre tres humble ,serviteur1 ,gouv4 ,morris4 ,paris1 #a ,ventose l',an #b;d4 de la ,republic une et indivisible4 ,le ministre des ,affaires ,etrangeres au ,ministre ,plenipotentiaire des-,etats ,unis de l',amerique pres la ,republique ,francaise4 ,par votre lettre du #bf du mois dernier1 vous reclames la liberte de ,thomas ,paine1 comme ,citoyen americain4 ,ne en ,angleterre1 cet ex-depute est devenu successivement ,citoyen ,americain et ,citoyen francais4 ,en acceptant ce dernier titre et en remplissant une place dans le corps legislatif1 il s'est soumis aux lois de la ,republique et il a renonce de fait a la protection que le droit des gens et les traites conclus avec les ,etats ,unis auraient pu lui assurer4 ,j'ignore les motifs de sa detention mais je dois presumer qu'ils sont bien fondes4 ,je vais neanmoins soumettre au ,comite de ,salut public la demande que vous m'avez adressee et je m'empresserai de vous faire connaitre sa decision4 ,,deforges4 ,the translations of these letters are on page #abj1 vol ii41 of this work4 ,no other letters on the subject between these ,ministers are known4 ,the reader may judge whether there is anything in the ,american ,minister's application to warrant the opening assertion in that of ,deforgues4 ,morris forwarded the latter to his government1 but withheld his application1 of which no copy exists in the ,state ,archives at ,washington4 ,,preface4 ,at ,hornsey1 ,england1 ,i saw a small square mahogany table1 bearing at its centre the following words3 ,this ,plate is inscribed by ,thos4 ,clio ,rickman in ,remembrance of his dear friend ,thomas ,paine1 who on this table in the year #agib wrote several of his invaluable ,works4 ,the works written by ,paine in ,rickman's house were the second part of ,the ,rights of ,man1 and ,a ,letter to the ,addressers4 ,of these two books vast numbers were circulated1 and though the government prosecuted them1 they probably contributed largely to make political progress in ,england evolutionary instead of revolutionary4 ,on this table he set forth constitutional reforms that might be peacefully obtained1 and which have been substantially obtained ,and here he warned the ,addressers1 petitioning the throne for suppression of his works3 ,it is dangerous in any government to say to a nation1 ,thou shalt not read4 ,this is now done in ,spain1 and was formerly done under the old government of ,france2 but it served to procure the downfall of the latter1 and is subverting that of the former2 and it will have the same tendency in all countries2 because ,thought1 by some means or other1 is got abroad in the world1 and cannot be restrained1 though reading may4 ,at this table the ,quaker chieftain1 whom ,danton rallied for hoping to make revolutions with rose-water1 unsheathed his pen and animated his ,round ,table of ,reformers for a conflict free from the bloodshed he had witnessed in ,america1 and saw threatening ,france4 ,this little table was the field chosen for the battle of free speech2 its abundant ink-spots were the shed blood of hearts transfused with humanity4 ,i do not wonder that ,rickman was wont to show the table to his visitors1 or that its present owner1 ,edward ,truelove--a bookseller who has suffered imprisonment for selling proscribed books1--should regard it with reverence4 ,the table is what was once called a candle-stand1 and there stood on it1 in my vision1 ,paine's clear1 honest candle1 lit from his inner light1 now covered by a bushel of prejudice4 ,i myself had once supposed his light an infernal torch2 now ,i sat at the ink-spotted candle-stand to write the first page of this history1 for which ,i can invoke nothing higher than the justice that inspired what ,thomas ,paine here wrote4 ,the educated ignorance concerning ,paine is astounding4 ,i once heard an ,english prelate speak of the vulgar atheism of ,paine4 ,paine founded the first theistic society in ,christendom2 his will closes with the words1 ,i die in perfect composure1 and resignation to the will of my ,creator1 ,god4 ,but what can be expected of an ,english prelate when an historian like ,jared ,sparks1 an old ,unitarian minister1 could suggest that a letter written by ,franklin1 to persuade some one not to publish a certain attack on religion1 was probably addressed to ,paine4 7,franklin's ,writings1 vol4 x41 p4 #bha47 ,paine never wrote a page that ,franklin could have so regarded1 nor anything in the way of religious controversy until three years after ,franklin's death4 ,the remarks in the above letter1 says ,sparks1 are strictly applicable to the deistical writings which ,paine afterwards published4 ,on the contrary1 they are strictly inapplicable4 ,they imply that the writer had denied a particular providence1 which ,paine never denied1 and it is asked1 ,if men are so wicked with religion1 what would they be without it8 ,paine's deism differed from ,franklin's only in being more fervently religious4 ,no one who had really read ,paine could imagine the above question addressed to the author to whom the ,bishop of ,llandaff wrote3 ,there is a philosophical sublimity in some of your ideas when speaking of the ,creator of the ,universe4 ,the reader may observe at work1 in this example1 the tiny builder1 prejudice1 which has produced the large formation of ,paine mythology4 ,sparks1 having got his notion of ,paine's religion at secondhand1 becomes unwittingly a weighty authority for those who have a case to make out4 ,the ,american ,tract ,society published a tract entitled ,don't ,unchain the ,tiger1 in which it is said3 ,when an infidel production was submitted--probably by ,paine--to ,benjamin ,franklin1 in manuscript1 he returned it to the author1 with a letter from which the following is extracted3 ',i would advise you not to attempt unchaining the ,tiger1 but to burn this piece before it is seen by any other person4' ,thus our ,homer of ,american history nods1 and a tract floats through the world misrepresenting both ,paine and ,franklin1 whose rebuke is turned from some anti-religious essay against his own convictions4 ,having enjoyed the personal friendship of ,mr4 ,sparks1 while at college1 and known his charity to all opinions1 ,i feel certain that he was an unconscious victim of the ,paine mythology to which he added4 ,his own creed was1 in essence1 little different from ,paine's4 ,but how many good1 and even liberal1 people will find by the facts disclosed in this volume that they have been accepting the ,paine mythology and contributing to it8 ,it is a notable fact that the most effective distortions of ,paine's character and work have proceeded from unorthodox writers--some of whom seem not above throwing a traditionally hated head to the orthodox mob4 ,a recent instance is the account given of ,paine in ,leslie ,stephen's ,history of ,english ,thought in the ,eighteenth ,century4 ,on its appearance ,i recognized the old effigy of ,paine elaborately constructed by ,oldys and ,cheetham1 and while writing a paper on the subject 7,fortnightly ,review1 ,march1 #ahgi7 discovered that those libels were the only biographies of ,paine in the ,london ,library1 which 7as ,i knew7 was used by ,mr4 ,stephen4 ,the result was a serious miscarriage of historical and literary justice4 ,in his second edition ,mr4 ,stephen adds that the portrait presented is drawn by an enemy1 but on this ,mr4 ,robertson pertinently asks why it was allowed to stand8 7,thomas ,paine3 an ,investigation1 by ,john ,m4 ,robertson1 ,london1 #ahhh74 ,mr4 ,stephen1 eminent as an agnostic and editor of a biographical dictionary1 is assumed to be competent1 and his disparagements of a fellow heretic necessitated by verified facts4 ,his scholarly style has given new lease to vulgar slanders4 ,some who had discovered their untruth1 as uttered by ,paine's personal enemies1 have taken them back on ,mr4 ,stephen's authority4 ,even brave ,o4 ,b4 ,frothingham1 in his high estimate of ,paine1 introduces one or two of ,mr4 ,stephen's depreciations 7,frothingham's ,recollection and ,impressions1 #ahia74 ,there has been a sad absence of magnanimity among eminent historians and scholars in dealing with ,paine4 ,the vignette in ,oldys--,paine with his ,rights of ,man preaching to apes2--the ,tract ,society's picture of ,paine's death-bed--hair on end1 grasping a bottle1--might have excited their inquiry4 ,goethe1 seeing ,spinoza's face de-monized on a tract1 was moved to studies of that philosopher which ended in recognition of his greatness4 ,the chivalry of ,goethe is indeed almost as rare as his genius1 but one might have expected in students of history an historic instinct keen enough to suspect in the real ,paine some proportion to his monumental mythology1 and the pyramidal cairn of curses covering his grave4 ,what other last-century writer on political and religious issues survives in the hatred and devotion of a time engaged with new problems8 ,what power is confessed in that writer who was set in the place of a decadent ,satan1 hostility to him being a sort of sixth point of ,calvinism1 and fortieth article of the ,church8 ,large indeed must have been the influence of a man still perennially denounced by sectarians after heretical progress has left him comparatively orthodox1 and retained as the figure-head of ,freethought after his theism has been abandoned by its leaders4 ,religion1 said ,paine1 has two principal enemies1 ,fanaticism and ,infidelity4 ,it was his strange destiny to be made a battle-field between these enemies4 ,in the smoke of the conflict the man has been hidden4 ,in the catalogue of the ,british ,museum ,library ,i counted #cbg entries of books by or concerning ,thomas ,paine1 who in most of them is a man-shaped or devil-shaped shuttlecock tossed between fanatical and infidel rackets4 ,here surely were phenomena enough to attract the historic sense of a scientific age1 yet they are counterpart of an historic suppression of the most famous author of his time4 ,the meagre references to ,paine by other than controversial writers are perfunctory2 by most historians he is either wronged or ignored4 ,before me are two histories of ,american ,slavery by eminent members of ,congress2 neither mentions that ,paine was the first political writer who advocated and devised a scheme of emancipation4 ,here is the latest ,life of ,washington 7#ahhi71 by another member of ,congress1 who manages to exclude even the name of the man who1 as we shall see1 chiefly converted ,washington to the cause of independence4 ,and here is a history of the ,american ,revolution 7#ahia71 by ,john ,fiske1 who1 while recognizing the effect of ,common ,sense1 reveals his ignorance of that pamphlet1 and of all ,paine's works1 by describing it as full of scurrilous abuse of the ,english people1--whom ,paine regarded as fellow-sufferers with the ,americans under royal despotism4 ,it may be said for these contemporaries that the task of sifting out the facts about ,paine was formidable4 ,the intimidated historians of the last generation1 passing by this famous figure1 left an historic vacuum1 which has been filled with mingled fact and fable to an extent hardly manageable by any not prepared to give some years to the task4 ,our historians1 might1 however1 have read ,paine's works1 which are rather historical documents than literary productions4 ,none of them seem to have done this1 and the omission appears in many a flaw in their works4 ,the reader of some documents in this volume1 left until now to slumber in accessible archives1 will get some idea of the cost to historic truth of this long timidity and negligence4 ,but some of the results are more deplorable and irreparable1 and one of these must here be disclosed4 ,in #ahjb an ,english friend of ,paine1 ,redman ,yorke1 visited him in ,paris4 ,in a letter written at the time ,yorke states that ,paine had for some time been preparing memoirs of his own life1 and his correspondence1 and showed him two volumes of the same4 ,in a letter of ,jan4 #be1 #ahje1 to ,jefferson1 ,paine speaks of his wish to publish his works1 which will make1 with his manuscripts1 five octavo volumes of four hundred pages each4 ,besides which he means to publish a miscellaneous volume of correspondence1 essays1 and some pieces of poetry4 ,he had also1 he says1 prepared historical prefaces1 stating the circumstances under which each work was written4 ,all of which confirms ,yorke's statement1 and shows that ,paine had prepared at least two volumes of autobiographic matter and correspondence4 ,paine never carried out the design mentioned to ,jefferson1 and his manuscripts passed by bequest to ,madame ,bonneville4 ,this lady1 after ,paine's death1 published a fragment of ,paine's third part of ,the ,age of ,reason1 but it was afterwards found that she had erased passages that might offend the orthodox4 ,madame ,bonneville returned to her husband in ,paris1 and the ,french ,biographical ,dictionary states that in #ahbi she1 as the depositary of ,paine's papers1 began editing his life4 ,this1 which could only have been the autobiography1 was never published4 ,she had become a ,roman ,catholic4 ,on returning 7#ahcc7 to ,america1 where her son1 ,general ,bonneville1 also a ,catholic1 was in military service1 she had personal as well as religious reasons for suppressing the memoirs4 ,she might naturally have feared the revival of an old scandal concerning her relations with ,paine4 ,the same motives may have prevented her son from publishing ,paine's memoirs and manuscripts4 ,madame ,bonneville died at the house of the ,general1 in ,st4 ,louis4 ,i have a note from his widow1 ,mrs4 ,sue ,bonneville1 in which she says3 ,the papers you speak of regarding ,thomas ,paine are all destroyed--at least all which the ,general had in his possession4 ,on his leaving ,st4 ,louis for an indefinite time all his effects--a handsome library and valuable papers included--were stored away1 and during his absence the store-house burned down1 and all that the ,general stored away were burned4 ,there can be little doubt that among these papers burned in ,st4 ,louis were the two volumes of ,paine's autobiography and correspondence seen by ,redman ,yorke in #ahjb4 ,even a slight acquaintance with ,paine's career would enable one to recognize this as a catastrophe4 ,no man was more intimately acquainted with the inside history of the revolutionary movement1 or so competent to record it4 ,franklin had deposited with him his notes and papers concerning the ,american ,revolution4 ,he was the only ,girondist who survived the ,french ,revolution who was able to tell their secret history4 ,his personal acquaintance included nearly every great or famous man of his time1 in ,england1 ,america1 ,france4 ,from this witness must have come testimonies1 facts1 anecdotes1 not to be derived from other sources1 concerning ,franklin1 ,goldsmith1 ,ferguson1 ,rittenhouse1 ,rush1 ,fulton1 ,washington1 ,jefferson1 ,monroe1 the ,adamses1 ,lees1 ,morrises1 ,condorcet1 ,vergennes1 ,sieves1 ,lafayette1 ,danton1 ,genet1 ,brissot1 ,robespierre1 ,marat1 ,burke1 ,erskine1 and a hundred others4 ,all this1 and probably invaluable letters from these men1 have been lost through the timidity of a woman before the theological boycott on the memory of a theist1 and the indifference of this country to its most important materials of ,history4 ,when ,i undertook the biography of ,edmund ,randolph ,i found that the great mass of his correspondence had been similarly destroyed by fire in ,new ,orleans1 and probably a like fate will befall the ,madison papers1 ,monroe papers1 and others1 our national neglect of which will appear criminal to posterity4 ,after searching through six ,states to gather documents concerning ,randolph which should all have been in ,washington ,city1 the writer petitioned the ,library ,committee of ,congress to initiate some action towards the preservation of our historical manuscripts4 ,the ,committee promptly and unanimously approved the proposal1 a definite scheme was reported by the ,librarian of ,congress1 and--there the matter rests4 ,as the plan does not include any device for advancing partisan interests1 it stands a fair chance of remaining in our national oubliette of intellectual desiderata4 ,in writing the ,life of ,paine ,i have not been saved much labor by predecessors in the same field ,they have all been rather controversial pamphleteers than biographers1 and ,i have been unable to accept any of their statements without verification4 ,they have been useful1 however1 in pointing out regions of inquiry1 and several of them--,rickman1 ,sherwin1 ,linton--contain valuable citations from contemporary papers4 ,the truest delineation of ,paine is the biographical sketch by his friend ,rickman4 ,the ,life by ,vale1 and sketches by ,richard ,carlile1 ,blanchard1 and others1 belong to the controversial collectanea in which ,paine's posthumous career is traceable4 ,the hostile accounts of ,paine1 chiefly found in tracts and encyclopaedias1 are mere repetitions of those written by ,george ,chalmers and ,james ,cheetham4 ,the first of these was published in #agia under the title3 ,the ,life of ,thomas ,pain1 ,author of ',the ,rights of ,men1' with a ,defence of his ,writings4 ,by ,francis ,oldys1 ,a4,m41 of the ,university of ,pennsylvania4 ,london4 ,printed for ,john ,stock-dale1 ,pickadilly4 ,this writer1 who begins his vivisection of ,paine by accusing him of adding e to his name1 assumed in his own case an imposing pseudonym4 ,george ,chalmers never had any connection with the ,university of ,philadelphia1 nor any such degree4 ,sherwin 7#ahai7 states that ,chalmers admitted having received ,l#ejj from ,lord ,hawksbury1 in whose bureau he was a clerk1 for writing the book2 but though ,i can find no denial of this ,i cannot verify it4 ,in his later editions the author claims that his book had checked the influence of ,paine1 then in ,england1 and his ,rights of ,man1 which gave the government such alarm that subsidies were paid several journals to counteract their effect4 7,see the letter of ,freching1 cited from the ,vansitart ,papers1 ,british ,museum1 by ,w4 ,h4 ,smith1 in the ,century1 ,august1 #ahia47 ,it is noticeable that ,oldys1 in his first edition1 entitles his work a ,defence of ,paine's writings--a trick which no doubt carried this elaborate libel into the hands of many ,paineites4 ,the third edition has1 ,with a ,review of his ,writings4 ,in a later edition we find the vignette of ,paine surrounded by apes4 ,cobbett's biographer1 ,edward ,smith1 describes the book as one of the most horrible collections of abuse which even that venal day produced4 ,the work was indeed so overweighted with venom that it was sinking into oblivion when ,cobbett reproduced its libels in ,america1 for which he did penance through many years4 ,my reader will perceive1 in the earlier chapters of this work1 that ,chalmers tracked ,paine in ,england with enterprise1 but there were few facts that he did not manage to twist into his strand of slander4 ,in #ahji1 not long after ,paine's death1 ,james ,cheetham's ,life of ,thomas ,paine appeared in ,new ,york4 ,cheetham had been a hatter in ,manchester1 ,england1 and would probably have continued in that respectable occupation had it not been for ,paine4 ,when ,paine visited ,england and there published ,the ,rights of ,man ,cheetham became one of his idolaters1 took to political writing1 and presently emigrated to ,america4 ,he became editor of ,the ,american ,citizen1 in ,new ,york4 ,the cause of ,cheetham's enmity to ,paine was the discovery by the latter that he was betraying the ,jeffersonian party while his paper was enjoying its official patronage4 ,his exposure of the editor was remorseless2 the editor replied with personal vituperation2 and ,paine was about instituting a suit for libel when he died4 ,of ,cheetham's ingenuity in falsehood one or two specimens may be given4 ,during ,paine's trial in ,london1 for writing ,the ,rights of ,man1 a hostile witness gave testimony which the judge pronounced impertinent2 ,cheetham prints it important ,he says that ,madame de ,bonneville accompanied ,paine on his return from ,france in #ahjb2 she did not arrive until a year later4 ,he says that when ,paine was near his end ,monroe wrote asking him to acknowledge a debt for money loaned in ,paris1 and that ,paine made no reply4 ,but before me is ,monroe's statement1 while ,president1 that for his advances to ,paine no claim was ever presented on my part1 nor is any indemnity now desired4 ,cheetham's book is one of the most malicious ever written1 and nothing in it can be trusted4 ,having proposed to myself to write a critical and impartial history of the man and his career1 ,i found the vast ,paine literature1 however interesting as a shadow measuring him who cast it1 containing conventionalized effigies of the man as evolved by friend and foe in their long struggle4 ,but that war has ended among educated people4 ,in the laborious work of searching out the real ,paine ,i have found a general appreciation of its importance1 and it will be seen in the following pages that generous assistance has been rendered by ,english clergymen1 by official persons in ,europe and ,america1 by persons of all beliefs and no beliefs4 ,in no instance have ,i been impeded by any prejudice1 religious or political4 ,the curators of archives1 private collectors1 owners of important documents bearing on the subject1 have welcomed my effort to bring the truth to light4 ,the mass of material thus accumulated is great1 and its compression has been a difficult task4 ,but the interest that led me to the subject has increased at every step2 the story has abounded in thrilling episodes and dramatic surprises2 and ,i have proceeded with a growing conviction that the simple facts1 dispassionately told1 would prove of importance far wider than ,paine's personality1 and find welcome with all students of history4 ,i have brought to my task a love for it1 the studies of some years1 and results of personal researches made in ,europe and ,america3 qualifications which ,i countless than another which ,i venture to claim--the sense of responsibility1 acquired by a public teacher of long service1 for his words1 which1 be they truths or errors1 take on life1 and work their good or evil to all generations4 ,,the ,,life ,,of ,,thomas ,,paine4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,early ,,influences ,the history here undertaken is that of an ,english mechanic1 of ,quaker training1 caught in political cyclones of the last century1 and set at the centre of its revolutions1 in the old world and the new4 ,in the church register of ,euston ,parish1 near ,thetford1 ,england1 occurs this entry3 #agcd4 ,joseph ,pain and ,frances ,cocke were married ,june #bjth4 ,these were the parents of ,thomas ,paine4 ,the present rector of ,euston ,church1 ,lord ,charles ,fitz ,roy1 tells me that the name is there plainly ,pain1 but in the ,thetford town-records of that time it is officially entered ,joseph ,paine4 ,paine and ,cocke are distinguished names in the history of ,norfolk ,county4 ,in the sixteenth century ,newhall ,manor1 on the road between ,thetford and ,norwich1 belonged to a ,paine family4 ,in #aeec ,thomas ,paine1 ,gent41 was1 by license from ,queen ,mary1 trustee for the ,lady ,elizabeth1 daughter of ,henry ,,viii41 by ,queen ,anne ,bullen4 ,in ,st4 ,thomas ,church1 ,norwich1 stands the monument of ,sir ,joseph ,paine1 ,knt1 the most famous mayor and benefactor of that city in the seventeenth century4 ,in ,st4 ,john the ,baptist ,church is the memorial of ,justice ,francis ,cocke 7d4 #afbh74 ,whether our later ,joseph and ,thomas were related to these earlier ,paines has not been ascertained1 but ,mr4 ,e4 ,chester ,waters1 of ,london1 an antiquarian especially learned in family histories1 expressed to me his belief that the ,norfolk ,county ,paines are of one stock4 ,there is equal probability that ,john ,cocke1 ,deputy ,recorder of ,thetford in #afbi1 pretty certainly ancestor of ,thomas ,paine's mother1 was related to ,richard ,cock1 of ,norwich1 author of ,english ,law1 or a ,summary ,survey of the ,household of ,god upon ,earth 7,london1 #afea74 ,the author of ,the ,rights of ,man may therefore be a confutation of his own dictum3 ,an hereditary governor is as inconsistent as an hereditary author4 ,one ,thomas ,payne1 of the ,norfolk ,county family1 was awarded ,l#bj by the ,council of ,state 7#afej7 for his sufferings by printing a book for the cause of ,parliament4 ,among the sequestrators of royalist church livings was ,charles ,george ,cock1 student of ,christian ,law1 of the ,society of the ,inner ,temple1 now 7#afea7 resident of ,norwich4 ,in ,blomefields ,history of ,norfolk ,county other notes may be found suggesting that whatever may have been our author's genealogy he was spiritually descended from these old radicals4 ,at ,thetford ,i explored a manuscript--,freeman's ,register ,book 7#afaj-agef7--;and found that ,joseph ,paine 7our author's father7 was made a freeman of ,thetford ,april #ah1 #agcg1 and ,henry ,cock ,may #af1agdj4 ,the freemen of this borough were then usually respectable tradesmen4 ,their privileges amounted to little more than the right of pasturage on the commons4 ,the appointment did not imply high position1 but popularity and influence4 ,frances ,cocke had no doubt resided in ,euston ,parish1 where she was married4 ,she was a member of the ,church of ,england and daughter of an attorney of ,thetford4 ,her husband was a ,quaker and is said to have been disowned by the ,society of ,friends for being married by a priest4 ,a search made for me by official members of that ,society in ,norfolk ,county failed to discover either the membership or disownment of any one of the name4 ,joseph's father1 a farmer1 was probably a ,quaker4 ,had the son 7b4 #agjh7 been a ,quaker by conversion he would hardly have defied the rules of the ,society at twenty-six4 ,joseph was eleven years younger than his wife4 ,according to ,oldys he was a reputable citizen and though poor an honest man1 but his wife was a woman of sour temper and an eccentric character4 ,thomas ,paine's writings contain several affectionate allusions to his father1 but none to his mother4 ,they say best men are moulded out of faults1 and the moulding begins before birth4 ,thomas ,paine was born ,january #bi1 #agcf-g1 at ,thetford4 ,the plain brick house was in ,bridge ,street 7now ,white ,hart7 and has recently made way for a pretty garden4 ,i was inclined to adopt a more picturesque tradition that the birthplace was in old ,heathen man ,street1 as more appropriate for a paien 7no doubt the origin of ,paine's name71 who also bore the name of the doubting disciple4 ,an appeal for allowances might be based on such a conjunction of auspices1 but a manuscript of ,paine's friend ,rickman1 just found by ,dr4 ,clair ,j4 ,grece1 identifies the house beyond question4 ,thomas ,paine is said by most of his biographers to have never been baptized4 ,this rests solely on a statement by ,oldys3 ,it arose probably from the tenets of the father1 and from the eccentricity of the mother1 that our author was never baptized1 though he was privately named2 and never received1 like true ,christians1 into the bosom of any church1 though he was indeed confirmed by the bishop of ,norwich3 ,this last circumstance was owing to the orthodox zeal of ,mistress ,cocke1 his aunt1 a woman of such goodness1 that though she lived on a small annuity1 she imparted much of this little to his mother4 ,as he was not baptized1 the baptism of ,thomas ,pain is not entered on the parish books of ,thetford4 ,it is a remarkable fact1 that the leaves of the two registers of the parishes of ,st4 ,cuthbert's and ,st4 ,peter's1 in ,thetford1 containing the marriages1 births1 and burials1 from the end of #agcc1 to the beginning of #agcg1 have been completely cut out4 ,thus1 a felony has been committed against the public1 and an injury done to individuals1 by a hand very malicious and wholly unknown4 ,whether our author1 when he resided in ,thetford in #aghg1 looked into these registers for his own birth2 what he saw1 or what he did1 we will not conjecture4 ,they contain the baptism of his sister ,elizabeth1 on the #bhth of ,august1 #agch4 ,this is ,oldysian4 ,of course1 if there was any mischief ,paine did it1 albeit against his own interests4 ,but a recent examination shows that there has been no mutilation of the registers4 ,st ,peter's and ,st4 ,cuthbert's had at the time one minister4 ,in #agcf1 just before ,paine's birth1 the minister 7,john ,price7 died1 and his successor 7,thomas ,vaughan7 appears to have entered on his duties in ,march1 #agcg4 ,a little before and during this interregnum the registers were neglected4 ,in ,st ,cuthbert's register is the entry3 ,elizabeth1 ,daughter of ,joseph ,payne and ,frances his wife of this parish1 was born ,aug't the #bith1 #agch1 baptized ,september ye #bj1 #agch4 ,this 7which ,oldys has got inaccurately1 suo more7 renders it probable that ,thomas ,paine was also baptized4 ,indeed1 he would hardly have been confirmed otherwise4 ,the old historian of ,norfolk ,county1 ,francis ,blomefield1 introduces us to ,thetford 7,sitomagus1 ,tedford1 ,theford1 ,people of the ,ford7 with a strain of poetry3 ,no situation but may envy thee1 ,holding such intimacy with the sea1 ,many do that1 but my delighted muse ,says1 ,neptune's fairest daughter is the ,little ,ouse4 ,after reading ,blomefield's history of the ancient town1 and that of ,martin1 and after strolling through the quaint streets1 ,i thought some poet should add to this praise for picturesqueness some tribute on ,thetford's historic vistas4 ,there is indeed a beauty buried everywhere1 as ,browning says4 ,evelyn1 visiting his friend ,lord ,arlington at ,euston in ,september1 #afgg1 writes3 ,i went to ,thetford1 the ,burrough ,towne1 where stand the ruines of a religious house2 there is a round mountaine artificially raised1 either for some castle or monument1 which makes a pretty landscape4 ,as we went and returned1 a tumbler shew'd his extraordinary addresse in the ,warren4 ,i also saw the ,decoy1 much pleas'd with the stratagem4 ,evelyn leaves his own figure1 his princely friends1 and the tumbler in the foreground of a pretty landscape visible to the antiquarian all around ,thetford1 whose roads1 fully followed1 would lead past the great scenes of ,english history4 ,in general appearance the town 7population under five thousand7 conveys the pleasant impression of a fairly composite picture of its eras and generations4 ,there is a continuity between the old ,grammar ,school1 occupying the site of the ancient cathedral1 and a new ,mechanics' ,institute in the old ,guildhall4 ,the old churches summon their flocks from eccentric streets suggestive of literal sheep-paths4 ,of the ignorance with which our democratic age sweeps away as cobwebs fine threads woven by the past around the present1 ,thetford showed few signs1 but it is sad to find ,guildhall effacing ,heathenman ,street1 which pointed across a thousand years to the march of the heathen men 7,danes7 of ,anglo-,saxon chronicles4 ,a4 #hgj4 ,this year the heathen army rode across ,mer-cia into ,east ,anglia1 and took up their winter quarters in ,thetford2 and the same winter ,king ,edmund fought against them1 and the ,danes got the victory1 and slew the king1 and subdued all the land1 and destroyed all the ministers which they came to4 ,the names of their chiefs who slew the king were ,hingwar and ,habba4 ,if old ,heathenman ,street be followed historically1 it would lead to ,bury ,st4 ,edmunds1 where1 on the spot of his coronation1 the young king was placed in a goodly shrine1 richly adorned with jewels and precious stones1 and a royal saint added to the calendar4 ,the blood of ,st4 ,edmund reconsecrated ,thetford4 ,a4 #ajid4 ,then at ,candlemas the king ,william ,rufus went to ,hastings1 and whilst he waited there for a fair wind he caused the monastery on the field of battle to be consecrated2 and he took the staff from ,herbert ,losange1 bishop of ,thetford4 ,the letters of this ,bishop ,herbert1 discovered at ,brussels1 give him an honorable place in the list of ,thetford authors2 wherein also occur the names of ,richard of ,thetford1 author of a treatise on preaching1 ,jeffrey de ,rocherio1 who began a history of the monarchy1 and ,john ,brame1 writer and translator of various treatises4 ,the works of these ,thetford authors are preserved at ,cambridge1 ,england4 ,thetford was1 in a way1 connected with the first newspaper enterprise4 ,its member of ,parliament1 ,sir ,joseph ,williamson1 edited the ,london ,gazette1 established by the ,crown to support its own policy4 ,the ,crown claimed the sole right to issue any journal1 and its license was necessary for every book4 ,in #afgd ,sir ,joseph1 being ,secretary of ,state 7he bought the office for ,l#e1jjj71 had control of the ,gazette and of literature4 ,in that year1 when ,milton died1 his treatise on ,christian ,doctrine was brought to ,williamson for license4 ,he said he could countenance nothing of ,milton's writings1 and the treatise was locked up by this first ,english editor1 to be discovered a hundred and forty-nine years later4 ,on his way to the ,grammar ,school 7founded by bequest of ,sir ,richard ,fulmerston1 #aeff7 ,paine might daily read an inscription set in the ,fulmerston almshouse wall3 ,follow peace and holines with all men without the which no man shall see the ,lord4 ,but many memorials would remind him of how ,williamson1 a poor rector's son1 had sold his talent to a political lord and reached power to buy and sell ,cabinet offices1 while suppressing ,milton4 ,thomas ,paine1 with more talent than ,williamson to dispose of1 was born in a time semi-barbaric at its best1 and savage at its worst4 ,having got in the ,quaker meeting an old head on his young shoulders1 he must bear about a burden against most things around him4 ,the old churches were satanic steeple-houses1 and if he strolled over to that in which his parents were married1 at ,euston1 its new splendors were accused by surrounding squalor4 ,mr4 ,f4 ,h4 ,millington of ,thetford1 who has told ,williamson's story199 has made for me a search into ,paine's time there4 ,in ,paine's boyhood says ,mr4 ,millington in a letter ,i have from him the town 7about #b1jjj inhabitants7 possessed a corporation with mayor1 aldermen1 sword-bearers1 macemen1 recorder4 ,the corporation was a corrupt body1 under the dominance of the ,duke of ,grafton1 a prominent member of the ,whig government4 ,both members of ,parliament 7,hon4 ,c4 ,fitzroy1 and ,lord ,augustus ,fitzroy7 were nominees of ,grafton4 ,the people had no interest and no power1 and ,i do not think politics were of any account in ,paine's childhood4 ,from ,paine's ',rights of ,man' 7,part ii41 p4 #ajh7 it is clear that his native town was the model in his mind when he wrote on charters and corporations4 ,the ,lent ,assizes for the ,eastern ,circuit were held here1 and ,paine would be familiar with the procedure and pomp of a court of justice4 ,he would also be familiar with the sight of men and women hung for trivial offences4 ,thetford was on the main road to ,london1 and was a posting centre4 99 ,sir ,joseph ,williamson1 ,knt41 ,a4,d4 #afcj-agja4 ,a ,page in the ,history of ,thetford4 ,a very valuable contribution to local history4 ,paine would be familiar with the faces and equipages of some of the great ,whig nobles in ,norfolk4 ,walpole might pass through on his way to ,houghton4 ,the river ,ouse was navigable to ,lynn1 and ,paine would probably go on a barge to that flourishing seaport4 ,bury ,st4 ,edmunds was a provincial capital for the nobility and gentry of the district4 ,it was twelve miles from ,thetford1 and in closest connection with it ,the religious life of ,thetford would be quiet4 ,the churches were poor1 having been robbed at the reformation4 ,the ,quakers were the only non-conformists in the town4 ,there is a tradition that ,wesley visited the town2 if he did ,paine would no doubt be among his hearers4 ,on the whole1 ,i think it easy to trace in ,paine's works the influence of his boyhood here4 ,he would see the corrupting influence of the aristocracy1 the pomp of law1 the evils of the unreformed corporations2 the ruins of great ecclesiastical establishments1 much more perfect than now1 would bring to his mind what a power the church had been4 ,being of a mechanical turn of mind no doubt he had often played about the paper-mill which was1 and is1 worked by water-power4 ,when ,paine was a lad the grand gentlemen who purloined parks and mansions from the ,treasury were sending children to the gallows for small thefts instigated by hunger4 ,in his thirteenth year he might have seen under the shadow of ,ely ,minster1 in that region1 the execution of ,amy ,hutchinson1 aged seventeen1 for poisoning her husband4 ,her face and hands were smeared with tar1 and having a garment daubed with pitch1 after a short prayer the executioner strangled her1 and twenty minutes after the fire was kindled and burnt half an hour4 7,notes and ,queries1 #bg ,september1 #ahgc47 ,against the prevailing savagery a human protest was rarely heard outside the ,quaker meeting4 ,whether disowned or not1 ,paine's father remained a ,quaker1 and is so registered at burial2 and his eminent son has repeatedly mentioned his own training in the principles of that ,society4 ,remembering the extent to which ,paine's ,quakerism had influenced his political theories1 and instances of their bearing on great events1 ,i found something impressive in the little meeting-house in ,cage ,lane1 ,thetford4 ,this was his more important birthplace4 ,its small windows and one door open on the tombless graveyard at the back1--perhaps that they might not be smashed by the mob1 or admit the ribaldry of the street4 ,the interior is hardly large enough to seat fifty people4 ,plymouth ,brethren have for some years occupied the place1 but ,i was told that the congregation1 reduced to four or five1 would soon cease to gather there4 ,adjoining the meeting-house1 and in contact with it1 stands the ancient ,cage1 which still remains to explain the name ,cage ,lane4 ,in its front are two arches1 once iron-grated2 at one stood the pillory1 at the other the stocks1--the latter remembered by some now living4 ,on first day1 when his schoolmates went in fine clothes to grand churches1 to see gay people1 and hear fine music1 little ,thomas1 dressed in drab1 crept affrighted past the stocks to his childhood's pillory in the dismal meeting-house4 ,for him no beauty or mirth1 no music but the oaths of the pilloried1 or shrieks of those awaiting the gallows1 ,there could be no silent meeting in ,cage ,lane4 ,testimonies of the ,spirit against inhumanity1 delivered beside instruments of legal torture1 bred pity in the child1 who had a poetic temperament4 ,the earliest glimpses we have of his childhood are in lines written on a fly caught in a spider's web1 and an epitaph for a crow which he buried in the garden3 ,here lies the body of ,john ,crow1 ,who once was high1 but now is low2 ,ye brother ,crows take warning all1 ,for as you rise1 so must you fall4 ,this was when he was eight years of age4 ,it seems doubtful whether the child was weeping or smiling1 but the humor1 if it be such1 is grim1 and did not last long4 ,he had even then already1 as we shall see1 gained in the ,quaker meeting a feeling that ,god was too good to redeem man by his son's death1 as his ,aunt ,cocke instructed him1 and a heart so precocious was a sad birthright in the ,thetford of that day4 ,we look in vain for anything that can be described as true boyhood in ,paine4 ,oldys was informed1 no doubt rightly1 that he was deemed a sharp boy1 of unsettled application2 but he left no performances which denote juvenile vigour or uncommon attainments4 ,there are1 indeed1 various indications that1 in one way and another1 ,thetford and ,quakerism together managed to make the early years of their famous son miserable4 ,had there been no ,quakerism there had been no ,thomas ,paine2 his consciousness of this finds full recognition in his works2 yet he says3 ,though ,i reverence their philanthropy1 ,i cannot help smiling at the conceit1 that if the taste of a ,quaker had been consulted at the creation1 what a silent and drab-coloured creation it would have been6 ,not a flower would have blossomed its gaieties1 nor a bird been permitted to sing4 ,there is a pathos under his smile at this conceit4 ,paine wrote it in later life1 amid the flowers and birds of his garden1 which he loved1 but whose gaieties he could never imitate4 ,he with difficulty freed himself from his early addiction to an unfashionable garb2 he rarely entered a theatre1 and could never enjoy cards4 ,by the light of the foregoing facts we may appreciate the few casual reminiscences of his school-days found in ,paine's writings3 ,my parents were not able to give me a shilling1 beyond what they gave me in education2 and to do this they distressed themselves4 ,my father being of the ,quaker profession1 it was my good fortune to have an exceeding good moral education1 and a tolerable stock of useful learning4 ,though ,i went to the grammar school 7the same school1 ,thetford in ,norfolk1 that the present counsellor ,mingay went to1 and under the same master71 ,i did not learn ,latin1 not only because ,i had no inclination to learn languages1 but because of the objection the ,quakers have against the books in which the language is taught4 ,but this did not prevent me from being acquainted with the subjects of all the ,latin books used in the school ,the natural bent of my mind was to science4 ,i had some turn1 and ,i believe some talent1 for poetry2 but this ,i rather repressed than encouraged1 as leading too much into the field of imagination4 ,i happened1 when a schoolboy1 to pick up a pleasing natural history of ,virginia1 and my inclination from that day of seeing the western side of the ,atlantic never left me4 ,paine does not mention his proficiency in mathematics1 for which he was always distinguished4 ,to my own mind his turn for poetry possesses much significance in the light of his career4 ,in excluding poets from his ,republic ,plato may have had more reasons than he has assigned4 ,the poetic temperament and power1 repressed in the purely literary direction1 are apt to break out in glowing visions of ideal society and fiery denunciations of the unlovely world4 ,paine was not under the master of ,thetford ,school 7,colman71 who taught ,latin1 but under the usher1 ,mr4 ,william ,knowler1 who admitted the ,quaker lad to some intimacy1 and related to him his adventures while serving on a man-of-war4 ,paine's father had a small farm1 but he also carried on a stay-making business in ,thetford1 and his son was removed from school1 at the age of thirteen1 to be taught the art and mystery of making stays4 ,to that he stuck for nearly five years4 ,but his father became poorer1 his mother probably more discontented1 and the boy began to dream over the adventures of ,master ,knowler on a man-of-war4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,early ,,struggles ,in the middle of the eighteenth century ,england and ,france were contending for empire in ,india and in ,america4 ,for some service the ship ,terrible1 ,captain ,death1 was fitted out1 and ,thomas ,paine made an effort to sail on her4 ,it seems1 however1 that he was overtaken by his father on board1 and carried home again4 ,from this adventure ,i was happily prevented by the affectionate and moral remonstrances of a good father1 who from the habits of his life1 being of the ,quaker profession1 looked on me as lost4 ,this privateer lost in an engagement one hundred and seventy-five of its two hundred men4 ,thomas was then in his seventeenth year4 ,the effect of the paternal remonstrances1 unsupported by any congenial outlook at ,thetford1 soon wore off1 and1 on the formal declaration of war against ,france 7#agef71 he was again seized with the longing for heroic adventure1 and went to sea on the ,king of ,prussia1 privateer1 ,captain ,mendez4 ,of that he soon got enough1 but he did not return home4 ,of ,paine's adventures with the privateer there is no record4 ,of yet more momentous events of his life for some years there is known nothing beyond the barest outline4 ,in his twentieth year he found work in ,london 7with ,mr4 ,morris1 stay-maker1 ,hanover ,street1 ,longacre71 and there remained near two years4 ,these were fruitful years4 ,as soon as ,i was able ,i purchased a pair of globes1 and attended the philosophical lectures of ,martin and ,ferguson1 and became afterwards acquainted with ,dr4 ,bevis1 of the society called the ,royal ,society1 then living in the ,temple1 and an excellent astronomer4 ,in #ageh ,paine found employment at ,dover with a stay-maker named ,grace4 ,in ,april1 #agei1 he repaired to ,sandwich1 ,kent1 where he established himself as a master stay-maker4 ,there is a tradition at ,sandwich that he collected a congregation in his room in the market-place1 and preached to them as an independent1 or a ,methodist ,here1 at twenty-two1 he married ,mary ,lambert4 ,she was an orphan and a waiting-woman to ,mrs4 ,richard ,solly1 wife of a woollen-draper in ,sandwich4 ,the ,rev4 ,horace ,gilder1 ,rector of ,st4 ,peter's1 ,sandwich1 has kindly referred to the register1 and finds the entry3 ,thomas ,pain1 of the parish of ,st4 ,peters1 in the town of ,sandwich1 in ,kent1 bachelor1 and ,mary ,lambert1 of the same parish1 spinster1 were married in this church1 by licence1 this #bgth day of ,sept41 #agei1 by me ,william ,bunce1 ,rector4 ,signed ,thomas ,pain1 ,mary ,lambert ,in the presence of ,thomas ,taylor1 ,maria ,solly1 ,john ,joslin4 ,the young couple began housekeeping on ,dolphin ,key1 but ,paine's business did not thrive1 and he went to ,margate4 ,there1 in #agfj1 his wife died1 ,paine then concluded to abandon the stay-making business4 ,his wife's father had once been an exciseman4 ,paine resolved to prepare himself for that office1 and corresponded with his father on the subject4 ,the project found favor1 and ,paine1 after passing some months of study in ,london1 returned to ,thetford in ,july1 #agfa4 ,here1 while acting as a supernumerary officer of excise1 he continued his studies1 and enjoyed the friendship of ,mr4 ,cock-sedge1 the ,recorder of ,thetford4 ,on #a ,december1 #agfb1 he was appointed to guage brewers' casks at ,grantham4 ,on #h ,august1 #agfd1 he was set to watch smugglers at ,alford4 ,thus ,thomas ,paine1 in his twenty-fifth year1 was engaged in executing ,excise ,acts1 whose application to ,america prepared the way for independence4 ,under pressure of two great hungers--for bread1 for science--the young exciseman took little interest in politics4 ,i had no disposition for what is called politics4 ,it presented to my mind no other idea than is contained in the word jockey-ship4 ,the excise1 though a ,whig measure1 was odious to the people1 and smuggling was regarded as not only venial but clever4 ,within two years after an excise of ,l#a per gallon was laid on spirits 7#agdf71 twelve thousand persons were convicted for offences against the ,act1 which then became a dead letter4 ,paine's post at ,alford was a dangerous one4 ,the exciseman who pounced on a party of smugglers got a special reward1 but he risked his life4 ,the salary was only fifty pounds1 the promotions few1 and the excise service had fallen into usages of negligence and corruption to which ,paine was the first to call public attention4 ,after tax1 charity1 and fitting expenses are deducted1 there remains very little more than forty-six pounds2 and the expenses of housekeeping in many places cannot be brought under fourteen pounds a year1 besides the purchase at first1 and the hazard of life1 which reduces it to thirty-two pounds per annum1 or one shilling and ninepence farthing per day4 ,it is hardly wonderful that ,paine with his globes and scientific books should on one occasion have fallen in with the common practice of excisemen called stamping1--that is1 setting down surveys of work on his books1 at home1 without always actually travelling to the traders' premises and examining specimens4 ,these detective rounds were generally offensive to the warehouse people so visited1 and the scrutiny had become somewhat formal4 ,for this case of stamping1 frankly confessed1 ,paine was discharged from office1 #bg ,august1 #agfe499 99 ,i am indebted to ,mr4 ,g4 ,j4 ,holyoake for documents that shed full light on an incident which ,oldys has carefully left in the half-light congenial to his insinuations4 ,the minute of the ,board of ,excise1 dated #bg ,august1 #agfe1 is as follows3 ,thomas ,paine1 officer of ,alford 7,lincolnshire71 ,grantham collection1 having on ,july #aath stamped the whole ride1 as appears by the specimens not being signed in any part thereof1 though proper entry was shown in journal1 and the victuallers stocks drawn down in his books as if the same had been surveyed that day1 as by ,william ,swallow1 ,supervisor's letter of #crd instant1 and the collector's report thereon1 also by the said ,paine's own confession of the #acth instant1 ordered to be discharged2 that ,robert ,peat1 dropped malt assistant in ,lynn collection1 succeed him4 ,the following is ,paine's petition for restoration3 ,london1 ,july #c1 #agff4 ,honourable ,sirs1--,in humble obedience to your honours' letter of discharge hearing date ,august #bi1 #agfe1 ,i delivered up my commission and since that time have given you no trouble4 ,i confess the justice of your honours' displeasure and humbly beg to add my thanks for the candour and lenity with which you at that unfortunate time indulged me4 ,and though the nature of the report and my own confession cut off all expectations of enjoying your honours' favour then1 yet ,i humbly hope it has not finally excluded me therefrom1 upon which hope ,i humbly presume to entreat your honours to restore me4 ,the time ,i enjoyed my former commission was short and unfortunate--an officer only a single year4 ,no complaint of the least dishonesty or intemperance ever appeared against me2 and1 if ,i am so happy as to succeed in this1 my humble petition1 ,i will endeavour that my future conduct shall as much engage your honours' approbation as my former has merited your displeasure4 ,i am1 your honours' most dutiful humble servant1 ,thomas ,paine4 ,board's minute3 ,july #d1 #agff4 ,ordered that he be restored on a proper vacancy4 ,mr4 ,s4 ,f4 ,dun1 for thirty-three years an officer of excise1 discovered the facts connected with ,paine's discharge1 and also saw ,paine's letter and entry books4 ,in a letter before me he says3 ,i consider ,mr4 ,paine's restoration as creditable to him as to the then ,board of ,excise4 ,after ,paine's dismission he supported himself as a journeyman with ,mr4 ,gudgeon1 a stay-maker of ,diss1 ,norfolk1 where he is said to have frequently quarrelled with his fellow-workmen4 ,to be cast back on the odious work1 to be discharged and penniless at twenty-eight1 could hardly soothe the poor man's temper1 and ,i suppose he did not remain long at ,diss4 ,he is traceable in #agff in ,lincolnshire1 by his casual mention of the date in connection with an incident related in his fragment on ,forgetfulness4 ,he was on a visit at the house of a widow lady in a village of the ,lincolnshire fens1 and as they were walking in the garden1 in the summer evening1 they beheld at some distance a white figure moving4 ,he quitted ,mrs4 ,e4 and pursued the figure1 and when he at length reached out his hand1 the idea struck me1 he says1 will my hand pass through the air1 or shall ,i feel anything8 ,it proved to be a love-distracted maiden who1 on hearing of the marriage of one she supposed her lover1 meant to drown herself in a neighboring pond4 ,that ,thomas ,paine should sue for an office worth1 beyond its expenses1 thirty-two pounds1 argues not merely penury1 but an amazing unconsciousness1 in his twenty-ninth year1 of his powers4 ,in ,london1 for some months there stood between him and starvation only a salary of twenty-five pounds1 given him by a ,mr4 ,noble for teaching ,english in his academy in ,goodman's ,fields4 ,this was the year #agff1 for though ,paine was restored to the excise on ,july #aath of this year no place was found for him4 ,in ,january1 #agfg1 he was employed by ,mr4 ,gardiner in his school at ,kensington4 ,rickman and others have assigned to this time ,paine's attendance of lectures at the ,royal ,society1 which ,i have however connected with his twentieth year4 ,he certainly could not have afforded globes during this pauperized year #agff4 ,in reply to ,rickman's allusion to the lowly situations he had been in at this time1 ,paine remarked3 ,here ,i derived considerable information2 indeed ,i have seldom passed five minutes of my life1 however circumstanced1 in which ,i did not acquire some knowledge4 ,according to ,oldys he remained in the school at ,kensington but three months4 ,his desire of preaching now returned on him1 says the same author1 but applying to his old master for a certificate of his qualifications1 to the bishop of ,london1 ,mr4 ,noble told his former usher1 that since he was only an ,english scholar he could not recommend him as a proper candidate for ordination in the church4 ,it would thus appear that ,paine had not parted from his employer in ,goodman's ,fields in any unpleasant way4 ,of his relation with his pupils only one trace remains--a letter in which he introduces one of them to ,general ,knox1 ,september #ag1 #aghc3 ,old friend1 ,i just take the opportunity of sending my respects to you by ,mr4 ,darby1 a gentleman who was formerly a pupil of mine in ,england4 ,oldys says that ,paine1 without regular orders1 preached in ,moorfields and elsewhere in ,england1 as he was urged by his necessities or directed by his spirit4 ,although ,paine's friendly biographers have omitted this preaching episode1 it is too creditable to ,paine's standing with the teacher with whom he had served a year for ,oldys to have invented it4 ,it is droll to think that the ,church of ,england should ever have had an offer of ,thomas ,paine's services4 ,the ,quakerism in which he had been nurtured had never been formally adopted by him1 and it offered no opportunities for the impulse to preach which seems to mark a phase in the life of every active ,english brain4 ,on ,may #ae1 #agfg1 ,paine was appointed excise officer at ,grampound1 ,cornwall1 but prayed leave to wait another vacancy4 ,on ,february #ai1 #agfh1 he was appointed officer at ,lewes1 ,sussex1 whither1 after a brief visit to ,thetford1 he repaired4 ,not very unlike the old ,norfolk borough in which ,paine was born was ,lewes1 and with even literally an ,ouse flowing through it ,here also marched the ,heathen ,men1 who have left only the legend of a wounded son of ,harold nursed into health by a ,christian maiden4 ,the ruined castle commands a grander landscape than the height of ,thetford1 and much the same historic views4 ,seven centuries before ,paine opened his office in ,lewes came ,harold's son1 possibly to take charge of the excise as established by ,edward the ,confessor1 just deceased4 ,paine was an historic name in ,lewes also4 ,in #afhh two ,french refugees1 ,william and ,aaron ,paine1 came to the ancient town1 and found there as much religious persecution as in ,france4 ,it was directed chiefly against the ,quakers4 ,but when ,thomas ,paine went to dwell there the ,quakers and the powers that be had reached a modus vivendi1 and the new exciseman fixed his abode with a venerable ,friend1 ,samuel ,ollive1 a tobacconist4 ,the house then adjoined a ,quaker meetinghouse1 now a ,unitarian chapel4 ,it is a quaint house1 always known and described as the house with the monkey on it4 ,the projecting roof is supported by a female nondescript rather more human than anthropoid4 ,i was politely shown through the house by its occupant1 ,mr4 ,champion1 and observed in the cellar traces of ,samuel ,ollive's--afterward ,paine's--tobacco mill4 ,the best room upstairs long bore on its wall ,tom ,paine's study4 ,the plaster has now flaked off1 but the proprietor1 ,mr4 ,alfred ,hammond1 told me that he remembers it there in #ahdj4 ,not far from the house is the old mansion of the ,shelleys1--still called ,the ,shelleys1--ancestors of a poet born with the ,rights of ,man1 and a child of ,paine's revolution4 ,and--such are the moral zones and poles in every ,english town--here in the graveyard of ,jireh ,chapel--is the tomb of ,william ,huntington ,s4 ,s4 ,sinner ,saved bearing this epitaph3 ,here lies the ,coalheaver1 beloved of ,god1 but abhorred of men3 the omniscient ,judge1 at the grand assize1 shall ratify and confirm that to the confusion of many thousands2 for ,england and its metropolis shall know that there hath been a prophet among them4 ,w4 ,h3 ,s4 ,s4 ,while ,paine was at ,lewes this ,hunt alias ,huntington was a pious tramp in that part of ,england1 well known to the police4 ,yet in his rubbish there is one realistic story of tramp-life which incidentally portrays an exciseman of the time4 ,huntington 7born #agdd71 one of the eleven children of a day-laborer earning from seven to nine shillings a week in ,kent1 was sent by some friends to an infant school4 ,and here ,i remember to have heard my mistress reprove me for something wrong1 telling me that ,god ,almighty took notice of children's sins4 ,it stuck to my conscience a great while2 and who this ,god ,almighty could be ,i could not conjecture2 and how he could know my sins without asking my mother ,i could not conceive4 ,at that time there was a person named ,godfrey1 an exciseman in the town1 a man of a stern and hard-favoured countenance1 whom ,i took notice of for having a stick covered with figures1 and an ink-bottle hanging at the button-hole of his coat4 ,i imagined that man to be employed by ,god ,almighty to take notice1 and keep an account of children's sins2 and once ,i got into the market-house1 and watched him very narrowly1 and found that he was always in a hurry by his walking so fast2 and ,i thought he had need to hurry1 as he must have a deal to do to find out all the sins of children4 ,i watched him out of one shop into another1 all about the town1 and from that time eyed him as a most formidable being1 and the greatest enemy ,i had in all the world4 ,to the shopkeepers this exciseman was really an adversary and an accuser1 and one can well believe that his very physiognomy would be affected by such work1 and the chronic consciousness of being unwelcome4 ,we may picture ,paine among the producers of ,lewes--with but four or five thousand people1 then a notorious seat of smugglers--with his stick and ink-bottle2 his face prematurely aged1 and gathering the lines and the keen look which mask for casual eyes the fundamental candor and kindliness of his face4 ,paine's surveys extended to ,brighton2 the brilliant city of our time being then a small fishing-town known as ,brighthelmston4 ,it was scarce ten miles distant1 and had no magistrates1 offenders being taken to ,lewes4 ,there was a good deal of religious excitement in the neighborhood about the time ,paine went there to reside1 owing to the preaching of ,rev4 ,george ,whitefield1 chaplain of ,lady ,huntingdon1 at a chapel built by her ladyship at ,brighthelmston4 ,lady ,huntingdon already had a quasi-miraculous fame which in ,catholic times would have caused her to be honored as ,st4 ,selina4 ,in those days a pious countess was more miraculous than the dream that foretold about ,lady ,huntingdon's coming4 ,surrounded by crowds1 she had to send for her chaplain1 ,whitefield1 who preached in a field till a chapel was built4 ,at the time when ,lady ,huntingdon was exhorting the poor villagers of ,brighton1 two relatives of hers1 ,governor ,shirley of ,massachusetts and his aide-de-camp ,colonel ,george ,washington1 were preparing the way for the great events in which ,paine was to bear a part4 ,when ,paine went on his survey he might have observed the ,washington motto1 possibly a trace of the pious countess1 which long remained on a house in ,brighton3 ,exitus acta probat4 ,there was an ancient ,washington who fought at the battle of ,lewes2 but probably if our exciseman ever thought of any ,washington at all it was of the anomalous ,colonel in ,virginia founding a colonial association to disuse excisable articles imported from ,england4 ,but if such transatlantic phenomena1 or the preaching of ,whitefield in the neighborhood1 concerned ,paine at all1 no trace of their impression is now discoverable4 ,and if there were any protest in him at that time1 when the ,english government had reached its nadir of corruption1 it cannot be heard4 ,he appears to have been conventionally patriotic1 and was regarded as the ,lewes laureate4 ,he wrote an election song for the ,whig candidate at ,new ,shoreham1 for which the said candidate1 7,rumbold by name7 paid him three guineas2 and he wrote a song on the death of ,general ,wolfe1 which1 when published some years later1 was set to music1 and enjoyed popularity in the ,anacreontic and other societies4 ,while ,britannia mourns for her ,wolfe1 the sire of the gods sends his messengers to console the disconsolate dame1 assuring her that her hero is not dead but summoned to lead the armies above against the proud giants marching against ,heaven4 ,the ballad recalls ,paine the paien1 but the ,thetford ,quaker is not apparent4 ,and1 indeed1 there are various indications about this time that some reaction had set in after the preaching phase4 ,such was his enterprise on the water1 says ,oldys1 and his intrepidity on the ice that he became known by the appellation of ,commodore ,william ,carver 7,,ms47 says he was at this time tall and slim1 about five feet eight inches4 ,at ,lewes1 where the traditions concerning ,paine are strong1 ,i met ,miss ,rickman1 a descendant of ,thomas ,clio ,rickman--the name ,clio1 under which his musical contributions to the ,revolution were published1 having become part of his name4 ,rickman was a youth in the ,lewes of ,paine's time1 and afterwards his devoted friend4 ,his enthusiasm was represented in children successively named ,paine1 ,washington1 ,franklin1 ,rousseau1 ,petrarch1 ,volney4 ,rickman gives an account of ,paine at ,lewes3 ,in this place he lived several years in habits of intimacy with a very respectable1 sensible1 and convivial set of acquaintance1 who were entertained with his witty sallies and informed by his more serious conversations4 ,in politics he was at this time a ,whig1 and notorious for that quality which has been defined perseverance in a good cause and obstinacy in a bad one4 ,he was tenacious of his opinions1 which were bold1 acute1 and independent1 and which he maintained with ardour1 elegance1 and argument4 ,at this period1 at ,lewes1 the ,white ,hart evening club was the resort of a social and intelligent circle who1 out of fun1 seeing that disputes often ran very warm and high1 frequently had what they called the ',headstrong ,book4' ,this was no other than an old ,greek ,homer which was sent the morning after a debate vehemently maintained1 to the most obstinate haranguer in the ,club3 this book had the following title1 as implying that ,mr4 ,paine the best deserved and the most frequently obtained it3 ',the ,headstrong ,book1 or ,original ,book of ,obstinacy4' ,written by -------- ------ of ,lewes1 in ,sussex1 and ,revised and ,corrected by ,thomas ,paine4 ',immortal ,paine1 while mighty reasoners jar1 ,we crown thee ,general of the ,headstrong ,war2 ,thy logic vanquish'd error1 and thy mind ,no bounds but those of right and truth confined4 ,thy soul of fire must sure ascend the sky1 ,immortal ,paine1 thy fame can never die2 ,for men like thee their names must ever save ,from the black edicts of the tyrant grave4' ,my friend ,mr4 ,lee1 of ,lewes1 in communicating this to me in ,september1 #ahaj1 said3 ',this was manufactured nearly forty years ago1 as applicable to ,mr4 ,paine1 and ,i believe you will allow1 however indifferent the manner1 that ,i did not very erroneously anticipate his future celebrity4' ,it was probably to amuse the club at the ,white ,hart1 an ancient tavern1 that ,paine wrote his humorous poems4 ,on the #bf ,march1 #agga1 ,paine married ,elizabeth1 daughter of ,samuel ,ollive1 with whom he had lodged4 ,this respected citizen had died in ,july1 #agfi1 leaving in ,lewes a widow and one daughter in poor circumstances4 ,paine then took up his abode elsewhere1 but in the following year he joined the ,ollives in opening a shop1 and the tobacco-mill went on as before4 ,his motive was probably compassion1 but it brought him into nearer acquaintance with the widow and her daughter4 ,elizabeth is said to have been pretty1 and1 being of ,quaker parentage1 she was no doubt fairly educated4 ,she was ten years younger than ,paine1 and he was her hero4 ,they were married in ,st4 ,michael's ,church1 ,lewes1 on the #bfth of ,march1 #agga1 by ,robert ,austen1 curate1 the witnesses being ,henry ,verrall and ,thomas ,ollive1 the lady's brother4 ,oldys is constrained to give ,paine's ability recognition4 ,he had risen by superior energy1 more than by greater honesty1 to be a chief among the excisemen4 ,they needed a spokesman at that time1 being united in an appeal to ,parliament to raise their salaries1 and a sum of money1 raised to prosecute the matter1 was confided to ,paine4 ,in #aggb he prepared the document1 which was printed1 but not published until #agic499 ,concerning the plea for the excisemen it need only be said that it is as clear and complete as any lawyer could make it4 ,there was1 of course1 no room for originality in the simple task of showing that the ill-paid service must be badly done1 but the style is remarkable for simplicity and force4 ,paine put much time and pains into this composition1 and passed the whole winter of #aggb-c trying to influence members of ,parliament and others in favor of his cause4 ,a rebellion of the excisemen1 says ,oldys1 who seldom have the populace on their side1 was not much feared by their superiors4 ,paine's pamphlet and two further leaflets of his were printed4 ,the best result of his pamphlet was to secure him an acquaintance with ,oliver ,goldsmith1 to whom he addressed the following letter3 99 ,the document was revived as a pamphlet1 though its subject was no longer of interest1 at a time when ,paine's political writings were under prosecution1 and to afford a vehicle for an introduction1 which gives a graphic account of ,paine's services in the ,united ,states4 ,on a copy of this ,london edition 7#agic7 before me1 one of a number of ,paine's early pamphlets bearing marks of his contemporary ,english editor1 is written with pencil3 ,with a preface 7,qy4 ,j4 ,barlow74 ,from this1 and some characteristics of the composition1 ,i have no doubt that the vigorous introduction was ,barlow's4 ,the production is entitled1 ,the ,case of the ,officers of ,excise2 with remarks on the qualifications of ,officers2 and of the numerous evils arising to the ,revenue1 from the insufficiency of the present salary4 ,humbly addressed to the ,hon4 and ,right ,hon4 ,members of both ,houses of ,parliament4 ,honored ,sir1--,herewith ,i present you with the ,case of the ,officers of ,excise4 ,a compliment of this kind from an entire stranger may appear somewhat singular1 but the following reasons and information will1 ,i presume1 sufficiently apologize4 ,i act myself in the humble station of an officer of excise1 though somewhat differently circumstanced to what many of them are1 and have been the principal promoter of a plan for applying to ,parliament this session for an increase of salary4 ,a petition for this purpose has been circulated through every part of the kingdom1 and signed by all the officers therein4 ,a subscription of three shillings per officer is raised1 amounting to upwards of ,l#ejj1 for supporting the expenses4 ,the excise officers1 in all cities and corporate towns1 have obtained letters of recommendation from the electors to the members in their behalf1 many or most of whom have promised their support4 ,the enclosed case we have presented to most of the members1 and shall to all1 before the petition appear in the ,house4 ,the memorial before you met with so much approbation while in manuscript1 that ,i was advised to print #djjj copies2 #cjjj of which were subscribed for the officers in general1 and the remaining #ajjj reserved for presents4 ,since the delivering them ,i have received so many letters of thanks and approbation for the performance1 that were ,i not rather singularly modest1 ,i should insensibly become a little vain4 ,the literary fame of ,dr4 ,goldsmith has induced me to present one to him1 such as it is4 ,it is my first and only attempt1 and even now ,i should not have undertaken it1 had ,i not been particularly applied to by some of my superiors in office4 ,i have some few questions to trouble ,dr4 ,goldsmith with1 and should esteem his company for an hour or two1 to partake of a bottle of wine1 or any thing else1 and apologize for this trouble1 as a singular favour conferred on ,his unknown ,humble servant and admirer1 ,thomas ,paine4 ,excise ,coffee ,house1 ,broad ,street1 ,dec4 #ba1 #aggb4 ,p4 ,s4 ,shall take the liberty of waiting on you in a day or two4' 99 ,goldsmith responded to ,paine's desire for his acquaintance4 ,i think ,paine may be identified as the friend to whom ,goldsmith1 shortly before his death1 gave the epitaph first printed in ,paine's ,pennsylvania ,magaritu1 ,january1 #agge1 beginning1 ,here ,whitefoord reclines1 and deny it who can1 ,though he merrily lived he is now a grave man4 ,in giving it ,goldsmith said1 ,it will be of no use to me where ,i am going4 ,i am indebted for these records to the ,secretary of ,inland ,revenue1 ,england1 and to my friend1 ,charles ,macrae1 who obtained them for me4 ,to one who reads ,paine's argument1 it appears wonderful that a man of such ability should1 at the age of thirty-five1 have had his horizon filled with such a cause as that of the underpaid excisemen1 ,unable to get the matter before ,parliament1 he went back to his tobacco-mill in ,lewes1 and it seemed to him like the crack of doom when1 #h ,april1 #aggd1 he was dismissed from the excise4 ,the cause of ,paine's second dismission from the excise being ascribed by his first biographer 7,oldys7 to his dealing in smuggled tobacco1 without contradiction by ,paine1 his admirers have been misled into a kind of apology for him on account of the prevalence of the custom4 ,but ,i have before me the minutes of the ,board concerning ,paine1 and there is no hint whatever of any such accusation4 ,the order of discharge from ,lewes is as follows3 ,friday #hth ,april #aggd4 ,thomas ,pain1 ,officer of ,lewes #dth ,o4 ,ride ,sussex ,collection having quitted his ,business1 without obtaining the ,board's ,leave for so doing1 and being gone off on ,account of the ,debts which he hath contracted1 as by ,letter of the #fth instant from ,edward ,clifford1 ,supervisor1 and the said ,pain having been once before ,discharged1 ,ordered that he be again discharged4 ,in ,paine's absence in ,london1 writing his pleas for the excisemen1 laboring with members of ,parliament1 his tobacco-mill had been still1 his groceries unsold1 and his wife and her mother had been supported from the bank of flattering hope4 ,no sooner was it known that the hope of an increased salary for the exciseman had failed than he found himself in danger of arrest for debt4 ,it was on this account that he left ,lewes for a time1 but it was only that he might take steps to make over all of his possessions to his creditors4 ,this was done4 ,the following placard appeared3 ,to be sold by auction1 on ,thursday the #adth of ,april1 and following day1 all the household furniture1 stock in trade and other effects of ,thomas ,pain1 grocer and tobacconist1 near the ,west ,gate1 in ,lewes3 ,also a horse tobacco and snuff mill1 with all the utensils for cutting tobacco and grinding off snuff2 and two unopened crates of cream-coloured stone ware4 ,this sale was announced by one ,whitfield1 grocer1 and if there were other creditors they were no doubt paid by the results1 for ,paine had no difficulty in returning to ,lewes4 ,he once more had to petition the ,board1 which shortly before had commended his assiduity4 ,its commissioner1 ,george ,lewis ,scott1 labored in his behalf4 ,in vain4 ,whether it was because it was a rule that a second discharge should be final1 or that his failure to move ,parliament had made him a scapegoat for the disappointed excisemen1 his petition was rejected4 ,at thirty-seven ,paine found himself penniless4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,domestic ,,trouble ,the break-up of ,paine's business at ,lewes brought to a head a more serious trouble4 ,on ,june #dth of the same miserable year1 #aggd1 ,paine and his wife formally separated4 ,the causes of their trouble are enveloped in mystery4 ,it has been stated by both friendly and hostile biographers that there was from the first no cohabitation1 and that concerning the responsibility for this neither of them was ever induced to utter a word4 ,even his friend ,rickman was warned off the subject by ,paine1 who1 in reply to a question as to the reason of the separation1 said3 ,it is nobody's business but my own2 ,i had cause for it1 but ,i will name it to no one4 ,william ,huntington1 in his ,kingdom of ,heaven1 mentions a usage of some ,quakers in his time1 that when a young couple are espoused1 they are to be kept apart for a season to mourn2 this being their interpretation of ,zech4 xii41 #ab-ad4 ,as ,huntington was mainly acquainted with this ,sussex region1 it is not inconceivable that ,elizabeth ,ollive held some such notion1 and that this led to dissension ending in separation4 ,nor is it inconceivable that ,paine himself1 finding his excise office no support1 and his shop a failure1 resolved that no offspring should suffer his penury or increase it4 ,it is all mere guesswork4 ,mr4 ,alfred ,hammond1 of ,lewes1 who owns the property1 showed me the documents connected with it4 ,after the death of ,samuel ,ollive in #agfi1 ,esther1 his widow1 enjoyed the messuage until her own death1 in #ahjj1 when a division among the heirs became necessary4 ,among the documents is one which recites some particulars of the separation between ,paine and his wife4 ,soon after the ,testator's death1 his daughter ,elizabeth married ,thos4 ,pain from whom she afterwards lived separate under articles dated #dth ,june #aggd1 and made between the said ,thos4 ,pain of the first part1 the said ,elizabeth of the #bnd part1 and the ,rev4 ,james ,castley1 ,clerk1 of the #c;d part4 by which ,articles1 after reciting 7inter alia7 that ,dissentions had arisen between the said ,thos4 ,pain and ,elizabeth his wife1 and that they had agreed to live separate4 ,and also reciting the ,will of the said ,saml4 ,ollive and that the said ,thomas ,pain had agreed that the said ,elizabeth should have and take her share of the said ,monies of the said ,house when the same should become due and payable and that he would give any ,discharge that should then be required to and for the use of the said ,elizabeth3 ,the said ,thos4 ,pain did covenant to permit the said ,elizabeth to live separate from him and to carry on such ,trade and ,business as she should think fit1 notwithstanding her coverture and as if she were a ,feme4 ,sole4 ,and that he would not at any time thereafter claim or demand the said monies which she should be entitled to at the time of the sale of the said ,house in ,lewes aforesaid1 or any of the ,monies ,rings ,plate ,cloathes ,linen ,woollen ,household ,goods or ,stock in ,trade which the said ,elizabeth should or might at any time thereafter buy or purchase or which should be devised or given to her or she should otherwise acquire and that she should and might enjoy and absolutely dispose of the same as if she were a ,feme4 ,sole and unmarried4 ,and also that it should and might be lawful for the said ,elizabeth to have receive and take to her own separate use and benefit her said share of the ,monies for which the said ,messuage or ,tenement in ,lewes should be sold when the same should become due and payable4 ,another paper is a ,release to ,francis ,mitchener1 ,october #ad1 #ahjj1 in which it is recited3 ,that the said ,elizabeth ,pain had ever since lived separate from him the said ,thos4 ,pain1 and never had any issue1 and the said ,thomas ,pain had many years quitted this kingdom and resided 7if living7 in parts beyond the seas1 but had not since been heard of by the said ,elizabeth ,pain1 nor was it known for certain whether he was living or dead4 ,this release is signed by ,robert ,blackman and wife1 and eight others1 among these being the three children of ,samuel ,ollive1 who under his will were to share alike --,samuel1 ,thomas1 and ,elizabeth 7,mrs4 ,paine74 ,the large seals attached to the signatures were fortunately well preserved1 for each represents the head of ,thomas ,paine4 ,by the assistance of ,mr4 ,hammond ,i am able to present this little likeness of ,paine that must have been made when he was about thirty-five1 or nearly twenty years earlier than any other portrait of him4 ,the reader must form his own conjecture as to the origin of this seal1 its preservation by the wife1 and use on this document ,at this time1 and probably since her separation1 ,elizabeth ,paine would appear to have resided with her brother ,thomas1 a watchmaker in ,cranbrook1 ,kent4 ,that she and the family did not know ,paine's whereabouts in #ahjj1 or whether he were dead or alive1 argues that they had not followed his career or the course of public events with much interest4 ,one would be glad to believe that ,elizabeth cherished kindly remembrance of the man who considering his forlorn condition1 had certainly shown generosity in the justice with which he renounced all of his rights in the property she had brought him1 and whose hand she might naturally have suspected behind the monies anonymously sent her4 ,we will therefore hope that it was from some other member of the family that ,oldys obtained1--unless1 like his ,a4 ,m4 of the ,university of ,philadelphia1 it was invented1--the letter said to have been written by ,paine's mother to his wife499 99 ,thetpord1 ,norfolk1 #bgth ,july1 #aggd4 ,dear ,daughter1--,i must beg leave to trouble you with my inquiries concerning my unhappy son and your husband3 various are the reports1 which ,i find come originally from the ,excise-office4 ,such as his vile treatment to you1 his secreting upwards of #cj,l4 intrusted with him to manage the petition for advance of salary2 and that since his discharge1 he have petitioned to be restored1 which was rejected with scorn4 ,since which ,i am told he have left ,england4 ,to all which ,i beg you'll be kind enough to answer me by due course of post4--,you 'll not be a little surprized at my so strongly desiring to know what's become of him after ,i repeat to you his undutiful behavior to the tenderest of parents2 he never asked of us anything1 but what was granted1 that were in our poor abilities to do2 nay1 even distressed ourselves1 whose works are given over by old age1 to let him have #bj,l4 on bond1 and every other tender mark a parent could possibly shew a child2 his ingratitude1 or rather want of duty1 has been such1 that he have not wrote to me upwards of two years4--,if the above account be true1 ,i am heartily sorry1 that a woman whose character and amiableness deserves the greatest respect1 love1 and esteem1 as ,i have always on enquiry been informed yours did1 should be tied for life to the worst of husbands4 ,i am1 dear daughter1 your affectionate mother1 ,f4 ,pain4 ,p4 ,s4 ,for ,god's sake1 let me have your answer1 as ,i am almost distracted4 ,the letter may have been manipulated1 but it is not improbable that rumors1 exaggerated by enmity or misstated by malice1 as ,oldys confesses1 elicited some such outburst from ,thetford499 ,the excisemen1 angry at the failure to get their case before ,parliament1 and having fixed on ,paine as their scapegoat1 all other iniquities were naturally laid on him4 ,eighteen years later1 when the scapegoat who had gone into the ,american wilderness returned with the renown of having helped to make it a nation1 he addressed a letter to ,lewes1 which was about to hold a meeting to respond to a royal proclamation for suppressing seditious writings4 ,his tone is not that of a man who supposed that ,lewes had aught against him on the score of his wife4 ,it is now upwards of eighteen years since ,i was a resident inhabitant of the town of ,lewes4 ,my situation among you as an officer of the revenue1 for more than six years1 enabled me to see into the numerous and various distresses which the weight of taxes even at that time of day occasioned2 and feeling1 as ,i then did1 and as it is natural for me to do1 for the hard condition of others1 it is with pleasure ,i can declare1 and every person then under my survey1 and now living1 can witness the exceeding candor1 and even tenderness1 with which that part of the duty that fell to my share was executed4 ,the name of ,thomas ,paine is not to be found in the records of the ,lewes justices1 in any one act of contention with1 or severity of any kind whatever towards1 the persons whom he surveyed1 either in the town or in the country2 of this ,mr4 ,fuller and ,mr4 ,shelley1 who will probably attend the meeting1 can1 if they please1 give full testimony4 ,it is1 however1 not in their power to contradict it4 ,having thus indulged myself in recollecting a place where ,i formerly had1 and even now have1 many friends1 rich and poor1 and most probably some enemies4 99 ,when ,paine had the money he did forward twenty pounds to his parents1 and made provision for his mother when she was a widow4 ,as to writing to her1 in those unhappy years1 he probably thought it better to keep his burdens to himself4 ,he may also have been aware of his mother's severity without knowing her interest in him4 ,i proceed to the import of my letter4 ,since my departure from ,lewes1 fortune or providence has thrown me into a line of action which my first setting out in life could not possibly have suggested to me4 ,many of you will recollect that1 whilst ,i resided among you1 there was not a man more firm and open in supporting the principles of liberty than myself1 and ,i still pursue1 and ever will1 the same path4 ,finally1 it should be added that ,rickman1 a truthful man1 who admits ,paine's faults1 says3 ,this ,i can assert1 that ,mr4 ,paine always spoke tenderly and respectfully of his wife2 and sent her several times pecuniary aid1 without her knowing even whence it came4 ,while ,paine was in ,london1 trying to get before ,parliament a measure for the relief of excisemen1 he not only enjoyed the friendship of ,goldsmith1 but that of ,franklin4 ,in the ,doctor's electrical experiments he took a deep interest2 for ,paine was devoted to science1 and the extent of his studies is attested by his description of a new electrical machine and other scientific papers1 signed ,atlanticus1 in the ,pennsylvania ,magazine1 ,the sale of his effects in ,lewes paid his debts1 but left him almost penniless4 ,he came to ,london1 and how he lived is unknown--that is1 physically1 for we do find some intimation of his mental condition4 ,in a letter written many years after to ,john ,king1 a political renegade1 ,paine says3 ,when ,i first knew you in ,ailiffe-street1 an obscure part of the ,city1 a child1 without fortune or friends1 ,i noticed you2 because ,i thought ,i saw in you1 young as you was1 a bluntness of temper1 a boldness of opinion1 and an originality of thought1 that portended some future good4 ,i was pleased to discuss1 with you1 under our friend ,oliver's lime-tree1 those political notions1 which ,i have since given the world in my ',rights of ,man4' ,you used to complain of abuses1 as well as me1 and write your opinions on them in free terms--,what then means this sudden attachment to ,kings8 ,this ,oliver was probably the famous ,alderman ,oliver who was imprisoned in the ,tower during the great struggle of the ,city with the ,government1 on account of ,wilkes4 ,paine tells us that in early life he cared little for politics1 which seemed to him a species of jockeyship2 and how apt the term is shown by the betting-book kept at ,brooks' ,club1 in which are recorded the bets of the noblemen and politicians of the time on the outcome of every motion and course of every public man or minister4 ,but the contemptuous word proves that ,paine was deeply interested in the issues which the people had joined with the king and his servile ministers4 ,he could never have failed to read with excitement the letters of ,junius1 whose brilliant pen1 he afterwards wrote1 enraptured without convincing2 and though in the plenitude of its rage it might be said to give elegance to bitterness1 yet the policy survived the blast4 ,we may feel sure that he had heard with joy that adroit verdict of the jury at the ,king's ,bench on ,woodfall1 ,junius' printer1 which secured liberty of the press until1 twenty-two years later1 it was reversed by revolutionary panic1 in the same court1 for ,paine himself4 ,notwithstanding the private immorality of ,wilkes1 in which his associates were aristocratic1 the most honorable political elements in ,england1 and the ,independents and ,presbyterians1 were resolute in defending the rights of his constituents against the authority arrogated by the ,commons to exclude him4 ,burke then stood by ,wilkes1 as ,john ,bright stood by ,bradlaugh at a later day4 ,and while ,paine was laboring to carry his excise bill through ,parliament he had good opportunity to discover how completely that body's real opinions were overruled by royal dictation4 ,it was at that time that ,george ,,iii41 indifferent to his brother's profligacies1 would not forgive his marriage with a commoner's sister1 and forced on ,parliament a ,marriage ,act which made all marriages in the royal family illegitimate without his consent4 ,the indignant resignation of ,fox modified the measure slightly1 limiting the ,king's interference at the twenty-sixth year of the marrying parties1 and then giving the veto to ,parliament4 ,for this the ,king turned his wrath on ,fox4 ,this was but one of the many instances of those years--all told in ,trevelyan's admirable work99--which added to ,paine's studies of the ,wilkes conflicts a lasting lesson in the conservation of despotic forces4 ,the barbaric eras of prerogative had returned under the forms of ministerial government4 ,the ,ministry1 controlled by the ,court1 ruled by corruption of commoners4 99 ,the ,early ,history of ,charles ,james ,fox1 #ahhj4 ,it was a regime almost incredible to us now1 when ,england is of all nations most free from corruption and court influence in politics2 and it was little realized in ,english colonies before the ,revolution4 ,but ,franklin was in ,london to witness it1 and ,paine was there to grow familiar with the facts4 ,to both of them the systematic inhumanity and injustice were brought home personally4 ,the discharged and insulted postmaster could sympathize with the dismissed and starving exciseman4 ,franklin recognized ,paine's ability1 and believed he would be useful and successful in ,america4 ,so on this migration ,paine decided1 and possibly the determination brought his domestic discords to a crisis4 #aggd ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,the ,,new ,,world ,paine left ,england in ,october and arrived in ,america ,november #cj1 #aggd4 ,he bore a letter of introduction from ,dr4 ,franklin to ,richard ,bache1 his son-in-law1 dated ,september #cj1 #aggd3 ,the bearer ,mr4 ,thomas ,paine is very well recommended to me as an ingenious worthy young man4 ,he goes to ,pennsylvania with a view of settling there4 ,i request you to give him your best advice and countenance1 as he is quite a stranger there4 ,if you can put him in a way of obtaining employment as a clerk1 or assistant tutor in a school1 or assistant surveyor1 of all of which ,i think him very capable1 so that he may procure a subsistence at least1 till he can make acquaintance and obtain a knowledge of the country1 you will do well1 and much oblige your affectionate father4 #agge ,on ,march #d1 #agge1 ,paine writes ,franklin from ,philadelphia3 ,your countenancing me has obtained for me many friends and much reputation1 for which please accept my sincere thanks4 ,i have been applied to by several gentlemen to instruct their sons on very advantageous terms to myself1 and a printer and bookseller here1 a man of reputation and property1 ,robert ,aitkin1 has lately attempted a magazine1 but having little or no turn that way himself1 he has applied to me for assistance4 ,he had not above six hundred subscribers when ,i first assisted him4 ,we have now upwards of fifteen hundred1 and daily increasing4 ,i have not entered into terms with him ,this is only the second number4 ,the first ,i was not concerned in4 ,it has been often stated that ,paine was befriended by ,dr4 ,rush1 but there is no indication of this4 ,their acquaintance was casual4 ,about the year #aggc says ,dr4 ,rush--the date is an error for #aggd ,i met him accidentally in ,mr4 ,aitkin's bookstore1 and was introduced to him by ,mr4 ,aitkin4 ,we conversed a few minutes1 and ,i left him4 ,soon afterwards ,i read a short essay with which ,i was much pleased1 in one of ,bradford's papers1 against the slavery of the ,africans in our country1 and which ,i was informed was written by ,mr4 ,paine4 ,this excited my desire to be better acquainted with him4 ,we met soon afterwards in ,mr4 ,aitkin's bookstore1 where ,i did homage to his principles and pen upon the subject of the enslaved ,africans4 ,he told me the essay to which ,i alluded was the first thing he had ever published in his life4 ,after this ,mr4 ,aitkin employed him as the editor of his ,magazine1 with a salary of fifty pounds currency a year4 ,this work was well supported by him4 ,his song upon the death of ,gen4 ,wolfe1 and his reflections upon the death of ,lord ,clive1 gave it a sudden currency which few works of the kind have since had in our country4 ,as the anti-slavery essay was printed ,march #h1 #agge1 it appears that ,paine had been in ,america more than three months before ,rush noticed him4 ,the first number of the ,pennsylvania ,magazine1 or ,american ,museum1 appeared at the end of ,january1 #agge4 ,though not concerned in it pecuniarily1 not yet being editor1 his contributions increased the subscription list1 and he was at once engaged4 ,for eighteen months ,paine edited this magazine1 and probably there never was an equal amount of good literary work done on a salary of fifty pounds a year4 ,it was a handsome magazine1 with neat vignette--book1 plough1 anchor1 and olive-twined shield1--the motto1 ,juvat in sylvis kabitare4 ,the future author of the ,rights of ,man and ,age of ,reason admonishes correspondents that religion and politics are forbidden topics6 ,the first number contains a portrait of ,goldsmith and the picture of a new electrical machine4 ,a prefatory note remarks that the present perplexities of affairs have encompassed with difficulties the first number of the magazine1 which1 like the early snowdrop1 comes forth in a barren season1 and contents itself with modestly foretelling that choicer flowers are preparing to appear4 ,the opening essay shows a fine literary touch1 and occasionally a strangely modern vein of thought4 ,our fancies would be highly diverted could we look back and behold a circle of original ,indians haranguing on the sublime perfections of the age2 yet 't is not impossible but future times may exceed us as much as we have exceeded them4 ,here is a forerunner of ,macaulay's ,new ,zea-lander sketching the ruins of ,st4 ,paul's4 ,it is followed by a prediction that the coming ,american magazine will surpass the ,english1 because we are not exceeded in abilities1 have a more extended field for inquiry1 and whatever may be our political state1 our happiness will always depend upon ourselves4 ,a feature of the magazine was the description1 with plates1 of recent ,english inventions not known in the new world--threshing-machine1 spinning-machine1 etc41--such papers being by ,paine4 ,these attracted the members of the ,philosophical ,society1 founded by ,franklin1 and ,paine was welcomed into their circle by ,rittenhouse1 ,clymer1 ,rush1 ,muhlenberg1 and other representatives of the scientific and literary metropolis4 ,many a piece composed for the ,headstrong ,club at ,lewes first saw the light in this magazine1--such as the humorous poems1 ,the ,monk and the ,jew1 ,the ,farmer and ,short's ,dog1 ,porter2 also the famous ballad ,on the ,death of ,general ,wolfe4 printed ,march1 #agge1 with music4 ,lewes had not1 indeed1 lost sight of him1 as is shown by a communication in ,april from ,dr4 ,matthew ,wilson1 dated from that town1 relating to a new kind of fever raging in ,england4 ,the reader who has studied ,paine's avowed and well-known works finds no difficulty in tracking him beneath the various signatures by which he avoided an appearance of writing most of the articles in the ,pennsylvania ,magazine1 though he really did4 ,he is now ,atlanticus1 now ,vox ,populi1 or ,a,esop1 and oftener affixes no signature4 ,the ,thetford ,quaker is still here in ,reflections on the ,death of ,lord ,clive 7reprinted as a pamphlet in ,england71 ,a ,new ,anecdote of ,alexander the ,great1 and ,cursory ,reflections on the ,single ,combat or ,modern ,duel4 ,the duel was hardly yet challenged in ,america when ,paine wrote 7,may1 #agge7 ,from the peculiar prevalence of this custom in countries where the religious system is established which1 of all others1 most expressly prohibits the gratification of revenge1 with every species of outrage and violence1 we too plainly see how little mankind are in reality influenced by the precepts of the religion by which they profess to be guided1 and in defence of which they will occasionally risk even their lives4 ,but with this voice from ,thetford meeting-house mingles the testimony of common sense4 ,in ,july1 #agge1 he writes3 ,i am thus far a ,quaker1 that ,i would gladly agree with all the world to lay aside the use of arms1 and settle matters by negotiations2 but1 unless the whole world wills1 the matter ends1 and ,i take up my musket1 and thank heaven he has put it in my power4444 ,we live not in a world of angels4 ,the reign of ,satan is not ended1 neither can we expect to be defended by miracles4 ,titles he sees through 7,may1 #agge73 ,the ,honourable plunderer of his country1 or the ,right ,honourable murderer of mankind1 create such a contrast of ideas as exhibit a monster rather than a man4 ,the lustre of the ,star1 and the title of ,my ,lord1 overawe the superstitious vulgar1 and forbid them to enquire into the character of the possessor3 ,nay more1 they are1 as it were1 bewitched to admire in the great the vices they would honestly condemn in themselves4444 ,the reasonable freeman sees through the magic of a title1 and examines the man before he approves him4 ,to him the honours of the worthless seem to write their masters' vices in capitals1 and their ,stars shine to no other end than to read them by4 ,modesty forbids men separately1 or collectively1 to assume titles4 ,but as all honours1 even that of kings1 originated from the public1 the public may justly be called the true fountain of honour4 ,and it is with much pleasure ,i have heard the title ',honourable' applied to a body of men1 who nobly disregarding private ease and interest for public welfare1 have justly merited the address of ,the ,honourable ,continental ,congress4 ,he publishes 7,may1 #agge71 and ,i think wrote1 a poetical protest against cruelty to animals1 to whose rights ,christendom was then not awakened4 ,his pen is unmistakable in ,reflections on ,unhappy ,marriages 7,june1 #agge73 ,as extasy abates coolness succeeds1 which often makes way for indifference1 and that for neglect4 ,sure of each other by the nuptial bond1 they no longer take any pains to be mutually agreeable4 ,careless if they displease1 and yet angry if reproached2 with so little relish for each other's company that anybody else's is more welcome1 and more entertaining4 ,it is a more pointed statement of the problem already suggested1 in the ,april magazine1 by his well-known fable ,cupid and ,hymen1 whose controversies are now settled in the ,divorce ,court4 ,in his ,august 7#agge7 number is found the earliest ,american plea for woman4 ,it is entitled ,an ,occasional ,letter on the ,female ,sex1 and unsigned1 but certainly by ,paine4 ,his trick of introducing a supposititious address from another person1 as in the following extract1 appears in many examples4 ,affronted in one country by polygamy1 which gives them their rivals for inseparable companions2 inslaved in another by indissoluble ties1 which often join the gentle to the rude1 and sensibility to brutality3 ,even in countries where they may be esteemed most happy1 constrained in their desires in the disposal of their goods1 robbed of freedom of will by the laws1 the slaves of opinion1 which rules them with absolute sway1 and construes the slightest appearances into guilt1 surrounded on all sides by judges who are at once their tyrants and seducers1 and who after having prepared their faults1 punish every lapse with dishonour--nay usurp the right of degrading them on suspicion6--who does not feel for the tender sex8 ,yet such ,i am sorry to say is the lot of woman over the whole earth4 ,man with regard to them1 in all climates and in all ages1 has been either an insensible husband or an oppressor2 but they have sometimes experienced the cold and deliberate oppression of pride1 and sometimes the violent and terrible tyranny of jealousy4 ,when they are not beloved they are nothing2 and when they are they are tormented4 ,they have almost equal cause to be afraid of indifference and love4 ,over three quarters of the globe ,nature has placed them between contempt and misery4 ,even among people where beauty receives the highest homage we find men who would deprive the sex of every kind of reputation4 ',the most virtuous woman1' says a celebrated ,greek1 'is she who is least talked of4' ,that morose man1 while he imposes duties on women1 would deprive them of the sweets of public esteem1 and in exacting virtues from them would make it a crime to aspire to honour4 ,if a woman were to defend the cause of her sex she might address him in the following manner3 ',how great is your injustice6 ,if we have an equal right with you to virtue1 why should we not have an equal right to praise8 ,the public esteem ought to wait upon merit4 ,our duties are different from yours1 but they are not less difficult to fulfil1 or of less consequence to society3 ,they are the foundations of your felicity1 and the sweetness of life4 ,we are wives and mothers4 ',t is we who form the union and the cordiality of families2 't is we who soften that savage rudeness which considers everything as due to force1 and which would involve man with man in eternal war4 ,we cultivate in you that humanity which makes you feel for the misfortunes of others1 and our tears forewarn you of your own danger4 ,nay1 you cannot be ignorant that we have need of courage not less than you3 ,more feeble in ourselves1 we have perhaps more trials to encounter4 ,nature assails us with sorrow1 law and custom press us with constraint1 and sensibility and virtue alarm us by their continual conflict4 ,sometimes also the name of citizen demands from us the tribute of fortitude4 ,when you offer your blood to the state1 think that it is ours4 ,in giving it our sons and our husbands we give it more than ourselves4 ,you can only die on the field of battle1 but we have the misfortune to survive those whom we love the most4 ,alas6 while your ambitious vanity is unceasingly laboring to cover the earth with statues1 with monuments1 and with inscriptions to eternize1 if possible1 your names1 and give yourselves an existence when this body is no more1 why must we be condemned to live and to die unknown8 ,would that the grave and eternal forgetfulness should be our lot4 ,be not our tyrants in all3 ,permit our names to be sometime pronounced beyond the narrow circle in which we live3 ,permit friendship1 or at least love1 to inscribe its emblems on the tomb where our ashes repose2 and deny us not the public esteem which1 after the esteem of one's self1 is the sweetest reward of welldoing4' ,thus the ,pennsylvania ,magazine1 in the time that ,paine edited it1 was a seed-bag from which this sower scattered the seeds of great reforms ripening with the progress of civilization4 ,through the more popular press he sowed also4 ,events selected his seeds of ,american independence1 of republican equality1 freedom from royal1 ecclesiastical1 and hereditary privilege1 for a swifter and more imposing harvest2 but the whole circle of human ideas and principles was recognized by this lone wayfaring man4 ,the first to urge extension of the principles of independence to the enslaved negro2 the first to arraign monarchy1 and to point out the danger of its survival in presidency2 the first to propose articles of a more thorough nationality to the new-born ,states2 the first to advocate international arbitration2 the first to expose the absurdity and criminality of duelling2 the first to suggest more rational ideas of marriage and divorce2 the first to advocate national and international copyright2 the first to plead for the animals2 the first to demand justice for woman3 what brilliants would our modern reformers have contributed to a coronet for that man's brow1 had he not presently worshipped the ,god of his fathers after the way that theologians called heresy6 ,be not righteous overmuch1 saith cynical ,solomon2 neither make thyself over-wise3 why shouldest thou destroy thyself8 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,liberty ,,and ,,equality ,with regard to ,paine's earliest publication there has been needless confusion4 ,in his third ,crisis he says to ,lord ,howe3 ,i have likewise an aversion to monarchy1 as being too debasing to the dignity of man2 but ,i never troubled others with my notions till very lately1 nor ever published a syllable in ,england in my life4 ,it has been alleged that this is inconsistent with his having written in #aggb ,the ,case of the ,officers of ,excise4 ,but this1 though printed 7by ,william ,lee of ,lewes7 was not published until #agic4 ,it was a document submitted to ,parliament1 but never sold4 ,the song on ,wolfe1 and other poetical pieces1 though known to the ,headstrong ,club in ,lewes1 were first printed in ,philadelphia499 99 ,mr4 ,w4 ,h4 ,burr maintains that ,paine wrote in the ,english ,crisis 7#agge7 under the name of ,casca4 ,as ,casca's articles bear intrinsic evidence of being written in ,london--such as his treating as facts ,general ,gage's fictions about ,lexington--the theory supposes ,paine to have visited ,england in that year4 ,but besides the facts that ,rush had an interview with ,paine near the middle of ,march1 and ,franklin in ,october1 the accounts of ,aitkin1 preserved in ,philadelphia1 show payments to ,paine in ,may1 ,july1 and ,august1 #agge4 ,as ,mr4 ,burr's further theory1 that ,paine wrote the letters of ,junius1 rests largely on the identification with ,casca1 it might be left to fall with disproof of the latter4 ,it is but fair1 however1 to the labors of a courageous writer1 and to the many worthy people who have adopted his views1 to point out the impossibilities of their case4 ,an able summary of the facts discoverable concerning the personality of ,junius1 in ,macaulay's ,warren ,hastings1 says3 ,as to the position1 pursuits1 and connexions of ,junius1 the following are the most important facts which can be considered as clearly proved3 first1 that he was acquainted with the technical forms of the ,secretary of ,state's office2 secondly1 that he was intimately acquainted with the business of the ,war ,office2 thirdly1 that he1 during the year #aggj1 attended debates in the ,house of ,lords1 and took notes of speeches1 particularly of the speeches of ,lord ,chatham2 fourthly1 that he bitterly resented the appointment of ,mr4 ,chamier to the place of ,deputy ,secretary of ,war2 fifthly1 that he was bound by some strong tie to the first ,lord ,holland4 ,now during the period of ,junius' letters 7,jan4 #ba1 #agfi1 to ,jan4 #ba1 #aggb7 ,paine was occupied with his laborious duties as exciseman at ,lewes1 and with the tobacco mill from which he vainly tried to extort a living for himself and wife1 and her mother4 ,before that period there was no time at which ,paine could have commanded the leisure or opportunities necessary to master the political and official details known to ,junius1 even had he been interested in them4 ,he declares that he had no interest in politics1 which he regarded as a species of jockeyship4 ,how any one can read a page of ,junius and then one of ,paine1 and suppose them from the same pen appears to me inconceivable4 ,junius is wrapped up in the affairs of ,lord ,this and ,duke ,that1 and a hundred details4 ,i can as easily imagine ,paine agitated with the movements of a battle of chessmen4 ,but apart from this1 the reader need only refer to the facts of his life before coming to ,america to acquit him of untruth in saying that he had published nothing in ,england1 and that the cause of ,america made him an author4 ,in ,america ,wolfe again rises before ,paine's imagination4 ,in the ,pennsylvania ,journal1 ,january #dth1 appears a brief ,dialogue between ,general ,wolfe and ,general ,gage in a ,wood near ,boston4 ,wolfe1 from the ,elysian ,fields1 approaches ,gage with rebuke for the errand on which he has come to ,america1 and reminds him that he is a citizen as well as a soldier4 ,if you have any regard for the glory of the ,british name1 and if you prefer the society of ,grecian1 ,roman1 and ,british heroes in the world of spirits to the company of ,jeffries1 ,kirk1 and other royal executioners1 ,i conjure you immediately to resign your commission4 ,although this ,dialogue was the first writing of ,paine published1 it was not the first written for publication4 ,the cause that first moved his heart and pen was that of the negro slave4 ,dr4 ,rush's date of his meeting with ,paine1 #aggc1--;a year before his arrival1--is one of a number of errors in his letter1 among these being his report that ,paine told him the antislavery essay was the first thing he had ever published4 ,paine no doubt told him it was the first thing he ever wrote and offered for publication2 but it was not published until ,march #hth4 ,misled by ,rush's words1 ,paine's editors and our historians of the antislavery movement have failed to discover this early manifesto of abolitionism4 ,it is a most remarkable article4 ,every argument and appeal1 moral1 religious1 military1 economic1 familiar in our subsequent anti-slavery struggle1 is here found stated with eloquence and clearness4 ,having pointed out the horrors of the slave trade and of slavery1 he combats the argument that the practice was permitted to the ,jews4 ,were such a plea allowed it would justify adoption of other ,jewish practices utterly unlawful under clearer light4 ,the ,jews indeed had no permission to enslave those who never injured them1 but all such arguments are unsuitable since the time of reformation came under ,gospel light4 ,all distinctions of nations1 and privileges of one above others1 are ceased4 ,christians are taught to account all men their neighbours2 and love their neighbours as themselves2 and do to all men as they would be done by2 to do good to all men2 and man-stealing is ranked with enormous crimes4 ,bradford might naturally hesitate some weeks before printing these pointed reproofs4 ,how just1 how suitable to our crime is the punishment with which ,providence threatens us8 ,we have enslaved multitudes1 and shed much innocent blood1 and now are threatened with the same4 ,in the conclusion1 a practical scheme is proposed for liberating all except the infirm who need protection1 and settling them on frontier lands1 where they would be friendly protectors instead of internal foes ready to help any invader who may offer them freedom4 ,this wonderful article is signed ,justice and ,humanity4 ,thomas ,paine's venture in this direction was naturally welcomed by ,dr4 ,rush1 who some years before had written a little pamphlet against the slave trade1 and deploring slavery1 though he had not proposed or devised any plan for immediate emancipation4 ,paine's paper is as thorough as ,garrison himself could have made it4 ,and1 indeed1 it is remarkable that ,garrison1 at a time when he shared the common prejudices against ,paine1 printed at the head of his ,liberator a motto closely resembling ,paine's4 ,the motto of ,paine was3 ,the world is my country1 my religion is to do good2 that of the ,liberator3 ,our country is the world1 our countrymen are all mankind4 ,garrison did characteristic justice to ,paine when he had outgrown early prejudices against him499 ,on ,april #abth1 thirty-five days after ,paine's plea for emancipation1 the first ,american ,antislavery ,society was formed1 in ,philadelphia4 99 ,it will be seen by the ,life of ,william ,lloyd ,garrison1 i41 p4 #bai1 and iii41 p4 #ade1 that ,mr4 ,garrison did not know of ,paine's motto 7,rights of ,man1 i41 chap4 v474 ,his review of ,paine's works appeared ,november1 #ahde4 ,the ,liberator first appeared ,january #a1 #ahca4 ,although the dialogue between ,wolfe and ,gage 7,january #dth7 shows that ,paine shared the feeling of ,america1 the earlier numbers of his ,pennsylvania ,magazine prove his strong hope for reconciliation4 ,that hope died in the first collision2 after ,lexington he knew well that separation was inevitable4 ,a single sentence in the magazine intimates the change4 ,the ,april number1 which appeared soon after the ,lexington massacre1 contains a summary of ,chatham's speech1 in which he said the crown would lose its lustre if robbed of so principal a jewel as ,america4 ,paine adds this footnote3 ,the principal jewel of the crown actually dropt out at the coronation4 ,there was probably no earlier printed suggestion of independence by any ,american499 99 ,the ,london ,chronicle1 of ,october #be1 #aggd1 printed ,major ,cartwright's ,american ,independence the ,interest and ,glory of ,great ,britain1 and it was reprinted in the ,pennsylvania ,journal4 ,although it has little relation to the form in which the question presently suggested itself1 the article is interesting as an indication that separation was then more talked of in ,england than in ,america4 ,twelve years before the ,revolution a pamphlet in favor of separation was written by ,josiah ,tucker of ,bristol1 ,england4 ,then as now colonists were more loyal than the ,english at home4 ,there are three stages in the evolution of the ,declaration of ,independence4 ,the colonies reached first the resolution of resistance1 secondly of separation1 and thirdly of republicanism4 ,in the matter of resistance the distribution of honors has been rather literary than historical4 ,in considering the beginnings of the ,revolution our minds fly at once to the ,tea-party in ,boston harbor1 then to ,lexington1 where seven ,massachusetts men fell dead1 and seven years of war followed4 ,but two years before the tea was thrown overboard1 and four years before the ,lexington massacre1 ,north ,carolinians had encountered ,british troops1 had left two hundred patriots fallen1 and seen their leaders hanged for treason4 ,those earliest martyrs are almost forgotten because1 in the first place1 ,north ,carolina produced no historians1 poets1 magazines1 to rehearse their story from generation to generation4 ,in the second place1 the rebellion which ,governor ,tryon crushed at ,alamance1 though against the same oppressions1 occurred in #agga1 before the colonies had made common cause4 ,governmental anachronisms have a tendency to take refuge in colonies4 ,had ,great ,britain conceded to ,americans the constitutional rights of ,englishmen there could have been no revolution4 ,before the time of ,george ,,iii4 ,british governors had repeatedly revived in ,america prerogatives extinct in ,england1 but the colonists had generally been successful in their appeals to the home government4 ,even in #aggd the old statesmen in ,america had not realized that a king had come who meant to begin in ,america his mad scheme of governing as well as reigning4 ,when1 in ,september1 #aggd1 the first ,continental ,congress assembled1 its members generally expected to settle the troubles with the mother country by petitions to ,parliament4 ,there is poetic irony in the fact that the first armed resistance to royal authority in ,america was by the ,north ,carolina ,regulators4 ,on the frontiers1 before official courts were established1 some kind of law and order had to be maintained1 and they were protected by a volunteer police called ,regulators4 ,in the forests of ,virginia1 two hundred years ago1 ,peter ,lynch was appointed judge by his neighbors because of his wisdom and justice1 and his decisions were enforced by ,regulators4 ,judge ,lynch's honorable name is now degraded into a precedent for the cowardly ruffians who hunt down unarmed negroes1 ,italians1 and ,chinamen1 and murder them without trial1 or after their acquittal4 ,but such was not the case with our frontier courts and ,regulators1 which were civilized organizations1 though unauthorized4 ,for several years before the ,revolution lawful and civilized government in some of the colonies depended on unauthorized administrations4 ,the authorized powers were the lynchers1 as they would now be called1 with traditional misrepresentation of ,peter ,lynch4 ,the ,north ,carolina ,regulators of #agga were defending the ,english constitution against a king and a governor acting as lawlessly as our vile lynchers and ,white ,caps4 ,it was remarked1 by ,paine among others that after the royal authority was abolished1 though for a long time new governments were not established1 order and harmony were preserved as inviolate as in any country in ,europe499 99 ,the ,rights of ,man1 part ii41 chapter i4 ,in the dialogue between ,wolfe and ,gage1 ,paine writes as an ,englishman2 he lays no hand on the constitution1 nor considers the sovereign involved in ministerial iniquities4 ,apart from his ,quaker sentiments he felt dismay at a conflict which interrupted his lucrative school1 and the literary opportunities afforded by his magazine4 ,for my own part1 he wrote to ,franklin1 ,i thought it very hard to have the country set on fire about my ears almost the moment ,i got into it4 ,and indeed there was a general disgust among the patriots during the year #agge1 while as yet no great aim or idea illumined the smoke of battle4 ,they were vehemently protesting that they had no wish for separation from ,england1 just as in the beginning of our civil war leading ,unionists declared that they would not interfere with slavery4 ,in ,march1 #agge1 ,franklin maintained the assurance he had given ,lord ,chatham in the previous year1 that he had never heard in ,america an expression in favor of independence1 from any person drunk or sober4 ,paine says that on his arrival he found an obstinate attachment to ,britain2 it was at that time a kind of treason to speak against it4 ,independence was a doctrine scarce and rare even towards the conclusion of the year #agge4 ,in ,may1 ,george ,washington1 on his way to ,congress1 met the ,rev4 ,jonathan ,boucher1 in the middle of the ,potomac2 while their boats paused1 the clergyman warned his friend that the path on which he was entering might lead to separation from ,england4 ,if you ever hear of my joining in any such measures1 said ,washington1 you have my leave to set me down for everything wicked499 ,although ,paine1 as we shall see1 had no reverence for the crown1 and already foresaw ,american independence1 he abhorred the method of war4 ,in the first number of his magazine he writes3 ,the speeches of the different governors pathetically lament the present distracted state of affairs4 ,yet they breathe a spirit of mildness as well as tenderness1 and give encouragement to hope that some happy method of accommodation may yet arise4 99 ,notes and ,queries 7,eng471 series #c and #e4 ,see also in ,lippincotts ,maga-rine1 ,may1 #ahhi1 my paper embodying the correspondence of ,washington and ,boucher4 ,but on ,april #aith came the massacre at ,lexington1 as it was commonly called4 ,how great a matter is kindled by a small fire6 ,a man whose name remains unknown1 forgetful of ,captain ,parker's order to his minute-men not to fire until fired on1 drew his trigger on the ,english force advancing to ,concord2 the gun missed fire1 but the little flash was answered by a volley2 seven men lay dead4 ,in the blood of those patriots at ,lexington the ,declaration of ,independence was really written4 ,from town-meetings throughout the country burning resolutions were hurled on ,general ,gage in ,boston1 who had warned ,major ,pitcairn1 commander of the expedition1 not to assume the offensive4 ,from one county1 ,mecklenburg1 ,north ,carolina1 were sent to ,congress twenty resolutions passed by its committee1 ,may #cast1 declaring all laws and commissions confirmed by or derived from the authority of the ,king and ,parliament are anulled and vacated1 and that1 whatever person shall hereafter receive a commission from the crown1 or attempt to exercise any such commission heretofore received1 shall be deemed an enemy to his country499 99 ,these resolutions further organized a provisional government to be in force until the legislative body of ,great ,britain resign its unjust and arbitrary pretensions with respect to ,america4 ,in #ahai a number of witnesses stated that so early as ,may #bjth ,mecklenburg passed an absolute ,declaration of ,independence1 and it is possible that1 on receipt of the tidings from ,lexington1 some popular meeting at ,charlottetown gave vent to its indignation in expressions1 or even resolutions1 which were tempered by the ,county ,committee eleven days later4 ,the resolutions embodying the supposititious ,declaration1 written out 7#ahjj7 from memory by the alleged secretary of the meeting 7,dr4 ,joseph ,mc,knitt ,alexander71 are believed by ,dr4 ,welling to be an honest effort to reproduce1 according to the best of his recollection1 the facts and declarations contained in the genuine manuscripts of ,may #ca1 after that manifesto had been forgotten4--7,north ,american ,review1 ,april1 #ahgd47 ,but the testimony is very strong in favor of two sets of resolutions4 ,many years after the independence of ,america had been achieved1 ,william ,cobbett1 on his return to ,england after a long sojourn in the ,united ,states1 wrote as follows3 ,as my ,lord ,grenville introduced the name of ,burke1 suffer me1 my ,lord1 to introduce that of a man who put this ,burke to shame1 who drove him off the public stage to seek shelter in the pension list1 and who is now named fifty million times where the name of the pensioned ,burke is mentioned once4 ,the cause of the ,american colonies was the cause of the ,english ,constitution1 which says that no man shall be taxed without his own consent4444 ,a little thing sometimes produces a great effect2 an insult offered to a man of great talent and unconquerable perseverance has in many instances produced1 in the long run1 most tremendous effects2 and it appears to me very clear that some beastly insults1 offered to ,mr4 ,paine while he was in the ,excise in ,england1 was the real cause of the ,revolution in ,america2 for1 though the nature of the cause of ,america was such as ,i have before described it2 though the principles were firm in the minds of the people of that country2 still1 it was ,mr4 ,paine1 and ,mr4 ,paine alone1 who brought those principles into action4 ,in this passage ,cobbett was more epigrammatic than exact4 ,paine1 though not fairly treated1 as we have seen1 in his final dismissal from the excise1 was not insulted4 ,but there is more truth in what ,cobbett suggests as to ,paine's part than he fully realized4 ,paine's unique service in the work of independence may now be more clearly defined4 ,it was that he raised the ,revolution into an evolution4 ,after the ,lexington massacre separation was talked of by many1 but had it then occurred ,america might have been another kingdom4 ,the members of ,congress were of the rich conservative gentry1 and royalists4 ,had he not been a patriot1 ,peyton ,randolph1 our first president1 would probably have borne a title like his father1 and ,washington would certainly have been knighted4 ,paine was in the position of the abolitionists when the secession war began4 ,they also held peace principles1 and would have scorned a war for the old slave-holding union1 as ,paine would have scorned a separation from ,england preserving its political institutions4 ,the war having begun1 and separation become probable1 ,paine hastened to connect it with humanity and with republicanism4 ,as the abolitionists resolved that the secession war should sweep slavery out of the country1 ,paine made a brave effort that the ,revolution should clear away both slavery and monarchy4 ,it was to be in every respect a new departure for humanity4 ,so he anticipated the ,declaration of ,independence by more than eight months with one of his own1 which was discovered by ,moreau in the file of the ,pennsylvania ,journal1 ,october #ahth499 99 ,mr4 ,moreau mentions it as ,paine's in his ,,ms4 notes in a copy of ,cheetham's book1 now owned by the ,pennsylvania ,historical ,society4 ,no one familiar with ,paine's style at the time can doubt its authorship4 ,a ,,serious ,,thought4 ,when ,i reflect on the horrid cruelties exercised by ,britain in the ,east ,indies--,how thousands perished by artificial famine--,how religion and every manly principle of honor and honesty were sacrificed to luxury and pride--,when ,i read of the wretched natives being blown away1 for no other crime than because1 sickened with the miserable scene1 they refused to fight--,when ,i reflect on these and a thousand instances of similar barbarity1 ,i firmly believe that the ,almighty1 in compassion to mankind1 will curtail the power of ,britain4 ,and when ,i reflect on the use she hath made of the discovery of this new world--that the little paltry dignity of earthly kings hath been set up in preference to the great cause of the ,king of kings--,that instead of ,christian examples to the ,indians1 she hath basely tampered with their passions1 imposed on their ignorance1 and made them the tools of treachery and murder--,and when to these and many other melancholy reflections ,i add this sad remark1 that ever since the discovery of ,america she hath employed herself in the most horrid of all traffics1 that of human flesh1 unknown to the most savage nations1 hath yearly 7without provocation and in cold blood7 ravaged the hapless shores of ,africa1 robbing it of its unoffending inhabitants to cultivate her stolen dominions in the ,west--,when ,i reflect on these1 ,i hesitate not for a moment to believe that the ,almighty will finally separate ,america from ,britain4 ,call it ,independancy or what you will1 if it is the cause of ,god and humanity it will go on4 ,and when the ,almighty shall have blest us1 and made us a people dependent only upon him1 then may our first gratitude be shown by an act of continental legislation1 which shall put a stop to the importation of ,negroes for sale1 soften the hard fate of those already here1 and in time procure their freedom4 ,humanus4 #aggf ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,common ,,sense ,in furrows ploughed deep by lawless despotism1 watered with blood of patriots1 the ,thetford ,quaker sowed his seed--true ,english seed4 ,even while he did so he was suspected of being a ,british spy1 and might have been roughly handled in ,philadelphia had it not been for ,franklin4 ,possibly this suspicion may have arisen from his having1 in the antislavery letter1 asked the ,americans to consider with what consistency or decency they complain so loudly of attempts to enslave them1 while they hold so many thousands in slavery4 ,perfectly indifferent to this1 ,paine devoted the autumn of #agge to his pamphlet ,common ,sense1 which with the new year burst from the press with an effect which has rarely been produced by types and paper in any age or country4 ,so says ,dr4 ,benjamin ,rush1 and his assertion1 often quoted1 has as often been confirmed4 ,of the paramount influence of ,paine's ,common ,sense there can indeed be no question499 ,it reached ,washington soon after tidings that ,norfolk1 ,virginia1 had been burned 7,jan4 #ast7 by ,lord ,dunmore1 as ,falmouth 7now ,portland71 ,maine1 had been1 ,oct #ag1 #agge1 by ships under ,admiral ,graves4 99 ,this day was published1 and is now selling by ,robert ,bell1 in ,third ,street1 ,phil4 price two shillings1 ',common ,sense1' addressed to the inhabitants of ,north ,america4-- ,pennsylvania ,journal1 ,jan4 #aj1 #aggf4 ,the ,general wrote to ,joseph ,reed1 from ,cambridge1 ,jan4 #cast3 ,a few more of such flaming arguments as were exhibited at ,falmouth and ,norfolk1 added to the sound doctrine and unanswerable reasoning contained in the pamphlet ',common ,sense1' will not leave numbers at a loss to decide upon the propriety of separation499 ,henry ,wisner1 a ,new ,york delegate in ,congress1 sent the pamphlet to ,john ,mc,kesson1 ,secretary of the ,provincial ,congress sitting in ,new ,york ,city1 with the following note3 ,sir1 ,i have only to ask the favour of you to read this pamphlet1 consulting ,mr4 ,scott and such of the ,committee of ,safety as you think proper1 particularly ,orange and ,ulster1 and let me know their and your opinion of the general spirit of it4 ,i would have wrote a letter on the subject1 but the bearer is waiting4 ,in pursuance of this ,general ,scott suggested a private meeting1 and ,mc,kesson read the pamphlet aloud4 ,new ,york1 the last ,state to agree to separation1 was alarmed by the pamphlet1 and these leaders at first thought of answering it1 but found themselves without the necessary arguments4 ,henry ,wisner1 however1 required arguments rather than orders1 and despite the instructions of his ,state gave ,new ,york the honor of having one name among those who1 on ,july #dth1 voted for independence49999 ,joel ,barlow1 a student in ,yale ,college at the beginning of the ,revolution1 has borne testimony to the great effect of ,paine's pamphlet1 as may be seen in his biography by ,mr4 ,todd4 99 ,the ,writings of ,george ,washington4 ,collected and edited by ,wotthington ,chauncey ,ford1 vol4 iii41 p4 #cif4 9999 ,mag4 ,am4 ,hist41 ,july1 #ahhj1 p4 #fb1 and ,dec41 #ahhh1 p4 #dgi4 ,the ,declaration passed on ,july #dth was not signed until ,aug4 #b;d1 the postponement being for the purpose of removing the restrictions placed by ,new ,york and ,maryland on their delegates4 ,wisner1 the only ,new ,york delegate who had voted for the ,declaration1 did not return until after the recess4 ,in ,trumbull's picture at the ,capitol ,thomas ,stone1 a signer for ,maryland1 is left out1 and ,robert ,livingston of ,new ,york is included1 though he did not sign it4 ,an original copy of ,paine's excise pamphlet 7#agib7 in my possession contains a note in pencil1 apparently contemporary1 suggesting that the introduction was written by ,barlow4 ,in this introduction--probably by ,barlow1 certainly by a competent observer of events in ,america--it is said3 ,on this celebrated publication ',common ,sense'1 which has received the testimony of praise from the wise and learned of different nations1 we need only remark 7for the merit of every work should be judged by its effect7 that it gave spirit and resolution to the ,americans1 who were then wavering and undetermined1 to assert their rights1 and inspired a decisive energy into their counsels3 we may therefore venture to say1 without fear of contradiction1 that the great ,american cause owed as much to the pen of ,paine as to the sword of ,washington499 99 ,and yet--such was the power of theological intimidation-- even heretical ,barlow could find no place for ,paine in his ,columbiad7#ahjg74 ,edmund ,randolph1 our first ,attorney-,general1 who had been on ,washington's staff in the beginning of the war1 and conducted much of his correspondence1 ascribed independence primarily to ,george ,,iii41 but next to ,thomas ,paine1 an ,englishman by birth1 and possessing an imagination which happily combined political topics1 poured forth in a style hitherto unknown on this side of the ,atlantic1 from the ease with which it insinuated itself into the hearts of the people who were unlearned1 or of the learned499 ,this is from a devout churchman1 writing after ,paine's death4 ,paine's malignant biographer1 ,cheetham 7#ahji71 is constrained to say of ,common ,sense3 ,speaking a language which the colonists had felt but not thought1 its popularity1 terrible in its consequences to the parent country1 was unexampled in the history of the press49999 99 ,randolph's ,history 7,,ms471 a possession of the ,virginia ,historical ,society1 has been confided to my editorial care for publication4 9999 ,see also the historians1 ,ramsay 7,rev41 i41 p4 #ccf1 ,london1 #agic71 ,gordon 7,rev41 ii41 p4 #gh1 ,new ,york1 #agid71 ,bryant and ,gay 7,u4 ,s41 iii41 p4 #dga1 ,new ,york1 #ahgi74 ,let it not be supposed that ,washington1 ,franklin1 ,jefferson1 ,randolph1 and the rest1 were carried away by a meteor4 ,deep answers only unto deep4 ,paine's ideas went far because they came far4 ,he was the authentic commoner1 representing ,english freedom in the new world4 ,there was no dreg in the poverty of his people that he had not tasted1 no humiliation in their dependence1 no outlook of their hopelessness1 he had not known1 and with the addition of intellectual hungers which made his old-world despair conscious4 ,the squalor and abjectness of ,thetford1 its corporation held in the hollow of ,grafton's hand1 its members of ,parliament also1 the innumerable villages equally helpless1 the unspeakable corruptions of the government1 the repeated and always baffled efforts of the outraged people for some redress1--these had been brought home to ,paine in many ways1 had finally driven him to ,america1 where he arrived on the hour for which none had been so exactly and thoroughly trained4 ,he had thrown off the old world1 and that ,america had virtually done the same1 constituted its attraction for him4 ,in the opening essay in his magazine1 written within a month of his arrival in the country 7,nov4 #cj1 #aggd71 ,paine speaks of ,america as a nation1 and his pregnant sentences prove how mature the principles of independence had become in his mind long before the outbreak of hostilities4 ,america has now outgrown the state of infancy4 ,her strength and commerce make large advances to manhood2 and science in all its branches has not only blossomed1 but even ripened upon the soil4 ,the cottages as it were of yesterday have grown to villages1 and the villages to cities2 and while proud antiquity1 like a skeleton in rags1 parades the streets of other nations1 their genius1 as if sickened and disgusted with the phantom1 comes hither for recovery4444 ,america yet inherits a large portion of her first-imported virtue4 ,degeneracy is here almost a useless word4 ,those who are conversant with ,europe would be tempted to believe that even the air of the ,atlantic disagrees with the constitution of foreign vices2 if they survive the voyage they either expire on their arrival1 or linger away in an incurable consumption4 ,there is a happy something in the climate of ,america which disarms them of all their power both of infection and attraction4 ,in presently raising the standard of republican independence1 ,paine speaks of separation from ,england as a foregone conclusion4 ,i have always considered the independency of this continent as an event which sooner or later must arrive4 ,great ,britain having forced a collision1 the very least that ,america can demand is separation4 ,the object contended for ought always to bear some just proportion to the expence4 ,the removal of ,north1 or the whole detestable junto1 is a matter unworthy the millions we have expended4 ,a temporary stoppage of trade was an inconvenience which would have sufficiently balanced the repeal of all the acts complained of1 had such repeals been obtained2 but if the whole ,continent must take up arms1 if every man must be a soldier1 't is scarcely worth our while to fight against a contemptible ministry only4 ,dearly1 dearly do we pay for the repeal of the acts1 if that is all we fight for2 for1 in a just estimation1 't is as great a folly to pay a ,bunker-hill price for law as for land4444 ,it would be policy in the king1 at this time1 to repeal the acts for the sake of reinstating himself in the government of the provinces1 in order that he may accomplish by craft and subtlety1 in the long run1 what he cannot do by force and violence in the short one4 ,reconciliation and ruin are nearly related4 ,starting with the lowest demand1 separation1 ,paine shows the justice and necessity of it lying fundamentally in the nature of monarchy as represented by ,great ,britain1 and the potential republicanism of colonies composed of people from all countries4 ,the keynote of this is struck in the introduction4 ,the author withholds his name because the object of attention is the ,doctrine itself1 not the ,man 2 and he affirms1 the cause of ,america is in a great measure the cause of all mankind4 ,no other pamphlet published during the ,revolution is comparable with ,common ,sense for interest to the reader of to-day1 or for value as an historical document4 ,therein as in a mirror is beheld the almost incredible ,england1 against which the colonies contended4 ,and therein is reflected the moral1 even religious1 enthusiasm which raised the struggle above the paltriness of a rebellion against taxation to a great human movement1--a war for an idea4 ,the art with which every sentence is feathered for its aim is consummate4 ,the work was for a time generally attributed to ,franklin4 ,it is said the ,doctor was reproached by a loyal lady for using in it such an epithet as the royal brute of ,britain4 ,he assured her that he had not written the pamphlet1 and would never so dishonor the brute creation4 ,in his letter to ,cheetham 7#ahji7 already referred to1 ,dr4 ,rush claims to have suggested the work to ,paine1 who read the sheets to him and also to ,dr4 ,franklin4 ,this letter1 however1 gives so many indications of an enfeebled memory1 that it cannot be accepted against ,paine's own assertion1 made in the year following the publication of ,common ,sense1 when ,dr4 ,rush and ,dr4 ,franklin might have denied it4 ,in ,october1 #agge1 ,dr4 ,franklin proposed giving me such materials as were in his hands towards completing a history of the present transactions1 and seemed desirous of having the first volume out the next spring4 ,i had then formed the outlines of ',common ,sense1' and finished nearly the first part2 and as ,i supposed the doctor's design in getting out a history was to open the new year with a new system1 ,i expected to surprise him with a production on that subject much earlier than he thought of2 and without informing him of what ,i was doing1 got it ready for the press as fast as ,i conveniently could1 and sent him the first pamphlet that was printed off4 ,on the other hand1 ,paine's memory was at fault when he wrote 7,december #c1 #ahjb73 ,in my publications1 ,i follow the rule ,i began with in ',common ,sense4' that is1 to consult nobody1 nor to let anybody see what ,i write till it appears publicly4 ,this was certainly his rule1 but in the case of ,common ,sense he himself mentions 7,penn4 ,jour41 ,april #aj1 #aggf7 having shown parts of the ,,ms4 to a very few4 ,dr4 ,rush is correct in his statement that ,paine had difficulty in finding a printer who had boldness enough to publish it1 and that he 7,rush7 mentioned the pamphlet to the ,scotch bookseller1 ,robert ,bell4 ,for ,bell says1 in a contemporary leaflet3 ,when the work was at a stand for want of a courageous ,typographer1 ,i was then recommended by a gentleman nearly in the following words3 ',there is ,bell1 he is a ,republican printer1 give it to him1 and ,i will answer for his courage to print it4' ,dr4 ,rush probably required some knowledge of the contents of the pamphlet before he made this recommendation4 ,that ,dr4 ,rush is mistaken in saying the manuscript was submitted to ,franklin1 and a sentence modified by him1 is proved by the fact that on ,february #aith1 more than a month after the pamphlet appeared1 ,franklin introduced ,paine to ,gen4 ,charles ,lee with a letter containing the words1 ,he is the reputed and1 ,i think1 the real author of ',common sense4' ,franklin could not have thus hesitated had there been in the work anything of his own1 or anything he had seen4 ,beyond such disclosures to ,dr4 ,rush1 and one or two others1 as were necessary to secure publication1 ,paine kept the secret of his authorship as long as he could4 ,his recent arrival in the country might have impaired the force of his pamphlet4 ,the authorship of ,common ,sense was guessed by the ,tory ,president of the ,university of ,philadelphia1 the ,rev4 ,william ,smith1 ,d4,d41 who knew pretty well the previous intellectual resources of that city4 ,writing under the name of ,cato he spoke of the foul pages of interested writers1 and strangers intermeddling in our affairs4 ,to which ,the ,forester 7,paine7 answers3 ,a freeman1 ,cato1 is a stranger nowhere1--a slave1 everywhere499 99 ,the writer of ',common ,sense' and ',the ,forester' is the same person4 ,his name is ,paine1 a gentleman about two years ago from ,england1--a man who1 ,general ,lee says1 has genius in his eyes4--,john ,adams to his wife4 ,the publication of ,common ,sense had been followed by a number of applauding pamphlets1 some of them crude or extravagant1 from ,bell's press4 ,cato was anxious to affiliate these additional doses on the author of ,common ,sense1 who replies3 ,perhaps there never was a pamphlet1 since the use of letters were known1 about which so little pains were taken1 and of which so great a number went off in so short a time4 ,i am certain that ,i am within compass when ,i say one hundred and twenty thousand4 ,the book was turned upon the world like an orphan to shift for itself2 no plan was formed to support it1 neither hath the author ever published a syllable on the subject from that time till after the appearance of ,cato's fourth letter4 ,this letter of ,the ,forester is dated ,april #hth 7printed on the #ajth74 ,common ,sense1 published ,january #ajth1 had1 therefore1 in less than three months1 gained this sale4 ,in the end probably half a million copies were sold4 ,in reply to ,cato's sneer about interested writers1 ,paine did not announce the fact that he had donated the copyright to the ,states for the cause of independence4 ,it was sold at two shillings1 and the author thus gave away a fortune in that pamphlet alone4 ,it never brought him a penny2 he must even have paid for copies himself1 as the publisher figured up a debt against him1 on account of ,common ,sense1 for ,l#bi #abs4 #a;d4 ,notwithstanding this experience and the popularity he had acquired1 ,paine also gave to the ,states the copyright of his ,crisis 7thirteen numbers71 was taunted by ,tories as a garreteer1 ate his crust contentedly1 peace finding him a penniless patriot1 who might easily have had fifty thousand pounds in his pocket4 ,the controversy between ,cato and ,the ,forester was the most important that preceded the ,declaration of ,independence4 ,the president of the ,university represented ,toryism in distress4 ,the massacre at ,lexington disabled him from justifying the government1 which1 however1 he was not prepared to denounce4 ,he was compelled to assume the tone of an ,american1 while at the same time addressing his appeal ,to the ,people of ,pennsylvania1 trying to detach its non-resident ,quakers and its mercantile interest from sympathy with the general cause4 ,having a bad case1 in view of ,lexington1 he naturally resorted to abuse of the plaintiff's attorney4 ,he soon found that when it came to ,quaker sentiment and dialect1 his unknown antagonist was at home4 ,remember1 thou hast thrown me the glove1 ,cato1 and either thee or ,i must tire4 ,i fear not the field of fair debate1 but thou hast stepped aside and made it personal4 ,thou hast tauntingly called me by name2 and if ,i cease to hunt thee from every lane and lurking hole of mischief1 and bring thee not a trembling culprit before the public bar1 then brand me with reproach by naming me in the list of your confederates4 ,the ,forester declares his respect for the honest and undisguised opponents of independence4 ,to be nobly wrong is more manly than to be meanly right4 ,but ,cato wears the mask of a friend1 and shall be proved a foe4 ,the so-called ,tories of the ,american ,revolution have never had justice done them4 ,in another work ,i have told the story of ,john ,randolph1 ,king's ,attorney in ,virginia1 and there were many other martyrs of loyalty in those days499 ,four months after the affair at ,lexington1 ,thomas ,jefferson wrote to ,john ,randolph1 in ,london3 ,looking with fondness towards a reconciliation with ,great ,britain1 ,i cannot help hoping you may be able to contribute towards expediting the good work4 ,this was written on ,august #be1 #agge2 and if this was the feeling of ,jefferson only ten months before the ,declaration1 how many1 of more moderate temper1 surrounded ,cato and ,the ,forester in loyal and peace-loving ,philadelphia8 ,but ,cato was believed ungenuine4 ,the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,william ,smith1 who wrote under that name1 a native of ,aberdeen with an ,oxonian ,d4,d41 had been a glowing ,whig patriot until ,june1 #agge4 ,but his wife was a daughter of the loyalist1 ,william ,moore4 ,this lady of fashion was distinguished by her contempt for the independents1 and her husband1 now near fifty1 was led into a false position49999 99 ,omitted ,chapters of ,history1 ,disclosed in the ,life and ,papers of ,edmund ,randolph1 p4 #bj4 9999 ,r4 ,h4 ,lee1 in a letter to his brother 7,july #e1 #aggh7 says3 ,we had a magnificent celebration of the anniversary of independence4 ,the ,whigs of the city dressed up a woman of the town with the monstrous head-dress of the ,tory ladies1 and escorted her through the town with a great concourse of people4 ,her head was elegantly and expensively dressed1 ,i suppose about three feet high and proportionate width1 with a profusion of curls1 etc4 ,the figure was droll1 and occasioned much mirth4 ,it has lessened some heads already1 and will probably bring the rest within the bounds of reason1 for they are monstrous indeed4 ,the ,tory wife of ,dr4 ,smith has christened this figure ,continella1 or the ,duchess of ,independence1 and prayed for a pin from her head by way of relic4 ,the ,tory women are very much mortified1 notwithstanding this4--,omitted ,chapters of ,history1 p4 #dj4 ,cato's brilliant wife had to retire before ,continella in the following year4 ,the charter of the ,college of ,philadelphia was taken away1 and its president retired to an obscure living at ,chestertown1 ,maryland4 ,he had1 however1 some of the dexterity of the ,vicar of ,bray2 when the cause he had reviled was nearly won he founded a ,washington college in ,maryland4 ,he was chosen by that diocese for a bishop 7#aghc71 but the ,general ,convention refused to recommend him for consecration4 ,in #aghi he managed to regain his place as college president in ,philadelphia4 ,he held the highest literary position in ,philadelphia1 and perhaps felt some jealousy of ,paine's fame4 ,he picked out all the mistakes he could find in ,common ,sense1 and tried in every way to belittle his antagonist4 ,himself a ,scotchman1 his wife an ,englishwoman1 he sneered at ,paine for being a foreigner2 having modified his principles to those of the loyalist's daughter1 he denounced ,paine as an interested writer4 ,he was out of his element in the controversy he began with personalities4 ,he spoke of the trouble as a lovers' quarrel4 ,paine answers3 ,it was not in the power of ,france or ,spain1 or all the other powers in ,europe1 to have given such a wound1 or raised us to such mortal hatred as ,britain hath done4 ,we see the same kind of undescribed anger at her conduct1 as we would at the sight of an animal devouring its young4 ,the strongest point of ,cato was based on the proposed embassy for negotiation1 and he demanded reverence for ,ambassadors coming to negotiate a peace4 ,to this ,the ,forester replied3 ,cato discovers a gross ignorance of the ,british ,constitution in supposing that these men can be empowered to act as ,ambassadors4 ,to prevent his future errors1 ,i will set him right4 ,the present war differs from every other1 in this instance1 viz41 that it is not carried on under the prerogative of the crown1 as other wars have always been1 but under the authority of the whole legislative power united2 and as the barriers which stand in the way of a negotiation are not proclamations1 but acts of ,parliament1 it evidently follows that were even the ,king of ,england here in person1 he could not ratify the terms or conditions of a reconciliation2 because1 in the single character of ,king1 he could not stipulate for the repeal of any acts of ,parliament1 neither can the ,parliament stipulate for him4 ,there is no body of men more jealous of their privileges than the ,commons3 ,because they sell them4 ,paine wrote three letters in reply to ,cato1 the last of which contained a memorable warning to the people on the eve of the ,declaration of ,independence3 ,forget not the hapless ,african4 ,that was forgotten1 but the summing up made ,dr4 ,william ,smith an object of detestation4 ,he never ventured into political controversy again1 and when he returned from exile to ,philadelphia1 a penitent patriot1 he found his old antagonist1 ,thomas ,paine1 honored by a degree from the ,university of ,pennsylvania into which the college had been absorbed4 ,on ,may #hth a fourth letter1 signed ,the ,forester1 appeared in the same paper 7,pennsylvania ,journal71 which ,i at first suspected of not being from ,paine's pen499 ,this was because of a sentence beginning3 ,the clergy of the ,english ,church1 of which ,i profess myself a member1 etc4 ,there is no need to question the truth of this1 for1 as we have seen1 ,paine had been confirmed1 and no doubt previously baptized2 nor is there reason to disbelieve the statement of ,oldys that he wished to enter holy orders4 ,there was a good deal of rationalism in the ,american church at that time1 and that ,paine1 with his religious fervor and tendency to inquire1 should have maintained his place in that scholarly church is natural4 ,his quakerism was a philosophy1 but he could by no means have found any home in its rigid and dogmatic societies in ,philadelphia4 ,the casual sentence above quoted was probably inserted for candor1 as the letter containing it opens with a censure on the attitude of the ,quakers towards the proposal for independence4 ,the occasion was an election of four burgesses to represent ,philadelphia in the ,state ,assembly1 a body in which ,quakers 7loyalists7 preponderated4 ,had the independents been elected they must have taken the oath of allegiance to the crown1 with which the ,state was at war4 ,indeed ,paine declares that the ,tories succeeded in the election because so many patriots were absent for defence of their country4 ,under these circumstances ,paine urges the necessity of a popular convention4 ,the ,house of ,assembly is disqualified from sitting in its own case4 99 ,a theft of ,paine's usual signature led to his first public identification of himself 7,feb4 #ac1 #aggi74 ,as my signature1 ',common ,sense1' has been counterfeited1 either by ,mr4 ,silas ,deane1 or some of his adherents in ,mr4 ,bradford's paper of ,feb4 #c1 ,i shall subscribe this with my name1 ,thomas ,paine4 ,he1 however1 in ,almon's ,remembrancer 7vol4 viii47 is indexed by name in connection with a letter of the previous year signed ,common ,sense4 ,the extracts given from this letter are of historic interest as reflecting the conflict of opinions in ,pennsylvania amid which the ,declaration was passed two months later4 ,whoever will take the trouble of attending to the progress and changeability of times and things1 and the conduct of mankind thereon1 will find that extraordinary circumstances do sometimes arise before us1 of a species1 either so purely natural or so perfectly original1 that none but the man of nature can understand them4 ,when precedents fail to assist us1 we must return to the first principles of things for information1 and think1 as if we were the first men that thought4 ,and this is the true reason1 that in the present state of affairs1 the wise are become foolish1 and the foolish wise4 ,i am led to this reflection by not being able to account for the conduct of the ,quakers on any other2 for although they do not seem to perceive it themselves1 yet it is amazing to hear with what unanswerable ignorance many of that body1 wise in other matters1 will discourse on the present one4 ,did they hold places or commissions under the king1 were they governors of provinces1 or had they any interest apparently distinct from us1 the mystery would cease2 but as they have not1 their folly is best attributed to that superabundance of worldly knowledge which in original matters is too cunning to be wise4 ,back to the first plain path of nature1 friends1 and begin anew1 for in this business your first footsteps were wrong4 ,you have now travelled to the summit of inconsistency1 and that1 with such accelerated rapidity as to acquire autumnal ripeness by the first of ,may4 ,now your rotting time comes on4 ,the ,forester reminds the ,quakers of their predecessors who1 in #agjd1 defended the rights of the people against the proprietor4 ,he warns them that the people1 though unable to vote1 represent a patriotic power tenfold the strength of ,toryism1 by which they will not submit to be ruled4 ,he that is wise will reflect1 that the safest asylum1 especially in times of general convulsion1 when no settled form of government prevails1 is the love of the people4 ,all property is safe under their protection4 ,even in countries where the lowest and most licentious of them have risen into outrage1 they have never departed from the path of natural honor4 ,volunteers unto death in defence of the person or fortune of those who had served or defended them1 division of property never entered the mind of the populace4 ,it is incompatible with that spirit which impels them into action4 ,an avaricious mob was never heard of2 nay1 even a miser1 pausing in the midst of them1 and catching their spirit1 would from that instant cease to be covetous4 ,the ,quakers of ,pennsylvania and ,new ,jersey had held a congress in ,philadelphia and issued 7,january #bjth7 ,the ,ancient ,testimony and ,principles of the ,people called ,quakers renewed1 with respect to the ,king and ,government2 and touching the ,commotions now prevailing in these and other ,parts of ,america2 addressed to the ,people in ,general4 ,under this lamb-like tract1 and its bleat of texts1 was quite discoverable the ,tory wolf2 but it was widely circulated and became a danger4 ,the ,quakers of ,rhode ,island actually made efforts to smuggle provisions into ,boston during the siege4 ,paine presently reviewed this testimony in a pamphlet1 one extract from which will show that he could preach a better ,quaker sermon than any of them3 ,o ye partial ministers of your own acknowledged principles6 ,if the bearing arms be sinful1 the first going to war must be more so1 by all the difference between wilful attack and unavoidable defence4 ,wherefore1 if ye really preach from conscience1 and mean not to make a political hobbyhorse of your religion1 convince the world thereof by proclaiming your doctrine to our enemies1 for they likewise bear arms4 ,give us proof of your sincerity by publishing it at ,st ,james's1 to the commanders in chief at ,boston1 to the admirals and captains who are piratically ravaging our coasts1 and to all the murdering miscreants who are acting in authority under ,him whom ye profess to serve4 ,had ye the honest soul of ,barclay ye would preach repentance to your king2 ye would tell the ,royal ,wretch his sins1 and warn him of eternal ruin2 ye would not spend your partial invectives against the injured and insulted only1 but1 like faithful ministers1 cry aloud and spare none4 99 ,paine was not then aware of the extent of the intrigues of leading ,quakers with the enemy4 ,the ,state archives of ,england and ,france contain remarkable evidences on this subject4 ,paul ,wentworth1 in a report to the ,english government 7#aggf or #aggg47 mentions the loyalty of ,pemberton and the ,quakers4 ,wentworth says that since the publication of ,common ,sense it had become hard to discover the real opinions of leading men4 ,mr4 ,payne1 he says1 should not be forgot4 ,he is an ,englishman1 was schoolmaster in ,philadelphia2 must be driven to work2 naturally indolent2 led by ,his passions4 ,these passions1 chiefly for liberty and humanity1 seem to have so driven the indolent man to work that1 according to ,wentworth1 his pamphlet worked up the people to such a high temper as fitted them for the impression of the ,declaration1 etc4 ,the ,quakers1 however1 held out long1 though more covertly4 ,m4 ,gerard de ,rayneval1 in a letter from ,philadelphia1 ,sept4 #ah1 #aggh1 reports to his government3 ,during the occupation of ,philadelphia by the ,english1 proofs were obtained of the services rendered them by the ,quakers2 some of these were caught acting as spies1 etc4 ,la ,luzerne writes 7,may #d1 #agha73 ,all the ,quakers in ,philadelphia who have taken up arms1 or voluntarily paid war taxes1 have been excommunicated2 these1 increasing in number1 declare themselves loyal4 ,see for further information on this matter1 ,new ,materials for the ,history of the ,american ,revolution1 etc ,by ,john ,durand4 ,new ,york1 #ahhi1 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,under ,,the ,,banner ,,of ,,independence ,as in ,north ,carolina had occurred the first armed resistance to ,british oppressions 7#agga71 and its ,mecklenburg ,county been the first to organize a government independent of the ,crown1 so was that colony the first to instruct its delegates in ,congress to vote for national independence4 ,she was followed in succession by ,south ,carolina199 ,virginia19999 ,massachusetts1 ,rhode ,island1 ,connecticut1 ,new ,hampshire1 ,georgia1 ,new ,jersey1 ,delaware1 and ,pennsylvania4 ,maryland passed patriotic resolutions1 but not sufficiently decisive for its delegates to act4 ,new ,york alone forbade its delegates to vote for independence4 99 ,colonel ,gadsden1 having left the ,continental ,congress to take command in ,south ,carolina1 appeared in the provincial ,congress at ,charleston ,february #aj1aggf4 ,col4 ,gadsden 7having brought the first copy of ,paine's pamphlet ',common ,sense1 etc41'7 boldly declared himself444 for the absolute ,independence of ,america4 ,this last sentiment came like an explosion of thunder on the members 7,rev4 ,john ,drayton's ,memoirs2 etc41 p4 #agb74 ,the sentiment was abhorred1 and a member called the author of ',common ,sense' --------2 but on ,march #bast the pamphlet was reinforced by tidings of an ,act of ,parliament 7,dec4 #ba1 #agge7 for seizure of ,american ships1 and on ,march #bc;d ,south ,carolina instructed its delegates at ,philadelphia to agree to whatever that ,congress should judge necessary1 etc4 9999 ,a thousand copies of ,common ,sense were at once ordered from ,virginia1 and many more followed4 ,on ,april #ast ,washington writes to ,joseph ,reed3 ,by private letters which ,i have lately received from ,virginia1 ,i find ',common ,sense' is working a wonderful change there in the minds of many men4 ,on ,june #bith union with ,england was totally dissolved by ,virginia4 ,meanwhile1 on ,june #gth1 ,richard ,henry ,lee1 in behalf of the ,virginians1 had submitted resolutions of independence2 but as six ,states hesitated1 ,congress adjourned the decision until ,july #ast1 appointing1 however1 7,june #aath7 a committee to consider the proper form of the probable ,declaration--,jefferson1 ,john ,adams1 ,franklin1 ,roger ,sherman1 and ,robert ,r4 ,livingston4 ,but this interval1 from ,june #gth to ,july #ast1 was perilous for independence4 ,news came of the approach of ,lord ,howe bearing from ,england the olive branch4 ,the powerful colonies ,new ,york and ,pennsylvania were especially anxious to await the proposals for peace4 ,at this juncture ,paine issued one of his most effective pamphlets1 ,a ,dialogue between the ,ghost of ,general ,montgomery1 ,just ,arrived from the ,ely-sian ,fields1 and an ,american ,delegate1 in a ,wood near ,philadelphia4 ,montgomery1 the first heroic figure fallen in the war1 reproaches the hesitating delegate for willingness to accept pardon from a royal criminal for defending the rights of humanity4 ,he points out that ,france only awaits their declaration of independence to come to their aid1 and that ,america teems with patriots1 heroes1 and legislators who are impatient to burst forth into light and importance4 ,the most effective part of the pamphlet1 however1 was a reply to the commercial apprehensions of ,new ,york and ,pennsylvania4 ,your dependance upon the ,crown is no advantage1 but rather an injury1 to the people of ,great ,britain1 as it increases the power and influence of the ,king4 ,the people are benefited only by your trade1 and this they may have after you are independent of the ,crown4 ,there is a shrewd prescience of what actually happened shown in this opportune work4 ,of course the gallant ghost remarks that monarchy and aristocracy have in all ages been the vehicles of slavery4 ,the allusion to the arming of negroes and ,indians against ,america1 and other passages1 resemble clauses in one of the paragraphs eliminated from the original ,declaration of ,independence4 ,at this time ,paine saw much of ,jefferson1 and there can be little doubt that the anti-slavery clause struck out of the ,declaration was written by ,paine1 or by some one who had ,paine's anti-slavery essay before him4 ,in the following passages it will be observed that the antitheses are nearly the same--infidel and ,christian1 heathen and ,christian4 ,illustration3 ,anti-slavery essay #aag-aah ,,paragraph ,,struck ,,out ,,of ,,the ,,declaration4 ,he has waged cruel war against human nature itself1 violating its most sacred rights of life and liberty in the persons of a distant people who never offended him1 captivating and carrying them into slavery in another hemisphere1 or to incur miserable death in their transportation thither4 ,this piratical warfare1 the opprobrium of ,,infidel powers1 is the warfare of the ,,christian king of ,great ,britain4 ,determined to keep open a market where ,,men should be bought and sold1 he has prostituted his negative for suppressing every legislative attempt to prohibit or restrain this execrable commerce4 ,and that this assemblage of horrors might want no fact of distinguished die1 he is now exciting those very people to rise in arms among us1 and to purchase that liberty of which he has deprived them by murdering the people on whom he has obtruded them1 thus paying off former crimes committed against the ,,liberties of one people with crimes which he urges them to commit against the ,,lives of another4 ,,thomas ,,paine4 --these inoffensive people are brought into slavery1 by stealing them1 tempting kings to sell subjects1 which they can have no right to do1 and hiring one tribe to war against another1 in order to catch prisoners4 ,by such wicked and inhuman ways the ,english1 etc4444 an hight of outrage that seems left by ,heathen nations to be practised by pretended ,chris ,hansr --that barbarous and hellish power which has stirred up the ,indians and ,negroes to destroy us2 the cruelty hath a double guilt--it is dealing brutally by us and treacherously by them4 ,thus did ,paine try to lay at the corner the stone which the builders rejected1 and which afterwards ground their descendants to powder4 ,jefferson withdrew the clause on the objection of ,georgia and ,south ,carolina1 which wanted slaves1 and of ,northerners interested in supplying them4 ,that1 however1 was not known till all the parties were dead4 ,paine had no reason to suppose that the ,declaration of human freedom and equality1 passed ,july #dth1 could fail eventually to include the ,african slaves4 ,the ,declaration embodied every principle he had been asserting1 and indeed ,cobbett is correct in saying that whoever may have written the ,declaration ,paine was its author4 ,the world being his country1 and ,america having founded its independence on such universal interests1 ,paine could not hesitate to become a soldier for mankind499 ,his ,quaker principles1 always humanized1 were not such as would applaud a resistance in which he was not prepared to participate4 ,while the signers of the ,declaration of ,independence were affixing their names--a procedure which reached from ,august #b;d into ,november--,paine resigned his ,pennsylvania ,magazine1 and marched with his musket to the front4 ,he enlisted in a ,pennsylvania division of the ,flying ,camp of ten thousand men1 who were to be sent wherever needed4 ,he was under ,general ,roberdeau1 and assigned at first to service at ,amboy1 afterwards at ,bergen4 ,the ,flying ,camp was enlisted for a brief period1 and when that had expired ,paine travelled to ,fort ,lee1 on the ,hudson1 and renewed his enlistment4 ,fort ,lee was under the command of ,general ,nathaniel ,greene who1 on or about ,september #aith1 appointed ,paine a ,volunteer ,aide-de-camp4 99 ,professor ,john ,fiske 7whose ,american ,revolution suffers from ignorance of ,paine's papers7 appreciates the effect of ,paine's ,common ,sense but not its cause4 ,he praises the pamphlet highly1 but proves that he has only glanced at it by his exception3 ,the pamphlet is full of scurrilous abuse of the ,english people2 and resorts to such stupid arguments as the denial of the ,english origin of the ,americans 7i41 p4 #agd74 ,starting with the principle that the cause of ,america is the cause of all mankind1 ,paine abuses no people1 but only their oppressors4 ,as to ,paine's argument1 it might have appeared less stupid to ,professor ,fiske had he realized that in ,paine's mind negroes were the equals of whites4 ,however1 ,paine does not particularly mention negroes2 his argument was meant to carry its point1 and it might have been imprudent for him1 in that connection1 to have classed the slaves with the ,germans1 who formed a majority in ,pennsylvania1 and with the ,dutch of ,new ,york4 ,in replying to the ,mother-,country argument it appears to me far from stupid to point out that ,europe is our parent country1 and that if ,english descent made men ,englishmen1 the descendants of ,william the ,conqueror and half the peers of ,england were ,frenchmen1 and1 if the logic held1 should be governed by ,france4 ,general ,greene in a gossipy letter to his wife 7,november #b;d7 says3 ,common ,sense 7,thomas ,paine7 and ,colonel ,snarl1 or ,cornwell1 are perpetually wrangling about mathematical problems4 ,on ,november #bjth came the surprise of ,fort ,lee2 the boiling kettles and baking ovens of a dinner to be devoured by the ,british were abandoned1 with three hundred tents1 for a retreat made the more miserable by hunger and cold4 ,by ,november #bb;d the whole army had retreated to ,newark1 where ,paine began writing his famous first ,crisis499 99 ,sec ,almon's ,remembrancer1 #aggg1 p4 #bh1 for ,paine's graphic journal of this retreat1 quoted from the ,pennsylvania ,journal4 ,in reply to those who censured the retreat as pusillanimous1 he states that our army was at one time less than a thousand effective men and never more than #d1jjj1 the pursuers being #h1jjj exclusive of their artillery and light horse2 he declares that posterity will call the retreat glorious--and the names of ,washington and ,fabius will run paralell to eternity4 ,in the ,pennsylvania ,packet 7,march #bj1 #aggi7 ,paine says3 ,i had begun the first number of the ,crisis while on the retreat1 at ,newark1 with a design of publishing it in the ,jersies1 as it was ,general ,washington's intention to have made a stand at ,newark1 could he have been timely reenforced2 instead of which nearly half the army left him at that place1 or soon after1 their time being out4 ,he could only write at night2 during the day there was constant work for every soldier of the little force surrounding ,washington4 ,i am wearied almost to death with the retrogade motion of things1 wrote ,washington to his brother 7,november #ith71 and ,i solemnly protest that a pecuniary reward of twenty thousand pounds a year would not induce me to undergo what ,i do2 and after all1 perhaps to lose my character1 as it is impossible1 under such a variety of distressing circumstances1 to conduct matters agreeably to public expectation4 ,on ,november #bgth he writes from ,newark to ,general ,lee3 ,it has been more owing to the badness of the weather that the enemy's progress has been checked1 than to any resistance we could make4 ,even while he wrote the enemy drew near1 and the next day 7,november #bhth7 entered one end of ,newark as ,washington left the other4 ,at ,brunswick he was joined by ,general ,williamson's militia1 and on the ,delaware by the ,philadelphia militia1 and could muster five thousand against ,howe's whole army4 ,i tremble for ,philadelphia1 writes ,washington to ,lund ,washington 7,december #ajth74 ,nothing in my opinion1 but ,general ,lee's speedy arrival1 who has been long expected1 though still at a distance 7with about three thousand men71 can save it4 ,on ,december #acth ,lee was a prisoner1 and on the #agth ,washington writes to the same relative3 ,your imagination can scarce extend to a situation more distressing than mine4 ,our only dependence now is upon the speedy enlistment of a new army4 ,if this fails1 ,i think the game will be pretty well up1 as from disaffection and want of spirit and fortitude1 the inhabitants1 instead of resistance1 are offering submission and taking protection from ,gen4 ,howe in ,jersey4 ,the day before1 he had written to the ,president of ,congress that the situation was critical1 and the distresses of his soldiers extremely great1 many of 'em being entirely naked and most so thinly clad as to be unfit for service4 ,on ,december #ahth he writes to his brother3 ,you can form no idea of the perplexity of my situation4 ,no man1 ,i believe1 ever had a greater choice of difficulties1 and less means to extricate himself from them4 ,however1 under a full persuasion of the justice of our cause1 ,i cannot entertain an ,idea that it will finally sink1 tho' it may remain for some time under a cloud4 ,under that cloud1 by ,washington's side1 was silently at work the force that lifted it ,marching by day1 listening to the consultations of ,washington and his generals1 ,paine wrote by the camp fires2 the winter storms1 the ,delaware's waves1 were mingled with his ink2 the half-naked soldiers in their troubled sleep dreaming of their distant homes1 the skulking deserter creeping off in the dusk1 the pallid face of the heavy-hearted commander1 made the awful shadows beneath which was written that leaflet which went to the ,philadelphia printer along with ,washington's last foreboding letters to his relatives in ,virginia4 ,it was printed on ,december #aith199 and many copies reached the camp above ,trenton ,falls on the eve of that almost desperate attack on which ,washington had resolved4 ,on the #bc;d ,december he wrote to ,colonel ,joseph ,reed3 99 ,the pamphlet was dated ,december #bcrd1 but it had appeared on the #aith in the ,pennsylvania ,journal1 the pen none have achieved such vast results as ,paine's ,common ,sense and his first ,crisis1 ,before the battle of ,trenton the half- clad1 dis-heartened soldiers of ,washington were called together in groups to listen to that thrilling exhortation4 ,christmas-day1 at night1 one hour before day1 is the time fixed upon for our attempt on ,trenton4 ,for ,heaven's sake keep this to yourself1 as the discovery of it may prove fatal to us2 our numbers1 sorry ,i am to say1 being less than ,i had any conception of2 but necessity1 dire necessity will1 nay must1 justify any attempt4 ,america has known some utterances of the lips equivalent to decisive victories in the field1--as some of ,patrick ,henry's1 and the address of ,president ,lincoln at ,gettysburg4 ,the opening words alone were a victory4 ,these are the times that try men's souls4 ,the summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will1 in this crisis1 shrink from the service of his country2 but he that stands it now1 deserves the love and thanks of man and woman4 ,tyranny1 like hell1 is not easily conquered2 yet we have this consolation with us1 that the harder the conflict the more glorious the triumph3 what we obtain too cheap we esteem too lightly2 't is dearness only that gives everything its value4 ,heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods2 and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as ,freedom should not be highly rated4 ,not a chord of faith1 or love1 or hope was left untouched4 ,the very faults of the composition1 which the dilettanti have picked out1 were effective to men who had seen ,paine on the march1 and knew these things were written in sleepless intervals of unwearied labors4 ,he speaks of what ,joan of ,arc did in the fourteenth century1 and exclaims3 ,would that heaven might inspire some ,jersey maid to spirit up her countrymen1 and save her fair fellow sufferers from ravage and ravishment6 ,joan was born in #adaj1 but ,paine had no cyclopaedia in his knapsack4 ,the literary musket reaches its mark4 ,the pamphlet was never surpassed for true eloquence--that is1 for the power that carries its point4 ,with skilful illustration of lofty principles by significant details1 all summed with simplicity and sympathy1 three of the most miserable weeks ever endured by men were raised into epical dignity4 ,the wives1 daughters1 mothers1 sisters1 seemed stretching out appealing hands against the mythically monstrous ,hessians4 ,the great commander1 previously pointed to as a mind that can even flourish upon care1 presently saw his dispirited soldiers beaming with hope1 and bounding to the onset1--their watchword3 ,these are the times that try men's souls6 _/,trenton was won1 the ,hessians captured1 and a ,new ,year broke for ,america on the morrow of that ,christmas ,day1 #aggf499 99 ,paine's enemy1 ,cheetham1 durst not1 in the face of ,washington's expression of his lively sense of the importance of your ,paine's works1 challenge well known facts1 and must needs partly confess them3 ,the number was read in the camp1 to every corporal's guard1 and in the army and out of it had more than the intended effect4 ,the convention of ,new ,york1 reduced by dispersion1 occasioned by alarm1 to nine members1 was rallied and reanimated4 ,militiamen who1 already tired of the war1 were straggling from the army1 returned4 ,hope succeeded to despair1 cheerfulness to gloom1 and firmness to irresolution4 ,to the confidence which it inspired may be attributed much of the brilliant little affair which in the same month followed at ,trenton4 ,even ,oldys is somewhat impressed by ,paine's courage3 ,the ,congress fled4 ,all were dismayed4 ,not so our author4 ,paine's ,trenton musket had hardly cooled1 or the pen of his first ,crisis dried1 before he began to write another4 ,it appeared about four weeks after the battle and is addressed to ,lord ,howe4 ,the ,thetford mechanic has some pride in confronting this ,english lord who had offered the ,americans mercy4 ,your lordship1 ,i find1 has now commenced author1 and published a ,proclamation2 ,i have published a ,crisis4 ,the rumors of his being a hireling scribe1 or gaining wealth by his publications1 made it necessary for ,paine to speak of himself at the conclusion3 ,what ,i write is pure nature1 and my pen and my soul have ever gone together4 ,my writings ,i have always given away1 receiving only the expense of printing and paper1 and sometimes not even that4 ,i never counted either fame or interest1 and my manner of life1 to those who know it1 will justify what ,i say4 ,my study is to be useful1 and if your lordship loves mankind as well as ,i do1 you would1 seeing you cannot conquer us1 cast about and lend your hand towards accomplishing a peace4 ,our independence1 with ,god's blessing1 we will maintain against all the world2 but as we wish to avoid evil ourselves1 we wish not to inflict it on others4 ,i am never over-inquisitive into the secrets of the cabinet1 but ,i have some notion that1 if you neglect the present opportunity1 it will not be in our power to make a separate peace with you afterwards2 for whatever treaties or alliances we form we shall most faithfully abide by2 wherefore you may be deceived if you think you can make it with us at any time4 ,thus the humble author of the ,crisis offers the noble author of the ,proclamation mercy1 on condition of laying down his arms1 and going home2 but it must be at once6 ,if ,howe1 as is most likely1 considered this mere impudence1 he presently had reason to take it more seriously4 ,for there were increasing indications that ,paine was in the confidence of those who controlled affairs4 ,on ,january #bast he was appointed by the ,council of ,safety in ,philadelphia secretary to the commission sent by ,congress to treat with the ,indians at ,easton1 ,pennsylvania4 ,the commissioners1 with a thousand dollars' worth of presents1 met the ,indian chiefs in the ,german ,reformed ,church 7built #aggf71 and1 as they reported to ,congress1 after shaking hands1 drinking rum1 while the organ played1 we proceeded to business499 99 ,condit's ,history of ,easton1 pp4 #fj1 #aah1 ,the report was1 no doubt1 written by ,paine1 who for his services was paid ,l#cjj by the ,pennsylvania ,assembly 7one of its advances for ,congress1 afterwards refunded74 ,in a public letter1 written in #ahjg1 ,paine relates an anecdote concerning this meeting with the ,indians4 ,the chief of the tribes1 who went by the name of ,king ,last-night1 because his tribe had sold their lands1 had seen some ,english men-of-war in some of the waters of ,canada1 and was impressed with the power of those great canoes2 but he saw that the ,english made no progress against us by land4 ,this was enough for an ,indian to form an opinion by4 ,he could speak some ,english1 and in conversation with me1 alluding to the great canoes1 he gave me his idea of the power of a king of ,england1 by the following metaphor4 ',the king of ,england1' said he1 'is like a fish4 ,when he is in the water he can wag his tail2 when he comes on land he lays down on his side4' ,now if the ,english government had but half the sense this ,indian had1 they would not have sent ,duckworth to ,constantinople1 and ,douglas to ,norfolk1 to lay down on their side4 ,on ,april #agth1 when ,congress transformed the ,committee of ,secret ,correspondence into the ,committee of ,foreign ,affairs1 ,paine was elected its secretary4 ,his friend1 ,dr4 ,franklin1 had reached ,france in ,december1 #aggf1 where ,arthur ,lee and ,silas ,deane were already at work4 ,lord ,howe might1 indeed1 have done worse than take ,paine's advice concerning the opportunity1 which did not return4 ,general ,howe did1 indeed1 presently occupy a fine abode in ,philadelphia1 but only kept it warm1 to be afterwards the executive mansion of ,president ,washington4 #aggg ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,soldier ,,and ,,secretary ,after their disaster at ,trenton1 the ,english forces suspended hostilities for a long time4 ,paine1 maintaining his place on ,general ,greene's staff1 complied with the wish of all the generals by wielding his pen during the truce of arms4 ,he sat himself down in ,philadelphia1 ,second ,street1 opposite the ,quaker meeting1--as he writes the address4 ,the ,quakers regarded him as ,antichrist pursuing them into close quarters4 ,untaught by castigation1 the leaders of the ,society1 and chiefly one ,john ,pemberton1 disguised allies of the ,howes1 had put forth1 ,november #bj1 #aggf1 a second and more dangerous testimony4 ,in it they counsel ,friends to refuse obedience to whatever instructions or ordinances may be published1 not warranted by that happy constitution under which they and others long enjoyed tranquillity and peace4 ,in his second ,crisis 7,january #ac1 #aggg7 ,paine refers to this document1 and a memorial1 from a meeting of a reputable number of the inhabitants of the city of ,philadelphia1 called attention of the ,board of ,safety to its treasonable character4 ,the ,board1 however1 not having acted1 ,paine devoted his next three months to a treatment of that and all other moral and political problems which had been developed by the course of the ,revolution1 and must be practically dealt with4 ,in reading this third ,crisis1 one feels in every sentence its writer's increased sense of responsibility4 ,events had given him the seat of a lawgiver4 ,his first pamphlet had dictated the ,declaration of ,independence1 his second had largely won its first victory1 his third had demonstrated the impossibility of subjugation1 and offered ,england peace on the only possible terms4 ,the ,american heart had responded without a dissonant note2 he held it in his hand2 he knew that what he was writing in that room opposite the ,quaker meeting were ,acts of ,congress4 ,so it proved4 ,the third ,crisis was dated ,april #ai1 #aggg1 the second anniversary of the first collision 7,lexington74 ,it was as effective in dealing with the internal enemies of the country as the first had been in checking its avowed foes4 ,it was written in a city still largely1 if not preponderantly1 tory1 and he deals with them in all their varieties1 not arraigning the ,friends as a ,society4 ,having carefully shown that independence1 from being a natural right1 had become a political and moral necessity1 and the war one on which a world is staked1 he says that ,tories endeavoring to insure their property with the enemy should be made to fear still more losing it on the other side4 ,paine proposes an oath or affirmation renouncing allegiance to the ,king1 pledging support to the ,united ,states4 ,at the same time let a tax of ten1 fifteen1 or twenty per cent be levied on all property4 ,each who takes the oath may exempt his property by holding himself ready to do what service he can for the cause2 they who refuse the oath will be paying a tax on their insurance with the enemy4 ,it would not only be good policy but strict justice to raise fifty or one hundred thousand pounds1 or more1 if it is necessary1 out of the estates and property of the ,king of ,england's votaries1 resident in ,philadelphia1 to be distributed as a reward to those inhabitants of the city and ,state who should turn out and repulse the enemy should they attempt to march this way4 ,these words were written at a moment when a vigorous opposition1 in and out of ,congress1 was offered to ,washington's ,proclamation 7,morris-town1 ,january #be1 #aggg17 demanding that an oath of allegiance to the ,united ,states should be required of all who had taken such an oath to the ,king1 non-jurors to remove within the enemy's lines1 or be treated as enemies4 ,paine's proposal was partly followed on ,june #acth1 when ,pennsylvania exacted an oath of allegiance to the ,state from all over eighteen years of age4 ,paine was really the ,secretary of ,foreign ,affairs4 ,his election had not been without opposition1 and1 according to ,john ,adams1 there was a suggestion that some of his earlier writings had been unfavorable to this country4 ,what the reference was ,i cannot understand unless it was to his anti-slavery essay1 in which he asked ,americans with what consistency they could protest against being enslaved while they were enslaving others4 ,that essay1 ,i have long believed1 caused a secret1 silent1 hostility to the author by which he suffered much without suspecting it4 ,but he was an indefatigable secretary4 ,an example of the care with which foreign representatives were kept informed appears in a letter to ,william ,bingham1 agent of ,congress at ,martinique4 ,philadelphia1 ,july #afth1 #aggg4--,sir1--,a very sudden opportunity offers of sending you the ,news-papers1 from which you will collect the situation of our ,affairs4 ,the ,enemy finding their attempt of marching thro' the ,jersies to this ,city impracticable1 have retreated to ,staten ,island seemingly discontented and dispirited and quite at a loss what step next to pursue4 ,our ,army is now well recruited and formidable4 ,our ,militia in the several ,states ready at a day's notice to turn out and support the ,army when occasion requires2 and tho' we cannot1 in the course of a ,campaign1 expect everything in the several ,parts of the ,continent1 to go just as we wish it2 yet the general face of our ,affairs assures us of final success4 ,in the ,papers of ,june #ahth #be and ,july #b;d you will find ,genl4 ,washington and ,arnold's ,letters of the ,enemy's movement in1 and retreat from the ,jersies4 ,we are under some apprehensions for ,ticonderoga1 as we find the ,enemy are unexpectedly come into that ,quarter4 ,the ,congress have several times had it in contemplation to remove the ,garrison from that ,place--as by ,experience we find that ,men shut up in ,forts are not of so much use as in the field1 especially in the highlands where every hill is a natural fortification4 ,i am ,sir ,your ,obt4 ,humble ,servt4 ,thomas ,paine4 ,secretry to the ,committee for ,foreign ,affairs4' 99 ,,ms41 for which ,i am indebted to ,mr4 ,simon ,gratz1 ,philadelphia4 ,after the occupation of ,philadelphia by the ,british 7,september #bf1 #aggg71 ,paine had many adventures1 as we shall presently see4 ,he seems to have been with ,washington at ,valley ,forge when the ,pennsylvania ,assembly and ,president 7,thomas ,wharton1 ,jr417 confided to him the delicate and arduous task assigned by the following from ,timothy ,matlack1 ,secretary of the ,assembly3 ,lancaster1 ,oct4 #aj1 #aggg4 ,sir1--,the ,hon'ble house of ,as'y have proposed and ,council have adopted a plan of obtaining more regular and constant intelligence of the proceeding of ,gen4 ,washington's army than has hitherto been had4 ,everyone agrees that you are the proper person for this purpose1 and ,i am directed by his ,exc'y1 the pr't1 to write to you hereon 7the ,prs't being engaged in writing to the ,gen'l1 and the ,express in waiting74 ,the ,assembly have agreed to make you a reasonable compensation for your services in this business1 if you think proper to engage in it1 which ,i hope you will2 as it is a duty of importance that there are few1 however well disposed1 who are capable of doing in a manner that will answer all the intentions of it--perhaps a correspondence of this kind may be the fairest opportunity of giving to ,council some important hints that may occur to you on interesting subjects4 ,proper expresses will be engaged in this business4 ,if the expresses which pass from headquarters to ,congress can be made use of so much the better2--of this you must be judge4 ,i expect ,mr4 ,rittenhouse will send you a copy of the testimony of the late ,y4 ,m4 by this opp'y1 if time will admit it to be copied--'t is a poor thing4--,yours1 c1 ,t4 ,m499 99 ,pa4 ,arch41 #aggi1 p4 #fei4 ,paine at once set to work3 p4 #fic1 #fid4 ,what with this service1 and his correspondence with foreign agents1 ,paine had his hands pretty full4 ,but at the same time he wrote important letters to leading members of ,congress1 then in session at ,york1 ,pennsylvania4 ,the subjoined letter sheds fresh light on a somewhat obscure point in our revolutionary history1--the obscurity being due to the evasions of ,american historians on an episode of which we have little reason to be proud4 ,an article of ,burgoyne's capitulation 7,october #agth7 was as follows3 ,a free passage to be granted to the army under ,general ,burgoyne to ,great ,britain1 upon condition of not serving again in ,north ,america during the present contest3 and the port of ,boston to be assigned for entry of transports to receive the troops whenever ,general ,howe shall so order4 ,a letter was written by ,paine to ,hon4 ,richard ,henry ,lee1 dated at ,headquarters1 fourteen miles from ,philadelphia1 ,october #cjth1 #aggg4 ,i wrote you last ,tuesday #bast ,inst41 including a ,copy of the ,king's speech1 since which nothing material has happened at ,camp4 ,genl4 ,mc,dougal was sent last ,wednesday night #bb;d4 to attack a ,party of the ,enemy who lay over the ,schuylkill at ,grey's ,ferry where they have a ,bridge4 ,genls4 ,greene ,sullivan went down to make a diversion below ,german ,town at the same ,time4 ,i was with this last ,party1 but as the ,enemy withdrew their ,detachment ,we had only our ,labor for our ,pains4 ,no ,particulars of the ,northern ,affair have yet come to head ,qrs41 the want of which has caused much ,speculation4 ,a copy1 said to be the ,articles of ,capitulation was recd4 #c or #d days ago1 but they rather appear to be some proposals made by ,burgoyne1 than the ,capitulation itself4 ,by those ,articles it appears to me that ,burgoyne has capitulated upon ,terms1 which we have a right to doubt the full performance of1 ,vizt41 ',that the ,offrs4 and ,men shall be ,transported to ,england and not serve in or against ,north ,america during the present ,war'--or words to this effect4 ,i remark1 that this ,capitulation1 if true1 has the air of a ,national treaty2 it is binding1 not only on ,burgoyne as a ,general1 but on ,england as a ,nation2 because the ,troops are to be subject to the conditions of the ,treaty after they return to ,england and are out of his ,command4 ,it regards ,england and ,america as ,separate ,sovereign ,states1 and puts them on an equal footing by staking the faith and honor of the former for the performance of a ,contract entered into with the latter4 ,what in the ,capitulation is stiled the ',present ,war' ,england affects to call a ',rebellion1' and while she holds this ,idea and denies any knowledge of ,america as a ,separate ,sovereign ,power1 she will not conceive herself bound by any ,capitulation or ,treaty entered into by her ,generals which is to bind her as a ,nation1 and more especially in those ,cases where both ,pride and present ,advantage tempt her to a ,violation4 ,she will deny ,burgoyne's ,right and ,authority for making such a ,treaty1 and will1 very possibly1 show her insult by first censuring him for entering into it1 and then immediately sending the ,troops back4 ,i think we ought to be exceedingly cautious how we trust her with the power of abusing our ,credulity4 ,we have no authority for believing she will perform that part of the ,contract which subjects her not to send the ,troops to ,america during the ,war4 ,the insolent ,answer given to the ,commissrs4 by ,ld4 ,stormont1 'that the ,king's ,ambassadors reed1 no ,letters from ,rebels but when they came to crave ,mercy8 sufficiently instructs us not to entrust them with the power of insulting ,treaties of ,capitulation4 ,query1 ,whether it wd4 not be proper to detain the ,troops at ,boston direct the ,commissioners at ,paris to present the ,treaty of ,capitulation to the ,english ,court thro' the hands of ,ld4 ,stormont1 to know whether it be the intention of that ,court to abide strictly by the ,conditions and ,obligations thereof1 and if no assurance be obtained to keep the ,troops until they can be exchanged here4 ,tho' we have no immediate knowledge of any alliance formed by our ,commissioners with ,france or ,spain1 yet we have no assurance there is not1 and our immediate release of those prisoners1 by sending them to ,england1 may operate to the injury of such ,allied ,powers1 and be perhaps directly contrary to some contract subsisting between us and them prior to the ,capitulation4 ,i think we ought to know this first4--,query1 ought we not 7knowing the infidelity they have already acted7 to suspect they will evade the ,treaty by putting back into ,new ,york under pretence of distress4--,i would not trust them an inch farther than ,i could see them in the present state of things4 ,the ,army was to have marched yesterday about #b or #c ,miles but the weather has been so exceedingly bad for three days past as to prevent any kind of movement1 the waters are so much out and the rivulets so high there is no passing from one part of ye ,camp to another4 ,i wish the ,northern ,army was down here4 ,i am apt to think that nothing materially offensive will take place on our part at present4 ,some ,means must be taken to fill up the ,army this winter4 ,i look upon the recruiting service at an end and that some other plan must be adopted4 ,suppose the ,service be by draft--and that those who are not drawn should contribute a ,dollar or two ,dollars a ,man to him on whom the lot falls4--something of this kind would proportion the ,burthen1 and those who are drawn would have something either to encourage them to go1 or to provide a substitute with--,after closing this ,letter ,i shall go again to ,fort ,mifflin2 all was safe there on the #bgth1 but from some preparations of the ,enemy they expect another attack somewhere4 ,the enclosed return of provision and ,stores is taken from an account signed by ,burgoyne and sent to ,ld4 ,george ,germain4 ,i have not time to ,copy the whole4 ,burgoyne closes his ,letter as follows1 ',by a written account found in the ,commissary's ,house at ,ticonderoga ,six thousand odd hundred ,persons were fed from the ,magazine the day before the evacuation4' ,i am ,dear ,sir1 ,yr4 ,affectionate ,hble4 ,servt4 ,t4 ,paine4 ,respectful ,compts4 to ,friends4 ,if the ,congress has the ,capitulation and ,particulars of ye ,surrender1 they do an exceeding wrong thing by not publishing ym4 because they subject the whole ,affair to ,suspicion4' 99 ,i am indebted for this letter to ,dr4 ,john ,s4 ,h4 ,fogg of ,boston4 ,it bears the superscription3 ,honbl4 ,richd4 ,henry ,lee ,esq4 7in ,congress7 ,york ,town4 ,forwarded by yr humble ,servt4 ,t4 ,matlack1 ,nov4 #a1 #aggg4 ,endorsed in handwriting of ,lee3 ,oct3 #aggg4 ,mr4 ,paine1 ,author of ',common ,sense4' ,had this proposal of ,paine1 with regard to ,bur-goyne's capitulation1 been followed at once1 a blot on the history of our ,revolution might have been prevented4 ,the time required to march the prisoners to ,boston and prepare the transports would have given ,england opportunity to ratify the articles of capitulation4 ,washington1 with characteristic inability to see injustice in anything advantageous to ,america1 desired ,congress to delay in every possible way the return of the prisoners to ,england1 since the most virtuous adhesion to the articles would not prevent their replacing in garrison an equal number of soldiers who might be sent against us4 ,the troops were therefore delayed on one pretext and another until ,burgoyne declared that the publick faith is broke4 ,congress seized on this remark to resolve that the embarkation should be suspended until an explicit ratification of the ,convention of ,saratoga shall be properly ratified by the ,court of ,great ,britain4 ,this resolution1 passed ,january #h1 #aggh1 was not communicated to ,burgoyne until ,february #dth4 ,if any one should have suffered because of a remark made in a moment of irritation it should have been ,burgoyne himself2 but he was presently allowed to proceed to ,england1 while his troops were retained1--a confession that ,burgoyne's casual complaint was a mere pretext for further delay4 ,it may be added that the ,english government behaved to its surrendered soldiers worse than ,congress4 ,the question of ratifying the ,saratoga ,convention was involved in a partisan conflict in ,parliament1 the suffering prisoners in ,america were forgotten1 and they were not released until the peace1--five years after they had marched with the honours of war1 under a pledge of departure conceded by ,gen4 ,gates in reply to a declaration that unless conceded they would to a man proceed to any act of desperation sooner than submit4 ,concerning this ugly business there is a significant silence in ,paine's public writings4 ,he would not have failed to discuss the matter in his ,crisis had he felt that anything honorable to the ,american name or cause could be made out of it499 99 ,professor ,fiske 7,am4 ,revolution1 i41 p4 #cda7 has a ferocious attack on ,congress for breaking faith in this matter1 but no doubt he has by this time read1 in ,ford's ,writings of ,washington1 7vol4 vi47 the letters which bring his attack on the great commander's own haloed head4 ,in his letter to ,hon4 ,r4 ,h4 ,lee 7,october #cj1 #aggg7 ,paine mentions that he is about leaving the head-quarters near ,philadelphia for ,fort ,mifflin4 ,mr4 ,asa ,bird ,gardener1 of ,new ,york1 who has closely studied ,paine's military career1 writes me some account of it4 ,major-,gen4 ,greene was charged with the defence of the ,delaware1 and part of ,brig4-,gen4 ,varnum's brigade was placed in garrison at ,fort ,mercer1 ,red ,bank1 and at ,fort ,mifflin1 ,mud ,island4 ,a bloody and unsuccessful assault was made by ,count ,donop and #a1bjj ,hessians on ,fort ,mercer1 defended by the #a st and #b;d ,reg'ts4 ,r4 ,i4 ,continental ,inf'y4 ,the entire ,british fleet was then brought up opposite ,fort ,mifflin1 and the most furious cannonade1 and most desperate but finally unsuccessful defence of the place was made4 ,the entire works were demolished1 and most of the garrison killed and wounded4 ,major-,gen4 ,greene being anxious for the garrison and desirous of knowing its ability to resist sent ,mr4 ,paine to ascertain4 ,he accordingly went to ,fort ,mercer1 and from thence1 on ,nov4 #i 7#aggg7 went with ,col4 ,christopher ,greene1 commanding ,fort ,mercer1 in an open boat to ,fort ,mifflin1 during the cannonade1 and were there when the enemy opened with two-gun batteries and a mortar battery4 ,this very gallant act shows what a fearless man ,mr4 ,paine was1 and entitles him to the same credit for service in the ,revolution as any ,continental could claim4 #aggh ,the succession of mistakes1 surprises1 panics1 which occasioned the defeats before ,philadelphia and ended in the occupation of that city by the ,british general1 seriously affected the reputation of ,washington4 ,though ,paine believed that ,washington's generalship had been at fault 7as ,washington himself probably did9971 he could utter nothing that might injure the great cause4 ,he mistrusted the singleness of purpose of ,washington's opponents1 and knew that the commander-in-chief was as devoted as himself to the ,american cause1 and would never surrender it whatever should befall4 ,while1 therefore1 the intrigues were going on at ,yorktown1 ,pennsylvania1 whither ,congress had retreated1 and ,washington with his ill-fed and ill-clad army were suffering at ,valley ,forge1 ,paine was writing his fifth ,crisis1 which had the most happy effect4 ,it was dated at ,lancaster1 ,march #aba1 #aggh4 ,before that time 7,february #aith7 ,general ,gates had made his peace with ,washington1 and the intrigue was breaking up1 but gloom and dissatisfaction remained4 ,the contrast between the luxurious ,tories surrounding ,howe in ,philadelphia1 and ,washington's wretched five thousand at ,valley ,forge1 was demoralizing the country4 ,the first part of this ,crisis1 addressed to ,general ,sir ,william ,howe1 pointed wrangling patriots to the common enemy2 the second1 addressed to the inhabitants of ,america1 sounded a note of courage1 and gave good reasons for it4 ,never was aid more artistic than that ,paine's pen now gave ,washington4 ,the allusions to him are incidental1 there is no accent of advocacy4 ,while mentioning the unabated fortitude of a ,washington1 he lays a laurel on the brow of ,gates1 on that of ,herkimer1 and even on the defeated4 ,while belittling all that ,howe had gained1 telling him that in reaching ,philadelphia1 he mistook a trap for a conquest1 he reunites ,washington and ,gates1 in the public mind1 by showing the manoeuvres of the one near ,philadelphia part of the other's victory at ,saratoga4 ,it is easy for modern eulogists of ,washington to see this1 but when ,paine said it1--apparently aiming only to humiliate ,howe1--the sentence was a sunbeam parting a black cloud4 ,coming from a member of ,greene's staff1 from an author whose daring at ,fort ,mifflin had made him doubly a hero2 from the military correspondent of the ,pennsylvania ,council1 and the ,secretary of the ,congressional ,committee of ,foreign ,affairs1--,paine's optimistic view of the situation had immense effect4 ,he hints his official knowledge that ,britain's reduced strength and exhausted coffers in a three years' war with ,america hath given a powerful superiority to ,france and ,spain1 and advises ,americans to leave wrangling to the enemy4 ,we never had so small an army to fight against1 nor so fair an opportunity of final success as now4 99 ,see his letter to the ,president of ,congress4 ,ford's1 ,writings of ,washington1 vol4 vi41 p4 #hb4 ,this fifth ,crisis was written mainly at ,lancaster1 ,pa41 at the house of ,william ,henry1 ,jr41 where he several times found shelter while dividing his time between ,washington's head-quarters and ,york499 ,every number of the ,crisis was thus written with full information from both the military and political leaders4 ,this ,crisis was finished and printed at ,york1 and there ,paine begins ,no4 ,,vi4 ,the stone house on the banks of the ,cadorus1 at ,york1 is still pointed out by a trustworthy tradition as that to which he bore the chest of congressional papers with which he had fled to ,trenton1 when ,howe entered ,philadelphia49999 ,it is a pleasant abode in a picturesque country1 and no doubt ,paine would have been glad to remain there in repose4 ,but whoever slept on his watch during the ,revolution ,paine did not4 ,the fifth ,crisis printed1 he goes to forward the crisis he will publish next4 ,in ,april he is again at ,lancaster1 and on the #aath writes thence to his friend ,henry ,laurens1 ,president of ,congress4999999 99 ,this ,i learn by a note from ,mr4 ,henry's descendant1 ,john ,w4 ,jordan4 ,at this time ,paine laid before ,henry his scheme for steam-navigation4 9999 ,the house is marked ,b4 by ,j4 ,b4 ,cookis in the year #agfa4 ,it is probable that ,congress deemed it prudent to keep important documents a little way from the edifice in the centre of the town where it met1 a building which no longer stands4 999999 ,i am indebted to ,mr4 ,simon ,gratz1 of ,philadelphia1 for this and several other letters of ,paine to ,laurens4 ,lancaster1 ,april #aath1 #aggh4 ,sir1--,i take the liberty of mentioning an affair to you which ,i think deserves the attention of ,congress4 ,the persons who came from ,philadelphia some time ago with1 or in company with1 a flag from the ,enemy1 and were taken up and committed to ,lancaster ,jail for attempting to put off counterfeit ,contl4 money1 were yesterday brought to ,tryal and are likely to escape by means of an artful and partial ,construction of an ,act of this ,state for punishing such offences4 ,the ,act makes it felony to counterfeit the money emitted by ,congress1 or to circulate such counterfeits knowing them to be so4 ,the offenders' ,council explained the word 'emitted' to have only a retrospect meaning by supplying the ,idea of 'which have been' 'emitted by ,congress4' ,therefore say they the ,act cannot be applied to any money emitted after the date of the ,act4 ,i believe the words 'emitted by ,congress' means only1 and should be understood1 to distinguish ,continental ,money from other ,money1 and not one ,time from another ,time4 ,it has1 as ,i conceive1 no referrence to any ,particular ,time1 but only to the particular authority which distinguishes ,money so emitted from ,money emitted by the ,state4 ,it is meant only as a discription of the ,money1 and not of the ,time of striking it1 but includes the ,idea of all ,time as inseparable from the ,continuance of the authority of ,congress4 ,but be this as it may2 the offence is ,continental and the consequences of the same extent4 ,i can have no ,idea of any particular ,state pardoning an offence against all1 or even their letting an offender slip legally who is accountable to all and every ,state alike for his crime4 ,the place where he commits it is the least circumstance of it4 ,it is a mere accident and has nothing or very little to do with the crime itself4 ,i write this hoping the ,information will point out the necessity of the ,congress supporting their emissions by claiming every offender in this line where the present deficiency of the ,law or the ,partial ,interpretation of it operates to the ,injustice and ,injury of the whole ,continent4 ,i beg leave to trouble you with another hint4 ,congress ,i learn has something to propose thro' the ,commissrs4 on the ,cartel respecting the admission and stability of the ,continental ,currency4 ,as ,forgery is a ,sin against all men alike1 and reprobated by all civil nations1 ,query1 would it not be right to require of ,general ,howe the ,persons of ,smithers and others in ,philadelphia suspected of this crime2 and if ,he1 or any other ,commander1 continues to conceal or protect them in such practices1 that1 in such case1 the ,congress will consider the crime as the ,act of the ,commander-in-,chief4 ,howe affects not to know the ,congress--he ought to be made to know them2 and the apprehension of ,personal ,consequences may have some effect on his ,conduct4 ,i am1 ,dear ,sir1 ,your obt4 and humble ,servt41 ,t4 ,paine4 ,since writing the foregoing the ,prisoners have had their ,tryal1 the one is acquitted and the other convicted only of a ,fraud2 for as the law now stands1 or rather as it is explained1 the counterfeiting--or circulating counterfeits--is only a fraud4 ,i do not believe it was the intention of the ,act to make it so1 and ,i think it misapplied ,lenity in the ,court to suffer such an ,explanation1 because it has a tendency to invite and encourage a ,species of ,treason1 the most prejudicial to us of any or all the other kinds4 ,i am aware how very difficult it is to make a law so very perfect at first as not to be subject to false or perplexed conclusions4 ,there never was but one ,act 7said a ,member of the ,house of ,commons7 which a man might not creep out of1 i4 e4 the ,act which obliges a man to be buried in woollen4 ,t4 ,p4 ,the active author and secretary had remained in ,philadelphia two days after ,howe had crossed the ,schuylkill1 namely1 until ,september #bast4 ,the events of that time1 and of the winter1 are related in a letter to ,franklin1 in ,paris1 which is of too much historical importance for any part of it to be omitted4 ,it is dated ,yorktown1 ,may #af1 #aggh4 ,your favor of ,oct #gth did not come to me till ,march4 ,i was at ,camp when ,capt ,folger1 arrived with the ,blank ,packet ,the private ,letters were1 ,i believe1 all safe4 ,mr4 ,laurens forwarded yours to ,york ,town where ,i afterwards recd4 it4 ,the last winter has been rather barren of military events1 but for your amusement ,i send you a little history how ,i have passed away part of the time4 ,the #aath of ,sepr4 last ,i was preparing ,dispatches for you when the report of cannon at ,brandywine interrupted my proceeding4 ,the event of that day you have doubtless been informed of1 which1 excepting the ,enemy keeping the ground1 may be deemed a drawn battle4 ,genl4 ,washington collected his ,army at ,chester1 and the ,enemy's not moving towards him next day must be attributed to the disability they sustained and the burthen of their wounded4 ,on the #afth of the same month1 the two ,armies were drawn up in order of battle near the ,white horse on the ,lancaster road1 when a most violent and incessant storm of rain prevented an action4 ,our ,army sustained a heavy loss in their ,ammunition1 the ,cartouch ,boxes1 especially as they were not of the most seasoned leather1 being no proof agst4 the almost incredible fury of the weather1 which obliged ,genl4 ,washn4 to draw his ,army up into the country till those injuries could be repaired1 and a new supply of ammunition procured4 ,the ,enemy in the mean time kept on the ,west ,side of ,schuylkill4 ,on ,fryday the #aith about one in the morning the first alarm of their crossing was given1 and the confusion1 as you may suppose1 was very great4 ,it was a beautiful still moonlight morning and the streets as full of men women and children as on a market day4 ,on the eveng4 before ,i was fully persuaded that unless something was done the ,city would be lost2 and under that anxiety ,i went to ,col4 ,bayard1 speaker of the house of ,assembly1 and represented1 as ,i very particularly knew it1 the situation we were in1 and the probability of saving the ,city if proper efforts were made for that purpose4 ,i reasoned thus--,genl4 ,washn4 was about #cj ,miles up the ,schuylkill with an ,army properly collected waiting for ,ammunition1 besides which1 a reinforcement of #aejj men were marching from the ,north ,river to join him2 and if only an appearance of defence be made in the ,city by throwing up works at the heads of streets1 it will make the ,enemy very suspicious how they throw themselves between the ,city and ,genl4 ,washington1 and between two ,rivers1 which must have been the case2 for notwithstanding the knowledge which military gentlemen are supposed to have1 ,i observe they move exceedingly cautiously on new ground1 are exceedingly suspicious of ,villages and ,towns1 and more perplexed at seemingly little things which they cannot clearly understand than at great ones which they are fully acquainted with4 ,and ,i think it very probable that ,genl4 ,howe would have mistaken our necessity for a deep laid scheme and not have ventured himself in the middle of it ,but admitting that he had1 he must either have brought his whole ,army down1 or a part of it4 ,if the whole4 ,gen4 ,w4 would have followed him1 perhaps the same day1 in two or three days at most1 and our assistance in the ,city would have been material4 ,if only a part of it1 we should have been a match for them1 and ,gen4 ,w4 superior to those which remained above4 ,the chief thing was1 whether the cityzens would turn out to defend the ,city4 ,my proposal to ,cols4 ,bayard and ,bradford was to call them together the next morning1 make them fully acquainted with the situation and the means and prospect of preserving themselves1 and that the ,city had better voluntarily assess itself #ej1jjj for its defence than suffer an ,enemy to come into it4 ,cols4 ,bayard and ,bradford were in my opinion1 and as ,genl4 ,mifflin was then in town1 ,i next went to him1 acquainted him with our design1 and mentioned likewise that if two or three thousand men could be mustered up whether we might depend on him to command them1 for without some one to lead1 nothing could be done4 ,he declined that part1 not being then very well1 but promised what assistance he could4--,a few hours after this the alarm happened4 ,i went directly to ,genl4 ,mifflin but he had sett off1 and nothing was done4 ,i cannot help being of opinion that the ,city might have been saved1 but perhaps it is better otherwise4 ,i staid in the ,city till ,sunday ,sep4 #bast1 having sent my ,chest and everything belonging to the foreign ,committee to ,trenton in a ,shallop4 ,the ,enemy did not cross the river till the ,wednesday following4 ,hearing on the ,sunday that ,genl4 ,washn4 had moved to ,swederford ,i set off for that place but learning on the road that it was a mistake and that he was six or seven miles above that place1 ,i crossed over to ,south-field and the next ,morning to ,trenton1 to see after my ,chest ,on the ,wednesday ,morning ,i intended returning to ,philadelphia1 but was informed at ,bristol of the ,enemy's crossing the ,schuylkill4 ,at this place ,i met ,col4 ,kirkbride of ,pennsburg ,manor1 who invited me home with him4 ,on ,fryday the #bfth a ,party of the ,enemy about #aejj took possession of the ,city1 and the same day an account arrived that ,col4 ,brown had taken #cjj of the ,enemy at the old french lines at ,ticonderoga and destroyed all their ,water ,craft1 being about #bjj boats of different kinds4 ,on the #bith ,sept ,i sett off for ,camp without well knowing where to find it1 every day occasioning some movement ,i kept pretty high up the country1 and being unwilling to ask questions1 not knowing what company ,i might be in1 ,i was three days before ,i fell in with it ,the ,army had moved about three miles lower down that morning4 ,the next day they made a movement about the same distance1 to the #ba ,mile ,stone on the ,skippach ,road--,head ,quarters at ,john ,wince's4 ,on the #c;d ,octr4 in the morning they began to fortify the ,camp1 as a deception2 and about #i at ,night marched for ,german ,town4 ,the ,number of ,continental ,troops was between #h and #ijjj1 besides ,militia1 the rest remaining as ,guards for the security of ,camp4 ,genl4 ,greene1 whose ,quarters ,i was at1 desired me to remain there till ,morning4 ,i set off for ,german ,town about #e next morning4 ,the ,skirmishing with the ,pickets began soon after4 ,i met no person for several miles riding1 which ,i concluded to be a good sign2 after this ,i met a man on horseback who told me he was going to hasten on a supply of ammunition1 that the ,enemy were broken and retreating fast1 which was true4 ,i saw several country people with arms in their hands running cross a field towards ,german ,town1 within about five or six miles1 at which ,i met several of the wounded on waggons1 horseback1 and on foot4 ,i passed ,genl4 ,nash on a litter made of poles1 but did not know him4 ,i felt unwilling to ask questions lest the information should not be agreeable1 and kept on4 ,about two miles after this ,i passed a promiscuous crowd of wounded and otherwise who were halted at a house to refresh4 ,col3 ,biddle ,d4,q4,n4,g4 was among them1 who called after me1 that if ,i went farther on that road ,i should be taken1 for that the firing which ,i heard ahead was the ,enemy's4 ,i never could1 and cannot now learn1 and ,i believe no man can inform truly the cause of that day's miscarriage4 ,the retreat was as extraordinary4 ,nobody hurried themselves4 ,every one marched his own pace4 ,the ,enemy kept a civil distance behind1 sending every now and then a ,shot after us1 and receiving the same from us4 ,that part of the ,army which ,i was with collected and formed on the ,hill on the side of the road near ,white ,marsh ,church2 the ,enemy came within three quarters of a mile and halted4 ,the orders on ,retreat were to assemble that night on the back of ,perki-ominy ,creek1 about #g miles above ,camp1 which had orders to move4 ,the ,army had marched the preceding night #ad miles and having full #bj to march back were exceedingly fatigued4 ,they appeared to me to be only sensible of a disappointment1 not a defeat1 and to be more displeased at their retreating from ,german ,town1 than anxious to get to their rendezvous4 ,i was so lucky that night to get to a little house about #d miles wide of ,perkiominy1 towards which place in the morning ,i heard a considerable firing1 which distressed me exceedingly1 knowing that our army was much harassed and not collected4 ,however1 ,i soon relieved myself by going to see4 ,they were discharging their pieces1 wch4 tho' necessary1 prevented several ,parties going till next day4 ,i breakfasted next morning at ,genl4 ,w4 ,quarters1 who was at the same loss with every other to account for the accidents of the day4 ,i remember his expressing his ,surprise1 by saying1 that at the time he supposed every thing secure1 and was about giving orders for the ,army to proceed down to ,philadelphia2 that he most unexpectedly saw a ,part 7,i think of the ,artillery7 hastily retreating4 ,this partial ,retreat was1 ,i believe1 misunderstood1 and soon followed by others4 ,the fog was frequently very thick1 the ,troops young and unused to breaking and rallying1 and our men rendered suspicious to each other1 many of them being in ,red4 ,a new ,army once disordered is difficult to manage1 the attempt dangerous4 ,to this may be added a prudence in not putting matters to too hazardous a tryal the first time4 ,men must be taught regular fighting by practice and degrees1 and tho' the expedition failed1 it had this good effect--that they seemed to feel themselves more important after it than before1 as it was the first general attack they had ever made4 ,i have not related the affair at ,mr ,chew's house ,german ,town1 as ,i was not there1 but have seen it since4 ,it certainly afforded the ,enemy time to rally--yet the matter was difficult4 ,to have pressed on and left #ejj ,men in ye rear1 might by a change of circumstances been ruinous4 ,to attack them was loss of time1 as the house is a strong stone building1 proof against any #ab pounder4 ,genl4 ,washington sent a flag1 thinking it would procure their surrender and expedite his march to ,philadelphia2 it was refused1 and circumstances changed almost directly after4 ,i staid in ,camp two days after the ,germantown action1 and lest any ill impression should get among the ,garrisons at ,mud ,island and ,red ,bank1 and the ,vessels and ,gallies stationed there1 ,i crossed over to the ,jersies at ,trenton and went down to those places4 ,i laid the first night on board the ,champion ,continental ,galley1 who was stationed off the mouth of ,schuylkill4 ,the ,enemy threw up a two ,gun ,battery on the point of the river's mouth opposite the ,pest ,house4 ,the next morning was a thick fog1 and as soon as it cleared away1 and we became visible to each other1 they opened on the ,galley1 who returned the fire4 ,the ,commodore made a signal to bring the ,galley under the ,jersey shore1 as she was not a match for the ,battery1 nor the ,battery a sufficient ,object for the ,galley4 ,one ,shot went thro' the fore sail1 wch4 was all4 ,at noon ,i went with ,col4 ,christopher ,greene1 who commanded at ,red ,bank1 over to fort ,mifflin 7,mud ,island74 ,the ,enemy opened that day #b two-gun ,batteries1 and a ,mortar ,battery1 on the fort4 ,they threw about #cj ,shells into it that afternoon1 without doing any damage2 the ground being damp and spongy1 not above five or six burst2 not a man was killed or wounded4 ,i came away in the evening1 laid on board the ,galley1 and the next day came to ,col4 ,kirkbride's ,borden-town ,n4 ,j42 staid a few days1 and came again to ,camp4 ,an ,expedition was on foot the evening ,i got there in which ,i went as ,aid de ,camp to ,genl4 ,greene1 having a ,volunteer ,commission for that purpose4 ,the ,occasion was--a ,party of the ,enemy1 about #aejj1 lay over the ,schuylkill at ,grey's ferry4 ,genl4 ,mc,dougall with his ,division was sent to attack them2 and ,sullivan ,greene with their ,divisions were to favor the enterprise by a feint on the ,city1 down the ,german-town road4 ,they set off about nine at night1 and halted at day break1 between ,german ,town and the ,city1 the advanced ,party at the three ,miles ,run4 ,as ,i knew the ground ,i went with two light horse to discover the ,enemy's ,picket1 but the dress of the light horse being white made them1 ,i thought1 too visible1 as it was then twilight2 on which ,i left them with my horse1 and went on foot1 till ,i distinctly saw the ,picket at ,mr4 ,dickerson's place1--which is the nearest ,i have been to ,philadelphia since ,sepr41 except once at ,coopers ferry1 as ,i went to the forts4 ,genl4 ,sullivan was at ,dr4 ,redman's house1 and ,mc,dougall's beginning the attack was to be the ,signal for moving down to the ,city4 ,but the ,enemy either on the approach of ,mc,dougall1 or on information of it1 called in their ,party1 and the ,expedition was frustrated4 ,a ,cannonade1 by far the most furious ,i ever heard1 began down the river1 soon after daylight1 the first ,gun of which we supposed to be the ,signal2 but was soon undeceived1 there being no small ,arms4 ,after waiting two hours beyond the time1 we marched back1 the cannon was then less frequent2 but on the road between ,german town and ,white marsh we were stuned with a report as loud as a peal from a hundred ,cannon at once2 and turning round ,i saw a thick smoke rising like a pillar1 and spreading from the top like a tree4 ,this was the blowing up of the ,augusta4 ,i did not hear the explosion of the ,berlin4 ,after this ,i returned to ,col4 ,kirkbride's where ,i staid about a fortnight1 and set off again to ,camp4 ,the day after ,i got there ,genls4 ,greene1 ,wayne1 and ,cadwallader1 with a ,party of light horse1 were ordered on a reconnoitering ,party towards the forts4 ,we were out four days and nights without meeting with any thing material4 ,an ,east ,indiaman1 whom the ,enemy had cut down so as to draw but little water1 came up1 without guns1 while we were on foot on ,carpenter's ,island1 going to ,province ,island4 ,her ,guns were brought up in the evening in a flat1 she got in the rear of the ,fort1 where few or no ,guns could bear upon her1 and the next morning1 played on it incessantly4 ,the night following the fort was evacuated4 ,the obstruction the ,enemy met with from those forts1 and the ,chevaux de frise was extraordinary1 and had it not been that the ,western ,channel1 deepened by the current1 being somewhat obstructed by the ,chevaux de frise in the main river1 which enabled them to bring up the light ,indiaman ,battery1 it is a doubt whether they would have succeeded at last4 ,by that assistance they reduced the fort1 and got sufficient command of the river to move some of the late sunk ,chevaux de frise4 ,soon after this the fort on ,red ,bank1 7which had bravely repulsed the ,enemy a little time before7 was avacuated1 the ,gallies ordered up to ,bristol1 and the ,capts4 of such other armed ,vessels as thought they could not pass on the ,eastward side of ,wind mill ,island1 very precipitately set them on fire4 ,as ,i judged from this event that the ,enemy would winter in ,philadelphia1 ,i began to think of preparing for ,york ,town1 which however ,i was willing to delay1 hoping that the ice would afford opportunity for new ,manoeuvres4 ,but the season passed very barrenly away4 ,i staid at ,col4 ,kirkbride's till the latter end of ,janay4 ,commodore ,haslewood1 who commanded the remains of the fleet at ,trenton1 acquainted me with a scheme of his for burning the ,enemy's ,shipping1 which was by sending a charged boat across the river from ,cooper's ferry1 by means of a ,rocket fixt in its stern4 ,considering the width of the river1 the tide1 and the variety of accidents that might change its direction1 ,i thought the project trifling and insufficient2 and proposed to him1 that if he would get a boat properly choyed1 and take a ,batteau in tow1 sufficient to bring three or four persons off1 that ,i would make one with him and two other persons who might be relied on to go down on that business4 ,one of the ,company1 ,capn4 ,blewer of ,philadelphia1 seconded the proposal1 but the ,commodore1 and1 what ,i was more surprized at1 ,col4 ,bradford1 declined it4 ,the burning of part of the ,delaware fleet1 the precipitate retreat of the rest1 the little service rendered by them and the great expence they were at1 make the only national blot in the proceedings of the last ,campaign4 ,i felt a strong anxiety for them to recover their credit1 wch41 among others1 was one motive for my proposal4 ,after this ,i came to camp1 and from thence to ,york ,town1 and published the ,crisis ,no4 #e1 ,to ,genl4 ,howe4 ,i have began ,no4 #f1 which ,i intend to address to ,ld4 ,north4 ,i was not at ,camp when ,genl4 ,howe marched out on the #bjth of ,deer1 towards ,white marsh4 ,it was a most contemptible affair1 the threatenings and seeming fury he sate out with1 and haste and ,terror the ,army retreated with1 make it laughable4 ,i have seen several persons from ,philadelphia who assure me that their coming back was a mere uproar1 and plainly indicated their apprehensions of a pursuit4 ,genl4 ,howe1 in his ,letter to ,ld4 ,go4 ,germain1 dated ,dec4 #acth1 represented ,genl4 ,washington's ,camp as a strongly fortified place4 ,there was not1 ,sir1 a work thrown up in it till ,genl4 ,howe marched out1 and then only here and there a breast work4 ,it was a temporary ,station4 ,besides which1 our men begin to think ,works in the field of little use4 ,genl4 ,washington keeps his ,station at the ,valley forge4 ,i was there when the ,army first began to build huts2 they appeared to me like a family of ,beavers2 every one busy2 some carrying ,logs1 others ,mud1 and the rest fastening them together4 ,the whole was raised in a few days1 and is a curious collection of buildings in the true rustic order4 ,as to ,politics1 ,i think we are now safely landed4 ,the apprehension which ,britain must be under from her neighbours must effectually prevent her sending reinforcements1 could she procure them4 ,she dare not1 ,i think1 in the present situation of affairs trust her troops so far from home4 ,no ,commissrs4 are yet arrived4 ,i think fighting is nearly over1 for ,britain1 mad1 wicked1 and foolish1 has done her utmost4 ,the only part for her now to act is frugality1 and the only way for her to get out of debt is to lessen her ,government expenses4 ,two ,millions a year is a sufficient allowance1 and as much as she ought to expend exclusive of the interest of her ,debt4 ,the ,affairs of ,england are approaching either to ruin or redemption4 ,if the latter1 she may bless the resistance of ,america4 ,for my own part1 ,i thought it very hard to have the ,country set on fire about my ,ears almost the moment ,i got into it2 and among other pleasures ,i feel in having uniformly done my duty1 ,i feel that of not having discredited your friendship and patronage4 ,i live in hopes of seeing and advising with you respecting the ,history of the ,american ,revolution1 as soon as a turn of ,affairs make it safe for me to take a passage to ,europe4 ,please to accept my thanks for the ,pamphlets1 which ,mr4 ,temple ,franklin informs me he has sent4 ,they are not yet come to hand4 ,mr4 ,mrs4 ,bache are at ,mainheim1 near ,lancaster2 ,i heard they were well a few days ago4 ,i laid two nights at ,mr4 ,duffield's1 in the winter4 ,miss ,nancy ,clifton was there1 who said the ,enemy had destroyed or sold a great quantity of your furniture4 ,mr4 ,duffield has since been taken by them and carried into the ,city1 but is now at his own house4 ,i just now hear they have burnt ,col4 ,kirk-bride's1 ,mr4 ,borden's1 and some other houses at ,borden ,town4 ,governor ,johnstone 7,house of ,commons7 has wrote to ,mr4 ,robt4 ,morriss informing him of ,commissioners coming from ,england4 ,the letter is printed in the ,newspapers without signature1 and is dated ,febry4 #eth1 by which you will know it499 99 ,the arrival of the ,commissioners caused ,paine to address his ,crisis ,,vi4 to them instead of to ,lord ,north1 as he tells ,franklin is his intention4 ,the above letter was no doubt written in the old stone house at ,york4 ,please1 ,sir1 to accept this1 rough and incorrect as it is1 as ,i have not time to copy it fair1 which was my design when ,i began it2 besides which1 paper is most exceedingly scarce4 ,i am1 ,dear ,sir1 your ,obliged and ,affectionate humble ,servt1 ,t4 ,paine4 ,the ,honble4 ,benj4 ,franklin1 ,esqr4 ,paine's prophecy at the close of his fifth ,crisis 7,march1 #aggh71 that ,england1 reduced by her war with ,america1 was in peril from ,france1 was speedily confirmed4 ,the treaty between ,france and ,america 7,february #fth7 was followed by a war-cloud in ,europe1 which made the ,americans sanguine that their own struggle was approaching an end4 ,it was generally expected that ,philadelphia would be evacuated4 ,on this subject ,paine wrote the following letter to ,washington3 ,york ,town1 ,june #eth1 #aggh4--,sir1--,as a general opinion prevails that the ,enemy will quit ,philadelphia1 ,i take the ,liberty of transmitting you my reasons why it is probable they will not4 ,in your difficult and distinguished ,situation every hint may be useful4 ,i put the immediate cause of their evacuation1 to be a declaration of ,war in ,europe made by them or against them3 in which case1 their ,army would be wanted for other ,service1 and likewise because their present situation would be too unsafe1 being subject to be blocked up by ,france and attacked by you and her jointly4 ,britain will avoid a ,war with ,france if she can2 which according to my arrangement of ,politics she may easily do--,she must see the necessity of acknowledging1 sometime or other1 the ,independance of ,america2 if she is wise enough to make that acknowledgment now1 she of consequence admits the ,right of ,france to the quiet enjoyment of her ,treaty1 and therefore no ,war can take place upon the ,ground of having concluded a ,treaty with revolted ,british ,subjects4 ,this being admitted1 their apprehension of being doubly attacked1 or of being wanted elsewhere1 cease of consequence2 and they will then endeavor to hold all they can1 that they may have something to restore1 in lieu of something else which they will demand2 as ,i know of no ,instance where conquered ,plans were surrendered up prior to1 but only in consequence of a ,treaty of ,peace4 ,you will observe1 ,sir1 that my reasoning is founded on the supposition of their being reasonable ,beings1 which if they are not1 then they are not within the compass of my ,system1 ,i am1 ,sir1 with every wish for your happiness1 ,your ,affectionate and ,obt4 humble ,servant1 ,thos4 ,paine4 ,his ,excellency1 ,genl4 ,washington1 ,valley ,forge4 ,shortly after this letter to ,washington tidings came that a ,french fleet1 under ,count d',estaing1 had appeared on the coast1 and was about to blockade the ,delaware4 ,the ,british apparently in panic1 really by order from ,england1 left ,philadelphia1 ,june #ahth4 ,this seeming flight was a great encouragement4 ,congress was soon comfortably seated in ,philadelphia1 where ,paine had the pleasure of addressing his next ,crisis to the ,british ,peace ,commissioners4 ,in ,philadelphia ,congress was still surrounded by a hostile population2 ,paine had still to plead that there should be no peace without republican independence4 ,even so late as ,november #bd1 #aggh1 the ,french ,minister 7,gerard7 writes to his government3 ,scarcely one quarter of the ordinary inhabitants of ,philadelphia now here favour the cause 7of independence74 ,commercial and family ties1 together with an aversion to popular government1 seem to account for this4 ,the same feeling exists in ,new ,york and ,boston1 which is not the case in the rural districts4 ,while ,franklin was offered in ,paris the bribe of a peerage1 and the like for several revolutionary leaders1 similar efforts were made in ,america to subdue the rebellion by craft4 ,for that purpose had come the ,earl of ,carlisle1 ,sir ,george ,johnstone1 and ,william ,eden4 ,johnstone had retired from the ,commission in disgust4 ,referring to the invitation of the ,peace ,commissioners1 that ,america should join them against ,france1 he says3 ,unless you were capable of such conduct yourselves1 you would never have supposed such a character in us4 ,he reminds the commissioners1 who had threatened that ,america must be laid waste so as to be useless to ,france1 that increased wants of ,america must make her a more valuable purchaser in ,france4 ,paine mentions ,sir ,h4 ,clinton with some significance1 and suspects the truth that he had brought orders1 received from ,england1 overruling an intention of the peace envoys to burn ,philadelphia if their terms were rejected4 ,he says he has written a ,crisis for the ,english people because there was a convenient conveyance2 for the ,commissioners--poor ,commissioners6--having proclaimed that 'yet forty days and ,nineveh shall be overthrown8 have waited out the date1 and1 discontented with their ,god1 are returning to their gourd4 ,and all the harm ,i wish them is that it may not wither about their ears1 and that they may not make their exit in the belly of a whale4 ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,french ,,aid1 ,,and ,,the ,,paine-,,deane ,,controversy4 ,in ,bell's addenda to ,common ,sense1 which contained ,paine's ,address to the ,quakers 7also letters by others71 appeared a little poem which ,i believe his1 and the expression of his creed4 ,,the ,,american ,,patriot',s ,,prayer4 ,parent of all1 omnipotent ,in heaven1 and earth below1 ,through all creation's bounds unspent1 ,whose streams of goodness flow1 ,teach me to know from whence ,i rose1 ,and unto what designed2 ,no private aims let me propose1 ,since link'd with human kind4 ,but chief to hear my country's voice1 ,may all my thoughts incline2 ',t is reason's law1 't is virtue's choice1 ',t is nature's call and thine4 ,me from fair freedom's sacred cause ,let nothing e'er divide2 ,grandeur1 nor gold1 nor vain applause1 ,nor friendship false misguide4 ,let me not faction's partial hate ,pursue to this ,land's woe2 ,nor grasp the thunder of the state ,to wound a private foe4 ,if1 for the right to wish the wrong ,my country shall combine1 ,single to serve th' erroneous throng1 ,spight of themselves1 be mine4 ,every sacrifice contemplated in this self-dedication had to be made4 ,paine had held back nothing from the cause4 ,he gave ,america the copyrights of his eighteen pamphlets4 ,while they were selling by thousands1 at two or three shillings each1 he had to apologize to a friend for not sending his boots1 on the ground that he must borrow the money to pay for them6 ,he had given up the magazine so suited to his literary and scientific tastes1 had dismissed his lucrative school in ,philadelphia1 taken a musket on his ,quaker shoulders1 shared the privations of the retreat to the ,delaware1 braved bullets at ,trenton and bombs at ,fort ,mifflin4 ,but now he was to give up more4 ,he was ,single to serve th' erroneous throng1 ,spight of themselves1 and thereby lose applause and friendship4 ,an ex-,congressman1 sent to procure aid in ,france1 having1 as ,paine believed1 attempted a fraud on the scanty funds of this country1 he published his reasons for so believing4 ,in doing so he alarmed the ,french ,ambassador in ,america1 and incurred the hostility of a large party in ,congress2 the result being his resignation of the secretaryship of its ,foreign ,affairs ,committee4 ,it has been traditionally asserted that1 in this controversy1 ,paine violated his oath of office4 ,such is not the fact4 ,his official oath1 which was prepared for ,paine himself--the first secretary of a new committee1--was framed so as to leave him large freedom as a public writer4 ,that the said secretary1 previous to his entering on his office1 take an oath1 to be administered by the president1 well and faithfully to execute the trust reposed in him1 according to his best skill and judgment2 and to disclose no matter1 the knowledge of which shall be acquired in consequence of his office1 that he shall be directed to keep secret4 ,not only was there no such direction of secrecy in this case1 but ,congress did not know the facts revealed by ,paine4 ,compelled by a complaint of the ,french ,minister to disown ,paine's publication1 ,congress refused to vote that it was an abuse of office1 or to discharge him4 ,the facts should be judged on their merits1 and without prejudice4 ,i have searched and sifted many manuscripts in ,european and ,american archives to get at the truth of this strange chapter in our revolutionary history1 concerning which there is even yet an unsettled controversy499 99 ,beaumarchais et son ,temps1 par ,m4 ,de ,lomenie1 ,paris1 #ahef4 ,histoire de la ,participation de la ,france a l',etablissement des ,etats ,unis d',amerique4 par ,m4 ,doniol1 ,paris4 ,beaumarchais and ',the ,lost ,million1' by ,charles ,j4 ,stille 7privately printed in ,philadelphia74 ,new ,materials for the ,history of the ,american ,revolution1 by ,john ,durand1 ,new ,york1 #ahhi4 ,magazine of ,american ,history vol4 ii41 p4 #ffc4 ,life and ,times of ,benjamin ,franklin1 by ,james ,parton1 ,new ,york1 #ahfd4 ,papers in ,relation to the ,case of ,silas ,deane1 ,philadelphia1 printed for the ,seventy- six ,society1 #ahee4 ,the reader who desires to explore the subject will find an ample literature concerning it1 but with confusing omissions1 partly due to a neglect of ,paine's papers4 ,the suggestion of ,french aid to ,america was first made in ,may1 #agge1 by ,dubourg1 and a scheme was submitted by ,beaumarchais to the ,king4 ,this was first brought to light in ,november1 #ahgh1 in the ,magazine of ,american ,history1 where it is said3 ,it is without date1 but must have been written after the arrival of the ,american ,commissioners in ,paris4 ,this is an error4 ,a letter of ,december #g1 #agge1 from ,beaumarchais proves that the undated one had been answered4 ,moreover1 on ,june #aj1 #aggf1 a month before ,deane had reached ,paris1 and six months before ,franklin's arrival1 the million for ,america had been paid to ,beaumarchais and receipted4 ,it was ,deane's ruin that he appeared as if taking credit for1 and bringing within the scope of his negotiations1 money paid before his arrival4 ,it was the ruin of ,beaumarchais that he deceived ,deane about that million4 ,in #agfc ,france had suffered by her struggle with ,england humiliations and territorial losses far heavier than those suffered by her last war with ,germany4 ,with the revolt of the ,english colonies in ,america the hour of ,french revenge struck4 ,louis ,,xvi4 did not care much about it1 but his minister ,vergennes did4 ,inspired by him1 ,beaumarchais1 adventurer and playwright1 consulted ,arthur ,lee1 secret agent of ,congress in ,london1 and it was arranged that ,beaumarchais should write a series of letters to the ,king1 to be previously revised by ,vergennes4 ,the letters are such as might be expected from the pen that wrote ,the ,marriage of ,figaro4 ,he paints before the ,king the scene of ,france driven out of ,america and ,india2 he describes ,america as advancing to engage the conqueror of ,france with a force which a little help would make sufficient to render ,england helpless beside her ,european foes--,france and ,spain4 ,learning through ,vergennes that the ,king was mindful of his treaty with ,england1 ,beau-marchais made a proposal that the aid should be rendered as if by a commercial house1 without knowledge of the government ,this1 the most important document of the case1 suppressed until #ahgh1 was unknown to any of the writers who have discussed this question1 except ,durand and ,stille the latter alone having recognized its bearing on the question of ,beaumarchais' good faith4 ,beau-marchais tells the ,king that his succor is not to end the war in ,america1 but to continue and feed it to the great damage of the ,english2 that to sacrifice a million to put ,england to the expense of a hundred millions1 is exactly the same as if you advance a million to gain ninety-nine4 ,half of the million 7livres7 is to be sent to ,america in gold1 and half in powder4 ,so far from this aid being gratuitous1 the powder is to be taken from ,french magazines at four to six sols per pound1 and sent to ,america on the basis of twenty sols per pound4 ,the constant view of the affair in which the mass of ,congress ought to be kept is the certainty that your ,majesty is not willing to enter in any way into the affair1 but that a company is very generously about to turn over a certain sum to the prudent management of a faithful agent to give successive aid to the ,americans by the shortest and the surest means of return in tobacco4 ,how much of this scheme actually reached the ,king1 and was approved by him1 is doubtful4 ,he still hesitated1 and another appeal was made 7,february #bi1 #aggf7 embodying one from ,arthur ,lee1 who says3 ,we offer to ,france1 in return for her secret assistance1 a secret treaty of commerce1 by which she will secure for a certain number of years after peace is declared all the advantages with which we have enriched ,england for the past century1 with1 additionally1 a guarantee of her possessions according to our forces4 ,nothing is said by ,arthur ,lee about other payments4 ,the ,queen had now become interested in the gallant ,americans1 and the ,king was brought over to the scheme in ,april4 ,on ,may #b1 #aggf1 ,vergennes submits to the ,king the order for a million livres which he is to sign2 also a letter1 to be written by the hand of the ,minister's son1 aged fifteen1 to ,beaumarchais1 who1 he says1 will employ ,m4 ,montandoin 7the name was really ,montieu7 to transmit to the ,americans such funds as your ,majesty chooses to appropriate for their benefit4 ,there are various indications that the pecuniary advantages1 in the way of sols and tobacco1 were not set before the ,king1 and that he yielded to considerations of state policy4 ,after receiving the million 7,june #ajth7 ,beaumarchais wrote to ,arthur ,lee in ,london 7,june #ab1 #aggf73 ,the difficulties ,i have found in my negotiations with the ,minister have determined me to form a company which will enable the munitions and powder to be transmitted sooner to your friend on condition of his returning tobacco to ,cape ,francis4 ,to ,arthur ,lee1 whom he had met at the table of ,lord ,mayor ,john ,wilkes1 ,beaumarchais had emphasized the generous side of his scheme4 ,tobacco was indeed to be sent1 chiefly to give a commercial color to the transaction for the ,king's concealment1 but there appeared no reason to do more with ,lee1 who had no power of contract1 than impress him with the magnanimity and friendship of the ,french government4 ,this ,lee was to report to the ,secret ,committee of ,congress1 which would thus be prepared to agree to any arrangement of ,beaumarchais' agent1 without any suspicion that it might be called on to pay twenty sols a pound for powder that had cost from four to six4 ,lee did report it1 sending a special messenger 7,story7 to announce to ,congress the glad tidings of ,french aid1 and much too gushingly its quasi-gratuitous character4 ,a month later ,silas ,deane1 belated since ,march #eth by wind and wave1 reached ,paris1 and about ,july #ag1 #aggf1 by advice of ,vergennes1 had his first interview with ,beaumarchais4 ,had ,beaumarchais known that an agent1 empowered by ,congress to purchase munitions1 was on his way to ,france1 he would have had nothing to do with ,lee2 now he could only repudiate him1 and persuade ,deane to disregard him4 ,arthur ,lee informed ,deane that ,beaumarchais had told him that he had received two hundred thousand pounds sterling of the ,french administration for the use of ,congress1 but ,deane believed ,beaumarchais1 who constantly and positively denied having said any such thing4 ,it had been better for ,deane if he had believed ,lee499 ,it turned out in the end that ,beaumarchais had received the sum ,lee named1 and the ,french government--more anxious for treaty concessions from ,america than for ,beaumarchais' pocket--assured the ,american ,commissioners that the million was a royal gift4 99 ,m4 ,doniol and ,mr4 ,durand are entirely mistaken in supposing that ,lee was substantially a traitor4 ,that he wrote to ,lord ,shelburne that if ,england wanted to prevent closer ties between ,france and the ,united ,states she must not delay1 proves indeed the reverse4 ,he wanted recognition of the independence of his country1 and peace1 and was as willing to get it from ,england as from ,france4 ,he was no doubt well aware that ,french subsidies were meant1 as ,beaumarchais reminded the ,king1 to continue the war in ,america1 not to end it4 ,arthur ,lee had his faults1 but lack of patriotism was not among them4 ,this claim to generosity1 however1 or rather the source of it1 was a secret of the negotiation4 ,in ,october1 #aggg1 the commissioners wrote to ,congress a letter which1 being intercepted1 reached that body only in duplicate1 ,march1 #aggh1 saying they had received assurances that no repayment will ever be required from us for what has already been given us either in money or military stores4 ,one of these commissioners was ,silas ,deane himself 7the others ,franklin and ,lee74 ,but meanwhile ,beaumarchais had claimed of ,congress1 by an agent 7,de ,francy7 sent to ,america1 payment of his bill1 which included the million which his government declared had been a gift4 ,this complication caused ,congress to recall ,deane for explanations4 ,deane arrived in ,america in ,july1 #aggh4 ,there were suspicious circumstances around him4 ,he had left his papers in ,paris2 he had borrowed money of ,beaumarchais for personal expenses1 and the despatch he had signed in ,october1 saying the million was a gift1 had been intercepted1 other papers in the same package having duly arrived4 ,thus appearances were against ,deane4 ,the following statement1 in ,paine's handwriting1 was no doubt prepared for submission to ,congress1 and probably was read during one of its secret discussions of the matter4 ,it is headed ,explanatory ,circumstances4 #ast ,the lost dispatches are dated ,oct4 #fth and ,oct4 #gth4 ,they were sent by a private hand--that is1 they were not sent by the post4 ,capt4 ,folger had the charge of them4 ,they were all under one cover containing five separate ,packets2 three of the ,packets were on commercial matters only--one of these was to ,mr4 ,robert ,morris1 ,chairman of the ,commercial ,committee1 one to ,mr4 ,hancock 7private concerns71 another to ,barnaby ,deane1 ,s4 ,deane's brother4 ,of the other two ,packets1 one of them was to the ,secret ,committee1 then stiled the ,committee for foreign ,affairs1 the other was to ,richard ,h4 ,lee--these two last ,packets had nothing in them but blank white ,french ,paper4 #b;d4 ,in ,sept'r preceding the date of the dispatches ,mr4 ,beau-marchais sent ,mr4 ,francis ,de ,francy to ,congress to press payment to the amount mentioned in the official ,letter of ,oct4 #f4 ,mr4 ,francy brought a letter signed only by ,s4 ,deane--the ,capt of the vessel 7,landais7 brought another letter from ,deane2 both of these letters were to enforce ,mr4 ,beaumarchais' demand4 ,mr4 ,francy arrived with his letters and demand4 ,the official despatches 7if ,i may so say7 arrived blank4 ,congress therefore had no authoritative information to act by4 ,about this time ,mr4 ,deane was recalled and arrived in ,america in ,count ,d',estaing's fleet4 ,he gave out that he had left his accounts in ,france4 ,with the ,treaty of ,alliance come over the ,duplicates of the lost ,despatches4 ,they come into my office not having been seen by ,congress2 and as they contain an injunction not to be conceded by to8 ,congress1 ,i kept them secret in the office because at that time the foreign ,committee were dispersed and new members not appointed4 ,on the #eth of ,dec4 #aggh1 ,mr4 ,deane published an inflamatory piece against ,congress4 ,as ,i saw it had an exceeding ill effect out of doors ,i made some remarks upon it--with a view of preventing people running mad4 ,this piece was replied to by a piece under the ,signature of ,plain ,truth--in which it was stated1 that ,mr4 ,deane though a stranger in ,france and to the ,language1 and without money1 had by himself procured #cj1jjj stand of ,arms1 #cj1jjj suits of ,cloathing1 and more than #bjj pieces of ,brass ,cannon4 ,i replied that these supplies were in a train of ,execution before he was sent to ,france4 ,that ,mr4 ,deane's private letters and his official despatches jointly with the other two ,commissioners contradicted each other4 ,at this time ,i found ,deane had made a large party in ,congress--and that a motion had been made but not decided upon for dismissing me from the foreign office1 with a kind of censure4 ,deane was heard by ,congress twice 7,august #i and #ba1 #aggh7 but made a bad impression1 and a third hearing was refused4 ,in wrath he appealed in the press to the free and virtuous ,citizens of ,america1 7,december #e1 #aggh7 against the injustice of ,congress4 ,this ,paine answered in the ,pennsylvania ,packet of ,december #ae1 #aggh4 ,his motives are told in the following letter addressed to the ,hon4 ,henry ,laurens3 ,philadelphia1 ,dec4 #aeth1 #aggh4--;,dear ,sir4--,in this morning's paper is a piece addressed to ,mr4 ,deane1 in which your name is mentioned4 ,my intention in relating the circumstances with wch4 it is connected is to prevent the ,enemy drawing any unjust conclusions from an accidental division in the ,house on matters no ways political ,you will please to observe that ,i have been exceedingly careful to preserve the honor of ,congress in the minds of the people who have been so exceedingly fretted by ,mr4 ,deane's address--and this will appear the more necessary when ,i inform you that a proposal has been made for calling a ,town ,meeting to demand justice for ,mr4 ,deane4 ,i have been applied to smoothly and roughly not to publish this piece4 ,mr4 ,deane has likewise been with the ,printer4 ,i am1 c4 #aggi ,to ,paine1 who had given his all to the ,american cause1 nothing could appear more natural than that ,france and her ,king should do the same with pure disinterestedness4 ,here were ,lafayette and other ,frenchmen at ,washington's side4 ,however1 the one thing he was certain of was that ,deane had no claim to be credited with the ,french subsidies4 ,had ,henry ,laurens been ,president of ,congress it would have been easy to act on that body through him2 but he had resigned1 and the new president1 ,john ,jay1 was a prominent member of the ,deane party4 ,so ,paine resolved to defeat what he considered a fraud on the country at whatever cost4 ,in the course of the controversy he wrote 7,january #b1 #aggi73 ,if ,mr4 ,deane or any other gentleman will procure an order from ,congress to inspect an account in my office1 or any of ,mr4 ,deane's friends in ,congress will take the trouble of coming themselves1 ,i will give him or them my attendance1 and shew them in handwriting which ,mr4 ,deane is well acquainted with1 that the supplies he so pompously plumes himself upon were promised and engaged1 and that as a present1 before he ever arrived in ,france2 and the part that fell to ,mr4 ,deane was only to see it done1 and how he has performed that service the public are acquainted with4 ,although ,paine here gave the purport of the commissioners' letter1 showing plainly that ,deane had nothing to do with obtaining the supplies1 he is not so certain that they were gratuitous1 and adds1 in the same letter 7,january #b;d73 ,the supplies here alluded to are those which were sent from ,france in the ,amphitrite1 ,seine1 and ,mercury1 about two years ago4 ,they had at first the appearance of a present1 but whether so or on credit the service was a great and a friendly one4 ,to transfer the debt to the ,french government would secure such a long credit that the ,american cause would not suffer4 ,perhaps no official notice might have been taken of this1 but in another letter 7,january #eth7 ,paine wrote3 ,those who are now her ,america's allies1 prefaced that alliance by an early and generous friendship2 yet that we might not attribute too much to human or auxiliary aid1 so unfortunate were these supplies that only one ship out of three arrived2 the ,mercury and ,seine fell into the hands of the enemy4 ,it was this last paragraph that constituted ,paine's indiscretion4 ,unless we can suppose him for once capable of a role so ,machiavellian as the forcing of ,france's hand1 by revealing the connection between the ,king and the subsidies of ,beau-marchais1 we can only praise him for a too-impulsive and self-forgetting patriotism4 ,it was of course necessary for the ,french ,minister 7,gerard7 to complain1 and for ,congress to soothe him by voting the fiction that his most ,christian ,majesty did not preface his alliance with any supplies whatever sent to ,america4 ,but in order to do this1 ,paine had somehow to be dealt with4 ,a serio-comical performance took place in ,congress4 ,the members knew perfectly well that ,paine had documents to prove every word he had printed2 but as they did not yet know these documents officially1 and were required by their ally's minister to deny ,paine's statement1 they were in great fear that ,paine1 if summoned1 might reveal them4 ,as the articles were only signed ,common ,sense1 it was necessary that the ,secretary should acknowledge himself their author1 and ,congress1 in dread of discovering its own secrets1 contrived that he should be allowed to utter at the bar only one word4 ,congress received ,m4 ,gerard's complaint on ,january #eth1 and on the #fth1 to which action thereon had been adjourned1 the following memorial from ,paine4 ,honorable ,sirs4--,understanding that exceptions have been taken at some parts of my conduct1 which exceptions as ,i am unacquainted with ,i cannot reply to3 ,i therefore humbly beg leave to submit every part of my conduct public and private1 so far as relate to public measures1 to the judgment of this ,honble4 ,house1 to be by them approved or censured as they shall judge proper--at the same time reserving to myself that conscious satisfaction of having ever intended well and to the best of my abilities executed those intentions4 ,the ,honble4 ,congress in ,april1 #aggg1 were pleased1 not only unsolicited on my part1 but wholly unknown to me1 to appoint me unanimously ,secretary to the ,committee for foreign affairs1 which mode of appointment ,i conceive to be the most honorable that can take place4 ,the salary they were pleased to affix to it was #gj dollars per month4 ,it has remained at the same rate ever since1 and is not at this time equal to the most moderate expences ,i can live at2 yet ,i have never complained1 and always conceiving it my duty to bear a share of the inconveniences of the country1 have ever cheerfully submitted to them4 ,this being my situation1 ,i am at this time conscious of no error1 unless the cheapness of my services1 and the generosity with which ,i have endeavored to do good in other respects1 can be imputed to me as a crime1 by such individuals as may have acted otherwise4 ,as my appointment was honorable1 therefore whenever it shall appear to ,congress that ,i have not fulfilled their expectations1 ,i shall1 tho' with concern at any misapprehension that might lead to such an opinion1 surrender up the books and papers intrusted to my care4 ,were my appointment an office of profit it might become me to resign it1 but as it is otherwise ,i conceive that such a step in me might imply a dissatisfaction on account of the smallness of the pay4 ,therefore ,i think it my duty to wait the orders of this ,honble4 ,house1 at the same time begging leave to assure them that whatever may be their determination respecting me1 my disposition to serve in so honorable a cause1 and in any character in which ,i can best do it1 will suffer no alteration4 ,i am1 with profound respect1 your ,honors' dutiful and obt4 hble4 ,servant1 ,thomas ,paine4 ,on the same day ,paine was summoned before ,congress 7sitting always with closed doors71 and asked by its president 7,jay7 if he wrote the articles4 ,he replied ,yes1 and was instantly ordered to withdraw4 ,on the following day ,paine1 having discovered that ,deane's party were resolved that he should have no opportunity to reveal any fact in ,congress1 submitted a second memorial4 ,honorable ,sirs4--,from the manner in which ,i was called before the ,house yesterday1 ,i have reason to suspect an unfavorable disposition in them towards some parts in my late publications4 ,what the parts are against which they object1 or what those objections are1 are wholly unknown to me4 ,if any gentleman has presented any ,memorial to this ,house which contains any charge against me1 or any-ways alludes in a censurable manner to my character or interest1 so as to become the ground of any such charge1 ,i request1 as a servant under your authority1 an attested copy of that charge1 and in my present character as a freeman of this country1 ,i demand it4 ,i attended at the bar of this ,house yesterday as their servant1 tho' the warrant did not express my official station1 which ,i conceive it ought to have done1 otherwise it could not have been compulsive unless backed by a magistrate4 ,my hopes were that ,i should be made acquainted with the charge1 and admitted to my defence1 which ,i am all times ready to make either in writing or personally4 ,i cannot in duty to my character as a freeman submit to be censured unheard4 ,i have evidence which ,i presume will justify me4 ,and ,i entreat this ,house to consider how great their reproach will be should it be told that they passed a sentence upon me without hearing me1 and that a copy of the charge against me was refused to me2 and likewise how much that reproach will be aggravated should ,i afterwards prove the censure of this ,house to be a libel1 grounded upon a mistake which they refused fully to inquire into4 ,i make my application to the heart of every gentleman in this ,house1 that1 before he decides on a point that may affect my reputation1 he will duly consider his own4 ,did ,i court popular praise ,i should not send this letter4 ,my wish is that by thus stating my situation to the ,house1 they may not commit an act they cannot justify4 ,i have obtained fame1 honor1 and credit in this country4 ,i am proud of these honors4 ,and as they cannot be taken from me by any unjust censure grounded on a concealed charge1 therefore it will become my duty afterwards to do justice to myself4 ,i have no favor to ask more than to be candidly and honorably dealt by2 and such being my right ,i ought to have no doubt but this ,house will proceed accordingly4 ,should ,congress be disposed to hear me1 ,i have to request that they will give me sufficient time to prepare4 ,it was1 of course1 a foregone conclusion that the story of what had occurred in ,france must not be told4 ,m4 ,gerard had identified himself with the interests of ,beaumarchais1 as well as with those of his government1 and was using the privileges of the alliance to cover that speculator's demand4 ,paine1 therefore1 pleaded in vain4 ,indeed1 the foregoing memorial seems to have been suppressed1 as it is not referred to in the journal of the ,house for that day 7,january #gth74 ,on the day following his resignation was presented in the following letter3 ,honorable ,sirs4--,finding by the ,journals of this ,house1 of yesterday1 that ,i am not to be heard1 and having in my letter of the same day1 prior to that resolution1 declared that ,i could not 'in duty to my character as a freeman submit to be censured unheard1' therefore1 consistent with that declaration1 and to maintain that ,right1 ,i think it my duty to resign the office of ,secretary to the ,committee for foreign ,affairs1 and ,i do hereby resign the same4 ,the ,papers and documents in my charge ,i shall faithfully deliver up to the ,committee1 either on honor or oath1 as they or this ,house shall direct4 ,considering myself now no longer a servant of ,congress1 ,i conceive it convenient that ,i should declare what have been the motives of my conduct4 ,on the appearance of ,mr4 ,deane's ,address to the ,public of the #e of ,dec1 in which he said ',the ears of the ,representatives were shut against him1' the honor and justice of this ,house were impeached and its reputation sunk to the lowest ebb in the opinion of the ,people4 ,the expressions of suspicion and degradation which have been uttered in my hearing and are too indecent to be related in this letter1 first induced me to set the ,public right2 but so grounded were they1 almost without exception1 in their ill opinion of this ,house1 that instead of succeeding as ,i wished in my first address1 ,i fell under the same reproach and was frequently told that ,i was defending ,congress in their bad designs4 ,this obliged me to go farther into the matters1 and ,i have now reason to believe that my endeavours have been and will be effectual4 ,my wish and my intentions in all my late publications were to preserve the public from error and imposition1 to support as far as laid in my power the just authority of the ,representatives of the ,people1 and to cordiallize and cement the ,union that has so happily taken place between this country and ,france4 ,i have betrayed no ,trust because ,i have constantly employed that ,trust to the public good4 ,i have revealed no secrets because ,i have told nothing that was1 or ,i conceive ought to be a secret4 ,i have convicted ,mr4 ,deane of error1 and in so doing ,i hope ,i have done my duty4 ,it is to the interest of the ,alliance that the ,people should know that before ,america had any agent in ,europe the 'public-spirited gentlemen' in that quarter of the world were her warm friends4 ,and ,i hope this ,honorable ,house will receive it from me as a farther testimony of my affection to that ,alliance1 and of my attention to the duty of my office1 that ,i mention1 that the duplicates of the ,dispatches of ,oct4 #f and #g1 #aggg1 from the ,commissioners1 the originals of which are in the ,enemy's possession1 seem to require on that account a reconsideration4 ,his ,excellency1 the ,minister of ,france1 is well acquainted with the liberality of my sentiments1 and ,i have had the pleasure of receiving repeated testimonies of his esteem for me4 ,i am concerned that he should in any instance misconceive me4 ,i beg likewise to have it understood that my appeal to this ,honorable ,house for a hearing yesterday was as a matter of ,right in the character of a ,freeman1 which ,right ,i ought to yield up to no ,power whatever4 ,i return my utmost thanks to the ,honorable ,members of this ,house who endeavored to support me in that ,right1 so sacred to themselves and to their constituents2 and ,i have the pleasure of saying and reflecting that as ,i came into office an honest man1 ,i go out of it with the same character4 ,this letter also was suppressed1 and the same fate was secured by ,mr4 ,jay for several other letters written by ,paine to ,congress4 ,on ,march #cj1 #aggi1 he quotes a letter of the commissioners of ,november #cj1 #aggg1 saying that the supplies from ,france were the effects of private benevolence4 ,on ,april #bast he reminds ,congress that they began their hard treatment of me while ,i was defending their injured and insulted honor1 and which ,i cannot account for on any other ground than supposing that a private unwarrantable connection was formed between ,mr4 ,deane and certain ,members of this ,honorable ,house4 ,on ,april #bc;d he again addresses the ,honorable ,sirs 3 ,on inquiring yesterday of ,mr4 ,thomson1 your ,secretary1 ,i find that no answer is given to any of my letters4 ,i am unable to account for the seeming inattention of ,congress in collecting information at this particular time1 from whatever quarter it may come2 and this wonder is the more increased when ,i recollect that a private offer was made to me1 about three months ago1 amounting in money to ,l#gjj a year2 yet however polite the proposal might be1 or however friendly it might be designed1 ,i thought it my duty to decline it2 as it was accompanied with a condition which ,i conceived had a tendency to prevent the information ,i have since given1 and shall yet give to the ,country on ,public ,affairs4 ,i have repeatedly wrote to ,congress respecting ,mr4 ,deane's dark incendiary conduct1 and offered every information in my power4 ,the opportunities ,i have had of knowing the state of foreign affairs is greater than that of many gentlemen of this ,house1 and ,i want no other knowledge to declare that ,i look on ,mr4 ,deane to be1 what ,mr4 ,carmichael calls him1 a rascal4 ,the offer of money came from ,m4 ,gerard4 ,this clever diplomatist perceived in all ,paine's letters his genuine love of ,france1 and esteem for the ,king who had so generously allied himself with the ,americans in their struggle for independence4 ,since ,m4 ,gerard's arrival ,paine had been on friendly terms with him4 ,i have explored the ,state ,archives of ,france for ,m4 ,gerard's versions of these affairs1 and find them more diplomatic than exact4 ,immediately on the appearance of ,paine's first attack on ,deane1 the ,minister appears to have visited ,paine4 ,he reports to ,vergennes1 ,january #ajth1 that he had been at much pains to convince ,paine of his error in saying that the supplies furnished by ,beaumarchais had been promised as a gift2 but he had not retracted1 and he 7,gerard7 then thought it necessary to refer what he wrote to ,congress4 ,congress1 however1 did not wait for this to show me its indignation4 ,the journals of ,congress do not1 however1 reveal any reference to the matter previous to ,m4 ,gerard's memorial of ,january #eth4 ,in his next letter ,m4 ,gerard asserts that ,congress had dismissed ,paine1 whereas ,paine resigned1 and a motion for his dismission was lost4 ,this letter is dated ,january #agth4 ,when ,i had denounced to ,congress the assertions of ,m4 ,payne1 ,i did not conceal from myself the bad effects that might result to a head puffed up by the success of his political writings1 and the importance he affected4 ,i foresaw the loss of his office1 and feared that1 separated from the support which has restrained him1 he would seek only to avenge himself with his characteristic impetuosity and impudence4 ,all means of restraining him would be impossible1 considering the enthusiasm here for the license of the press1 and in the absence of any laws to repress audacity even against foreign powers4 ,the only remedy1 my lord1 ,i could imagine to prevent these inconveniences1 and even to profit by the circumstances1 was to have ,payne offered a salary in the ,king's name1 in place of that he had lost4 ,he called to thank me1 and ,i stipulated that he should publish nothing on political affairs1 nor about ,congress1 without advising with me1 and should employ his pen mainly in impressing on the people favorable sentiments towards ,france and the ,alliance1 of the kind fittest to foster hatred and defiance towards ,england4 ,he appeared to accept the task with pleasure4 ,i promised him a thousand dollars per annum1 to begin from the time of his dismission by ,congress4 ,he has already begun his functions in declaring in the ,gazette that the affair of the military effects has no reference to the ,court and is not a political matter4 ,you know too well the prodigious effects produced by the writings of this famous personage among the people of the ,states to cause me any fear of your disapproval of my resolution4 ,m4 ,gerard adds that he has also employed ,dr4 ,cooper1 an intimate friend of ,dr4 ,franklin4 ,on ,may #bith he informs ,vergennes that the ,paine arrangement did not work4 ,a piece in a ,gazette of the third by ,m4 ,payne1 under his usual title of ,common ,sense proves his loss of it4 ,in it he declares that he is the only honest man thus far employed in ,american affairs1 and demands that the nation shall give him the title and authority of ,censor-general1 especially to purify and reform ,congress4 ,this bit of folly shows what he is capable of4 ,he gives me marks of friendship1 but that does not contribute to the success of my exhortations4 ,in another despatch of the same date ,m4 ,gerard writes3 ,i have had the honor to acquaint you with the project ,i had formed to engage ,mr4 ,payne le ,sr4 ,payne to insert in the public papers paragraphs relative to the ,alliance1 calculated to encourage the high idea formed by the people of the king1 and its confidence in his friendship2 but this writer having tarnished his reputation and being sold to the opposition1 ,i have found another4 ,he goes on to say that he has purchased two eminent gentlemen1 who write under the names ,honest ,politician and ,americanus4 ,m4 ,gerard1 in his statements concerning his relations with ,paine1 depended on the unfamiliarity of ,vergennes with the ,philadelphia journals4 ,in these ,paine had promptly made known the overtures made to him4 ,had ,i been disposed to make money ,i undoubtedly had many opportunities for it4 ,the single pamphlet ',common ,sense' would at that time of day have produced a tolerable fortune1 had ,i only taken the same profits from the publication which all writers have ever done2 because the sale was the most rapid and extensive of anything that was ever published in this country1 or perhaps in any other4 ,instead of which ,i reduced the price so low1 that instead of getting1 ,i stand ,l#ci1 #aa1 #j out of pocket on ,mr4 ,bradford's books1 exclusive of my time and trouble2 and ,i have acted the same disinterested part by every publication ,i have made4 ,at the time the dispute arose respecting ,mr4 ,deane's affairs1 ,i had a conference with ,mr4 ,gerard at his own request1 and some matters on that subject were freely talked over1 which it is here necessary to mention4 ,this was on the #b;d of ,january4 ,on the evening of the same day1 or the next1 ,mr4 ,gerard through the medium of another gentleman made me a very genteel and profitable offer4 ,my answer to the offer was precisely in these words3 ',any service ,i can render to either of the countries in alliance1 or to both1 ,i ever have done and shall readily do1 and ,mr4 ,gerard's esteem will be the only compensation ,i shall desire4' ,paine never received a cent of ,m4 ,gerard's money1 but he became convinced that the ,french government might be compromised by his allusion to its early generosity to ,america1 and on ,january #bfth wrote that the letter to which he had alluded had not mentioned the ,king of ,france by any name or title nor yet the nation of ,france4 ,this was all that the ,french ,minister could get out of ,paine1 and it was willingly given4 ,the more complaisant ,honest ,politician and ,americanus1 however1 duly fulfilled the tasks for which they had been employed by the ,french ,ambassador4 ,this will be seen by reference to their letters in the ,pennsylvania ,gazette of ,june #bc;d4 ,in ,june and ,july ,paine entered on a controversy with ,americanus on the terms upon which ,america should insist1 in any treaty of peace4 ,he intimates his suspicion that ,americanus is a hireling4 ,it should be mentioned that the ,english archives prove that in ,paris ,deane and ,gerard had long been intimate1 and often closeted with ,vergennes4 7,see the reports of ,wentworth and others in ,stevens' ,facsimiles87 ,deane and ,gerard came over together1 on one of d',estaing's ships4 ,according to the ,english information ,gerard was pecuniarily interested in the supplies sent to ,america1 and if so had private reasons for resisting ,paine's theory of their gratuitous character4 ,,chapter ,x4 ,a ,,story ,,by ,,gouverneur ,,morris ,the ,paine-,deane incident had a number of curious sequels1 some of which are related in a characteristic letter of ,gouverneur ,morris to ,john ,randolph1 which has not1 ,i believe1 hitherto been printed4 ,gouverneur ,morris had much to do with the whole affair2 he was a member of ,congress during the controversy1 and he was the ,minister in ,france who1 fifteen years later1 brought to light the receipt for the ,king's million livres charged by ,beaumarchais against this country4 ,washington1 ,jany4 #bj1 #ahab ,it would give me pleasure to communicate the information you ask1 but ,i can only speak from memory respecting matters1 some of which were transacted long ago and did not command my special attention4 ,but it is probable that the material facts can be established by documents in the ,secretary of ,state's office4 ,it will1 ,i believe1 appear from the correspondence between ,mr4 ,arthur ,lee and the ,secret and ,commercial ,committee1 that early in our dispute with ,great ,britain the ,french ,court made through him a tender of military supplies1 and employed as their agent for that purpose ,m4 ,beaumarchais1 who1 having little property and but slender standing in society1 might 7if needful7 be disavowed1 imprisoned1 and punished for presuming to use the ,king's name on such an occasion4 ,in the course of our ,revolutionary ,war1 large supplies were sent by ,m4 ,beaumarchais under the name of ,roderique ,hortalez and ,co41 a supposed mercantile name4 ,but the operations were impeded by complaints of the ,british ,ambassador1 ,lord ,stormont1 which obliged the ,french ,court to make frequent denials1 protestations1 seizure of goods and detention of ships4 ,every step of this kind bound them more strongly to prevent a disclosure of facts4 ,after the ,congress returned to ,philadelphia1 ,m4 de ,francy1 agent of ,m4 ,beaumarchais1 applied to ,congress for payment4 ,this application was supported on the ground of justice by many who were not in the secret1 for the ,congress had then so much good sense as not to trust itself with its own secrets4 ,there happened unluckily at that time a feud between ,mr4 ,lee and ,mr4 ,deane4 ,the latter favored 7in appearance at least7 ,m4 ,beaumarchais' claim4 ,paine1 who was clerk to the ,secret and ,commercial ,committee1 took part in the dispute1 wrote pieces for the ,gazettes1 and at length1 to overwhelm ,deane and those who defended him with confusion1 published a declaration of the facts confidentially communicated to the ,committee by ,mr4 ,lee1 and signed this declaration as ,american ,secretary for ,foreign ,affairs499 ,the ,french ,minister1 ,m4 ,gerard1 immediately made a formal complaint of that publication1 and an equally formal denial of what it contained4 ,the ,congress was therefore obliged to believe1 or at least to act as if they believed1 that ,paine had told a scandalous falsehood4 ,he was in consequence dismissed1 which indeed he deserved for his impudence if for nothing else49999 99 ,error4 ,paine signed ,common ,sense1 and in one instance ,thomas ,paine4 9999 ,paine resigned4 ,several motions for his dismissal were lost4 ,beaumarchais and his agent had already received from the ,committee tobacco and perhaps other articles of produce on account of his demand2 what and how much will of course be found from investigating the files of the ,treasury4 ,but he wanted and finally obtained a larger and more effectual payment ,bills were drawn in his favor on ,dr4 ,franklin1 our ,minister in ,france1 at long sight1 for about one hundred thousand pounds sterling4 ,this was done in the persuasion that the ,doctor would1 when they were presented1 communicate the fact to ,comte de ,vergennes1 from whom he would afterwards be obliged to solicit the means of payment4 ,it was hoped that the ,french ,court would then interfere and either lay hold of the bills or compel ,m4 ,beaumarchais to refund the money1 so that no real deduction would on that account be afterwards made from the loans or subsidies to us4 ,the death of all who were privy to it has spread an impenetrable veil over what passed on this occasion between ,m4 ,beaumarchais and his employer1 but the bills were regularly paid1 and we were thereby deprived in a critical moment of the resources which so large a sum would have supplied4 ,when this happened1 ,m4 de la ,luzerne1 then ,minister of ,france at ,philadelphia1 expressed himself with so much freedom and so much indignation respecting ,m4 ,beaumarchais and his claim1 that there was reason to believe nothing more would have been heard of it4 ,in that persuasion1 perhaps1 ,dr4 ,franklin1 when he came to settle our national accounts with ,m4 de ,vergennes1 was less solicitous about a considerable item than he otherwise might have been4 ,he acknowledged as a free gift to the ,united ,states the receipt on a certain day of one million livres1 for which no evidence was produced4 ,he asked indeed for a voucher to establish the payment1 but the ,count replied that it was immaterial whether we had received the money or not1 seeing that we were not called on for repayment4 ,with this reassuring the old gentleman seems to have been satisfied1 and the account was settled accordingly4 ,perhaps the facts may have been communicated to him under the seal of secrecy1 and if so he showed firmness in that he had shared in the plunder with ,deane and ,beaumarchais4 99 ,gouverneur ,morris himself4 9999 ,this was the receipt dated ,june #aj1 #aggf1 on which the ,king had marked ,bon1 and was obtained by ,morris in #agid4 ,things remained in that state till after the late king of ,france was dethroned4 ,the ,minister of the ,united ,states at ,paris' was then directed to enquire what had become of the million livres4 ,the correspondence will of course be found in the office of the ,secretary of ,state4 ,it seems that he had the good fortune to obtain copies of ,m4 ,beaumarchais' receipt for a million1 bearing date on the day when the gift was said to have been made1 so that no reasonable doubt could exist as to the identity of the sum4' ,so much1 my dear ,sir1 for what memory can command4 ,you will1 ,i think1 find papers containing a more accurate statement in the ,new ,york ',evening ,post1' about the time when ,mr4 ,rodney's opinion was made public4 ,at least ,i recollect having seen in that gazette some facts with which ,i had not been previously acquainted1 or which ,i had forgotten4 ,a gentleman from ,connecticut1 who was on the ,committee of ,claims last year1 can ,i believe give you the papers4 ,i remember also to have been told by a respectable young gentleman1 son of the late ,mr4 ,richard ,henry ,lee1 that important evidence on this subject1 secured from his uncle ,arthur1 was in his possession1 and ,i believe it may be obtained from ,mr4 ,carroll of ,annapolis1 or his son-in-law ,mr4 ,harper of ,baltimore4 ,the ,hon'le ,mr4 ,john ,randolph1 of ,roanoke4 ,beaumarchais1 barely escaping the guillotine1 died in poverty in ,holland4 ,he bequeathed his claim to his daughter who 7#ahce7 was ,paid #hjj1jjj francs1 but the million which he had received from the ,king and then charged on the ,united ,states1 was never paid4 ,silas ,deane suffered a worse fate4 ,his claims for commissions and services in ,france remained unpaid1 and after his return to ,france he occupied himself with writing to his brother ,simeon the letters meant to be intercepted1 printed by ,rivington in #aghb4 ,in these letters he urges submission to ,england4 ,franklin took the charitable view that his head had been turned by his misfortunes4 ,he went over to ,england1 where he became the friend of ,benedict ,arnold1 and died in poverty in #aghi4 ,in recent years his heirs were paid #ce1jjj by ,congress4 ,but had his treachery1 as now revealed in the letters of ,george ,,iii41 been known1 there had been no such payment4 99 ,the documents referred to are no doubt among the ,lee ,papers preserved at the ,university of ,virginia1 which ,i have examined4 ,the determination with which ,paine1 to his cost1 withstood ,deane1 may seem at first glance quixotic ,his attack was animated by a belief that the supplies sent from ,france were a covert gift1 and at any rate1 that the demand for instant payment to agents was fraudulent4 ,evidence having been supplied1 by the publication of ,beaumarchais notes to ,arthur ,lee1 under pseudonym of ,mary ,johnston1 that returns in tobacco were expected1 this1 if not a mercantile mask1 was still a matter of credit1 and very different from payments demanded by ,beaumarchais and ,deane from the scanty treasury of the struggling colonies499 ,but there was something more behind the vehemence of ,paine's letters4 99 ,in one of ,deane's intercepted letters 7,may #bj1 #agha7 there is an indication that he had found more truth in what ,paine had said about the gratuitous supplies than ,beaumarchais had led him to believe4 ,the first plan of the ,french government evidently was to assist us just so far as might be absolutely necessary to prevent an accommodation1 and to give this assistance with so much secresy as to avoid any rupture with ,great ,britain4 ,on this plan succors were first permitted to be sent out to us by private individuals1 and only on condition of future payment1 but afterward we were thought to be such cheap and effectual instruments of mischief to the ,british nation that more direct and gratuitous aids were furnished us4 ,but now ,m4 ,doniol has brought to light the ,reflexions and ,considerations of the ,french ,minister1 ,count de ,vergennes1 which led to his employment of ,beaumarchais1 which contain such propositions as these3 ,it is essential that ,france shall at present direct its care towards this end3 she must nourish the courage and perseverance of the insurgents by flattering their hope of effectual assistance when circumstances permit4 ,it will be expedient to give the insurgents secret aid in munitions and money2 utility suggests this small sacrifice1 ,should ,france and ,spain give succors1 they should seek compensation only in the political object they have at heart1 reserving to themselves subsequent decision1 after the events and according to the situations4 ,it would be neither for the king's dignity or interest to bargain with the insurgents4 ,it is certain that ,beaumarchais was required to impress these sentiments on ,arthur ,lee1 who continued to take them seriously1 and made ,paine take them so1 after ,beaumarchais was taking only his own interests seriously4 ,this he intimated1 but his revelation seems to have received no attention at the time4 ,he says 7,january #eth73 ,in speaking of ,mr4 ,deane's contracts with foreign officers1 ,i concealed1 out of pity to him1 a circumstance that must have sufficiently shown the necessity of recalling him1 and either his want of judgment or the danger of trusting him with discretionary power4 ,it is no less than that of his throwing out a proposal1 in one of his foreign letters1 for contracting with a ,german prince to command the ,american army4 ,this personage1 who was to supersede ,general ,washington1 he afterwards declares to be ,prince ,ferdinand4 ,it is known that ,count de ,broglie had engaged ,kalb and ,deane to propose him as generalissimo of ,america1 but the evidence of this other proposal has disappeared with other papers missing from ,deane's diplomatic correspondence4 ,i find1 however1 that ex-provost ,stille who has studied the proceedings of ,beaumarchais thoroughly1 has derived from another source an impression that he 7,beaumarchais7 made an earlier proposition of the same kind concerning ,prince ,ferdinand4 ,it would be unsafe to affirm that ,deane did more than report the proposals made to him1 but his silence concerning this particular charge of his antagonist1 while denying every other categorically1 is suspicious4 ,at that early period ,washington had not loomed up in the eye of the world4 ,the ,french and ,germans appear to have thought of the ,americans and their commander as we might think of rebellious red men and their painted chief4 ,there is nothing in ,deane's letters from ,europe to suggest that he did not share their delusion1 or that he appreciated the necessity of independence4 ,paine1 who conducted the foreign correspondence1 knew that the secrets of the ,american office in ,paris were open to ,lord ,stormont1 who stopped large supplies prepared for ,america1 and suspected ,deane of treachery4 ,it now appears that one of ,deane's assistants1 ,george ,lupton1 was an ,english informer4 7,stevens' ,facsimiles1 vii41 ,no4 #fif47 ,deane had midnight meetings in the ,place ,vendome with an ,english ,unknown 7now known as the informer ,paul ,wentworth7 to whom he suggested that the troubles might be ended by ,england's forming a federal union with ,america4 ,all of which shows ,deane perilously unfit for his mission1 but one is glad to find him appearing no worse in ,wentworth's confidental portraiture 7,january #d1 #aggh7 of the ,american officials3 ,dr4 ,franklin is taciturn1 deliberate1 and cautious2 ,mr4 ,deane is vain1 desultory1 and subtle2 ,mr4 ,arthur ,lee1 suspicious and indolent2 ,alderman ,lee1 peevish and ignorant2 ,mr4 ,izzard1 costive and dogmatical--all of these insidious1 and ,edwards vibrating between hope and fear1 interest and attachment4 ,the venal character of ,deane's subsequent treason clearly appears in the correspondence of ,george ,,iii4 with ,lord ,north 7,donne1 pp4 #ade1 #cfc1 #chj1 #cha1 #chd7 ,it also appears1 by a letter of ,january #i1 #aggh1 that ,george ,,iii4 was aware that the proposal had been sent to his brother-in-law1 ,prince ,ferdinand of ,brunswick1 to become commander of the ,american revolutionists6 ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,,cause1 ,,country1 ,,self ,whatever might be thought of ,paine's course in the ,deane-,beaumarchais affair1 there could be no doubt that the country was saved from a questionable payment unjustly pressed at a time when it must have crippled the ,revolution1 for which the ,french subsidies were given4 ,congress was relieved1 and he who relieved it was the sufferer4 ,from the most important congressional secretaryship he was reduced to a clerkship in ,owen ,bid-die's law office4 ,paine's patriotic interest in public affairs did not abate4 ,in the summer of #aggi he wrote able articles in favor of maintaining our right to the ,newfoundland fisheries in any treaty of peace that might be made with ,england4 ,congress was secretly considering what instructions should be sent to its representatives in ,europe2 in case negotiations should arise1 and the subject was discussed by ,americanus in a letter to the ,pennsylvania ,gazette1 ,june #bc;d4 ,this writer argued that the fisheries should not be mentioned in such negotiations2 ,england would stickle at the claim1 and our ally1 ,france1 should not be called on to guarantee a right which should be left to the determination of natural laws4 ,this position ,paine combated2 he maintained that independence was not a change of ministry1 but a real thing2 it should mean prosperity as well as political liberty4 ,our ally would be aggrieved by a concession to ,great ,britain of any means of making our alliance useful4 ,there are but two natural sources of wealth--the ,earth and the ,ocean1--and to lose the right to either is1 in our situation1 to put up the other for sale4 ,the fisheries are needed1 first1 as an ,employment ,secondly1 as producing national ,supply and ,commerce1 and a means of national wealth4 ,thirdly1 as a ,nursery for ,seamen4 ,should ,great ,britain be in such straits as to ask for peace1 that would be the right opportunity to settle the matter4 ,to leave the ,fisheries wholly out1 on any pretence whatever1 is to sow the seeds of another war4 7,pennsylvania ,gazette1 ,june #cjth1 ,july #adth1 #bast47 ,the prospects of peace seemed now sufficiently fair for ,paine to give the attention which nobody else did to his own dismal situation4 ,his scruples about making money out of the national cause were eccentric4 ,the manuscript diary of ,rickman1 just found by ,dr4 ,clair ,grece1 contains this note3 ,franklin1 on returning to ,america from ,france1 where he had been conducting great commercial and other concerns of great import and benefit to the ,states of ,america1 on having his accounts looked over by the ,committee appointed to do so1 there was a deficit of ,l#ajj1jjj4 ,he was asked how this happened4 ',i was taught1' said he very gravely1 'when a boy to read the scriptures and to attend to them1 and it is there said3 muzzle not the ox that treadeth out his master's grain4' ,no further inquiry was ever made or mention of the deficient ,l#ajj1jjj1 which1 it is presumed1 he devoted to some good and great purpose to serve the people1--his own aim through life4 ,rickman1 who named a son after ,franklin1 puts a more charitable construction on the irregularities of the ,doctor's accounts than ,gouverneur ,morris 7p4 #adj74 ,the anecdote may not be exact1 but it was generally rumored1 in congressional circles1 that ,franklin had by no means been muzzled4 ,nor does it appear to have been considered a serious matter4 ,the standard of political ethics being thus lowered1 it is easy to understand that ,paine gave more offence by his ,diogenes-lantern than if he had quietly taken his share of the grain he trod out ,the security of independence and the pressure of poverty rendered it unnecessary to adhere to his quixotic ,quaker repugnance to the sale of his inspirations1 and he now desired to collect these into marketable shape4 ,his plans are stated in a letter to ,henry ,laurens4 ,philadelphia1 ,sepr4 #adth1 #aggi4--;,dear ,sir1--,it was my intention to have communicated to you the substance of this letter last ,sunday had ,i not been prevented by a return of my fever2 perhaps finding myself unwell1 and feeling1 as well as apprehending1 inconveniences1 have produced in me some thoughts for myself as well as for others4 ,i need not repeat to you the part ,i have acted or the principle ,i have acted upon2 and perhaps ,america would feel the less obligation to me1 did she know1 that it was neither the place nor the people but the ,cause itself that irresistibly engaged me in its support2 for ,i should have acted the same part in any other ,country could the same circumstances have arisen there which have happened here4 ,i have often been obliged to form this distinction to myself by way of smoothing over some disagreeable ingratitudes1 which1 you well know1 have been shewn to me from a certain quarter4 ,i find myself so curiously circumstanced that ,i have both too many friends and too few1 the generality of them thinking that from the public part ,i have so long acted ,i cannot have less than a mine to draw from--,what they have had from me they have got for nothing1 and they consequently suppose ,i must be able to afford it4 ,i know but one kind of life ,i am fit for1 and that is a thinking one1 and1 of course1 a writing one--but ,i have confined myself so much of late1 taken so little exercise1 and lived so very sparingly1 that unless ,i alter my way of life it will alter me4 ,i think ,i have a right to ride a horse of my own1 but ,i cannot now even afford to hire one1 which is a situation ,i never was in before1 and ,i begin to know that a sedentary life cannot be supported without jolting exercise4 ,having said thus much1 which1 in truth1 is but loss of time to tell to you who so well know how ,i am situated1 ,i take the liberty of communicating to you my design of doing some degree of justice to myself1 but even this is accompanied with some present difficulties1 but it is the easiest1 and1 ,i believe1 the most useful and reputable of any ,i can think of4 ,i intend this winter to collect all my ,publications1 beginning with ,common ,sense and ending with the fisheries1 and publishing them in two volumes ,octavo1 with notes4 ,i have no doubt of a large subscription4 ,the principal difficulty will be to get ,paper and ,i can think of no way more practicable than to desire ,arthur ,lee to send over a quantity from ,france in the ,confederacy if she goes there1 and settling for it with his brother4 ,after that work is com pleated1 ,i intend prosecuting a history of the ,revolution by means of a subscription--but this undertaking will be attended with such an amazing expense1 and will take such a length of ,time1 that unless the ,states individually give some assistance therein1 scarcely any man could afford to go through it4 ,some kind of an history might be easily executed made up of daily events and triffling matters which would lose their ,importance in a few years4 ,but a proper history cannot even be began unless the secrets of the other side of the water can be obtained1 for the first part is so interwoven with the ,politics of ,england1 that1 that which will be the last to get at must be the first to begin with--and this single instance is sufficient to show that no history can take place of some time4 ,my design1 if ,i undertake it1 is to comprise it in three quarto volumes and to publish one each year from the time of beginning1 and to make an abridgment afterwards in an easy agreeable language for a school book4 ,all the histories of ancient wars that are used for this purpose1 promotes no ,moral ,reflection1 but like the beggars opera renders the villain pleasing in the hero4 ,another thing that will prolong the completion of an history is the want of ,plates which only can be done in ,europe1 for that part of a history which is intended to convey discription of places or persons will ever be imperfect without them4 ,i have now1 ,sir1 acquainted you with my design1 and unwilling1 as you know ,i am1 to make use of a friend while ,i can possibly avoid it1 ,i am really obliged to say that ,i should now be glad to consult with two or three on some matters that regard my situation till such time as ,i can bring the first of those subscriptions to bear1 or set them on foot1 which cannot well be until ,i can get the paper2 for should ,i be disappointed of that1 with the subscriptions in my hand1 ,i might be reflected upon1 and the reason1 tho' a true one1 would be subject to other explanations4 ,here lies the difficulty ,i alluded to in the beginning of this letter1 and ,i would rather wish to borrow something of a friend or two in the interim than run the risk ,i have mentioned1 because should ,i be disappointed by the ,paper being taken or not arriving in time1 the reason being understood by them beforehand will not injure me1 but in the other case it would1 and in the mean ,time ,i can be preparing for publication4 ,i have hitherto kept all my private matters a secret1 but as ,i know your friendship and you a great deal of my situation1 ,i can with more ease communicate them to you than to another4 ,p4 ,s4 ,if you are not engaged to-morrow evening ,i should be glad to spend part of it with you--if you are1 ,i shall wait your opportunity499 99 ,i am indebted to ,mr4 ,simon ,gratz of ,philadelphia for a copy of this letter4 ,it was a cruel circumstance of ,paine's poverty that he was compelled to call attention not only to that but to his services1 and to appraise the value of his own pen4 ,he had to deal with hard men1 on whom reserve was wasted4 ,on ,september #bhth he reminded the ,executive ,council of ,pennsylvania of his needs and his uncompensated services1 which1 he declared1 he could not afford to continue without support4 ,the ,council realized the importance of ,paine's pen to its patriotic measures1 but was afraid of offending the ,french ,minister4 ,its president1 ,joseph ,reed1 on the following day 7,september #bith7 wrote to that ,minister intimating that they would like to employ ,paine if he 7the minister7 had no objection4 ,on ,october #aath ,gerard replies with a somewhat equivocal letter1 in which he declares that ,paine had agreed to terms he had offered through ,m4 de ,mirales1 but had not fulfilled them4 ,i willingly1 he says1 leave ,m4 ,payne to enjoy whatever advantages he promises himself by his denial of his acceptance of the offers of ,m4 de ,mirales and myself4 ,i would even add1 ,sir1 that if you feel able to direct his pen in a way useful to the public welfare--which will perhaps not be difficult to your zeal1 talents1 and superior lights1--,i will be the first to applaud the success of an attempt in which ,i have failed499 ,on the same date ,paine1 not having received any reply to his previous letter1 again wrote to the ,council4 99 ,life and ,correspondence of ,joseph ,reed4 ,by his grandson4 #ahdg4 ,honble4 ,sirs4--,some few days ago ,i presented a letter to this ,honble4 ,board stating the inconveniences which ,i lay under from an attention to public interest in preference to my own1 to which ,i have recd1 no reply4 ,it is to me a matter of great concern to find in the government of this ,state1 that which appears to be a disposition in them to neglect their friends and to throw discouragements in the way of genius and ,letters4 ,at the particular request of the ,gentleman who presides at this board1 ,i took up the defence of the ,constitution1 at a time when he declared to me that unless he could be assisted he must give it up and quit the state2 as matters then pressed too heavy upon him1 and the opposition was gaining ground2 yet this ,board has since suffered me to combat with all the inconveniences incurred by that service1 without any attention to my interest or my situation4 ,for the sake of not dishonoring a cause1 good in itself1 ,i have hitherto been silent on these matters1 but ,i cannot help expressing to this board the concern ,i feel on this occasion1 and the ill effect which such discouraging examples will have on those who might otherwise be disposed to act as ,i have done4 ,having said this much1 which is but a little part of which ,i am sensible1 ,i have a request to make which if complied with will enable me to overcome the difficulties alluded to and to withdraw from a service in which ,i have experienced nothing but misfortune and neglect4 ,i have an opportunity of importing a quantity of printing paper from ,france1 and intend collecting my several pieces1 beginning with ,common ,sense1 into two ,volumes1 and publishing them by ,subscription1 with notes2 but as ,i cannot think of beginning the ,subscription until the paper arrive1 and as the undertaking1 exclusive of the paper1 will be attended with more expense than ,i1 who have saved money both in the ,service of the ,continent and the ,state1 can bear1 ,i should be glad to be assisted with the loan of fifteen hundred pounds for which ,i will give bond payable within a year4 ,if this should not be complied with1 ,i request that the services ,i have rendered may be taken into consideration and such compensation made me therefor as they shall appear to deserve4 ,i am1 ,honble4 ,sirs1 your obt4 and humble servt41 ,thomas ,paine4 ,the constitution which ,paine1 in the above letter1 speaks of defending was that of #aggf1 which he had assisted ,dr4 ,franklin1 ,james ,cannon and others in framing for ,pennsylvania4 ,it was a fairly republican constitution1 and by its enfranchisement of the people generally reduced the power enjoyed by the rich and reactionary under the colonial government ,in ,still's biography of ,john ,dickinson the continued conflicts concerning this constitution are described4 ,in #ahje1 when a constitutional convention was proposed in ,pennsylvania1 ,paine pointed out the superiority of its constitution of #aggf1 which was conformable to the ,declaration of ,independence and the ,declaration of ,rights1 which the present constitution framed in #agij is not499 ,the constitution of #aggf1 and ,paine's exposure of the services rendered to the enemy by ,quakers1 cleared the ,pennsylvania ,assembly of the members of that society who had been supreme4 ,this process had gone on4 ,the oath of allegiance to the ,state1 proposed by ,paine in #aggg1 and adopted1 had been followed in #aggh 7,april #ast7 by one imposing renunciation of all allegiance to ,george ,,iii41 his heirs and successors1 to be taken by all trustees1 provosts1 professors1 and masters4 ,this was particularly aimed at the nest of ,tories in the ,university of ,philadelphia1 whose head was the famous ,dr4 ,william ,smith4 ,this provost1 and all members of the ,university except three trustees1 took the oath1 but the influence of those who had been opposed to independence remained the same4 99 ,paine forgot the curious inconsistency in this constitution of #aggf1 between the opening ,declaration of ,rights in securing religious freedom and equality to all who acknowledge the being of a ,god1 and the oath provided for all legislators1 requiring belief in future rewards and punishments1 and in the divine inspiration of the ,old and ,new ,testaments4 ,this deistical oath1 however1 was probably considered a victory of latitudiarianism1 for the members of the convention had taken a rigid trinitarian oath on admission to their seats4 ,in #aggi the ,assembly got rid of the provost 7,smith71 and this was done by the act of ,november which took away the charter of the ,university499 ,it was while this agitation was going on1 and the ,philadelphia ,tories saw the heads of their chieftains falling beneath ,paine's pen1 that his own official head had been thrown to them by his own act4 ,the sullen spite of the ,tories did not fail to manifest itself4 ,in conjunction with ,deane's defeated friends1 they managed to give ,paine many a personal humiliation4 ,this was1 indeed1 easy enough1 since ,paine1 though willing to fight for his cause1 was a non-resistant in his own behalf4 ,it may have been about this time that an incident occurred which was remembered with gusto by the aged ,john ,joseph ,henry after the ,age of ,reason had added horns and cloven feet to his early hero4 ,mr4 ,mease1 ,clothier-,general1 gave a dinner party1 and a company of his guests1 on their way home1 excited by wine1 met ,paine4 ,one of them remarking1 ,there comes ',common ,sense'2 ,matthew ,slough said1 ,damn him1 ,i shall common-sense him1 and thereupon tripped ,paine into the gutter49999 ,but patriotic ,america was with ,paine1 and missed his pen2 for no ,crisis had appeared for nearly a year4 ,consequently on ,november #b1 #aggi1 the ,pennsylvania ,assembly elected him its ,clerk4 99 ,see ,a ,memoir of the ,rev4 ,william ,smith1 ,d4,d41 by ,charles ,j4 ,stille1 ,philadelphia1 #ahfi4 ,provost ,stille1 in this useful historical pamphlet1 states all that can be said in favor of ,dr4 ,smith1 but does not refer to his controversy with ,paine4 9999 ,this incident is related in the interest of religion in ,mr4 ,henry's ,account of ,arnold's ,campaign against ,quebec4 ,the book repeats the old charge of drunkenness against ,paine1 but the untrustworthiness of the writer's memory is shown in his saying that his father grieved when ,paine's true character appeared1 evidently meaning his infidelity4 ,his father died in #aghf1 when no suspicion either of ,paine's habits or orthodoxy had been heard4 #aghj ,on the same day there was introduced into that ,assembly an act for the abolition of slavery in the ,state1 which then contained six thousand negro slaves4 ,the body of this very moderate measure was prepared by ,george ,bryan1 but the much admired preamble has been attributed by tradition to the pen of ,paine499 ,that this tradition is correct is now easily proved by a comparison of its sentiments and phraseology with the antislavery writings of ,paine presented in previous pages of this work4 ,the author1 who alone seems to have been thinking of the negroes and their rights during that revolutionary epoch1 thus had some reward in writing the first proclamation of emancipation in ,america4 ,the act passed ,march #a1 #aghj4 99 ,life and ,correspondence of ,joseph ,reed1 ii41 p4 #agg2 ,north ,american ,review1 vol4 lvii41 ,no4 cxx4 ,the ,preamble is as follows3 ,i4 ,when we contemplate our abhorrence of that condition1 to which the arms and tyranny of ,great ,britain were exerted to reduce us1 when we look back on the variety of dangers to which we have been exposed1 and how miraculously our wants in many instances have been supplied1 and our deliverances wrought1 when even hope and human fortitude have become unequal to the conflict1 we are unavoidably led to a serious and grateful sense of the manifold blessings1 which we have undeservedly received from the hand of that ,being1 from whom every good and perfect gift cometh4 ,impressed with these ideas1 we conceive that is is our duty1 and we rejoice that it is in our power1 to extend a portion of that freedom to others1 which hath been extended to us1 and release from that state of thraldom1 to which we ourselves were tyrannically doomed1 and from which we have now every prospect of being delivered4 ,it is not for us to enquire why1 in the creation of mankind1 the inhabitants of the several parts of the earth were distinguished by a difference in feature or complexion4 ,it is sufficient to know that all are the work of the ,almighty ,hand4 ,we find in the distribution of the human species1 that the most fertile as well as the most barren parts of the earth are inhabited by men of complexions different from ours1 and from each other2 from whence we may reasonably as well as religiously infer1 that ,he1 who placed them in their various situations1 hath extended equally his care and protection to all1 and that it becometh not us to counteract his mercies4 ,we esteem it a peculiar blessing granted to us1 that we are enabled this day to add one more step to universal civilization1 by removing1 as much as possible1 the sorrows of those1 who have lived in undeserved bondage1 and from which1 by the assumed authority of the ,kings of ,great ,britain1 no effectual1 legal relief could be obtained4 ,weaned1 by a long course of experience1 from those narrow prejudices and partialities we had imbibed1 we find our hearts enlarged with kindness and benevolence towards men of all conditions and nations2 and we conceive ourselves at this particular period particularly called upon by the blessings which we have received1 to manifest the sincerity of our profession1 and to give a substantial proof of our gratitude4 ,,ii4 ,and whereas the condition of those persons1 who have heretofore been denominated ,negro and ,mulatto slaves1 has been attended with circumstances1 which not only deprived them of the common blessings that they were by nature entitled to1 but has cast them into the deepest afflictions1 by an unnatural separation and sale of husband and wife from each other and from their children1 an injury1 the greatness of which can only be conceived by supposing that we were in the same unhappy case4 ,in justice1 therefore1 to persons so unhappily circumstanced1 and who1 having no prospect before them whereon they may rest their sorrows and their hopes1 have no reasonable inducement to render their service to society1 which they otherwise might1 and also in grateful commemoration of our own happy deliverance from that state of unconditional submission to which we were doomed by the tyranny of ,britain4 ,,iii4 ,be it enacted1 c4 ,the ,new ,year1 #aghj1 found ,washington amid much distress at ,morristown4 ,besides the published letters which attest this ,i have found an extract from one which seems to have escaped the attention of ,washington's editors499 ,it was written at ,morristown1 ,january #eth4 99 ,it is in the ,ward ,collection at ,lafayette ,college1 ,easton1 ,pa41 copied by a 7probably7 contemporary hand4 ,it gives me extreme ,pain that ,i should still be holding up to ,congress our wants on the score of ,provision1 when ,i am convinced that they are doing all that they can for our relief4 ,duty and necessity1 however1 constrain me to it4 ,the inclosed copies of ,letters from ,mr4 ,flint1 the ,assistant ,commissary1 and from ,gen4 ,irvine1 who commands at present our advanced troops1 contain a just ,representation of our situation4 ,to add to our ,difficulties ,i very much fear that the late violent snow storm has so blocked up the ,roads1 that it will be some days before the scanty supplies in this quarter can be brought to camp4 ,the troops1 both officers and men1 have borne their ,distress1 with a patience scarcely to be conceived4 ,many of the latter have been four or five days without meat entirely and short of ,bread1 and none but very scanty ,supplies--,some for their preservation have been compelled to maraud and rob from the ,inhabitants1 and ,i have it not in my power to punish or reprove the practice4 ,if our condition should not undergo a very speedy and considerable change for the better1 it will be difficult to point out all the consequences that may ensue4 ,about forty of the ,cattle mentioned by ,mr4 ,flint got in last night4 ,the times that tried men's souls had come again4 ,the enemy1 having discovered the sufferings of the soldiers at ,morristown1 circulated leaflets inviting them to share the pleasures of ,new ,york4 ,nor were they entirely unsuccessful4 ,on ,may #bhth was penned the gloomiest letter ,washington ever wrote4 ,it was addressed to ,reed1 ,president of ,pennsylvania1 and the ,clerk 7,paine7 read it to the ,assembly4 ,i assure you1 said the ,commander's letter1 every idea you can form of our distresses will fall short of the reality4 ,there is such a combination of circumstances to exhaust the patience of the soldiery that it begins at length to be worn out1 and we see in every line of the army the most serious features of mutiny and sedition4 ,there was throughout the long letter a tone of desperation which moved the ,assembly profoundly4 ,at the close there was a despairing silence1 amid which a member arose and said1 ,we may as well give up first as last4 ,the treasury was nearly empty1 but enough remained to pay ,paine his salary1 and he headed a subscription of relief with #ejj499 ,the money was enclosed to ,mr4 ,m',clenaghan1 with a vigorous letter which that gentleman read to a meeting held in a coffee-house the same evening4 ,robert ,morris and ,m',clenaghan subscribed ,l#bjj each1 hard money4 ,the subscription1 dated ,june #hth1 spread like wildfire1 and resulted in the raising of ,l#cjj1jjj1 which established a bank that supplied the army through the campaign1 and was incorporated by ,congress on ,december #bast4 99 ,the salary was drawn on ,june #gth1 and amounted to #a1fii4 ,for particulars concerning ,paine's connection with the ,assembly ,i am indebted to ,dr4 ,william ,h4 ,egle1 ,state ,librarian of ,pennsylvania4 ,paine1 by his timely suggestion of a subscription1 and his mite1 as he called it1 proved that he could meet a crisis as well as write one4 ,he had written a cheery ,crisis in ,march1 had helped to make good its hopefulness in ,may1 and was straightway busy on another4 ,this was probably begun on the morning when ,m',clenaghan came to him with a description of the happy effect and result produced by his letter and subscription on the gentlemen met at the coffee-house4 ,this ,crisis 7,june #i1 #aghj7 declares that the reported fate of ,charleston1 like the misfortunes of #aggf1 had revived the same spirit2 that such piecemeal work was not conquering the continent2 that ,france was at their side2 that an association had been formed for supplies1 and hard-money bounties4 ,in a postscript he adds3 ,charleston is gone1 and ,i believe for the want of a sufficient supply of provisions4 ,the man that does not now feel for the honor of the best and noblest cause that ever a country engaged in1 and exert himself accordingly1 is no longer worthy of a peaceable residence among a people determined to be free4 ,meanwhile1 on ,sunday ,morning1 ,june #dth1 ,paine wrote to ,president ,reed a private letter3 ,sir1--,i trouble you with a few thoughts on the present state of affairs4 ,every difficulty we are now in arises from an empty treasury and an exhausted credit4 ,these removed and the prospect were brighter4 ,while the war was carried on by emissions at the pleasure of ,congress1 any body of men might conduct public business1 and the poor were of equal use in government with the rich4 ,but when the means must be drawn from the country the case becomes altered1 and unless the wealthier part throw in their aid1 public measures must go heavily on4 ,the people of ,america understand rights better than politics4 ,they have a clear idea of their object1 but are greatly deficient in comprehending the means4 ,in the first place1 they do not distinguish between sinking the debt1 and raising the current expenses4 ,they want to have the war carried on1 the ,lord knows how4 ,it is always dangerous to spread an alarm of danger unless the prospect of success be held out with it1 and that not only as probable1 but naturally essential4 ,these things premised1 ,i beg leave to mention1 that suppose you were to send for some of the richer inhabitants of the ,city1 and state to them the situation of the army and the treasury1 not as arising so much from defect in the departments of government as from a neglect in the country generally1 in not contributing the necessary support in time4 ,if they have any spirit1 any foresight of their own interest or danger1 they will promote a subscription either of money or articles1 and appoint a committee from among themselves to solicit the same in the several ,counties2 and one ,state setting the example1 the rest1 ,i presume1 will follow4 ,suppose it was likewise proposed to them to deposit their plate to be coined for the pay of the ,army1 crediting the government for the value1 by weight4 ,if measures of this kind could be promoted by the richer of the ,whigs1 it would justify your calling upon the other part to furnish their proportion without ceremony1 and these two measures carried1 would make a draft or call for personal service the more palatable and easy4 ,i began to write this yesterday4 ,this morning1 it appears clear to me that ,charleston is in the hands of the enemy1 and the garrison prisoners of war4 ,something must be done1 and that something1 to give it popularity1 must begin with men of property4 ,every care ought now to be taken to keep goods from rising4 ,the rising of goods will have a most ruinous ill effect in every light in which it can be viewed4 ,the army must be reunited1 and that by the most expeditious possible means4 ,drafts should first be countenanced by subscriptions1 and if men would but reason rightly1 they would see that there are some thousands in this ,state who had better subscribe thirty1 forty1 or fifty guineas apiece than run the risk of having to settle with the enemy4 ,property is always the object of a conqueror1 wherever he can find it4 ,a rich man1 says ,king ,james1 makes a bonny traitor2 and it cannot be supposed that ,britain will not reimburse herself by the wealth of others1 could she once get the power of doing it4 ,we must at least recruit eight or ten thousand men in this ,state1 who had better raise a man apiece1 though it should cost them a thousand pounds apiece1 than not have a sufficient force1 were it only for safety sake4 ,eight or ten thousand men1 added to what we have now got1 with the force that may arrive1 would enable us to make a stroke at ,new ,york1 to recover the loss of ,charleston--but the measure must be expeditious4 ,i suggest another thought4 ,suppose every man1 working a plantation1 who has not taken the oath of allegiance1 in ,philadelphia ,county1 ,bucks1 ,chester1 ,lancaster1 ,northampton1 and ,berks1 were1 by the new power vested in the ,council1 called immediately upon for taxes in kind at a certain value4 ,horses and wagons to be appraised4 ,this would not only give immediate relief1 but popularity to the new power4 ,i would remark of taxes in kind1 that they are hard-money taxes1 and could they be established on the non-jurors1 would relieve us in the articles of supplies4 ,but whatever is necessary or proper to be done1 must be done immediately4 ,we must rise vigorously upon the evil1 or it will rise upon us4 ,a show of spirit will grow into real spirit1 but the ,country must not be suffered to ponder over their loss for a day4 ,the circumstance of the present hour will justify any means from which good may arise4 ,we want rousing4 ,on the loss of ,charleston ,i would remark--the expectation of a foreign force arriving will embarrass them whether to go or to stay2 and in either case1 what will they do with their prisoners8 ,if they return1 they will be but as they were as to dominion2 if they continue1 they will leave ,new ,york an attackable post4 ,they can make no new movements for a considerable time4 ,they may pursue their object to the ,southward in detachments1 but then in every main point they will naturally be at a stand2 and we ought immediately to lay hold of the vacancy4 ,i am1 ,sir1 your obedient humble servant1 ,thomas ,paine4 ,if ,paine had lost any popularity in consequence of his indirect censure by ,congress1 a year before1 it had been more than regained by his action in heading the subscription1 and the inspiriting effect of his pamphlets of ,march and ,june1 #aghj4 ,the ,university of the ,state of ,pennsylvania1 as it was now styled1 celebrated the ,fourth of ,july by conferring on him the degree of ,master of ,arts499 ,among the trustees who voted to confer on him this honor were some who had two years before refused to take the ,american oath of allegiance4 ,in the autumn appeared ,paine's ,crisis ,extraordinary4 ,it would appear by a payment made to him personally1 that in order to make his works cheap he had been compelled to take his publications into his own hands49999 ,the sum of #cfj paid for ten dozen copies of this pamphlet was really at the rate of five cents per copy4 ,it is a forcible reminder of the depreciation of the ,continental currency4 ,at one period ,paine says he paid #cjj for a pair of woollen stockings4 99 ,mr4 ,burk1 ,secretary of the ,university of ,pennsylvania1 sends me some interesting particulars4 ,the proposal to confer the degree on ,paine was unanimously agreed to by the trustees present1 who were the ,hon4 ,joseph ,reed1 ,president of the ,province2 ,mr4 ,moore1 ,vice-,president2 ,mr4 ,sproat 7,presbyterian minister71 ,mr4 ,white 7the ,bishop71 ,mr4 ,helmuth1 ,mr4 ,wei-borg 7minister of the ,german ,calvinist ,church71 ,mr4 ,farmer 7,roman ,catholic ,rector of ,st4 ,mary's71 ,dr4 ,bond1 ,dr4 ,hutchkinson1 ,mr4 ,muhlenberg 7,lutheran minister74 ,there were seven other recipients of the honor on that day1 all eminent ministers of religion2 and ,m4,d4 was conferred on ,david ,ramsay1 a prisoner with the enemy4 9999 ,in ,council4 ,philadelphia1 ,october #ajth1 #aghj4 ,sir1--,pay to ,thomas ,paine ,esquire1 or his order1 the amount of three hundred and sixty dollars ,continental money in ,state money1 at sixty to one1 amount of his account for #aj dozen of the ,crisis ,extraordinary4 ,wm4 ,moore1 ,vice ,president4--,to ,david ,rittenhouse ,esquire1 ,treasurer4 ,although the financial emergency had been tided over by patriotic sacrifices1 it had disclosed a chaos4 ,sir1--,please to pay the within to ,mr4 ,willm4 ,harris1 and you will oblige yr4 obt4 ,hble4 ,sert41 ,thos4 ,paine4--,david ,rittenhouse ,esq4 ,red4 in full1 ,h4 ,wm4 ,harris4 ,harris printed the pamphlet4 ,congress1 so far from being able to contend with ,virginia on a point of sovereignty1 was without power to levy taxes4 ,one ,state1 writes ,washington 7,may #cast7 will comply with a requisition of ,congress2 another neglects to do it2 a third executes it by halves2 and all differ either in the manner1 the matter1 or so much in point of time1 that we are always working up hill1 and ever shall be2 and1 while such a system as the present one or rather want of one prevails1 we shall ever be unable to apply our strength or resources to any advantage4 ,in the letter of ,may #bhth1 to the ,president of ,pennsylvania1 which led to the subscription headed by ,paine1 ,washington pointed out that the resources of ,new ,york and ,jersey were exhausted1 that ,virginia could spare nothing from the threatened ,south1 and ,pennsylvania was their chief dependence4 ,the crisis1 in every point of view1 is extraordinary4 ,this sentence of ,washington probably gave ,paine his title1 ,crisis ,extraordinary4 ,it is in every sense a masterly production4 ,by a careful estimate he shows that the war and the several governments cost two millions sterling annually4 ,the population being #c1jjj1jjj1 the amount would average #acs4 #d;d4 per head4 ,in ,england the taxation was ,l#b per head4 ,with independence a peace establishment in ,america would cost #es4 per head2 with the loss of it ,americans would have to pay the ,l#b per head like other ,english subjects4 ,of the needed annual two millions1 ,pennsylvania's quota would be an eighth1 or ,l#bej1jjj2 that is1 a shilling per month to her #cge1jjj inhabitants1--which subjugation would increase to three-and-threepence per month4 ,he points out that the ,pennsylvanians were then paying only ,l#fd1bhj per annum1 instead of their real quota of ,l#bej1jjj1 leaving a deficiency of ,l#ahe1 #gbj1 and consequently a distressed army4 ,after showing that with peace and free trade all losses and ravages would be speedily redressed1 ,paine proposes that half of ,pennsylvania's quota1 and ,l#fj1jjj over1 shall be raised by a tax of #gs4 per head4 ,with this sixty thousand 7interest on six millions7 a million can be annually borrowed4 ,he recommends a war-tax on landed property1 houses1 imports1 prize goods1 and liquors4 ,it would be an addition to the pleasures of society to know that1 when the health of the army goes round1 a few drops from every glass become theirs4 ,on ,december #cj1 #aghj1 ,dunlap advertised ,paine's pamphlet ,public ,good4 ,under a charter given the ,virginia ,company in #afji the ,state of ,virginia claimed that its southern boundary extended to the ,pacific2 and that its northern boundary1 starting four hundred miles above1 on the ,atlantic coast1 stretched due northwest4 ,to this ,paine replies that the charter was given to a ,london company extinct for one hundred and fifty years1 during which the ,state had never acted under that charter4 ,only the heirs of that company's members could claim anything under its extinct charter4 ,further1 the ,state unwarrantably assumed that the northwestern line was to extend from the northern point of its ,atlantic base2 whereas there was more reason to suppose that it was to extend from the southern point1 and meet a due west line from the northern point1 thus forming a triangular territory of forty-five thousand square miles4 ,moreover1 the charter of #afji said the lines should stretch from sea to sea4 ,paine shows by apt quotations that the western sea was supposed to be a short distance from the ,atlantic1 and that the northwestern boundary claimed by ,virginia would never reach the said sea1 but would form a spiral line of infinite windings round the globe1 and after passing over the northern parts of ,america and the frozen ocean1 and then into the northern parts of ,asia1 would1 when eternity should end1 and not before1 terminate in the north pole4 ,such a territory is nondescript1 and a charter that describes nothing gives nothing4 ,it may be remarked here that though the ,attorney-,general of ,virginia1 ,edmund ,randolph1 had to vindicate his ,state's claim1 he used a similar argument in defeating ,lord ,fairfax's claim to lands in ,virginia which had not been discovered when his grant was issued499 ,all this1 however1 was mere fencing preliminary to the real issue4 ,the western lands1 on the extinction of the ,virginia companies1 had reverted to the ,crown1 and the point in which the ,state was really interested was its succession to the sovereignty of the ,crown over all that territory4 ,it was an early cropping up of the question of ,state sovereignty4 ,by royal proclamation of #agfc the province of ,virginia was defined so as not to extend beyond heads of rivers emptying in the ,atlantic4 99 ,omitted ,chapters of ,history ,disclosed in the ,life and ,papers of ,edmund ,randolph1 pp4 #dg1 #fj4 ,paine contended that to the sovereignty of the ,crown over all territories beyond limits of the thirteen provinces the ,united ,states had succeeded4 ,this early assertion of the federal doctrine1 enforced with great historical and legal learning1 alienated from ,paine some of his best ,southern friends4 ,the controversy did not end until some years later4 ,after the peace1 a proposal in the ,virginia ,legislature to present ,paine with something for his services1 was lost on account of this pamphlet499 99 ,of course this issue of ,state v4 ,national sovereignty was adjourned to the future battle-field1 where indeed it was not settled4 ,congress accepted ,virginia's concession of the territory in question 7,march ,i1 #aghd71 without conceding that it was a donation2 it accepted some of ,virginia's conditions1 but refused others1 which the ,state surrendered4 ,a motion that this acceptance did not imply endorsement of ,virginia's claim was lost1 but the contrary was not affirmed4 ,the issue was therefore settled only in ,paine's pamphlet1 which remains a document of paramount historical interest4 ,there was1 of course1 a rumor that ,paine's pamphlet was a piece of paid advocacy4 ,i remarked among the ,lee ,,mss41 at the ,university of ,virginia1 an unsigned scrap of paper saying he had been promised twelve thousand acres of western land4 ,such a promise could only have been made by the old ,indiana1 or ,vandalia1 ,company1 which was trying to revive its defeated claim for lands conveyed by the ,indians in compensation for property they had destroyed4 ,their agent1 ,samuel ,wharton1 may have employed ,paine's pen for some kind of work4 ,but there is no faintest trace of advocacy in ,paine's ,public ,good4 ,he simply maintains that the territories belong to the ,united ,states1 and should be sold to pay the public debt1--a principle as fatal to the claim of a ,company as to that of a ,state4 ,the students of history will soon be enriched by a ,life of ,patrick ,henry1 by his grandson1 ,william ,wirt ,henry1 and a ,life of ,george ,mason1 by his descendant1 ,miss ,rowland4 ,in these works by competent hands important contributions will be made 7as ,i have reason to know7 to right knowledge of the subject dealt with by ,paine in his ,public ,good4 ,it can here only be touched on2 but in passing ,i may say that ,virginia had good ground for resisting even the semblance of an assertion of sovereignty by a ,congress representing only a military treaty between the colonies2 and that ,paine's doctrine confesses itself too idealistic and premature by the plea1 with which his pamphlet closes1 for the summoning of a continental convention1 for the purpose of forming a continental constitution1 defining and describing the powers and authority of ,congress4 ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,a ,,journey ,,to ,,france ,the suggestion of ,franklin to ,paine1 in ,october1 #agge1 that he should write a history of the events that led up to the conflict1 had never been forgotten by either4 ,from ,franklin he had gathered important facts and materials concerning the time antedating his arrival in ,america1 and he had been a careful chronicler of the progress of the ,revolution4 ,he was now eager to begin this work4 ,at the close of the first year of his office as ,clerk of the ,assembly1 which left him with means of support for a time1 he wrote to the ,speaker 7,november #c1 #aghj7 setting forth his intention of collecting materials for a history of the ,revolution1 and saying that he could not fulfil the duties of ,clerk if re-elected499 99 ,dr4 ,egle informs me that the following payments to ,paine appear in the ,treasurer's account3 #aggi1 ,november #bg1 ,l#dej4 #aghj1 ,february #ad4 ,for public service at a treaty held at ,easton in #aggg1 ,l#cjj4 ,february #ad4 ,pay as clerk1 ,l#ehb4 #aj4 o4 ,march #ah4 ,on account as clerk1 ,l#ahg4 #aj4 o4 ,march #bg1 for his services 7probably those mentioned on p4 #id71 ,l#b1cee1 #g4 #f4 ,june #g1 for #fj days attendance and extra expenses1 ,l#a1fii4 j4 #f1 7,this was all paper money1 and of much less value than it seems4 ,the last payment was drawn on the occasion of his subscription of the #ejj1 apparently hard money1 in response to ,washington's appeal47 ,in ,march1 #aghj1 a ,fee ,act was passed regulating the payment of officers of the ,state in accordance with the price of wheat2 but this was ineffectual to preserve the ,state paper from depreciation4 ,in ,june1 #aghj1 a list of lawyers and ,state- officers willing to take paper money of the ,march issue as gold and silver was published1 and in it appears ,thomas ,paine1 clerk to the ,general ,assembly4 ,this and another letter 7,september #ad1 #aghj71 addressed to the ,hon4 ,john ,bayard1 ,speaker of the late ,assembly1 were read1 and ordered to lie on the table4 ,paine's office would appear to have ended early in ,november2 the next three months were devoted to preparations for his history4 ,but events determined that ,paine should make more history than he was able to chronicle4 ,soon after his ,crisis ,extraordinary 7dated ,october #f1 #aghj7 had appeared1 ,congress issued its estimate of eight million dollars 7a million less than ,paine's7 as the amount to be raised4 ,it was plain that the money could not be got in the country1 and ,france must be called on for help4 ,paine drew up a letter to ,vergennes1 informing him that a paper dollar was worth only a cent1 that it seemed almost impossible to continue the war1 and asking that ,france should supply ,america with a million sterling per annum1 as subsidy or loan4 ,this letter was shown to ,m4 ,marbois1 ,secretary of the ,french ,legation1 who spoke discouragingly4 ,but the ,hon4 ,ralph ,izard showed the letter to some members of ,congress1 whose consultation led to the appointment of ,col4 ,john ,laurens to visit ,france4 ,it was thought that ,laurens1 one of ,washington's aids1 would be able to explain the military situation4 ,he was reluctant1 but agreed to go if ,paine would accompany him4 ,it so happened that ,paine had for some months had a dream of crossing the ,atlantic1 with what purpose is shown in the following confidential letter 7,september #i1 #aghj71 probably to ,gen4 ,nathaniel ,greene4 ,sir1--,last spring ,i mentioned to you a wish ,i had to take a passage for ,europe1 and endeavour to go privately to ,england4 ,you pointed out several difficulties in the way1 respecting my own safety1 which occasioned me to defer the matter at that time1 in order not only to weigh it more seriously1 but to submit to the government of subsequent circumstances4 ,i have frequently and carefully thought of it since1 and were ,i now to give an opinion on it as a measure to which ,i was not a party1 it would be this3--that as the press in that country is free and open1 could a person possessed of a knowledge of ,america1 and capable of fixing it in the minds of the people of ,england1 go suddenly from this country to that1 and keep himself concealed1 he might1 were he to manage his knowledge rightly1 produce a more general disposition for peace than by any method ,i can suppose4 ,i see my way so clearly before me in this opinion1 that ,i must be more mistaken than ,i ever yet was on any political measure1 if it fail of its end4 ,i take it for granted that the whole country1 ministry1 minority1 and all1 are tired of the war2 but the difficulty is how to get rid of it1 or how they are to come down from the high ground they have taken1 and accommodate their feelings to a treaty for peace4 ,such a change must be the effect either of necessity or choice4 ,i think it will take1 at least1 three or four more campaigns to produce the former1 and they are too wrong in their opinions of ,america to act from the latter4 ,i imagine that next spring will begin with a new ,parliament1 which is so material a crisis in the politics of that country1 that it ought to be attended to by this2 for1 should it start wrong1 we may look forward to six or seven years more of war4 ,the influence of the press rightly managed is important2 but we can derive no service in this line1 because there is no person in ,england who knows enough of ,america to treat the subject properly4 ,it was in a great measure owing to my bringing a knowledge of ,england with me to ,america1 that ,i was enabled to enter deeper into politics1 and with more success1 than other people2 and whoever takes the matter up in ,england must in like manner be possessed of a knowledge of ,america4 ,i do not suppose that the acknowledgment of ,independence is at this time a more unpopular doctrine in ,england than the declaration of it was in ,america immediately before the publication of the pamphlet ',common ,sense1' and the ground appears as open for the one now as it did for the other then4 ,the manner in which ,i would bring such a publication out would be under the cover of an ,englishman who had made the tour of ,america incog4 ,this will afford me all the foundation ,i wish for and enable me to place matters before them in a light in which they have never yet viewed them4 ,i observe that ,mr4 ,rose in his speech on ,governor ,pownall's bill1 printed in ,bradford's last paper1 says that 'to form an opinion on the propriety of yielding independence to ,america requires an accurate knowledge of the state of that country1 the temper of the people1 the resources of their ,government1' c4 ,now there is no other method to give this information a national currency but this1--the channel of the press1 which ,i have ever considered the tongue of the world1 and which governs the sentiments of mankind more than anything else that ever did or can exist4 ,the simple point ,i mean to aim at is1 to make the acknowledgment of ,independence a popular subject1 and that not by exposing and attacking their errors1 but by stating its advantages and apologising for their errors1 by way of accomodating the measure to their pride4 ,the present parties in that country will never bring one another to reason4 ,they are heated with all the passion of opposition1 and to rout the ministry1 or to support them1 makes their capital point4 ,were the same channel open to the ministry in this country which is open to us in that1 they would stick at no expense to improve the opportunity4 ,men who are used to government know the weight and worth of the press1 when in hands which can use it to advantage4 ,perhaps with me a little degree of literary pride is connected with principle2 for1 as ,i had a considerable share in promoting the declaration of ,independence in this country1 ,i likewise wish to be a means of promoting the acknowledgment of it in that2 and were ,i not persuaded that the measure ,i have proposed would be productive of much essential service1 ,i would not hazard my own safety1 as ,i have everything to apprehend should ,i fall into their hands2 but1 could ,i escape in safety1 till ,i could get out a publication in ,england1 my apprehensions would be over1 because the manner in which ,i mean to treat the subject would procure me protection4 ,having said thus much on the matter1 ,i take the liberty of hinting to you a mode by which the expense may be defrayed without any new charge4 ,drop a delegate in ,congress at the next election1 and apply the pay to defray what ,i have proposed2 and the point then will be1 whether you can possibly put any man into ,congress who could render as much service in that station as in the one ,i have pointed out4 ,when you have perused this1 ,i should be glad of some conversation upon it1 and will wait on you for that purpose at any hour you may appoint4 ,i have changed my lodgings1 and am now in ,front ,street opposite the ,coffee ,house1 next door to ,aitkin's bookstore4 ,i am1 ,sir1 your ob't humble servant1 ,thomas ,paine4 #agha ,the invitation of ,colonel ,laurens was eagerly accepted by ,paine1 who hoped that after their business was transacted in ,france he might fulfil his plan of a literary descent on ,england4 ,they sailed from ,boston early in ,february1 #agha1 and arrived at ,l',orient in ,march4 ,young ,laurens came near ruining the scheme by an imprudent advocacy1 of which ,vergennes complained1 while ascribing it to his inexperience4 ,according to ,lamartine1 the ,king loaded ,paine with favors4 ,the gift of six millions was confided into the hands of ,franklin and ,paine4 ,the author now revealed to ,laurens1 and no doubt to ,franklin1 his plan for going to ,england1 but was dissuaded from it4 ,from ,brest1 ,may #bhth1 he writes to ,franklin in ,paris3 ,i have just a moment to spare to bid you farewell4 ,we go on board in an hour or two1 with a fair wind and everything ready4 ,i understand that you have expressed a desire to withdraw from business1 and ,i beg leave to assure you that every wish of mine1 so far as it can be attended with any service1 will be employed to make your resignation1 should it be accepted1 attended with every possible mark of honor which your long services and high character in life justly merit499 99 ,he confides to ,franklin a letter to be forwarded to ,bury ,st4 ,edmunds1 the region of his birth4 ,perhaps he had already been corresponding with some one there about his projected visit4 ,ten years later the ,bury ,post vigorously supported ,paine and his ,rights of ,man4 ,they sailed from ,brest on the ,french frigate ,resolve ,june #ast1 reaching ,boston ,august #beth1 with #b1ejj1jjj livres in silver1 and in convoy a ship laden with clothing and military stores4 ,the glad tidings had long before reached ,washington1 then at ,new ,windsor4 ,on ,may #ad1 #agha1 the ,general writes to ,philip ,schuyler3 ,i have been exceedingly distressed by the repeated accounts ,i have received of the sufferings of the troops on the frontier1 and the terrible consequences which must ensue unless they were speedily supplied4 ,what gave a particular poignancy to the sting ,i felt on the occasion was my inability to afford relief4 ,on ,may #bfth his diary notes a letter from ,laurens reporting the relief coming from ,france4 ,the information was confided by ,washington only to his diary1 lest it should forestall efforts of self-help4 ,of course ,washington knew that the starting of convoys from ,france could not escape ,english vigilance1 and that their arrival was uncertain2 so he passed near three months in preparations1 reconnoitrings1 discussions4 ,by menacing the ,british in ,new ,york he made them draw away some of the forces of ,cornwallis from ,virginia1 where he meant to strike2 but his delay in marching south brought on him complaints from ,governor ,jefferson1 ,richard ,henry ,lee1 and others1 who did not know the secret of that delay4 ,washington meant to carry to ,virginia an army well clad1 with hard money in their pockets1 and this he did4 ,the arrival of the ,french supplies at ,boston1 ,august #beth1 was quickly heralded1 and while sixteen ox-teams were carrying them to ,philadelphia1 ,washington was there getting1 on their credit1 all the money and supplies he wanted for the campaign that resulted in the surrender of ,cornwallis4 ,for this great service ,paine never received any payment or acknowledgment4 ,the plan of obtaining aid from ,france was conceived by him1 and mainly executed by him4 ,it was at a great risk that he went on this expedition2 had he been captured he could have hoped for little mercy from the ,british4 ,laurens1 who had nearly upset the business1 got the glory and the pay2 ,paine1 who had given up his clerkship of the ,assembly1 run the greater danger1 and done the real work1 got nothing4 ,but it was a role he was used to4 ,the young ,colonel hastened to resume his place in ,washington's family1 but seems to have given little attention to ,paine's needs1 while asking attention to his own4 ,so it would appear by the following friendly letter of ,paine1 addressed to ,col4 ,laurens1 ,head ,quarters1 ,virginia3 ,philadelphia1 ,oct4 #d1agha4--;,dear ,sir1--,i received your favor 7by the post17 dated ,sep4 #ith1 ,head of ,elk1 respecting a mislaid letter4 ,a gentleman who saw you at that place about the same time told me he had likewise a letter from you to me which he had lost1 and that you mentioned something to him respecting baggage4 ,this left me in a difficulty to judge whether after writing to me by post1 you had not found the letter you wrote about1 and took that opportunity to inform me about it4 ,however1 ,i have wrote to ,gen4 ,heath in case the trunk should be there1 and inclosed in it a letter to ,blodget in case it should not4 ,i have yet heard nothing from either4 ,i have preferred forwarding the trunk1 in case it can be done in a reasonable time1 to the opening it1 and if it cannot1 then to open it agreeably to your directions1 tho' ,i have no idea of its being there4 ,i went for your boots1 the next day after you left town1 but they were not done1 and ,i directed the man to bring them to me as soon as finished1 but have since seen nothing of him1 neither do wish him to bring them just now1 as ,i must be obliged to borrow the money to pay for them2 but ,i imagine somebody else has taken them off his hands4 ,i expect ,col4 ,morgan in town on ,saturday1 who has some money of mine in his hands1 and then ,i shall renew my application to the bootmaker4 ,i wish you had thought of me a little before you went away1 and at least endeavored to put matters in a train that ,i might not have to reexperience what has already past4 ,the gentleman who conveys this to you1 ,mr4 ,burke1 is an assistant judge of ,south ,carolina1 and one to whose friendship ,i am much indebted4 ,he lodged some time in the house with me4 ,i enclose you the paper of this morning1 by which you will see that ,gillam had not sailed 7or at least ,i conclude so7 on the #dth of ,july1 as ,major ,jackson was deputy toast master1 or ,burgos-master1 or something1 at an entertainment on that day4 ,as soon as ,i can learn anything concerning ,gillam ,i will inform you of it4 ,i am with every wish for your happiness and success1 c4 ,please to present my ,compts4 and best wishes to the ,general4 ,i have wrote to the ,marquis and put all my politics into his letter4 ,a paper with ,rivington's account of the action is enclosed in the ,marquis' letter4' 99 ,the original is in ,mr4 ,w4 ,f4 ,haveraeyer's collection4 ,it will be seen by the following letter to ,franklin's nephew that ,paine was now on good terms with the ,congressmen who had opposed him in the ,deane matter4 ,the letter 7in the ,historical ,society of ,pennsylvania7 is addressed to ,mr4 ,jonathan ,williams1 ,merchant1 ,nantz1 per ,brig ,betsey4 ,philadelphia1 ,nov4 #bf1 #agha4--;,dear ,sir1--,since my arrival ,i have received a letter from you dated ,passy ,may #ah1 and directed to me at ,brest4 ,i intended writing to you by ,mr4 ,baseley who is consul at ,l',orient but neglected it till it was too late4--,mem3 ,i desired ,baseley to mention to you that ,mr4 ,butler of ,s3 ,carolina is surprised at ,capt ,rob------n's drawing on him for money2 this ,mr4 ,butler mentioned to me1 and as a friend ,i communicate it to you4--,i sent you ,col4 ,laurens's draft on ,madam ,babut 7,i think that is her name7 at ,nantz for #ab ,l4 d'ors for the expence of the ,journey but have never learned if you received it4 ,your former friend ,silas ,deane has run his last length4 ,in france he is reprobating ,america1 and in ,america 7by letters7 he is reprobating france1 and advising her to abandon her alliance1 relinquish her independence1 and once more become subject to ,britain4 ,a number of letters1 signed ,silas ,deane1 have been published in the ,new ,york papers to this effect3 they are believed1 by those who formerly were his friends1 to be genuine2 ,mr4 ,robt4 ,morris assured me that he had been totally deceived in ,deane1 but that he now looked upon him to be a bad man1 and his reputation totally ruined4 ,gouverneur ,morris hopped round upon one leg1 swore they had all been duped1 himself among the rest1 complimented me on my quick sight1--and by ,gods says he nothing carries a man through the world like honesty3--and my old friend ,duer ',sometimes a sloven and sometimes a ,beau1' says1 ,deane is a damned artful rascal4 ,however ,duer has fairly cleared himself4 ,he received a letter from him a considerable time before the appearance of these in the ,new ,york papers--which was so contrary to what he expected to receive1 and of such a traitorous cast1 that he communicated it to ,mr4 ,luzerne the ,minister4 ,lord ,cornwallis with #gbdg officers and men are n,abbed nicely in the ,cheasepeake1 which ,i presume you have heard already1 otherwise ,i should send you the particulars4 ,i think the enemy can hardly hold out another campaign4 ,general ,greene has performed wonders to the southward1 and our affairs in all quarters have a good appearance4 ,the french ,ministry have hit on the right scheme1 that of bringing their force and ours to act in conjunction against the enemy4 ,the ,marquis de la fayette is on the point of setting out for france1 but as ,i am now safely on this side the water again1 ,i believe ,i shall postpone my second journey to france a little longer4--,lest ,doctr4 ,franklin should not have heard of ,deane ,i wish you would write to him1 and if anything new transpires in the meantime and the ,marquis do not set off too soon1 ,i shall write by him4 ,remember me to ,mr4 ,mrs4 ,johnstone1 ,dr4 ,pierce1 ,mr4 ,watson ,ceasey and ,mr4 ,wilt4 ,make my best wishes to ,mrs4 ,williams1 ,mrs4 ,alexander1 and all the good girls at ,st4 ,germain4 ,i am your friend c4 ,thomas ,paine4 ,p4 ,s4 ,mind1 ,i 'll write no more till ,i hear from you4 ,the ,french fleet is sailed from the ,cheasepeake1 and the ,british fleet from ,new ,york--and since writing the above1 a vessel is come up the ,delaware1 which informs that he was chased by two french frigates to the southward of ,cheasepeake1 which on their coming up acquainted him that the french fleet was a head in chase of a fleet which they supposed to be the ,british4 ,n4 ,b4 ,the french fleet sailed the #dth of this month1 and the british much about the same time--both to the southward4 ,,chapter ,,xiii4 ,,the ,,muzzled ,,ox ,,treading ,,out ,,the ,,grain4 ,while ,washington and ,lafayette were in ,virginia1 preparing for their grapple with ,cornwallis1 ,philadelphia was in apprehension of an attack by ,sir ,henry ,clinton1 for which it was not prepared4 ,it appeared necessary to raise for defence a body of men1 but the money was wanting4 ,paine 7,september #bjth7 proposed to ,robert ,morris the plan of empowering the tenant to pay into the ,treasury one quarter's rent1 to be applied as above i4 e41 the safety of ,philadelphia1 and in case it should not be necessary to use the money when collected1 the sums so paid to be considered a part of the customary taxes4 ,this drastic measure would probably have been adopted had not the cloud cleared away4 ,the winter was presently made glorious summer by the sun of ,yorktown4 ,washington was received with enthusiasm by ,congress on ,november #bhth4 ,in the general feasting and joy ,paine participated1 but with an aching heart4 ,he was an unrivalled literary lion2 he had to appear on festive occasions2 and he was without means4 ,having given his all1--copyrights1 secretaryship1 clerkship1--to secure the independence of a nation1 he found himself in a state of dependence4 ,he fairly pointed the moral of ,solomon's fable3 ,by his wisdom he had saved the besieged land1 yet none remembered that poor man1 so far as his needs were concerned4 ,if in his confidential letter to ,washington1 given below1 ,paine seems egotistical1 it should be borne in mind that his estimate of his services falls short of their appreciation by the national leaders4 ,it should not have been left to ,paine to call attention to his sacrifices for his country's cause1 and the want in which it had left him4 ,he knew also that plain speaking was necessary with ,washington4 ,second ,street1 opposite the ,quaker ,meetinghouse1 ,nov4 #cjth1 #agha4 ,sir1--,as soon as ,i can suppose you to be a little at leisure from business and visits1 ,i shall1 with much pleasure1 wait on you1 to pay you my respects and congratulate you on the success you have most deservedly been blest with4 ,i hope nothing in the perusal of this letter will add a care to the many that employ your mind2 but as there is a satisfaction in speaking where one can be conceived and understood1 ,i divulge to you the secret of my own situation2 because ,i would wish to tell it to somebody1 and as ,i do not want to make it public1 ,i may not have a fairer opportunity4 ,it is seven years1 this day1 since ,i arrived in ,america1 and tho' ,i consider them as the most honorary time of my life1 they have nevertheless been the most inconvenient and even distressing4 ,from an anxiety to support1 as far as laid in my power1 the reputation of the ,cause of ,america1 as well as the ,cause itself1 ,i declined the customary profits which authors are entitled to1 and ,i have always continued to do so2 yet ,i never thought 7if ,i thought at all on the matter17 but that as ,i dealt generously and honorably by ,america1 she would deal the same by me4 ,but ,i have experienced the contrary--and it gives me much concern1 not only on account of the inconvenience it has occasioned to me1 but because it unpleasantly lessens my opinion of the character of a country which once appeared so fair1 and it hurts my mind to see her so cold and inattentive to matters which affect her reputation4 ,almost every body knows1 not only in this country but in ,europe1 that ,i have been of service to her1 and as far as the interest of the heart could carry a man ,i have shared with her in the worst of her fortunes1 yet so confined has been my private circumstances that for one summer ,i was obliged to hire myself as a common clerk to ,owen ,biddle of this city for my support3 but this and many others of the like nature ,i have always endeavored to conceal1 because to expose them would only serve to entail on her the reproach of being ungrateful1 and might start an ill opinion of her honor and generosity in other countries1 especially as there are pens enough abroad to spread and aggravate it4 ,unfortunately for me1 ,i knew the situation of ,silas ,deane when no other person knew it1 and with an honesty1 for which ,i ought to have been thanked1 endeavored to prevent his fraud taking place4 ,he has himself proved my opinion right1 and the warmest of his advocates now very candidly acknowledge their deception4 ,while it was every body's fate to suffer ,i chearfully suffered with them1 but tho' the object of the country is now nearly established and her circumstances rising into prosperity1 ,i feel myself left in a very unpleasant situation4 ,yet ,i am totally at a loss what to attribute it to2 for wherever ,i go ,i find respect1 and every body ,i meet treats me with friendship2 all join in censuring the neglect and throwing blame on each other1 so that their civility disarms me as much as their conduct distresses me4 ,but in this situation ,i cannot go on1 and as ,i have no inclination to differ with the ,country or to tell the story of her neglect1 it is my design to get to ,europe1 either to ,france or ,holland4 ,i have literary fame1 and ,i am sure ,i cannot experience worse fortune than ,i have here4 ,besides a person who understood the affairs of ,america1 and was capable and disposed to do her a kindness1 might render her considerable service in ,europe1 where her situation is but imperfectly understood and much misrepresented by the publications which have appeared on that side the water1 and tho' she has not behaved to me with any proportionate return of friendship1 my wish for her prosperity is no ways abated1 and ,i shall be very happy to see her character as fair as her cause4 ,yet after all there is something peculiarly hard that the country which ought to have been to me a home has scarcely afforded me an asylum4 ,in thus speaking to your ,excellency1 ,i know ,i disclose myself to one who can sympathize with me1 for ,i have often cast a thought at your difficult situation to smooth over the unpleasantness of my own4 ,i have began some remarks on the ,abbe ,raynal's ',history of the ,revolution4' ,in several places he is mistaken1 and in others injudicious and sometimes cynical4 ,i believe ,i shall publish it in ,america1 but my principal view is to republish it in ,europe both in ,french and ,english4 ,please1 ,sir1 to make my respectful compts4 to your ,lady1 and accept to yourself the best wishes of1 ,your obedt4 humble servant1 ,thomas ,paine499 ,his ,excellency ,general ,washington4 99 ,i am indebted to ,mr4 ,simon ,gratz of ,philadelphia for a copy of this letter4 #aghb ,paine's determination to make no money by his early pamphlets arose partly from his religious and ,quaker sentiments4 ,he could not have entered into any war that did not appear to him sacred1 and in such a cause his testimony could not be that of a hireling4 ,his ,common ,sense1 his first ,crisis1 were inspirations1 and during all the time of danger his pen was consecrated to the cause4 ,he had1 however1 strict and definite ideas of copyright1 and was the first to call attention of the country to its necessity1 and even to international justice in literary property4 ,in the chaotic condition of such matters his own sacrifices for the national benefit had been to some extent defeated by the rapacity of his first publisher1 ,bell1 who pocketed much of what ,paine had intended for the nation4 ,after he had left ,bell for ,bradford1 the former not only published another edition of ,common ,sense1 but with large additions1 as if from ,paine's pen4 ,when the perils of the cause seemed past ,paine still desired to continue his literary record clear of any possible charge of payment1 but he believed that the country would appreciate this sensitiveness1 and1 while everybody was claiming something for services1 would take care that he did not starve4 ,in this he was mistaken4 ,in that very winter1 after he had ventured across the ,atlantic and helped to obtain the six million livres1 he suffered want4 ,washington appears to have been the first to consider his case4 ,in the diary of ,robert ,morris1 ,superintendent of ,finance1 there is an entry of ,january #bf1 #aghb1 in which he mentions that ,washington had twice expressed to him a desire that some provision should be made for ,paine499 99 ,sparks' ,diplomatic ,correspondence1 xii41 p4 #ie4 ,morris sent for ,paine and1 in the course of a long conversation1 expressed a wish that the author's pen should continue its services to the country2 adding that though he had no position to offer him something might turn up4 ,in ,february ,morris mentions further interviews with ,paine1 in which his assistant1 ,gouverneur ,morris1 united2 they expressed their high appreciation of his services to the country1 and their desire to have the aid of his pen in promoting measures necessary to draw out the resources of the country for the completion of its purpose4 ,they strongly disclaimed any private or partial ends1 or a wish to bind his pen to any particular plans4 ,they proposed that he should be paid eight hundred dollars per annum from some national fund4 ,paine having consented1 ,robert ,morris wrote to ,robert ,r4 ,livingston on the subject1 and the result was a meeting of these two with ,washington1 at which the following was framed3 ,philadelphia1 ,feb4 #aj1 #aghb4--,the subscribers1 taking into consideration the important situation of affairs at the present moment1 and the propriety and even necessity of informing the people and rousing them into action2 considering also the abilities of ,mr4 ,thomas ,paine as a writer1 and that he has been of considerable utility to the common cause by several of his publications3 ,they are agreed that it will be much for the interest of the ,united ,states that ,mr4 ,paine be engaged in their service for the purpose above mentioned4 ,they are therefore agreed that ,mr4 ,paine be offered a salary of #hjj per annum1 and that the same be paid him by the ,secretary of ,foreign ,affairs4 ,the salary to commence from this day1 and to be paid by the ,secretary of ,foreign ,affairs out of monies to be allowed by the ,superintendent of ,finance for secret services4 ,the subscribers being of opinion that a salary publicly and avowedly given for the above purpose would injure the effect of ,mr4 ,paine's publications1 and subject him to injurious personal reflections4 ,robt4 ,morris4 ,robt4 ,livingston4 ,go4 ,washington4 ,before this joint note was written1 ,paine's pen had been resumed4 ,march #eth is the date of an extended pamphlet1 that must long have been in hand4 ,it is introduced by some comments on the ,king's speech1 which concludes with a quotation of ,smollett's fearful description of the massacres and rapine which followed the defeat of the ,stuarts at ,culloden in #agdf4 ,this1 a memory from ,paine's boyhood at ,thetford1 was an effective comment on the ,king's expression of his desire to restore the public tranquillity1 though poor ,george ,,iii41 who was born in the same year as ,paine1 would hardly have countenanced such vengeance4 ,he then deals--no doubt after consultation with ,robert ,morris1 ,superintendent of ,finance--with the whole subject of finance and taxation1 in the course of which he sounds a brave note for a more perfect union of the ,states1 which must be the foundation-stone of their independence4 ,as ,paine was the first to raise the flag of republican independence he was the first to raise that of a ,union which1 above the ,states1 should inherit the supremacy wrested from the ,crown4 ,these passages bear witness by their nicety to the writer's consciousness that he was touching a sensitive subject4 ,the ,states were jealous of their sovereignty1 and he could only delicately intimate the necessity of surrendering it ,but he manages to say that each state 7with a small s7 is to the ,united ,states what each individual is to the state he lives in4 ,and it is on this grand point1 this movement upon one centre1 that our existence as a nation1 our happiness as a people1 and our safety as individuals1 depend4 ,he also strikes the federal keynote by saying3 ,the ,united ,states will become heir to an extensive quantity of vacant land--the doctrine of national inheritance which cost him dear4 ,before the ,declaration1 ,paine minted the phrases ,free and ,independent ,states of ,america1 and ,the ,glorious ,union4 ,in his second ,crisis1 dated ,january #ac1 #aggg1 he says to ,lord ,howe3 ',the ,united ,states of ,america' will sound as pompously in the world or in history as 'the kingdom of ,great ,britain4' 99 ,almon's ,remembrancer #aggh-i1 p4 #ch;a4 ,the friendliness of ,robert ,morris to the author is creditable to him4 ,in the ,deane controversy1 ,paine had censured him and other members of ,congress for utilizing that agent of the ,united ,states to transact their commercial business in ,europe4 ,morris frankly stated the facts1 and1 though his letter showed irritation1 he realized that ,paine was no respecter of persons where the ,american cause was concerned499 ,in #aghb the ,revolution required nicest steering4 ,with the port in sight1 the people were prone to forget that it is on the coast that dangerous rocks are to be found4 ,since the surrender of ,cornwallis they were over-confident1 and therein likely to play into the hands of the enemy1 which had lost confidence in its power to conquer the ,states by arms4 ,england was now making efforts to detach ,america and ,france from each other by large inducements4 ,in ,france ,paine was shown by ,franklin and ,vergennes the overtures that had been made1 and told the secret history of the offers of mediation from ,russia and ,austria4 ,with these delicate matters he resolved to deal1 but before using the documents in his possession consulted ,washington and ,morris4 ,this1 ,i suppose1 was the matter alluded to in a note of ,march #ag1 #aghb1 to ,washington1 then in ,philadelphia3 ,you will do me a great deal of pleasure if you can make it convenient to yourself to spend a part of an evening at my apartments1 and eat a few oysters or a crust of bread and cheese2 for besides the favour you will do me1 ,i want much to consult with you on a matter of public business1 tho' of a secret nature1 which ,i have already mentioned to ,mr4 ,morris1 whom ,i likewise intend to ask1 as soon as yourself shall please to mention the evening when4 ,a similar note was written to ,robert ,morris four days before4 ,no doubt after due consultation the next ,crisis1 dated ,may #bb1 #aghb1 appeared4 ,it dealt with the duties of the alliance3 ,general ,conway1 he says1 who made the motion in the ,british parliament for discontinuing offensive war in ,america1 is a gentleman of an amiable character4 ,we have no personal quarrel with him4 ,but he feels not as we feel2 he is not in our situation1 and that alone without any other explanation is enough4 ,the ,british parliament suppose they have many friends in ,america1 and that1 when all chance of conquest is over1 they will be able to draw her from her alliance with ,france4 ,now if ,i have any conception of the human heart1 they will fail in this more than in anything that they have yet tried4 ,this part of the business is not a question of policy only1 but of honor and honesty4 ,paine's next production was a public letter to ,sir ,guy ,carleton1 commanding in ,new ,york1 concerning a matter which gave ,washington much anxiety4 ,on ,april #abth ,captain ,huddy had been hanged by a band of refugees1 who had sallied from ,new ,york into ,new ,jersey 7,april #abth74 ,the crime was traced to one ,captain ,lippencott1 and1 after full consultation with his officers1 ,washington demanded the murderer4 ,satisfaction not being given1 ,washington and his generals determined on retaliation1 and ,colonel ,hazen1 who had prisoners under guard at ,lancaster1 was directed to have an officer of ,captain ,huddy's rank chosen by lot to suffer death4 ,hazen included the officers who had capitulated with ,cornwallis1 though they were expressly relieved from liability to reprisals 7,article #ad74 ,the lot fell upon one of these1 young ,captain ,asgill 7,may #bgth74 ,it sufficiently proves the formidable character of the excitement ,huddy's death had caused in the army that ,washington did not at once send ,asgill back4 ,the fact that he was one of the capitulation officers was not known outside the military circle4 ,of this circumstance ,paine seems ignorant when he wrote his letter to ,sir ,guy ,carleton1 in which he expresses profound sympathy with ,captain ,huddy1 and warns ,carle-ton that by giving sanctuary to the murderer he becomes the real executioner of the innocent youth4 ,washington was resolved to hang this innocent man1 and1 distressing as the confession is1 no general appears to have warned him of the wrong he was about to commit499 ,but ,paine1 with well-weighed words1 gently withstood the commander1 prudently ignoring the legal point1 if aware of it4 99 ,historians have evaded this ugly business4 ,i am indebted to the family of ,general ,lincoln1 then ,secretary of ,war1 for the following letter addressed to him by ,washington1 ,june #e1 #aghb3 ,col4 ,hazen's sending me an officer under the capitulation of ,yorktown for the purpose of retaliation has distressed me exceedingly4 ,be so good as to give me your opinion of the propriety of doing this upon ,captain ,asgill1 if we should be driven to it for want of an unconditional prisoner4 ,presuming that this matter has been a subject of much conversation1 pray with your own let me know the opinions of the most sensible of those with whom you have conversed4 ,congress by their resolve has unanimously approved of my determination to retaliate4 ,the army have advised it1 and the country look for it4 ,but how far is it justifiable upon an officer under the faith of a capitulation1 if none other can be had is the question8 ,hazen's sending ,captain ,asgill on for this purpose makes the matter more distressing1 as the whole business will have the appearance of a farce1 if some person is not sacrificed to the mains of poor ,huddy2 which will be the case if an unconditional prisoner cannot be found1 and ,asgill escapes4 ,i write you in exceeding great haste2 but beg your sentiments may be transmitted as soon as possible 7by express71 as ,i may be forced to a decision in the course of a few days4--,i am most sincerely and affectionately1 ,d'r ,sir1 yr4 obed't1 ,g4 ,washington4 ,for my own part1 ,i am fully persuaded that a suspension of his fate1 still holding it in terrorem1 will operate on a greater quantity of their passions and vices1 and restrain them more1 than his execution would do4 ,however1 the change of measures which seems now to be taking place1 gives somewhat of a new cast to former designs2 and if the case1 without the execution1 can be so managed as to answer all the purposes of the last1 it will look much better hereafter1 when the sensations that now provoke1 and the circumstances which would justify his exit shall be forgotten4 ,this was written on ,september #gth1 and on the #cjth ,washington1 writing to a member of ,congress1 for the first time intimates a desire that ,asgill shall be released by that body4 ,in ,october came from ,vergennes a letter1 inspired by ,marie ,antoinette1 to whom ,lady ,asgill had appealed1 in which he reminds ,washington that the ,captain is a prisoner whom the ,king's arms contributed to surrender into his hands4 ,that he had a right1 therefore1 to intercede for his life4 ,this letter 7of ,july #bi1 #aghb7 was laid before ,congress1 which at once set ,asgill at liberty4 ,washington was relieved1 and wrote the ,captain a handsome congratulation4 ,although ,paine could never find the interval of leisure necessary to write consecutively his ,history of the ,revolution1 it is to a large extent distributed through his writings4 ,from these and his letters a true history of that seven years can be gathered1 apart from the details of battles2 and even as regards these his contributions are of high importance1 notably as regards the retreat across the ,delaware1 the affairs at ,trenton and ,princeton1 and the skirmishes near ,philadelphia following the ,british occupation of that city4 ,the latter are vividly described in his letter to ,franklin 7p4 #ajd71 and the former in his review of the ,abbe' ,raynal4 ,in his letter to ,washington1 of ,november #cj1 #agha1 ,paine mentioned that he had begun some remarks on the ,abbe's work ,on the ,revolution of the ,english ,colonies in ,north ,america4 ,it was published early in ,september1 #aghb4 ,the chief interest of the pamphlet1 apart from the passages concerning the military events of #aggf1 lies in its reflections of events in the nine months during which the paper lingered on his table4 ,in those months he wrote four numbers of the ,crisis1 one of urgent importance on the financial situation4 ,the review of the ,abbe's history was evidently written at intervals4 ,as a literary production it is artistic4 ,with the courtliness of one engaged in an affair of honor1 he shakes the ,abbe's hand1 sympathizes with his misfortune in having his manuscript stolen1 and thus denied opportunity to revise the errors for which he must be called to account4 ,his main reason for challenging the historian is an allegation that the ,revolution originated in the question whether the mother country had1 or had not1 a right to lay1 directly or indirectly1 a slight tax upon the colonies4 ,the quantity of the tax had nothing to do with it ,the tax on tea was a ,british experiment to test its declaratory ,act affirming the right of ,parliament to bind ,america in all cases whatever1 and that claim was resisted in the first stage of its execution4 ,secondly1 the ,abbe suffers for having described the affair at ,trenton as accidental4 ,paine's answer is an admirable piece of history4 ,thirdly1 the ,abbe suggests that the ,americans would probably have accommodated their differences with ,england when commissioners visited them in ,april1 #aggh1 but for their alliance with ,france4 ,paine affirms that ,congress had rejected the ,english proposals 7afterwards brought by the commissioners7 on ,april #bb;d1 eleven days before news arrived of the ,french alliance499 99 ,here ,paine is more acute than exact4 ,on ,june #c1 #aggh1 the ,english ,commissioners sent ,congress the resolutions for negotiation adopted by ,parliament1 ,february #agth4 ,congress answered that on ,april #bb;d it had published its sentiments on these acts4 ,but these sentiments had admitted a willingness to negotiate if ,great ,britain should as a preliminary thereto1 either withdraw their fleets and armies1 or else1 in positive and express terms1 acknowledge the independence of the said ,states4 ,but in referring the commissioners 7,june #fth7 to its manifesto of ,april #bb;d1 the ,congress essentially modified the conditions3 it would treat only as an independent nation1 and with sacred regard to its treaties4 ,on ,june #agth ,congress returned the ,english ,commissioners their proposal 7sent on the #ith7 unconsidered1 because of its insults to their ally4 ,the ,abbe is metaphysically punished for assuming that a ,french monarchy in aiding defenders of liberty could have no such motive as the happiness of mankind4 ,not having access to the archives of ,france1 ,paine was able to endow ,vergennes with the enthusiasm of ,lafayette1 and to see in the alliance a new dawning era of international affection4 ,all such alliances are republican4 ,the ,abbe is leniently dealt with for his clear plagiarisms from ,paine1 and then left for a lecture to ,england4 ,that country is advised to form friendship with ,france and ,spain2 to expand its mind beyond its island1 and improve its manners4 ,this is the refrain of a previous passage4 ,if we take a review of what part ,britain has acted we shall find everything which should make a nation blush4 ,the most vulgar abuse1 accompanied by that species of haughtiness which distinguishes the hero of a mob from the character of a gentleman2 it was equally as much from her manners as her injustice that she lost the colonies4 ,by the latter she provoked their principle1 by the former she wore out their temper2 and it ought to be held out as an example to the world1 to show how necessary it is to conduct the business of government with civility4 ,the close of this essay1 written with peace in the air1 contains some friendly advice to ,england4 ,she is especially warned to abandon ,canada1 which1 after loss of the thirteen colonies1 will be a constant charge4 ,canada can never be populous1 and of all that is done for it ,britain will sustain the expense1 and ,america reap the advantage4 ,in a letter dated ,bordentown1 ,september #g1 #aghb1 ,paine says to ,washington3 ,i have the honour of presenting you with fifty copies of my ,letter to the ,abbe ,raynal1 for the use of the army1 and to repeat to you my acknowledgments for your friendship4 ,i fully believe we have seen our worst days over4 ,the spirit of the war1 on the part of the enemy1 is certainly on the decline full as much as we think4 ,i draw this opinion not only from the present promising appearance of things1 and the difficulties we know the ,british ,cabinet is in2 but ,i add to it the peculiar effect which certain periods of time have1 more or less1 on all men4 ,the ,british have accustomed themselves to think of seven years in a manner different to other portions of time4 ,they acquire this partly by habit1 by reason1 by religion1 and by superstition4 ,they serve seven years' apprenticeship--they elect their parliament for seven years--they punish by seven years' transportation1 or the duplicate or triplicate of that term--they let their leases in the same manner1 and they read that ,jacob served seven years for one wife1 and after that seven years for another2 and the same term likewise extinguishes all obligations 7in certain cases7 of debt1 or matrimony3 and thus this particular period of time1 by a variety of concurrences1 has obtained an influence on their mind4 ,they have now had seven years of war1 and are no farther on the ,continent than when they began4 ,the superstitious and populous part will therefore conclude that it is not to be1 and the rational part of them will think they have tried an unsuccessful and expensive experiment long enough1 and that it is in vain to try it any longer1 and by these two joining in the same eventual opinion the obstinate part among them will be beaten out1 unless1 consistent with their former sagacity1 they get over the matter at once by passing a new declaratory ,act to bind ,time in all casts whatsoever1 or declare him a rebel4 ,the rest of this letter is the cautious and respectful warning against the proposed execution of ,captain ,asgill1 quoted elsewhere4 ,washington's answer is cheerful1 and its complimentary close exceptionally cordial4 ,head-,quarters1 ,verplank's ,point1 #ah ,september1 #aghb4--,sir1--,i have the pleasure to acknowledge your favor1 informing me of your proposal to present me with fifty copies of your last publication for the amusement of the army4 ,for this intention you have my sincere thanks1 not only on my own account1 but for the pleasure1 which ,i doubt not the gentlemen of the army will receive from the perusal of your pamphlets4 ,your observations on the period of seven years1 as it applies itself to and affects ,british minds1 are ingenious1 and ,i wish it may not fail of its effects in the present instance4 ,the measures and the policy of the enemy are at present in great perplexity and embarrassment--but ,i have my fears1 whether their necessities 7which are the only operating motives with them7 are yet arrived to that point1 which must drive them unavoidably into what they will esteem disagreeable and dishonorable terms of peace1--such1 for instance1 as an absolute1 unequivocal admission of ,american ,independence1 upon the terms on which she can accept it4 ,for this reason1 added to the obstinacy of the ,king1 and the probable consonant principles of some of the principal ministers1 ,i have not so full a confidence in the success of the present negociation for peace as some gentlemen entertain4 ,should events prove my jealousies to be ill founded1 ,i shall make myself happy under the mistake1 consoling myself with the idea of having erred on the safest side1 and enjoying with as much satisfaction as any of my countrymen the pleasing issue of our severe contest4 ,the case of ,captain ,asgill has indeed been spun out to a great length--but1 with you1 ,i hope that its termination will not be unfavourable to this country4 ,i am1 sir1 with great esteem and regard1 ,your most obedient servant1 ,g4 ,washington4 ,a copy of the answer to the ,abbe ,raynal was sent by ,paine to ,lord ,shelburne1 and with it in manuscript his newest ,crisis1 dated ,october #bi1 #aghb4 ,this was suggested by his lordship's speech of ,july #ajth1 in which he was reported to have said3 ,the independence of ,america would be the ruin of ,england4 ,was ,america then1 asks ,paine1 the giant of empire1 and ,england only her dwarf in waiting8 ,is the case so strangely altered1 that those who once thought we could not live without them are now brought to declare that they cannot exist without us8 ,paine's prediction that it would be a seven years' war was nearly true4 ,there was indeed a dismal eighth year1 the army not being able to disband until the enemy had entirely left the country1--a year when peace seemed to break out like another war4 ,the army1 no longer uplifted by ardors of conflict with a foreign foe1 became conscious of its hunger1 its nakedness1 and the prospect of returning in rags to pauperized homes4 ,they saw all the civil officers of the country paid1 while those who had defended them were unpaid2 and the only explanations that could be offered--the inability of ,congress1 and incoherence of the ,states--formed a new peril4 ,the only hope of meeting an emergency fast becoming acute1 was the unanimous adoption by the ,states of the proposal of ,congress for a five-per-cent4 duty on imported articles1 the money to be applied to the payment of interest on loans to be made in ,holland4 ,several of the ,states had been dilatory in their consent1 but ,rhode ,island absolutely refused1 and ,paine undertook to reason with that ,state4 ,in the ,providence ,gazette1 ,december #bast1 appeared the following note1 dated ,philadelphia1 ,november #bg1 #aghb 3 ,sir1--,inclosed ,i send you a ,philadelphia paper of this day's date1 and desire you to insert the piece signed ',a ,friend to ,rhode ,island and the ,union4' ,i am concerned that ,rhode ,island should make it necessary to address a piece to her1 on a subject which the rest of the ,states are agreed in4--,yours c4 ,thomas ,paine4 ,the insertion of ,paine's letter led to a fierce controversy1 the immediate subject of which is hardly of sufficient importance to detain us long499 99 ,it may be traced through the ,providence ,gazette of ,december #ba1 #bh 7#aghb71 ,january #d1 #aa1 #ah1 #be1 ,february #a 7#aghc72 also in the ,newport ,mercury4 ,paine writes under the signature of ,a ,friend to ,rhode ,island and the ,union4 ,i am indebted to ,professor ,jamieson of ,brown ,university for assistance in this investigation4 ,yet this controversy1 which presently carried ,paine to ,providence1 where he wrote and published six letters1 raised into general discussion the essential principles of ,union4 ,rhode ,island's jealousy of its sovereignty--in the inverse ratio of its size1--made it the last to enter a ,union which gave it equal legislative power with the greatest ,states2 it need not be wondered then that at this earlier period1 when sovereignty and self-interest combined1 our pioneer of nationality had to undergo some martyrdom4 ,what1 he asked1 would the sovereignity of any individual state be1 if left to itself to contend with a foreign power8 ,it is on our united sovereignty that our greatness and safety1 and the security of our foreign commerce1 rest4 ,this united sovereignty then must be something more than a name1 and requires to be as completely organized for the line it is to act in as that of any individual state1 and1 if anything1 more so1 because more depends on it4 ,he received abuse1 and such ridicule as this 7,february #ast73 ,in the ,name of ,common ,sense1 ,amen1 ,i1 ,thomas ,paine1 having according to appointment1 proceeded with all convenient speed to answer the objections to the five per cent1 by endeavouring to cover the design and blind the subject1 before ,i left ,philadelphia1 and having proceeded to a convenient place of action in the ,state of ,rhode ,island1 and there republished my first letter1 etc4 #aghc ,in the same paper with this appeared a letter of self-defence from ,paine1 who speaks of the personal civility extended to him in ,rhode ,island1 but of proposals to stop his publications4 ,he quotes a letter of friendship from ,colonel ,laurens1 who gave him his war-horse1 and an equally cordial one from ,general ,nathaniel ,greene1 ,rhode ,island's darling hero1 declaring that he should be rewarded for his public services4 ,this visit to ,rhode ,island was the last work which ,paine did in pursuance of his engagement1 which ended with the resignation of ,morris in ,january4 ,probably ,paine received under it one year's salary1 #hjj--;certainly no more4 ,i think that during the time he kept his usual signature1 ,common ,sense1 sacred to his individual testimonies4 ,on his return to ,philadelphia ,paine wrote a memorial to ,chancellor ,livingston1 ,secretary for ,foreign ,affairs1 ,robert ,morris1 ,minister of ,finance1 and his assistant ,gouverneur ,morris1 urging the necessity of adding a ,continental ,legislature to ,congress1 to be elected by the several ,states4 ,robert ,morris invited the ,chancellor and a number of eminent men to meet ,paine at dinner1 where his plea for a stronger union was discussed and approved4 ,this was probably the earliest of a series of consultations preliminary to the constitutional ,convention4 ,the newspaper combat in ,rhode ,island1 which excited general attention1 and the continued postponement of all prospect of paying the soldiers1 had a formidable effect on the army4 ,the anti-republican elements of the country1 after efforts to seduce ,washington1 attempted to act without him4 ,in confronting the incendiary efforts of certain officers at ,newburg to turn the army of liberty into mutineers against it1 ,washington is seen winning his noblest victory after the revolution had ended4 ,he not only subdued the reactionary intrigues1 but the supineness of the country1 which had left its soldiers in a condition that played into the intriguers' hands4 ,on ,april #ahth ,washington formally announced the cessation of hostilities4 ,on ,april #aith--eighth anniversary of the collision at ,lexington--,paine printed the little pamphlet entitled ,thoughts on ,peace and the ,probable ,advantages ,thereof1 included in his works as the last ,crisis4 ,it opens with the words3 ,the times that tried men's souls are over--and the greatest and completest revolution the world ever knew1 gloriously and happily accomplished4 ,he again1 as in his first pamphlet1 pleads for a supreme nationality1 absorbing all cherished sovereignties4 ,this is ,paine's farewell address4 ,it was the cause of ,america that made me an author4 ,the force with which it struck my mind1 and the dangerous condition in which the country was in1 by courting an impossible and an unnatural reconciliation with those who were determined to reduce her1 instead of striking out into the only line that could save her1 a ,declaration of ,independence1 made it impossible for me1 feeling as ,i did1 to be silent2 and if1 in the course of more than seven years1 ,i have rendered her any service1 ,i have likewise added something to the reputation of literature1 by freely and disinterestedly employing it in the great cause of mankind4444 ,but as the scenes of war are closed1 and every man preparing for home and happier times1 ,i therefore take leave of the subject4 ,i have most sincerely followed it from beginning to end1 and through all its turns and windings2 and whatever country ,i may hereafter be in1 ,i shall always feel an honest pride at the part ,i have taken and acted1 and a gratitude to nature and providence for putting it in my power to be of some use to mankind4 ,,chapter ,,xiv4 ,,great ,,washington ,,and ,,poor ,,paine ,the world held no other man so great and so happy as ,washington1 in ,september1 #aghc1--the month of final peace4 ,congress1 then sitting at ,princeton1 had invited him to consult with them on the arrangements necessary for a time of peace1 and prepared a mansion for him at ,rocky ,hill4 ,for a time the ,general gave himself up to hilarity1 as ambassadors of congratulation gathered from every part of the world4 ,a glimpse of the festivities is given by ,david ,howell of ,rhode ,island in a letter to ,governor ,greene4 ,the ,president1 with all the present members1 chaplains1 and great officers of ,congress1 had the honor of dining at the ,general's table last ,friday4 ,the tables were spread under a marquise or tent taken from the ,british4 ,the repast was elegant1 but the ,general's company crowned the whole4 ,as ,i had the good fortune to be seated facing the ,general1 ,i had the pleasure of hearing all his conversation4 ,the ,president of ,congress was seated on his right1 and the ,minister of ,france on his left4 ,i observed with much pleasure that the ,general's front was uncommonly open and pleasant2 the contracted1 pensive phiz betokening deep thought and much care1 which ,i noticed at ,prospect ,hill in #agge1 is done away1 and a pleasant smile and sparkling vivacity of wit and humor succeeds4 ,on the ,president observing that in the present situation of our affairs he believed that ,mr4 ,robert ,morris had his hands full1 the ,general replied at the same instant1 'he wished he had his pockets full too4' ,on ,mr4 ,peters observing that the man who made these cups 7for we drank wine out of silver cups7 was turned a ,quaker preacher1 the ,general replied that 'he wished he had turned a ,quaker preacher before he made the cups4' ,you must also hear the ,french ,minister's remark on the ,general's humor--',you tink de penitence wou'd have been good for de cups4' ,congress has ordered an ,egyptian statue of ,general ,washington1 to be erected at the place where they may establish their permanent residence4 ,no honors short of those which the ,deity vindicates to himself can be too great for ,gen4 ,washington4 ,at this time ,paine sat in his little home in ,bor-dentown1 living on his crust4 ,he had put most of his savings in this house 7on two tenths of an acre7 so as to be near his friend ,col4 ,joseph ,kirkbride4 ,the ,colonel was also of ,quaker origin1 and a hearty sympathizer with ,paine's principles4 ,they had together helped to frame the democratic constitution of ,pennsylvania 7#aggf71 had fought side by side1 and both had scientific tastes4 ,since the burning of his house1 ,bellevue 7,bucks71 ,colonel ,kirkbride had moved to ,borden town1 ,n4 ,j41 and lived at ,hill ,top1 now part of a female college4 ,a part of ,paine's house also stands4 ,at ,borden-town also resided ,mr4 ,hall1 who had much mechanical skill1 and whom he had found eager to help him in constructing models of his inventions4 ,to such things he now meant to devote himself1 but before settling down permanently he longed to see his aged parents and revisit his ,english friends4 ,for this1 however1 he had not means4 ,robert ,morris advised ,paine to call the attention of ,congress to various unremunerated services4 ,his secretaryship of the ,foreign ,affairs ,committee1 terminated by an admitted injustice to him1 had been burdensome and virtually unpaid2 its nominal #gj per month was really about #ae4 ,his perilous journey to ,france1 with young ,laurens1 after the millions that wrought wonders1 had not brought him even a paper dollar4 ,paine1 therefore1 on ,june #gth1 wrote to ,elias ,boudinot1 ,president of ,congress1 stating that though for his services he had neither sought1 received1 nor stipulated any honors1 advantages1 or emoluments1 he thought ,congress should inquire into them4 ,the letter had some effect1 but meanwhile ,paine passed three months of poverty and gloom1 and had no part in the festivities at ,princeton4 ,one day a ray from that festive splendor shone in his humble abode4 ,the great ,commander had not forgotten his unwearied fellow-soldier1 and wrote him a letter worthy to be engraved on the tombs of both4 ,rocky ,hill1 ,sept4 #aj1 #aghc4 ,dear ,sir1 ,i have learned since ,i have been at this place1 that you are at ,bordentown4 ,whether for the sake of retirement or economy1 ,i know not4 ,be it for either1 for both1 or whatever it may1 if you will come to this place1 and partake with me1 ,i shall be exceedingly happy to see you4 ,your presence may remind ,congress of your past services to this country2 and if it is in my power to impress them1 command my best services with freedom1 as they will be rendered cheerfully by one who entertains a lively sense of the importance of your works1 and who1 with much pleasure1 subscribes himself1 ,your sincere friend1 ,g4 ,washington4 ,the following was ,paine's reply3 ,borden ,town1 ,sept4 #ba4--,sir1--,i am made exceedingly happy by the receipt of your friendly letter of the #ajth4 instant1 which is this moment come to hand2 and the young gentleman that brought it1 a son of ,col4 ,geo4 ,morgan1 waits while ,i write this4 ,it had been sent to ,philadelphia1 and on my not being there1 was returned1 agreeable to directions on the outside1 to ,col4 ,morgan at ,princetown1 who forwarded it to this place4 ,i most sincerely thank you for your good wishes and friendship to me1 and the kind invitation you have honored me with1 which ,i shall with much pleasure accept4 ,on the resignation of ,mr4 ,livingston in the winter and likewise of ,mr4 ,r4 ,morris1 at the same time it was judged proper to discontinue the matter which took place when you were in ,philadelphia499 ,it was at the same time a pleasure to me to find both these gentlemen 7to whom ,i was before that time but little known7 so warmly disposed to assist in rendering my situation permanent1 and ,mr4 ,livingston's letter to me1 in answer to one of mine to him1 which ,i enclose1 will serve to show that his friendship to me is in concurrence with yours4 99 ,see page #ahb4 9999 ,this had been ,washington's suggestion4 ,by the advice of ,mr4 ,morris ,i presented a letter to ,congress expressing a request that they would be pleased to direct me to lay before them an account of what my services1 such as they were1 and situation1 had been during the course of the war4 ,this letter was referred to a committee1 and their report is now before ,congress1 and contains1 as ,i am informed1 a recommendation that ,i be appointed historiographer to the continent4 ,i have desired some members that the further consideration of it be postponed1 until ,i can state to the committee some matters which ,i wish them to be acquainted with1 both with regard to myself and the appointment4 ,and as it was my intention1 so ,i am now encouraged by your friendship to take your confidential advice upon it before ,i present it ,for though ,i never was at a loss in writing on public matters1 ,i feel exceedingly so in what respects myself4 ,i am hurt by the neglect of the collective ostensible body of ,america1 in a way which it is probable they do not perceive my feelings4 ,it has an effect in putting either my reputation or their generosity at stake2 for it cannot fail of suggesting that either ,i 7notwithstanding the appearance of service7 have been undeserving their regard or that they are remiss towards me4 ,their silence is to me something like condemnation1 and their neglect must be justified by my loss of reputation1 or my reputation supported at their injury2 either of which is alike painful to me4 ,but as ,i have ever been dumb on everything which might touch national honor so ,i mean ever to continue so4 ,wishing you1 ,sir1 the happy enjoyment of peace and every public and private felicity ,i remain c4 ,thomas ,paine4 ,col4 ,kirkbride at whose house ,i am1 desires me to present you his respectful compliments4 ,paine had a happy visit at ,washington's headquarters1 where he met old revolutionary comrades1 among them ,humphreys1 ,lincoln1 and ,cobb4 ,he saw ,washington set the river on fire on ,guy ,fawkes ,day with a roll of cartridge-paper4 ,when ,american art is more mature we may have a picture of war making way for science1 illustrated by the night-scene of ,washington and ,paine on a scow1 using their cartridge-paper to fire the gas released from the river-bed by soldiers with poles699 99 ,see ,paine's essay on ,the ,cause of the ,yellow ,fever4 ,these experiments on the river at ,rocky ,hill were followed by others in ,philadelphia1 with ,rittenhouse4 ,there was a small party in ,congress which looked with sullen jealousy on ,washington's friendliness with ,paine4 ,the ,states1 since the conclusion of the war1 were already withdrawing into their several shells of sovereignty1 while ,paine was arguing with everybody that there could be no sovereignty but that of the ,united ,states1--and even that was merely the supremacy of ,law4 ,the arguments in favor of the tax imposed by ,congress1 which he had used in ,rhode ,island1 were repeated in his last ,crisis 7,april #aith71 and it must have been under ,washington's roof at ,rocky ,hill that he wrote his letter ,to the ,people of ,america 7dated ,december #ith71 in which a high national doctrine was advocated4 ,this was elicited by ,lord ,sheffield's pamphlet1 ,observations on the ,commerce of the ,united ,states1 which had been followed by a prohibition of commerce with the ,west ,indies in ,american bottoms4 ,lord ,sheffield had said3 ,it will be a long time before the ,american ,states can be brought to act as a nation2 neither are they to be feared by us as such4 ,paine calls the attention of ,rhode ,island to this1 and says3 ,america is now sovereign and independent1 and ought to conduct her affairs in a regular style of character4 ,she has a perfect right of commercial retaliation4 ,but it is only by acting in union that the usurpations of foreign nations on the freedom of trade can be counteracted1 and security extended to the commerce of ,america4 ,and when we view a flag1 which to the eye is beautiful1 and to contemplate its rise and origin inspires a sensation of sublime delight1 our national honor must unite with our interest to prevent injury to the one or insult to the other4 #aghd ,noble as these sentiments now appear1 they then excited alarm in certain ,congressmen1 and it required all ,washington's influence to secure any favorable action in ,paine's case4 ,in #aghd1 however1 ,new ,york presented ,paine with two hundred and seventy-seven acres1 more or less1 which became forfeited to and vested in the ,people of this ,state by the conviction of ,frederick ,devoe499 ,with such cheerful prospects1 national and personal1 ,paine rose into song1 as appears by the following letter 7,new ,york1 ,april #bhth7 to ,washington3 99 ,the indenture1 made ,june #af1 #aghd1 is in the ,register's ,office of ,westchester ,county1 ,vol4 ,t4 of ,grantees1 p4 #afc4 ,the confiscated estate of the loyalist ,devoe is the well- known one at ,new ,rochelle on which ,paine's monument stands4 ,i am indebted for investigations at ,white ,plains1 and documents relating to the estate1 to my friend ,george ,hoadly1 and ,mr4 ,b4 ,davis ,washburn4 ,dear ,sir1--,as ,i hope to have in a few days the honor and happiness of seeing you well at ,philadelphia1 ,i shall not trouble you with a long letter4 ,it was my intention to have followed you on to ,philadelphia1 but when ,i recollected the friendship you had shewn to me1 and the pains you had taken to promote my interests1 and knew likewise the untoward disposition of two or three ,members of ,congress1 ,i felt an exceeding unwillingness that your friendship to me should be put to further tryals1 or that you should experience the mortification of having your wishes disappointed1 especially by one to whom delegation is his daily bread4 ,while ,i was pondering on these matters1 ,mr4 ,duane and some other friends of yours and mine1 who were persuaded that nothing would take place in ,congress 7as a single man when only nine states were present could stop the whole71 proposed a new line which is to leave it to the ,states individually2 and a unanimous resolution has passed the senate of this ,state1 which is generally expressive of their opinion and friendship4 ,what they have proposed is worth at least a thousand guineas1 and other ,states will act as they see proper4 ,if ,i do but get enough to carry me decently thro' the world and independently thro' the ,history of the ,revolution1 ,i neither wish nor care for more2 and that the ,states may very easily do if they are disposed to it4 ,the ,state of ,pennsylvania might have done it alone4 ,i present you with a new song for the ,cincinnati2 and beg to offer you a remark on that subject499 ,the intention of the name appears to me either to be lost or not understood4 ,for it is material to the future freedom of the country that the example of the late army retiring to private life1 on the principles of ,cincinnatus1 should be commemorated1 that in future ages it may be imitated4 ,whether every part of the institution is perfectly consistent with a republic is another question1 but the precedent ought not to be lost4 ,i have not yet heard of any objection in the ,assembly of this ,state1 to the resolution of the ,senate1 and ,i am in hopes there will be none made4 ,should the method succeed1 ,i shall stand perfectly clear of ,congress1 which will be an agreeable circumstance to me2 because whatever ,i may then say on the necessity of strengthening the union1 and enlarging its powers1 will come from me with a much better grace than if ,congress had made the acknowledgment themselves4 ,if you have a convenient opportunity ,i should be much obliged to you to mention this subject to ,mr4 ,president ,dickinson4 ,i have two reasons for it1 the one is my own interest and circumstances1 the other is on account of the ,state1 for what with their parties and contentions1 they have acted to me with a churlish selfishness1 which ,i wish to conceal unless they force it from me4 99 ,paine wrote four patriotic ,american songs3 ,hail1 ,great ,republic of the ,world 7tune ,rule ,britannia72 ,to ,columbia1 who ,gladly ,reclined at her ,ease2 ,ye ,sons of ,columbia1 who ,bravely have ,fought1--both of the latter being for the tune of ,anacreon in ,heaven2 and ,liberty ,tree 7tune ,gods of the ,greeks71 beginning1 ,in a chariot of light1 from the regions of ,day1 etc4 ,as ,i see by the papers you are settling a tract of land1 ,i enclose you a letter ,i received from ,england on the subject of settlements4 ,i think lands might be disposed of in that country to advantage4 ,i am1 dear ,sir1 c4 ,the estate at ,new ,rochelle had a handsome house on it 7once a patrimonial mansion of the ,jays71 and ,paine received distinguished welcome when he went to take possession4 ,this he reciprocated1 but he did not remain long at ,new ,rochelle499 ,bordentown had become his home2 he had found there a congenial circle of friends1--proved such during his poverty4 ,he was not1 indeed1 entirely relieved of poverty by the ,new ,york honorarium1 but he had expectation that the other ,states would follow the example4 ,in a letter to ,jefferson also ,paine explained his reason for desiring that the ,states1 rather than ,congress1 should remunerate him4 ,that ,washington appreciated this motive appears by letters to ,richard ,henry ,lee and ,james ,madison4 99,an old lady1 now a boarding-housekeeper in ,cedar ,street1 remembers when a girl visiting ,mr4 ,paine when he took possession of his house and farm at ,new ,rochelle1 and gave a village fete on the occasion2 she then only knew him as ',common ,sense1' and supposed that was his name4 ,on that day he had something to say to everybody1 and young as she was she received a portion of his attention2 while he sat in the shade1 and assisted in the labor of the feast1 by cutting or breaking sugar to be used in some agreeable liquids by his guests4 ,mr4 ,paine was then1 if not handsome1 a fine agreeable looking man4--,vale1 #ahda4 ,the original house was accidentally destroyed by fire1 while ,paine was in the ,french ,convention4 ,the present house was1 however1 occupied by him after his return to ,america4 ,mount ,vernon1 #ab ,june4--,unsolicited by1 and unknown to ,mr4 ,paine1 ,i take the liberty of hinting the services and the distressed 7for so ,i think it may be called7 situation of that ,gentleman4 ,that his ,common ,sense1 and many of his ,crisis1 were well timed and had a happy effect upon the public mind1 none1 ,i believe1 who will recur to the epocha's at which they were published will deny4--,that his services hitherto have passed of f unnoticed is obvious to all2--and that he is chagreened and necessitous ,i will undertake to aver4--,does not common justice then point to some compensation8 ,he is not in circumstances to refuse the bounty of the public4 ,new ,york1 not the least distressed nor most able ,state in the ,union1 has set the example4 ,he prefers the benevolence of the ,states individually to an allowance from ,congress1 for reasons which are conclusive in his own mind1 and such as ,i think may be approved by others4 ,his views are moderate1 a decent independency is1 ,i believe1 the height of his ambition1 and if you view his services in the ,american cause in the same important light that ,i do1 ,i am sure you will have pleasure in obtaining it for him4--,i am with esteem and regard1 ,dr4 sir1 yr4 most obdt4 servt41 ,george ,washington499 ,mount ,vernon1 ,june #ab4--;,dear ,sir1--,can nothing be done in our ,assembly for poor ,paine8 ,must the merits and services of ,common ,sense continue to glide down the stream of time1 unrewarded by this country8 ,his writings certainly have had a powerful effect on the public mind1--ought they not then to meet an adequate return8 ,he is poor6 he is chagreened6 and almost if not altogether in despair of relief4 ,new ,york1 it is true1 not the least distressed nor best able ,state in the ,union1 has done something for him4 ,this kind of provision he prefers to an allowance from ,congress1 he has reasons for it1 which to him are conclusive1 and such1 ,i think1 as would have weight with others4 ,his views are moderate--a decent independency is1 ,i believe1 all he aims at4 ,should he not obtain this8 ,if you think so ,i am sure you will not only move the matter but give it your support4 ,for me it only remains to feel for his situation and to assure you of the sincere esteem and regard with which ,i have the honor to be1 ,d,sir1 ,yr4 ,most ,obedt4 ,humble ,servt1 ,g4 ,washington4 ,james ,madison1 ,esq4 99,i found this letter 7to ,lee7 among the ,franklin ,,mss4 in the ,philosophical ,society1 ,philadelphia4 9999 ,i am indebted for this letter to ,mr4 ,frederick ,mc,guire1 of ,washington4 ,a similar letter was written to ,patrick ,henry and perhaps to others4 ,a bill introduced into the ,virginia ,legislature 7,june #bhth7 to give ,paine a tract of land1 being lost on the third reading1 ,madison 7,june #cjth7 offered a bill for selling the public land in the county of ,northampton1 called the ,secretary's land1 and applying part of the money arising therefrom to the purchase of a tract to be vested in ,thomas ,payne and his heirs4 ,the result is described by ,madison 7,july #b;d7 to ,washington3 99 ,arthur ,lee was most responsible for the failure of the measure1 for he was active in cultivating a prejudice against ,paine4 ,this was somewhat ungracious1 as ,paine had befriended ,lee in his controversy with ,deane4--,ford's ,writings of ,washington1 x41 p4 #cie4 ,had there been any belief at this time that ,paine had been paid for writing the pamphlet objected to1 ,public ,good1 it would no doubt have been mentioned4 ,the easy reception it found1 induced the friends of the measure to add the other moiety to the proposition1 which would have raised the market value of the donation to about four thousand pounds1 or upwards1 though it would not probably have commanded a rent of more than one hundred pounds per annum4 ,in this form the bill passed through two readings4 ,the third reading proved that the tide had suddenly changed1 for the bill was thrown out by a large majority4 ,an attempt was next made to sell the land in question1 and apply two thousand pounds of the money to the purchase of a farm for ,mr4 ,paine4 ,this was lost by a single voice4 ,whether a greater disposition to reward patriotic and distinguished exertions of genius will be found on any succeeding occasion1 is not for me to predetermine4 ,should it finally appear that the merits of the man1 whose writings have so much contributed to enforce and foster the spirit of independence in the people of ,america1 are unable to inspire them with a just beneficence1 the world1 it is to be feared1 will give us as little credit for our policy as for gratitude in this particular4 ,r4 ,h4 ,lee--unfortunately not present1 because of illness--writes ,washington 7,july #bb;d73 ,i have been told that it miscarried from its being observed that he had shown enmity to this ,state by having written a pamphlet injurious to our claim of ,western ,territory4 ,it has ever appeared to me that this pamphlet was the consequence of ,mr4 ,paine's being himself imposed upon1 and that it was rather the fault of the place than the man4' ,so the news came that ,virginia had snubbed ,paine1 at the moment of voting a statue to ,washington4 ,but his powerful friend did not relax his efforts1 and he consulted honest ,john ,dickinson1 ,president of ,pennsylvania4 ,under date of ,november #bgth1 the following was written by ,paine to ,general ,irwin1 ,vice-,president of ,pennsylvania3 ,the ,president has made me acquainted with a ,conversation which ,general ,washington had with him at their last interview respecting myself1 and he is desirous that ,i should communicate to you his wishes1 which are1 that as he stands engaged on the ,general's request to recommend to the ,assembly1 so far as lies in his power1 their taking into consideration the part ,i have acted during the war1 that you would join your assistance with him in the measure4--,having thus1 ,sir1 opened the matter to you in general terms1 ,i will take an opportunity at some time convenient to yourself to state it to you more fully1 as there are many parts in it that are not publicly known4--,i shall have the pleasure of seeing you at the ,president's to-day to dine and in the mean time ,i am etc4 ,on ,december #fth the ,council sent this message to the ,general ,assembly of ,pennsylvania3 ,gentlemen3 ,the ,president having reported in ,council a conversation between ,general ,washington and himself respecting ,mr4 ,thomas ,paine1 we have thereby been induced to take the services and situation of that gentleman at this time into our particular consideration4 ,arriving in ,america just before the war broke out1 he commenced his residence here1 and became a citizen of this ,commonwealth by taking the oath of allegiance at a very early period4 ,so important were his services during the late contest1 that those persons whose own merits in the course of it have been the most distinguished concur with a highly honorable unanimity in entertaining sentiments of esteem for him1 and interesting themselves in his deserts4 ,it is unnecessary for us to enlarge on this subject4 ,if the ,general ,assembly shall be pleased to appoint a ,committee1 they will receive information that we doubt not will in every respect prove satisfactory4 ,we confide that you will1 then1 feel the attention of ,pennsylvania is drawn towards ,mr4 ,paine by motives equally grateful to the human heart1 and reputable to the ,republic2 and that you will join with us in the opinion that a suitable acknowledgment of his eminent services1 and a proper provision for the continuance of them in an independent manner1 should be made on the part of this ,state4 ,pennsylvania promptly voted to ,paine ,l#ejj1--;a snug little fortune in those days4 ,paine thus had a happy ,new ,year4 ,only two ,states had acted1 but they had made him independent ,meanwhile ,congress also was willing to remunerate him1 but he had put difficulties in the way4 ,he desired1 as we have seen1 to be independent of that body1 and wished it only to pay its debts to him2 but one of these--his underpaid secretaryship--would involve overhauling the ,paine-,deane case again4 ,perhaps that was what ,paine desired2 had the matter been passed on again the implied censures of ,paine on the journal of ,congress would have been reversed4 ,when therefore a gratuity was spoken of ,paine interfered1 and wrote to ,congress1 now sitting in ,new ,york1 asking leave to submit his accounts4 ,this letter was referred to a committee 7,gerry1 ,pettit1 ,king74 ,mr4 ,gerry1 says ,paine1 came to me and said that the ,committee had consulted on the subject1 and they intended to bring in a handsome report1 but that they thought it best not to take any notice of your letter1 or make any reference to ,deane's affair1 or your salary4 ,they will indemnify you without it4 ,the case is1 there are some motions on the journals of ,congress for censuring you1 with respect to ,deane's affair1 which cannot now be recalled1 because they have been printed4 ,therefore we will bring in a report that will supersede them without mentioning the purport of your letter4 ,on the committee's report ,congress resolved 7,august #bfth73 ,that the early1 unsolicited1 and continued labors of ,mr4 ,thomas ,paine1 in explaining and enforcing the principles of the late revolution by ingenious and timely publications upon the nature of liberty1 and civil government1 have been well received by the citizens of these ,states1 and merit the approbation of ,congress2 and that in consideration of these services1 and the benefits produced thereby1 ,mr4 ,paine is entitled to a liberal gratification from the ,united ,states4 ,this of course was not what ,paine wished1 and he again 7,september #bgth7 urged settlement of his accounts4 ,but1 on ,october #c;d1 ,congress ordered the ,treasurer to pay ,paine #c1jjj1 for the considerations mentioned in the resolution of the #bfth of ,august last ,it was1 ,paine maintained to the last1 an indemnity to me for some injustice done me1 for ,congress had acted dishonorably by me4 ,the ,committee had proposed #f1jjj1 but the author's enemies had managed to reduce it ,the sum paid was too small to cover ,paine's journey to ,france with ,laurens1 which was never repaid4 ,the services of ,thomas ,paine to the ,american cause cannot1 at this distance of time1 be estimated by any records of them1 nor by his printed works4 ,they are best measured in the value set on them by the great leaders most cognizant of them1--by ,washington1 ,franklin1 ,jefferson1 ,adams1 ,madison1 ,robert ,morris1 ,chancellor ,livingston1 ,r4 ,h4 ,lee1 ,colonel ,laurens1 ,general ,greene1 ,dickinson4 ,had there been anything dishonorable or mercenary in ,paine's career1 these are the men who would have known it2 but their letters are searched in vain for even the faintest hint of anything disparaging to his patriotic self-devotion during those eight weary years4 ,their letters1 however1 already quoted in these pages1 and others omitted1 show plainly that they believed that all the ,states owed ,paine large returns 7as ,madison wrote to ,washington7 of gratitude for voluntary services1 and that these services were not merely literary4 ,such was the verdict of the men most competent to pass judgment on the author1 the soldier1 the secretary4 ,it can never be reversed4 ,to the radical of to-day1 however1 ,paine will seem to have fared pretty well for a free lance2 and he could now beat all his lances into bridge iron1 without sparing any for the wolf that had haunted his door4 #aghe ,,chapter ,,xv4 ,,pontifical ,,and ,,political ,,inventions ,paine was the literary lion in ,new ,york--where ,congress sat in #aghe--;and was especially intimate with the ,nicholsons1 whose house was the social salon of leading republicans499 ,one may easily read between the lines of the following note to ,franklin that the writer is having a good time in ,new ,york1 where it was written ,september #bc;d3 99 ,commodore ,nicholson was an active republican politician in the city of ,new ,york1 and his house was a headquarters for the men of his way of thinking4 ,the young ladies' letters are full of allusions to the ,new ,york society of that day1 and to calls from ,aaron ,burr1 the ,livingstons1 the ,clintons1 and many others4444 ,an other man still more famous in some respects was a frequent visitor at their house4 ,it is now almost forgotten that ,thomas ,paine1 down to the time of his departure for ,europe in #aghg1 was a fashionable member of society1 admired and courted as the greatest literary genius of his day4444 ,here is a little autograph1 found among the papers of ,mrs4 ,gallatin nee ,nicholson2 its address is to3 ',miss ,hannah ,n41 at the ,lord knows where4--,you ,mistress ,hannah if you don't come home1 ,i 'll come and fetch you4 ,t4 ,paine4'--,adams' ,life of ,gallatin4 ,my ,dear ,sir1--,it gives me exceeding great pleasure to have the opportunity of congratulating you on your return home1 and to a land of ,peace2 and to express to you my heartfelt wishes that the remainder of your days may be to you a time of happy ease and rest4 ,should ,fate prolong my life to the extent of yours1 it would give me the greatest felicity to have the evening scene some resemblance of what you now enjoy4 ,in making you this address ,i have an additional pleasure in reflecting1 that1 so far as ,i have hitherto gone1 ,i am not conscious of any circumstance in my conduct that should give you one repentant thought for being my patron and introducer to ,america4 ,it would give me great pleasure to make a journey to ,philadelphia on purpose to see you1 but an interesting affair ,i have with ,congress makes my absence at this time improper4 ,if you have time to let me know how your health is1 ,i shall be much obliged to you4 ,i am1 dear ,sir1 with the sincerest affection and respect1 ,your obedient1 humble servant1 ,thomas ,paine4 ,the ,hon'ble ,benjamin ,franklin1 ,esquire4 ,my address is ,messrs4 ,lawrence and ,morris1 ,merchants4 ,to this came the following reply1 dated ,philadelphia1 ,september #bdth3 ,dear ,sir1--',i have just received your friendly congratulations on my return to ,america1 for which1 as well as your kind wishes for my welfare1 ,i beg you to accept my most thankful acknowledgments4 ,ben is also very sensible of your politeness1 and desires his respects may be presented4 ,i was sorry on my arrival to find you had left this city4 ,your present arduous undertaking1 ,i easily conceive1 demands retirement1 and tho' we shall reap the fruits of it1 ,i cannot help regretting the want of your abilities here where in the present moment they might1 ,i think1 be successfully employed4 ,parties still run very high--,common ,sense would unite them4 ,it is to be hoped therefore it has not abandoned us forever499 99 ,the remainder of the letter 7,,ms4 ,philosoph4 ,soc41 ,philadelphia7 seems to be in the writing of ,william ,temple ,franklin1 to whom probably ,paine had enclosed a note3 ,mr4 ,williams whom you inquire after accompanied us to ,america1 and is now here4 ,we left ,mrs4 ,wms4 and her sisters well at ,st4 ,ger's1 but they proposed shortly returning to ,england to live with their uncle1 ,mr4 ,j4 ,alexander1 who has entirely settled his affairs with ,mr4 ,wal-pole and the ,bank4 ,mr4 ,wm4 ,alex'r ,i suppose you know is in ,virginia fulfilling his tobacco contract with the ,farmer ,gen'l4 ,the ,marquis la ,fayette we saw a few days before we left ,passy--he was well and on the point of setting off on an excursion into ,germany1 and a visit to the ,emperor ,k4 of ,prussia4--,i purpose shortly being at ,new ,york1 where ,i will with pleasure give you any further information you may wish1 and shall be very happy to cultivate the acquaintance and friendship of ,mr4 ,paine1 for whose character ,i have a sincere regard and of whose services ,i1 as an ,american1 have a grateful sense ,the arduous undertaking to which ,franklin refers was of course the iron bridge4 ,but it will be seen by our next letter that ,paine had another invention to lay before ,franklin1 to whom he hastened after receiving his #c1jjj from ,congress3 ,dec4 #ca1 #aghe4--;,dear ,sir1--,i send you the ,candles ,i have been making2--,in a little time afer they are lighted the smoke and flame separate1 the one issuing from one end of the ,candle1 and the other from the other end4 ,i supposed this to be because a quantity of air enters into the ,candle between the ,tallow and the flame1 and in its passage downwards takes the smoke with it2 for if you allow a quantity of air up the ,candle1 the current will be changed1 and the smoke reascends1 and in passing this the flame makes a small flash and a little noise4 ,but to express the ,idea ,i mean1 of the smoke descending more clearly it is this1--that the air enters the ,candle in the very place where the melted tallow is getting into the state of flame1 and takes it down before the change is completed--for there appears to me to be two kinds of smoke1 humid matter which never can be flame1 and enflameable matter which would be flame if some accident did not prevent the change being completed--and this ,i suppose to be the case with the descending smoke of the ,candle4 ,as you can compare the ,candle with the ,lamp1 you will have an opportunity of ascertaining the cause--why it will do in the one and not in the other4 ,when the edge of the en-flamed part of the wick is close with the edge of the ,tin of the ,lamp no counter current of air can enter--but as this contact does not take place in the ,candle a counter current enters and prevents the effect 8 in the candles which illuminates the ,lamp4 ,for the passing of the air thro' the ,lamp does not1 ,i imagine1 burn the smoke1 but burns up all the oil into flame1 or by its rapidity prevents any part of the oil flying off in the state of half-flame which is smoke4 ,i do not1 my ,dear ,sir1 offer these reasons to you but to myself1 for ,i have often observed that by lending words for my thoughts ,i understand my thoughts the better4 ,thoughts are a kind of mental smoke1 which require words to illuminate them4 ,i am affectionately your ,obt4 ,hble4 servant1 ,thomas ,paine4 ,i hope to be well enough tomorrow to wait on you4 #aghf ,paine had now to lay aside his iron arch and bridge a financial flood4 ,a party had arisen in ,philadelphia1 determined to destroy the ,bank of ,north ,america4 ,paine had confidence in this bank1 and no one knew its history better1 for it had grown out of the subscription he headed 7,may1 #aghj7 with #ejj for the relief of ,washington's suffering army4 ,it had been incorporated by ,congress1 and ultimately by ,pennsylvania1 ,april #a1 #aghb4 ,investments and deposits by and in the ,bank had become very large1 and to repeal its charter was to violate a contract4 ,the attack was in the interest of paper money1 of which there was a large issue4 ,the repeal had to be submitted to popular suffrage1 and even ,cheet-ham admits that ,paine's pamphlet probably averted the act of despotism4 ,the pamphlet was entitled1 ,dissertations on ,government1 the ,affairs of the ,bank1 and ,paper ,money 7#ed pages #hvo74 ,it was written and printed1 ,paine says in his preface 7dated ,february #ah1 #aghf71 during the short recess of the ,assembly4 ,this was between ,december #bb;d and ,february #bfth4 ,the first fourteen pages of the work are devoted to a consideration of general principles4 ,englishmen who receive their constitutional instruction from ,walter ,bagehot and ,albert ,dicey will find in this introduction by ,paine the foundation of their ,republic4 ,in discussing sovereignty he points out that the term1 when applied to a people1 has a different meaning from the arbitrariness it signifies in a monarchy4 ,despotism may be more effectually acted by many over a few1 than by one over all4 ,a republic is a sovereignty of justice1 in contradistinction to a sovereignty of will4 ,the distinct powers of the legislature are stated--those of legislation and those of agency4 ,all laws are acts1 but all acts are not laws4 ,laws are for every individual2 they may be altered4 ,acts of agency or negotiation are deeds and contracts4 ,the greatness of one party cannot give it a superiority or advantage over the other4 ,the state or its representative1 the assembly1 has no more power over an act of this kind1 after it has passed1 than if the state was a private person4 ,it is the glory of a republic to have it so1 because it secures the individual from becoming the prey of power1 and prevents might from overcoming right4 ,if any difference or dispute arise between the state and the individuals with whom the agreement is made respecting the contract1 or the meaning or extent of any of the matters contained in the act1 which may affect the property or interest of either1 such difference or dispute must be judged of and decided upon by the laws of the land1 in a court of justice and trial by jury2 that is1 by the laws of the land already in being at the time such act and contract was made4 ,that this is justice1 adds ,paine1 that it is the true principle of republican government1 no man will be so hardy as to deny4 ,so1 indeed1 it seemed in those days4 ,in the next year those principles were embodied in the ,constitution2 and in #agib1 when a ,state pleaded its sovereign right to repudiate a contract 7,chisholm vs4 ,georgia7 the ,supreme ,court affirmed every contention of ,paine's pamphlet1 using his ideas and sometimes his very phrases4 ,our first ,attorney-,general 7,edmund ,randolph1 of ,virginia7 eloquently maintained that the inferiority of one party1 or dignity of the other1 could not affect the balances of justice4 ,individuals could not be left the victims of ,states4 ,so it was decided4 ,justice ,wilson remarked that the term sovereignty is unknown to the ,constitution3 ,the term 'sovereign' has for its correlative1 'subject4' ,a ,state contracting as a merchant cannot1 when asked to fulfil its contract1 take refuge in its sovereignty4 ,the rights of individuals1 said ,justice ,cushing1 and the justice due to them are as dear and precious as those of ,states4 ,indeed the latter are founded on the former2 and the great end and object of them must be to secure and support the rights of individuals1 or else vain is government499 ,but the decline of republicanism set in2 the shameful ,eleventh ,amendment was adopted2 ,chisholm was defrauded of his victory by a retrospective action of this amendment2 and ,america stands to-day as the only nation professing civilization1 which shields repudiation under ,state sovereignty4 #a ,see ,omitted ,chapters of ,history ,disclosed in the ,life and ,papers of ,edmund ,randolph1 ,chap4 ,,xviii41 for a full history of this subject4 ,in the strength of these principles ,paine was able to overwhelm the whole brood of heresies1--,state privilege1 legal tender1 repudiation1 retrospective laws4 ,his arguments are too modern to need repetition here2 in fineness and force they are like the ribs of his bridge3 as to-day commerce travels on ,paine's iron span1 so on his argumentative arch it passes over freshets endangering honest money4 ,for a like reason it is unnecessary to give here all the details of his bridge sent by ,paine to his correspondents4 ,of this invention more is said in further chapters1 but the subjoined letters are appropriate at this point ,the first two were written at ,bordentown1 where ,paine settled himself in the spring4 ,to ,franklin1 undated4--,i send you the two essays ,i mentioned4 ,as the standing or not standing of such an arch is not governed by opinions1 therefore opinions one way or the other will not alter the fact4 ,the opinions of its standing will not make it stand1 the opinions of its falling will not make it fall2 but ,i shall be exceedingly obliged to you to bestow a few thoughts on the subject and to communicate to me any difficulties or doubtfulness that may occur to you1 because it will be of use to me to know them4 ,as you have not the model to look at ,i enclose a sketch of a rib1 except that the blocks which separate the bars are not represented4 ,to ,franklin1 ,june #fth4--,the gentleman1 ,mr4 ,hall1 who presents you with this letter1 has the care of two models for a bridge1 one of wood1 the other of cast iron1 which ,i have the pleasure of submitting to you1 as well for the purpose of showing my respect to you1 as my patron in this country1 as for the sake of having your opinion and judgment thereon4--,the ,european method of bridge architecture1 by piers and arches1 is not adapted to many of the rivers in ,america on account of the ice in the winter4 ,the construction of those ,i have the honor of presenting to you is designed to obviate the difficulty by leaving the whole passage of the river clear of the incumbrance of piers444 ,my first design in the wooden model was for a bridge over the ,harlem ,river1 for my good friend ,general ,morris of ,morrisania444 but ,i cannot help thinking that it might be carried across the ,schuylkill4444 ,mr4 ,hall1 who has been with me at ,borden ,town1 and has done the chief share of the working part1 for we have done the whole ourselves1 will inform you of any circumstance relating to it which does not depend on the mathematical construction4 ,mr4 ,hall will undertake to see the models brought safe from the stage boat to you2 they are too large to be admitted into the house1 but will stand very well in the garden4 ,should there be a vessel going round to ,new ,york within about a week after my arrival in ,philadelphia ,i shall take that convenience for sending them there1 at which place ,i hope to be in about a fortnight4 ,address and date not given2 written in ,philadelphia1 probably in ,june4--,honorable ,sir1--,i have sent to ,his ,excellency1 the ,president ,franklin two models for a ,bridge1 the one of wood the other of cast-iron bars1 to be erected over rivers1 without piers4 ,as ,i shall in a few days go to ,new ,york1 and take them with me1 ,i do myself the honor of presenting an invitation to ,council to take a view of them before they are removed4 ,if it is convenient to ,council to see and examine their construction to-day1 at the usual time of their adjournment1 ,i will attend at the ,president's at half after twelve o'clock1 or any other day or hour ,council may please to appoint4' 99 ,this and the two letters preceding are among the ,franklin ,,mss4 in the ,philosophical ,society1 ,philadelphia4 ,to the ,hon4 ,thomas ,fitzsimmons2 addressed ,to be left at the ,bank1 ,philadelphia4 ,written at ,borden town1 ,november #aith4--,i write you a few loose thoughts as they occur to me4 ,next to the gaining a majority is that of keeping it ,this1 at least 7in my opinion71 will not be best accomplished by doing or attempting a great deal of business1 but by doing no more than is absolutely necessary to be done1 acting moderately and giving no offence4 ,it is with the whole as it is with the members individually1 and we always see at every new election that it is more difficult to turn out an old member against whom no direct complaint can be made than it is to put in a new one though a better man4 ,i am sure it will be best not to touch any part of the plan of finance this year4 ,if it falls short1 as most probably it will1 it would be 7,i speak for myself7 best to reduce the interest that the whole body of those who are stiled public creditors may share it equally as far as it will go4 ,if any thing can be saved from the ,civil ,list expences it ought not to be finally mortgaged to make up the deficiency2 it may be applied to bring the creditors to a balance for the present year4 ,there is more to be said respecting this debt than has yet been said4 ,the matter has never been taken up but by those who were interested in the matter4 ,the public has been deficient and the claimants exorbitant--neglect on one side and greediness on the other4 ,that which is truly ,justice may be always advocated4 ,but ,i could no more think of paying six per cent ,interest in real money1 in perpetuity1 for a debt a great part of which is quondam than ,i could think of not paying at all4 ,six per cent on any part of the debt1 even to the original holders is ten or twelve per cent1 and to the speculators twenty or thirty or more4 ,it is better that the matter rest until it is fuller investigated and better understood1 for in its present state it will be hazardous to touch upon4 ,i have not heard a word of news from ,philadelphia since ,i came to this place4 ,i wrote a line to ,mr4 ,francis and desired him to give me a little account of matters but he does not1 perhaps1 think it very necessary now4 ,i see by the papers that the subject of the ,bank is likely to be renewed4 ,i should like to know when it will come on1 as ,i have some thought of coming down at that time1 if ,i can4 ,i see by the papers that the ,agricultural ,society have presented a petition to the house respecting building a ,bridge over the ,schuylkill--on a model prepared for that purpose4 ,in this ,i think they are too hasty4 ,i have already constructed a model of a ,bridge of ,cast ,iron1 consisting of one arch4 ,i am now making another of wrought ,iron of one arch1 but on a different ,plan4 ,i expect to finish it in about three weeks and shall send it first to ,philadelphia4 ,i have no opinion of any ,bridge over the ,schuylkill that is to be erected on piers--the sinking of piers will sink more money than they have any ,idea of and will not stand when done4 ,but there is another point they have not taken into their consideration2 which is1 that the sinking three piers in the middle of the river1 large and powerful enough to resist the ice1 will cause such an alteration in the bed and channel of the river that there is no saying what course it may take1 or whether it will not force a new channel somewhere else499 99 ,i am indebted for this letter to ,mr4 ,simon ,grata of ,philadelphia4 ,to ,george ,clymer1 ,esquire1 to be left at the ,bank1 ,philadelphia4 ,written at ,bordentown1 ,november #aith4--,i observe by the minutes that the ,agricultural ,society have presented a petition to the house for an act of incorporation for the purpose of erecting a bridge over the ,schuylkill on a model in their possession4 ,i hope this business will not be gone into too hastily4 ,a ,bridge on piers will never answer for that river1 they may sink money but they never will sink piers that will stand4 ,but admitting that the piers do stand--they will cause such an alteration in the ,bed and channel of the river1 as will most probable alter its course either to divide the channel1 and require two bridges or cause it to force a new channel in some other part4 ,it is a matter of more hazard than they are aware of the altering by obstructions the bed and channel of a ,river2 the water must go somewhere--the force of the freshets and the ,ice is very great now but will be much greater then4 ,i am finishing as fast as ,i can my new model of an ,iron ,bridge of one arch which if it answers1 as ,i have no doubt but it will1 the whole difficulty of erecting ,bridges over that river1 or others of like circumstances1 will be removed1 and the expense not greater1 7and ,i believe not so great7 as the sum mentioned by ,mr4 ,morris in the house1 and ,i am sure will stand four times as long or as much longer as ,iron is more durable than wood4 ,i mention these circumstances to you that you may be informed of them--and not let the matter proceed so far as to put the ,agricultural ,society in a difficult situation at last4 ,the giving a ,society the exclusive right to build a bridge1 unless the plan is prepared before hand1 will prevent a bridge being built2 because those who might afterwards produce models preferable to their own1 will not present them to any such body of men1 and they can have no right to take other peoples labours or inventions to compleat their own undertakings by4 ,i have not heard any news since ,i came to this place4 ,i wish you would give me a line and let me know how matters are going on4--,the ,stage ,boat comes to ,borden ,town every ,wednesday and ,sunday from the ,crooked ,billet ,wharf499 #aghg ,at the close of the war ,paine was eager to visit ,england4 ,he speaks of it in his letter of ,june #g1 #aghc1 to ,elias ,boudinot1 already referred to--but he had not the means4 ,the measures for his remuneration had delayed him two and a half years1 and it now became imperative that he should put in a fair way of success his invention of the bridge4 ,the models made a good impression on ,franklin and the ,council1 and a committee was appointed to investigate it4 ,early in the year following the ,pennsylvania ,assembly appointed another committee4 ,but meanwhile ,paine's correspondence with his parents determined him to visit them at once1 and look after the interests of his invention upon his return49999 ,he no doubt also thought1 and it may have been suggested by ,franklin1 that the success of his bridge would be assured in ,america and ,england if it should receive approval of the engineers in ,france4 ,in ,march1 #aghg1 he is in ,philadelphia1 consulting committees1 and on the #cast writes to ,franklin of his prospects and plans3 99 ,for this letter ,i am indebted to ,mr4 ,charles ,roberts1 of ,philadelphia4 9999 ,it is known that he received an affectionate letter from his father1 now in his #ghth year1 but it has not been found1 and was probably burned with the ,bonneville papers in ,st4 ,louis4 ,i mentioned in one of my essays my design of going this spring to ,europe4--,i intend landing in france and from thence ,england1--and that ,i should take the model with me4 ,the time ,i had fixed with myself was ,may1 but understanding 7since ,i saw you yesterday7 that no french packet sails that month1 ,i must either take the ,april packet or wait till ,june4 ,as ,i can get ready by the ,april packet ,i intend not omitting the opportunity4 ,my ,father and ,mother are yet living1 whom ,i am very anxious to see1 and have informed them of my coming over the ensuing summer4 ,i propose going from hence by the stage on ,wednesday for ,new ,york1 and shall be glad to be favoured with the care of any letters of yours to ,france or ,england4 ,my stay in ,paris1 when with ,col4 ,laurens1 was so short that ,i do not feel myself introduced there1 for ,i was in no house but at ,passy1 and the ,hotel ,col4 ,laurens was at4 ,as ,i have taken a part in the ,revolution and politics of this country1 and am not an unknown character in the political world1 ,i conceive it would be proper on my going to ,paris1 that ,i should pay my respects to ,count ,vergennes1 to whom ,i am personally unknown2 and ,i shall be very glad of a letter from you to him affording me that opportunity1 or rendering my waiting on him easy to me2 for it so often happens that men live to forfeit the reputation at one time they gained at another1 that it is prudent not to presume too much on one's self4 ,the ,marquis ,la ,fayette ,i am the most known to of any gentleman in ,france4 ,should he be absent from ,paris there are none ,i am much acquainted with4 ,i am on exceeding good terms with ,mr4 ,jefferson which will necessarily be the first place ,i go to4 ,as ,i had the honor of your introduction to ,america it will add to my happiness to have the same friendship continued to me on the present occasion4 ,respecting the model1 ,i shall be obliged to you for a letter to some of the ,commissioners in that department4 ,i shall be glad to hear their opinion of it ,if they will undertake the experiment of two ,ribs1 it will decide the matter and promote the work here1--but this need not be mentioned4 ,the ,assembly have appointed another ,committee1 consisting of ,mr4 ,morris1 ,mr4 ,clymer1 ,mr4 ,fitzsimons1 ,mr4 ,wheeler1 ,mr4 ,robinson1 to confer with me on the undertaking4 ,the matter therefore will remain suspended till my return next winter4 ,it is worth waiting this event1 because if a single arch to that extent will answer1 all difficulties in that river1 or others of the same condition1 are overcome at once4 ,i will do myself the pleasure of waiting on you tomorrow4 ,during the time when ,paine was perfecting his bridge1 and consulting the scientific committees1 the country was absorbed with preparations for forming a national ,constitution and ,union4 ,when the ,states were nominating and electing delegates to the ,convention of #aghg1 no one seems to have suggested ,paine for a seat in it1 nor does he appear to have aspired to one4 ,the reasons are not far to seek4 ,paine was altogether too inventive for the kind of work contemplated by the colonial politicians4 ,he had shown in all his writings1 especially in his ,dissertations on ,government1 that he would build a constitution as he built his bridge3 it must be mathematical1 founded and shaped in impregnable principles1 means adopted and adapted strictly for an ideal national purpose4 ,his iron span did not consider whether there might be large interests invested in piers1 or superstitions in favor of oak2 as little did his anti-slavery essays consider the investments in slavery1 or his ,public ,good on the jealous sovereignty of ,states4 ,a recent writer says that ,paine's ,common ,sense was just what the moment demanded1 and that it may be briefly described as a plea for independence and a continental government499 ,in setting the nation at once to a discussion of the principles of such government1 he led it to assume the principle of independence2 over the old ,english piers on their quicksands1 which some would rebuild1 he threw his republican arch1 on which the people passed from shore to shore4 ,he and ,franklin did the like in framing the ,pennsylvania constitution of #aggf1 by which the chasm of ,toryism was spanned4 99 ,the ,development of ,constitutional ,liberty in the ,english ,colonies of ,america1 by ,eben ,greenough ,scott1 #ahij4 ,every pamphlet of ,paine was of the nature of an invention1 by which principles of liberty and equality were framed in constructions adapted to emergencies of a republic4 ,but when the emergencies were past1 the old contrivances regained their familiar attractions1 and these were enhanced by independence4 ,privilege1 so odious in ,lords1 was not so bad when inherited by democracy2 individual sovereignty1 unsuited to ,king ,george1 might be a fine thing for ,president ,george2 and if ,england had a ,house of ,peers1 why should we not make one out of a peerage of ,states8 ,our experience in republicanism1 wrote ,paine1 is yet so slender1 that it is much to be doubted whether all our public laws and acts are consistent with1 or can be justified on1 the principles of a republican government4 ,but the more he talked in this way1 or reminded the nation of the ,declaration of ,independence and the ,bill of ,rights1 the more did he close the doors of the ,constitutional ,convention against himself4 ,in those days there used to meet in ,franklin's library a ,society for ,political ,inquiries4 ,it had forty-two members1 among them ,washington1 ,james ,wilson1 ,robert ,morris1 ,gouverneur ,morris1 ,clymer1 ,rush1 ,bingham1 ,bradford1 ,hare1 ,rawle1 and ,paine4 ,a memorandum of ,rawle says3 ,paine never opened his mouth1 but he furnished one of the few essays which the members of the ,society were expected to produce4 ,it was a well written dissertation on the inexpediency of incorporating towns499 ,that in such company1 and at such a time1 ,paine should be silent1 or discuss corporations1 suggests political solitude4 ,franklin1 indeed1 agreed with him1 but was too old to struggle against the reaction in favor of the bicameral and other ,english institutions4 99 ,memoir of ,penn4 ,hist4 ,soc1 #ahdj4 ,the gist of ,paine's paper 7read ,apr4 #bj1aghg7 is no doubt contained in ,the ,rights of ,man1 ,part ,,ii41 ,ch4 #e4 ,m4 ,chanut 7,nouv4 ,biog4 ,generale7 says that ,paine's bridge was not erected on the ,schuylkill because of the imperfect state of iron manufacture in ,america4 ,something of the same kind might be said of the state of political architecture4 ,and so it was1 that while the ,convention was assembling in ,independence ,hall1 he who first raised the standard of ,independence1 and before the ,declaration proposed a ,charter of the ,united ,colonies of ,america1 was far out at sea on his way to rejoin his comrades in the old world1 whose hearts and burdens he had represented in the new4 ,the printed ,rules of the ,society 7founded ,february #i1 #aghg7 are in the ,philosophical ,society1 ,philadelphia4 ,the preamble1 plainly ,paine's1 says3 ,important as these inquiries are to all1 to the inhabitants of these republics they are objects of peculiar magnitude and necessity4 ,accustomed to look up to those nations1 from whom we have derived our origin1 for our laws1 our opinions1 and our manners1 we have retained with undistinguishing reverence their errors1 with their improvements2 have blended with our public institutions the policy of dissimilar countries2 and have grafted on our infant commonwealth the manners of ancient and corrupted monarchies4 ,in having effected a separate government1 we have as yet effected but a partial independence4 ,the revolution can only be said to be compleat1 when we shall have freed ourselves1 no less from the influence of foreign prejudices than from the fetters of foreign power4 ,,chapter ,,xvi4 ,,returning ,,to ,,the ,,old ,,home ,even now one can hardly repress regret that ,paine did not remain in his beloved ,bordentown4 ,there he was the honored man2 his striking figure1 decorated with the noblest associations1 was regarded with pride2 when he rode the lanes on his horse ,button1 the folk had a pleasant word with him2 the best homes prized his intimacy1 and the young ladies would sometimes greet the old gentleman with a kiss4 ,from all this he was drawn by the tender letter of a father he was never to see again4 ,he sailed in ,april for a year's absence2 he remained away fifteen1--if such years may be reckoned by calendar4 ,the ,french packet from ,new ,york had a swift voyage1 and early in the summer ,paine was receiving honors in ,paris4 ,franklin had given him letters of introduction1 but he hardly needed them499 ,he was already a hero of the progressives1 who had relished his artistic dissection of the ,abbe ,raynal's disparagement of the ,american ,revolution4 ,among those who greeted him was ,auberteuil1 whose history of the ,american ,revolution ,paine had corrected1 an early copy having been sent him 7#aghc7 by ,franklin for that purpose4 99 ,this letter goes by ,mr4 ,paine1 one of our principal writers at the ,revolution1 being the author of ',common ,sense1' a pamphlet that had prodigious effects4--,franklin to ,m4 de ,veillard4 ,but ,paine's main object in ,france was to secure a verdict from the ,academy of ,sciences1 the supreme authority1 on his bridge1 a model of which he carried with him4 ,the ,academy received him with the honors due to an ,m4,a4 of the ,university of ,pennsylvania1 a member of the ,philosophical ,society1 and a friend of ,franklin4 ,it appointed ,m4 ,leroy1 ,m4 ,bossou1 and ,m4 ,borda a committee to report on his bridge1 ,on ,august #ahth he writes to ,jefferson1 then ,minister in ,paris3 ,i am much obliged to you for the book you are so kind to send me4 ,the second part of your letter1 concerning taking my picture1 ,i must feel as an honor done to me1 not as a favour asked of me--but in this1 as in other matters1 ,i am at the disposal of your friendship4 ,the committee have among themselves finally agreed on their report2 ,i saw this morning it will be read in the ,academy on ,wednesday4 ,the report goes pretty fully to support the principles of the construction1 with their reasons for that opinion4 ,on ,august #aeth1 a cheery letter had gone to ,george ,clymer in ,philadelphia1 in which he says3 ,this comes by ,mr4 ,derby1 of ,massachusetts1 who leaves ,paris to-day to take shipping at ,l' ,orient for ,boston4 ,the enclosed for ,dr4 ,franklin is from his friend ,mr4 ,le ,roy1 of the ,academy of ,sciences1 respecting the bridge1 and the causes that have delayed the completing report4 ,an arch of #d or #e hundred feet is such an unprecedented thing1 and will so much attract notice in the northern part of ,europe1 that the ,academy is cautious in what manner to express their final opinion4 ,it is1 ,i find1 their custom to give reasons for their opinion1 and this embarrasses them more than the opinion itself4 ,that the model is strong1 and that a bridge constructed on the same principles will also be strong1 they appear to be well agreed in1 but to what particular causes to assign the strength they are not agreed in4 ,the ,committee was directed by the ,academy to examine all the models and plans for iron bridges that had been proposed in ,france1 and they unanimously gave the preference to our own1 as being the simplest1 strongest1 and lightest4 ,they have likewise agreed on some material points499 ,dr4 ,robinet says that on this visit 7#aghg7 ,paine1 who had long known the soul of the people1 came into relation with eminent men of all groups1 philosophical and political1--,condorcet1 ,achille ,duchatelet1 ,cardinal ,de ,brienne1 and1 he believes1 also ,danton1 who1 like the ,english republican1 was a freemason49999 ,this intercourse1 adds the same author1 enabled him to print in ,england his remarkable prophecy concerning the change going on in the ,french mind4 ,dr4 ,robinet quotes from a pamphlet presently noticed1 partly written in ,paris during this summer4 ,although it was ,paine's grievous destiny soon to be once more a revolutionary figure1 it is certain that he had returned to ,europe as an apostle of peace and good-will4 ,while the engineers were considering his daring scheme of an iron arch of five hundred feet1 he was devising with the ,cardinal ,minister1 ,de ,brienne1 a bridge of friendship across the ,channel4 99 ,for this letter ,i am indebted to ,mr4 ,curtis ,guild1 of ,boston4 ,the letter goes on to describe1 with drawings1 the famous bridge at ,schaffhausen1 built by ,grubenmann1 an uneducated carpenter1 the model being shown ,paine by the ,king's architect1 ,perronet4 ,the ,academy's committee presently made its report1 which was even more favorable than ,paine had anticipated4 9999 ,danton ,emigre1 p4 #g4 ,paine wrote a brief archaeological treatise on freemasonry1 but ,i have not met with the statement that he was a freemason except in ,dr4 ,robinet's volume1--certainly high authority4 ,he drew up a paper in this sense1 on which the ,minister wrote and signed his approval4 ,the bridge-model approved by the ,academy he sent to ,sir ,joseph ,banks1 ,president of the ,royal ,society2 the proposal for friendship between ,france and ,england1 approved by the ,cardinal ,minister1 he carried by his own hand to ,edmund ,burke4 ,on his arrival in ,london ,paine gave to the printer a manuscript on which he had been engaged1 and straightway went to ,thetford499 ,his father had died the year before4#b ,his mother1 now in her ninety-first year1 he found in the comfort his remittances had supplied4 ,the house1 with its large garden1 stands in ,guildhall 7then ,heathen-man7 ,street4 ,i was politely shown through it by its present occupant1 ,mr4 ,brett ,mr4 ,stephen ,old-man1 ,sr41 who went to school in the house1 told me that it was identified by old ,jack ,whistler1 a barber1 as the place where he went to shave ,paine1 in #aghg4 ,at this time ,paine settled on his mother an allowance of nine shillings per week1 which in the ,thetford of that period was ample for her comfort4 ,during this autumn with his mother he rarely left her side4 ,as she lived to be ninety-four it may be that he sat beside her in the ,quaker meeting-house1 to which she had become attached in her latter years4 99 ,the exact time of his arrival in ,england is doubtful4 ,oldys says3 ,he arrived at the ,white ,bear1 ,picadilly1 on the #c;d of ,september1 #aghg1 just thirteen years after his departure for ,philadelphia4 ,writing in #ahjc ,paine also says it was in ,september4 ,but his ,rubicon pamphlet is dated ,york ,street1 ,st4 ,james's ,square1 #bjth ,august1 #aghg4 ,possibly the manuscript was dated in ,paris and forwarded to the ,london printer with the address at which he wished to find proof on his arrival4 9999 ,st4 ,cuthbert's ,register3 ,burials1 #aghf4 ,joseph ,payne 7a ,quaker7 aged #gh years4 ,november #adth4 ,eloquent and pathetic must have been the silence around the gray man when1 after so many tempests1 he sat once more in the little meeting-house where his childhood was nurtured4 ,from this1 his spiritual cradle1 he had borne away a beautiful theory1 in ignorance of the contrasted actuality4 ,theoretically the ,society of ,friends is a theocracy2 the ,spirit alone rules and directs1 effacing all distinctions of rank or sex4 ,as a matter of fact1 one old ,quaker1 or the clerk of a meeting1 often overrules the inner lights of hundreds4 ,of the practical working of ,quaker government ,paine had no experience2 he had nothing to check his ideal formed in boyhood4 ,his whole political system is explicable only by his theocratic ,quakerism4 ,his first essay1 the plea for negro emancipation1 was brought from ,thetford meeting-house4 ,his ,common ,sense1 a new-world scripture1 is a testimony against the proud who raised their paltry dignities above the divine presence in the lowliest ,but where1 say some1 is the ,king of ,america8 ,i 'll tell you1 friend1 he reigns above4 ,paine's love of his adopted country was not mere patriotism2 he beheld in it the land of promise for all mankind1 seen from afar while on his ,thetford ,pisgah4 ,therefore he made so much of the various races in ,america4 ,the mere independence of ,america1 were it to have been followed by a system of government modelled after the corrupt system of the ,english government1 would not have interested me with the unabated ardour that it did4 ,it was to bring forward and establish the representative system of government that was the leading principle with me4 ,so he spake to ,congress1 and to its president he said that he would have done the same for any country as for ,america4 ,the religious basis of his political system has a droll illustration in an anecdote of his early life told by himself4 ,while bowling with friends at ,lewes1 ,mr4 ,verril remarked that ,frederick of ,prussia was the best fellow in the world for a king2 he had so much of the devil in him4 ,it struck ,paine that if it were necessary for a king to have so much of the devil in him1 kings might very beneficially be dispensed with4 ,from this time he seems to have developed a theory of human rights based on theocracy2 and so genuinely that in ,america1 while the ,bible was still to him the word of ,god1 he solemnly proposed1 in the beginning of the ,revolution1 that a crown should be publicly laid on that book1 to signify to the world that in ,america the ,law is ,king4 ,while in ,america the ,states were discussing the ,constitution proposed by the ,convention1 ,paine sat in the silent meeting at ,thetford dreaming of the ,parliament of ,man1 and federation of the world4 ,in ,america the dawn of the new nation was a splendor1 but it paled the ideals that had shone through the night of struggle4 ,the principles of the ,declaration1 which would have freed every slave1--representation proportionate to population1 so essential to equality1 the sovereignty of justice instead of majorities or of ,states1--had become glittering generalities4 ,the first to affirm the principles of the ,declaration1 ,paine awaited the unsummoned ,convention that would not compromise any of them away4 ,for politicians these lofty ideas might be extinguished by the rising of a national sun2 but in ,paine there remained the deep ,quaker well where the stars shone on through the garish day499 ,seated in the ,quaker meeting-house beside his mother1 and beside his father's fresh grave1 ,paine revises the past while revising the proofs of his pamphlet4 ,the glamor of war1 even of the ,american ,revolution1 fades2 the shudder with which he saw in childhood soldiers reeking from the massacres of ,culloden and ,inverness returns2 he begins his new career in the old world with a testimony against war49999 99 ,in wells where truth in secret lay ,he saw the midnight stars by day4--,w4 ,d4 ,howells4 9999 ,prospects on the ,rubicon2 or1 ,an ,investigation into the ,causes and ,consequences of the ,politics to be ,agitated at the ,meeting of ,parliament4 ,london1 #aghg4 ,pp4 #fh4 ,when we consider1 for the feelings of ,nature cannot be dismissed1 the calamities of war and the miseries it inflicts upon the human species1 the thousands and tens of thousands of every age and sex who are rendered wretched by the event1 surely there is something in the heart of man that calls upon him to think6 ,surely there is some tender chord1 tuned by the hand of the ,creator1 that still struggles to emit in the hearing of the soul a note of sorrowing sympathy4 ,let it then be heard1 and let man learn to feel that the true greatness of a nation is founded on principles of humanity4444 ,war involves in its progress such a train of unforeseen and unsupposed circumstances1 such a combination of foreign matters1 that no human wisdom can calculate the end4 ,it has but one thing certain1 and that is to increase taxes4444 ,i defend the cause of the poor1 of the manufacturer1 of the tradesman1 of the farmer1 and of all those on whom the real burthen of taxes fall--but above all1 ,i defend the cause of humanity4 ,so little did ,paine contemplate or desire revolution in ,england or ,france4 ,his exhortation to young ,pitt is to avoid war with ,holland1 to be friendly with ,france1 to shun alliances involving aid in war1 and to build up the wealth and liberties of ,england by uniting the people with the throne4 ,he has discovered that this healthy change is going on in ,france4 ,the ,french people are allying the ,majesty of the ,sovereign with the ,majesty of the ,nation4 ,of all alliances this is infinitely the strongest and the safest to be trusted to1 because the interest so formed and operating against external enemies can never be divided4 ,freedom doubles the value of the subject to the government ,when the desire of freedom becomes universal among the people1 then1 and not before1 is the important moment for the most effectual consolidation of national strength and greatness4 ,the government must not be frightened by disturbances incidental to beneficent changes4 ,the creation we enjoy arose out of a chaos499 99 ,the pamphlet was reprinted in ,london in #agic under the title3 ,prospects on the ,war1 and ,paper ,currency4 ,the second edition1 corrected4 ,advertisement 7,june #bjth73 ,this pamphlet was written by ,mr4 ,paine in the year #aghg1 on one of ,mr4 ,pitt's armaments1 namely1 that against ,holland4 ,his object was to prevent the people of ,england from being seduced into a war1 by stating clearly to them the consequences which would inevitably befall the credit of this country should such a calamity take place4 ,the minister has at length1 however1 succeeded in his great project1 after three expensive armaments within the space of seven years2 and the event has proved how well founded were the predictions of ,mr4 ,paine4 ,the person who has authority to bring forward this pamphlet in its present shape1 thinks his doing so a duty which he owes both to ,mr4 ,p------ and the people of ,england1 in order that the latter may judge what credit is due to 7what a great judge calls7 the wild theories of ,mr4 ,paine4 ,paine had seen a good deal of ,jefferson in ,paris1 and no doubt their conversation often related to struggles in the ,constitutional ,convention at ,philadelphia4 ,jefferson wished the ,constitution to include a ,declaration of ,rights1 and wrote ,paine some comments on the argument of ,james ,wilson 7afterward of the ,supreme ,court71 maintaining that such a ,declaration was unnecessary in a government without any powers not definitely granted1 and that such a ,declaration might be construed to imply some degree of power over the matters it defined4 ,wilson's speeches1 powerfully analyzing the principles of liberty and federation1 were delivered on ,october #fth and ,november #bdth1 and it will appear by the subjoined paper that they were more in accord with ,paine's than with ,jefferson's principles4 ,the manuscript1 which is among ,jefferson's papers1 bears no date1 but was no doubt written at ,thetford early in the year #aghh4 #aghh ,after ,i got home1 being alone and wanting amusement1 ,i sat down to explain to myself 7for there is such a thing7 my ideas of national and civil rights1 and the distinction between them4 ,i send them to you to see how nearly we agree4 ,suppose twenty persons1 strangers to each other1 to meet in a country not before inhabited4 ,each would be a ,sovereign in his own natural right4 ,his will would be his law1 but his power1 in many cases1 inadequate to his right2 and the consequence would be that each might be exposed1 not only to each other1 but to the other nineteen4 ,it would then occur to them that their condition would be much improved1 if a way could be devised to exchange that quantity of danger into so much protection2 so that each individual should possess the strength of the whole number4 ,as all their rights in the first case are natural rights1 and the exercise of those rights supported only by their own natural individual power1 they would begin by distinguishing between those rights they could individually exercise1 fully and perfectly1 and those they could not4 ,of the first kind are the rights of thinking1 speaking1 forming and giving opinions1 and perhaps are those which can be fully exercised by the individual without the aid of exterior assistance2 or in other words1 rights of personal competency4 ,of the second kind are those of personal protection1 of acquiring and possessing property1 in the exercise of which the individual natural power is less than the natural right4 ,having drawn this line they agree to retain individually the first class of ,rights1 or those of personal competency2 and to detach from their personal possession the second class1 or those of defective power1 and to accept in lieu thereof a right to the whole power produced by a condensation of all the parts4 ,these ,i conceive to be civil rights1 or rights of compact1 and are distinguishable from natural rights because in the one we act wholly in our own person1 in the other we agree not to do so1 but act under the guarantee of society4 ,it therefore follows that the more of those imperfect natural rights or rights of imperfect power we give up1 and thus exchange1 the more security we possess2 and as the word liberty is often mistakenly put for security1 ,mr4 ,wilson has confused his argument by confounding the terms4 ,but it does not follow that the more natural rights of every kind we assign the more security we possess1 because if we resign those of the first class we may suffer much by the exchange2 for where the right and the power are equal with each other in the individual1 naturally1 they ought to rest there4 ,mr4 ,wilson must have some allusion to this distinction1 or his position would be subject to the inference you draw from it4 ,i consider the individual sovereignty of the ,states retained under the act of confederation to be of the second class of right4 ,it becomes dangerous because it is defective in the power necessary to support it4 ,it answers the pride and purpose of a few men in each ,state1 but the ,state collectively is injured by it4 ,the paper just quoted may be of importance to those students of ,yale ,college who shall compete for the ,ten ,eyck prize of #ahib1 on the interesting subject1 ,thomas ,paine3 ,deism and ,democracy in the ,days of the ,american ,revolution4 ,there was no nearer approach to democracy1 in ,paine's theory1 than that of this paper sent to ,jefferson4 ,the ,constitutional ,convention represented to him the contracting ,people1 all the individuals being parties to a ,compact whereby every majority pledges itself to protect the minority in matters not essential to the security of all4 ,in representative government thus limited by compact he recognized the guaranty of individual freedom and influence by which the mass could be steadily enlightened4 ,royall ,tyler considered some of his views on these subjects whimsical paradoxes2 but they are not so unaccountable as he supposed4 ,tyler's portraiture of ,paine in ,london1 though somewhat adapted to prejudices anent ,the ,age of ,reason1 is graphic1 and ,paine's anti-democratic paradox wittily described4 ,i met this interesting personage at the lodgings of the son of a late patriotic ,american governour ,trumbull444 ,he was dressed in a snuff-coloured coat1 olive velvet vest1 drab breeches1 coarse hose4 ,his shoe buckles of the size of a half dollar4 ,a bob tailed wig covered that head which worked such mickle woe to courts and kings4 ,if ,i should attempt to describe it1 it would be in the same stile and principle with which the veteran soldier bepraiseth an old standard3 the more tattered1 the more glorious4 ,it is probable that this was the same identical wig under the shadow of whose curls he wrote ,common ,sense1 in ,america1 many years before4 ,he was a spare man1 rather under size2 subject to the extreme of low1 and highly exhilirating spirits2 often sat reserved in company2 seldom mingled in common chit chat3 ,but when a man of sense and elocution was present1 and the company numerous1 he delighted in advancing the most unaccountable1 and often the most whimsical paradoxes2 which he defended in his own plausible manner4 ,if encouraged by success1 or the applause of the company1 his countenance was animated with an expression of feature which1 on ordinary occasions one would look for in vain1 in a man so much celebrated for acuteness of thought2 but if interrupted by extraneous observation1 by the inattention of his auditory1 or in an irritable moment1 even by the accidental fall of the poker1 he would retire into himself1 and no persuasion could induce him to proceed upon the most favourite topic4444 ,i heard ,thomas ,paine once assert in the presence of ,mr4 ,wolcott1 better known1 in this country1 by the facetious name of ,peter ,pindar1 that the minority1 in all deliberative bodies1 ought1 in all cases1 to govern the majority4 ,peter smiled4 ,you must grant me1 said ,uncommon ,sense1 that the proportion of men of sense1 to the ignorant among mankind1 is at least as twenty1 thirty1 or even forty-nine1 to an hundred4 ,the majority of mankind are consequently most prone to errour2 and if we atchieve the right1 the minority ought in all cases to govern4 ,peter continued to smile archly499 99 ,the ,algerine ,captive1 #agig4 7,paine's shoe-buckles in the ,national ,museum1 ,washington1 are of the fashionable kind47 ,in the end this theory was put to a vote of the company present1 and all arose with ,paine except ,peter ,pindar1 who thereupon said1 ,i am the wise minority who ought1 in all cases1 to govern your ignorant majority4 ,,chapter ,,xvii4 ,a ,,british ,,lion ,,with ,,an ,,american ,,heart ,the influence of ,paine's ,quaker training has been traced in his constructive politics1 but its repressive side had more perhaps to do with his career4 ,i had some turn1 he said1 and ,i believe some talent1 for poetry2 but this ,i rather repressed than encouraged4 ,it is your half-repressed poets that kindle revolutions4 ,history might be different had ,paine not been taught fear of music and poetry4 ,he must have epical commonwealths4 ,the ,american ,republic having temporarily filled his ideal horizon in the political direction1 the disguised ,muse turned his eye upon the possibilities of nature4 ,morally utilitarian1 he yet rarely writes about physics without betraying the poetic passion for nature of a suppressed ,wordsworth4 ,nature is his ,aphrodite and his ,madonna4 ,bred up in antediluvian notions1 she has not yet acquired the ,european taste of receiving visitors in her dressing-room2 she locks and bolts up her private recesses with extraordinary care1 as if not only resolved to preserve her hoards but conceal her age1 and hide the remains of a face that was young and lovely in the days of ,adam4 ,defining for ,jefferson the distinction between attraction and cohesion1 he says3 ,i recollect a scene at one of the theatres which very well explains the difference4 ,a condemned lady wishes to see her child and the child its mother3 that is ,attraction4 ,they were admitted to meet1 but when ordered to part threw their arms around each other and fastened their persons together3 this is ,cohesion4 ,all the atoms or molecules are little mothers and daughters and lovers clasping each other2 it is an interlocking of figures2 and if our eyes were good enough we should see how it was done4 ,he has a transcendental perception of unity in things dissimilar4 ,on his walks to ,challiot he passes trees and fountains1 and writes a little essay1 with figures1 explaining to his friend that the tree is also a fountain1 and that by measuring diameters of trunks and tubes1 or branches1 the quantity of timber thrown up by sap-fountains might be known4 ,some of his casual speculations he calls conceits4 ,they are the exuberance of a scientific imagination inspired by philanthropy and naturalistic religion4 ,the inner light of man corresponds to an inner spirit of nature4 ,the human mind dimmed by ignorance1 perverted by passion1 turns the very gifts of nature to thorns1 amid which her divine beauty sleeps until awakened by the kiss of science4 ,it would be difficult to find anything in the literature of mechanical invention more naively picturesque than this ,quaker1 passed through furnaces of two revolutions1 trying to humanize gunpowder4 ,here is a substance with maximum of power and minimum of bulk and weight4 ,when ,i consider the wisdom of nature ,i must think that she endowed matter with this extraordinary property for other purposes than that of destruction4 ,poisons are capable of other uses than that of killing4 ,if the power which an ounce of gunpowder contains could be detailed out as steam or water can be it would be a most commodious natural power4 ,having failed to convert revolutions to ,quakerism1 ,paine tries to soften the heart of gunpowder itself1 and insists that its explosiveness may be restrained and detailed like strokes on a boy's top to obtain continual motion4 ,the sleeping top1 the chastened repose of perfect motion1 like the quiet of the spinning worlds1 is the ,quaker inventor's ideal1 and he begs the ,president of the ,united ,states to try the effect of the smallest pistol made--the size of a quill--on a wheel with peripheral cups to receive the discharges499 99 ,i am reluctantly compelled to give only the main ideas of several theses of this kind by ,paine1 found among ,jefferson's papers4 ,the portion of the ,jefferson ,papers at ,washington written by ,paine would fill a good volume4 ,the biographers of ,paine1 wrote his friend1 ,joel ,barlow1 should not forget his mathematical acquirements and his mechanical genius4 ,but it would require a staff of specialists1 and a large volume1 to deal with ,paine's scientific studies and contrivances--with his planing machine1 his new crane1 his smokeless candle1 his wheel of concentric rim1 his scheme for using gunpowder as a motor1 above all his iron bridge4 ,as for the bridge1 ,paine feels that it is a sort of ,american revolution carried into mechanics2 his eagle cannot help spreading a little in the wondering eyes of the ,old ,world4 ,great scenes inspire great ideas1 he writes to ,sir ,george ,staunton4 ,the natural mightiness of ,america expands the mind1 and it partakes of the greatness it contemplates4 ,even the war1 with all its evils1 had some advantages4 ,it energized invention and lessened the catalogue of impossibilities4 ,at the conclusion of it every man returned to his home to repair the ravages it had occasioned1 and to think of war no more4 ,as one amongst thousands who had borne a share in that memorable revolution1 ,i returned with them to the re-enjoyment of quiet life1 and1 that ,i might not be idle1 undertook to construct a single arch for this river ,schuylkill4 ,our beloved ,general had engaged in rendering another river1 the ,potowmac1 navigable4 ,the quantity of iron ,i had allowed in my plan for this arch was five hundred and twenty tons1 to be distributed into thirteen ribs1 in commemoration of the ,thirteen ,united ,states4 ,it is amusing after this to find ,paine1 in his patent1 declaring his special license from ,his ,most ,excellent ,majesty ,king ,george the ,third499 ,had poor ,george been in his right senses1 or ever heard of the invention1 he might have suspected some connection between this insurrection of the iron age and the ,american rebellion4 ,however1 ,paine is successful in keeping ,america out of his specification1 albeit a poetic touch appears4 99 ,no4 #affg4 ,specification of ,thomas ,paine4 ,constructing ,arches4 ,vaulted ,roofs1 and ,ceilings4 ,the specification1 dated ,august #bh1 #aghh1 declares his invention to be on principles new and different to anything hitherto practised4 ,the patents for ,england1 ,scotland1 and ,ireland were granted in ,september4 ,an iron arch of one hundred feet was designed by ,pritchard and erected by ,darby at ,coalbrook ,dale1 ,shropshire1 in #aggi1 but it did not anticipate the invention of ,paine1 as may be seen by the article on ,iron ,bridges in the ,encyclopaedia ,britannica1 which also well remarks that ,paine's daring in engineering does full justice to the fervour of his political career4 7,eighth edition2 it is omitted in the ninth47 ,the idea and construction of this arch is taken from the figure of a spider's circular web1 of which it resembles a section1 and from a conviction that when nature empowered this insect to make a web she also instructed her in the strongest mechanical method of constructing it4 ,another idea1 taken from nature in the construction of this arch1 is that of increasing the strength of matter by dividing and combining it1 and thereby causing it to act over a larger space than it would occupy in a solid state1 as is seen in the quills of birds1 bones of animals1 reeds1 canes1 c4 ,the curved bars of the arch are composed of pieces of any length joined together to the whole extent of the arch1 and take curvature by bending4 ,paine and his bridge came to ,england at a fortunate moment4 ,blackfriars ,bridge had just given way1 and two over the ,tyne1 one built by ,smeaton1 had collapsed by reason of quicksands under their piers4 ,and similarly ,pitt's policy was collapsing through the treacherous quicksands on which it was based4 ,paper money and a sinking fund at home1 and foreign alliances that disregarded the really controlling interests of nations1 ,paine saw as piers set in the ,channel499 ,he at once took his place in ,england as a sort of institution4 ,while the engineers beheld with admiration his iron arch clearing the treacherous river-beds1 statesmen saw with delight his prospective bridges spanning the political ,rubicon4 ,nothing could be more felicitous than the title of his inaugural pamphlet1 ,prospects on the ,rubicon4 ,it remembered an expression in ,parliament at the beginning of the war on ,america4 ',the ,rubicon is passed1' was once given as a reason for prosecuting the most expensive war that ,england ever knew4 ,sore with the event1 and groaning beneath a galling yoke of taxes1 she has again been led ministerially on to the shore of the same delusive and fatal river4 ,the bridge-builder stretches his shining arches to ,france1 ,holland1 ,germany1--free commerce and friendship with all peoples1 but no leagues with the sinking piers called thrones4 99 ,it is droll to find even ,paine's iron bridge resting somewhat on a paper pier4 ,perhaps1 he writes ,jefferson1 the excess of paper currency1 and the wish to find objects for realizing it1 is one of the motives for promoting the plan of the ,bridge4 ,at ,rotherham1 in ,yorkshire1 where ,messrs4 ,walker fitted up a workshop for ,paine1 he was visited by famous engineers and political personages4 ,there and in ,london he was lionized1 as ,franklin had been in ,paris4 ,we find him now passing a week with ,edmund ,burke1 now at the country-seat of the ,duke of ,portland1 or enjoying the hospitalities of ,lord ,fitzwilliam at ,wentworth ,house4 ,he is entertained and consulted on public affairs by ,fox1 ,lord ,lansdowne1 ,sir ,george ,staunton1 ,sir ,joseph ,banks2 and many an effort is made to enlist his pen4 ,lord ,lansdowne1 it appears1 had a notion of ,paine's powers of political engineering so sublime that he thought he might bridge the ,atlantic1 and re-connect ,england and ,america6 ,all of this may be gathered from the ,jefferson papers1 as we shall presently see2 but it should be remarked here that ,paine's head was not turned by his association with the gentry and aristocracy4 ,the impression he made on these eminent gentlemen was largely due to his freedom from airs4 ,they found him in his workshop1 hammer in hand1 proud only of free ,america and of his beautiful arch4 ,professor ,peter ,lesley of ,philadelphia tells me that when visiting in early life the works at ,rotherham1 ,paine's workshop and the very tools he used were pointed out4 ,they were preserved with care4 ,he conversed with an aged and intelligent workman who had worked under ,paine as a lad4 ,professor ,lesley1 who had shared some of the prejudice against ,paine1 was impressed by the earnest words of this old man4 ,mr4 ,paine1 he said1 was the most honest man1 and the best man he ever knew4 ,after he had been there a little time everybody looked up to him1 the ,walkers and their workmen4 ,he knew the people for miles round1 and went into their homes2 his benevolence1 his friendliness1 his knowledge1 made him beloved by all1 rich and poor4 ,his memory had always lasted there4 #aghi ,in truth ,paine1 who had represented the heart of ,england1 in ,america1 was now representing the heart of ,america to ,england4 ,america was working by his hand1 looking through his eyes1 and silently publishing to the people from whom he sprung what the new nation could make out of a starving ,english staymaker4 ,he was a living ,declaration of ,independence4 ,the ,americans in ,london--the artists ,west and ,trumbull1 the ,alexanders 7,franklin's connections71 and others--were fond of him as a friend and proud of him as a countryman4 ,the subjoined letter to ,benjamin ,west 7afterwards ,p4 ,r4 ,a47 shows ,paine's pleasant relations with that artist and with ,trumbull4 ,it is dated ,march #h1 #aghi4 ,i have informed ,james of the matter which you and ,i talked of on ,saturday1 and he is much rejoiced at an opportunity of shewing his gratitude to you for the permission you indulged him with in attending ,mr4 ,trumbull at your rooms4 ,as ,i have known his parents upwards of twenty years1 and the manners and habits he has been educated in1 and the disposition he is of1 ,i can with confidence to myself undertake to vouch for the faithful discharge of any trust you may repose in him2 and as he is a youth of quick discernment and a great deal of silent observation he cannot be easily imposed upon1 or turned aside from his attention1 by any contrivance of workmen4 ,i will put him in a way of keeping a diary of every day's work he sees done1 and of any observations he may make1 proper for you to be informed of1 which he can send once or twice a week to you at ,windsor2 and any directions you may have to give him in your absence can be conveyed through ,mr4 ,trumbull1 or what other method you please1 so that ,james is certified they come from you4 ,james has made a tender of his service to ,mr4 ,trumbull1 if it should be of any use1 when his picture is to be exhibited2 but that will probably not be till nearly the time the impressions will be struck off4 ,james need not entirely omit his drawing while he is attending the plates4 ,some employment will1 in general1 fix a person to a place better than having only to stand still and look on4 ,i suppose they strike off about three impressions in an hour1 and as ,james is master of a watch he will find their average of works1--and also how fast they can work when they have a mind to make haste1--and he can easily number each impression1 which will be a double check on any being carried off4 ,i intend visiting him pretty often1 while he is on duty1 which will be an additional satisfaction to yourself for the trust you commit to him4 ,this chapter may well close with a letter from ,paine in ,london 7,january #f1 #aghi7 to his young friend ,kitty ,nicholson1--known at the ,borden-town school1 and in ,new ,york1--on the occasion of her marriage with ,colonel ,few49999 ,let those who would know the real ,thomas ,paine read this letter6 99 ,i have not been able to find anything more of ,paine's protege ,james1 whose parents were known to him before his departure for ,american4 ,i am indebted to ,mr4 ,w4 ,e4 ,benjamin for the letter4 9999 ,to a representative of this family ,i am indebted for the letter4 ,concerning the ,nicholsons1 see page #bab4 ,i sincerely thank you for your very friendly and welcome letter4 ,i was in the country when it arrived and did not receive it soon enough to answer it by the return of the vessel4 ,i very affectionately congratulate ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,few on their happy marriage1 and every branch of the families allied by that connection2 and ,i request my fair correspondent to present me to her partner1 and to say1 for me1 that he has obtained one of the highest ,prizes on the wheel4 ,besides the pleasure which your letter gives me to hear you are all happy and well1 it relieves me from a sensation not easy to be dismissed2 and if you will excuse a few dull thoughts for obtruding themselves into a congratulatory letter ,i will tell you what it is4 ,when ,i see my female friends drop off by matrimony ,i am sensible of something that affects me like a loss in spite of all the appearances of joy4 ,i cannot help mixing the sincere compliment of regret with that of congratulation4 ,it appears as if ,i had outlived or lost a friend4 ,it seems to me as if the original was no more1 and that which she is changed to forsakes the circle and forgets the scenes of former society4 ,felicities are cares superior to those she formerly cared for1 create to her a new landscape of ,life that excludes the little friendships of the past4 ,it is not every lady's mind that is sufficiently capacious to prevent those greater objects crowding out the less1 or that can spare a thought to former friendships after she has given her hand and heart to the man who loves her4 ,but the sentiment your letter contains has prevented these dull ,ideas from mixing with the congratulation ,i present you1 and is so congenial with the enlarged opinion ,i have always formed of you1 that at the time ,i read your letter with pleasure ,i read it with pride1 because it convinces me that ,i have some judgment in that most difficult science--a ,lady's mind4 ,most sincerely do ,i wish you all the good that ,heaven can bless you with1 and as you have in your own family an example of domestic happiness you are already in the knowledge of obtaining it4 ,that no condition we can enjoy is an exemption from care--that some shade will mingle itself with the brightest sunshine of ,life--that even our affections may become the instruments of our sorrows--that the sweet felicities of home depend on good temper as well as on good sense1 and that there is always something to forgive even in the nearest and dearest of our friends1--are truths which1 tho' too obvious to be told1 ought never to be forgotten2 and ,i know you will not esteem my friendship the less for impressing them upon you4 ,though ,i appear a sort of wanderer1 the married state has not a sincerer friend than ,i am4 ,it is the harbour of human life1 and is1 with respect to the things of this world1 what the next world is to this4 ,it is home2 and that one word conveys more than any other word can express4 ,for a few years we may glide along the tide of youthful single life and be wonderfully delighted2 but it is a tide that flows but once1 and what is still worse1 it ebbs faster than it flows1 and leaves many a hapless voyager aground4 ,i am one1 you see that have experienced the fate1 ,i am describing499 ,i have lost my tide2 it passed by while every thought of my heart was on the wing for the salvation of my dear ,america1 and ,i have now as contentedly as ,i can1 made myself a little bower of willows on the shore that has the solitary resemblance of a home4 ,should ,i always continue the tenant of this home1 ,i hope my female acquaintance will ever remember that it contains not the churlish enemy of their sex1 not the inaccessible cold hearted mortal1 nor the capricious tempered oddity1 but one of the best and most affectionate of their friends4 99 ,paine's marriage and separation from his wife had been kept a secret in ,america1 where the ,tories would have used it to break the influence of his patriotic writings4 ,it may be stated here1 in addition to what is said on p4 #cb1 that1 in the absence of any divorce law in ,england1 a separation under the ,common ,law was generally held as pronouncing the marriage a nullity ab initio4 ,according to ,chalmers ,paine was dissatisfied with articles of separation drawn up by an attorney1 ,josias ,smith1 ,may #bd1 #aggd1 and insisted on new ones1 to which the clergyman was a party4 ,the common lawyers regarded the marriage as completely annulled1 and ,paine thus free to marry again4 ,however1 he evidently never thought of doing so1 and that his relations with ladies were as chaste as affectionate appears in this letter to ,mrs4 ,few1 and in his correspondence generally4 ,i did not forget the ,dunstable hat1 but it was not on wear here when ,i arrived4 ,that ,i am a negligent correspondent ,i freely confess1 and ,i always reproach myself for it4 ,you mention only one letter1 but ,i wrote twice2 once by ,dr4 ,derby1 and another time by the ,chevalier ,st4 ,triss--by whom ,i also wrote to ,gen4 ,morris1 ,col4 ,kirkbride1 and several friends in ,philadelphia1 but have received no answers4 ,i had one letter from ,gen4 ,morris last winter1 which is all ,i have received from ,new ,york till the arrival of yours4 ,i thank you for the details of news you give4 ,kiss ,molly ,field for me and wish her joy1--and all the good girls of ,borden ,town4 ,how is my favorite ,sally ,morris1 my boy ,joe1 and my horse ,button8 pray let me know4 ,polly and ,nancy ,rogers1--are they married8 or do they intend to build bowers as ,i have done8 ,if they do1 ,i wish they would twist their green willows somewhere near to mine4 ,i am very much engaged here about my ,bridge--,there is one building of my ,construction at ,messers4 ,walker's ,iron ,works in ,yorkshire1 and ,i have direction of it4 ,i am lately come from thence and shall return again in two or three weeks4 ,as to news on this side the water1 the king is mad1 and there is great bustle about appointing a ,regent4 ,as it happens1 ,i am in pretty close intimacy with the heads of the opposition--the ,duke of ,portland1 ,mr4 ,fox and ,mr4 ,burke4 ,i have sent your letter to ,mrs4 ,burke as a specimen of the accomplishments of the ,american ,ladies4 ,i sent it to ,miss ,alexander1 a lady you have heard me speak of1 and ,i asked her to give me a few of her thoughts how to answer it4 ,she told me to write as ,i felt1 and ,i have followed her advice4 ,i very kindly thank you for your friendly invitation to ,georgia and if ,i am ever within a thousand miles of you1 ,i will come and see you2 though it be but for a day4 ,you touch me on a very tender part when you say my friends on your side the water 'cannot be reconciled to the idea of my resigning my adopted ,america1 even for my native ,england4' ,they are right4 ,though ,i am in as elegant style of acquaintance here as any ,american that ever came over1 my heart and myself are #cjjj miles apart2 and ,i had rather see my horse ,button in his own stable1 or eating the grass of ,bordentown or ,morrisania1 than see all the pomp and show of ,europe4 ,a thousand years hence 7for ,i must indulge in a few thoughts7 perhaps in less1 ,america may be what ,england now is6 ,the innocence of her character that won the hearts of all nations in her favor may sound like a romance1 and her inimitable virtue as if it had never been4 ,the ruins of that liberty which thousands bled for1 or suffered to obtain1 may just furnish materials for a village tale or extort a sigh from rustic sensibility1 while the fashionable of that day1 enveloped in dissipation1 shall deride the principle and deny the fact4 ,when we contemplate the fall of ,empires and the extinction of nations of the ancient world1 we see but little to excite our regret than the mouldering ruins of pompous palaces1 magnificent monuments1 lofty pyramids1 and walls and towers of the most costly workmanship4 ,but when the ,empire of ,america shall fall1 the subject for contemplative sorrow will be infinitely greater than crumbling brass or marble can inspire4 ,it will not then be said1 here stood a temple of vast antiquity1--here rose a ,babel of invisible height1 or there a palace of sumptuous extravagance2 but here1 ah painful thought6 the noblest work of human wisdom1 the grandest scene of human glory1 the fair cause of freedom rose and fell6 ,read this and then ask if ,i forget ,america--,but ,i 'll not be dull if ,i can help it1 so ,i leave off1 and close my letter tomorrow1 which is the day the mail is made up for ,america4 ,january #gth4 ,i have heard this morning with extreme concern of the death of our worthy friend ,capt4 ,read4 ,mrs4 ,read lives in a house of mine at ,bordentown1 and you will much oblige me by telling her how much ,i am affected by her loss2 and to mention to her1 with that delicacy which such an offer and her situation require1 and which no one knows better how to convey than yourself1 that the two years' rent which is due ,i request her to accept of1 and to consider herself at home till she hears further from me4 ,this is the severest winter ,i ever knew in ,england2 the frost has continued upwards of five weeks1 and is still likely to continue4 ,all the vessels from ,america have been kept off by contrary winds4 ,the ',polly' and the ',pigeon' from ,philadelphia and the ',eagle' from ,charleston are just got in4 ,if you should leave ,new ,york before ,i arrive 7which ,i hope will not be the case7 and should pass through ,philadelphia1 ,i wish you would do me the favor to present my compliments to ,mrs4 ,powell1 the lady whom ,i wanted an opportunity to introduce you to when you were in ,philadelphia1 but was prevented by your being at a house where ,i did not visit4 ,there is a ,quaker favorite of mine at ,new ,york1 formerly ,miss ,watson of ,philadelphia2 she is now married to ,dr4 ,lawrence1 and is an acquaintance of ,mrs4 ,oswald3 be so kind as to make her a visit for me4 ,you will like her conversation4 ,she has a little of the ,quaker primness--but of the pleasing kind--about her4 ,i am always distressed at closing a letter1 because it seems like taking leave of my friends after a parting conversation4--,captain ,nicholson1 ,mrs4 ,nicholson1 ,hannah1 ,fanny1 ,james1 and the little ones1 and you my dear ,kitty1 and your partner for life--,god bless you all6 and send me safe back to my much loved ,america6 ,thomas ,paine--aet4 #eb4 or if you better like it ',common ,sense4' ,this comes by the packet which sails from ,falmouth1 #cjj miles from ,london2 but by the first vessel from ,london to ,new ,york ,i will send you some magazines4 ,in the meantime be so kind as to write to me by the first opportunity4 ,remember me to the family at ,morrisania1 and all my friends at ,new ,york and ,bordentown4 ,desire ,gen4 ,morris to take another guinea of ,mr4 ,constable1 who has some money of mine in his hands1 and give it to my boy ,joe4 ,tell ,sally to take care of ',button1' ,then direct for me at ,mr4 ,peter ,whiteside's ,london4 ,when you are at ,charleston remember me to my dear old friend ,mrs4 ,lawrence1 ,col4 and ,mrs4 ,l4 ,morris1 and ,col4 ,washington2 and at ,georgia1 to ,col4 ,walton4 ,adieu4 ,,chapter ,,xviii4 ,,paine',s ,,letters ,,to ,,jefferson ,,in ,,paris ,a note of ,paine to ,jefferson1 dated ,february #ai1 #aghh1 shows him in that city consulting with ,lafayette about his bridge1 and preparing a memorial for the government4 ,the visit was no doubt meant to secure a patent1 and also arrange for the erection of the bridge4 ,this appears to be his last meeting with ,jefferson in ,europe4 ,he must have returned soon to ,england1 where a letter of ,june #aeth reports to ,jefferson large progress in his patent1 and other arrangements4 ,paine's letters were by no means confined to his personal affairs4 ,in one of his letters ,jefferson says3 ,i have great confidence in your communications1 and since ,mr4 ,adams' departure ,i am in need of authentic information from that country4 ,jefferson subscribes his letters--,i am with great and sincere attachment1 dear ,sir1 your affectionate friend and servant1--and ,paine responded with wonted fidelity4 ,for more than a year the ,united ,states government was supplied by ,paine1 mainly through ,jefferson1 with information concerning affairs in ,england4 ,it will be seen by some of the subjoined extracts that ,paine was recognized by ,english statesmen as a sort of ,american ,minister1 and that the information he transmits is rarely1 if ever1 erroneous4 ,all of this would appear more clearly could space be here given to the entire letters4 ,the omissions are chiefly of items of news now without interest1 or of technical details concerning the bridge4 ,it is only just to remind the reader1 before introducing the quotations1 that these letters were confidential1 and to a very intimate friend1 being thus not liable to any charge of egotism from the public1 for whose eye they were not intended4 ,london1 ,broad ,street ,buildings1 ,no4 #ac4 ,sept4 #i1 #aghh4--,that ,i am a bad correspondent is so general a complaint against me1 that ,i must expect the same accusation from you--,but hear me first--,when there is no matter to write upon1 a letter is not worth the trouble of receiving and reading and while any thing which is to be the subject of a letter1 is in suspence1 it is difficult to write and perhaps best to let it alone--'least said is soonest mended1' and nothing said requires no mending4 ,the model has the good fortune of preserving in ,england the reputation which it received from the ,academy of ,sciences4 ,it is a favourite hobby horse with all who have seen it2 and every one who has talked with me on the subject advised me to endeavour to obtain a ,patent1 as it is only by that means that ,i can secure to myself the direction and management4 ,for this purpose ,i went1 in company with ,mr ,whiteside to the office which is an appendage to ,lord ,sydney's--told them who ,i was1 and made an affidavit that the construction was my own ,invention4 ,this was the only step ,i took in the business4 ,last ,wednesday ,i received a ,patent for ,england1 the next day a ,patent for ,scotland1 and ,i am to have one for ,ireland4 ,as ,i had already the opinion of the scientific ,judges both in ,france and ,england on the ,model1 it was also necessary that ,i should have that of the practical ,iron men who must finally be the executors of the work4 ,there are several capital ,iron ,works in this country1 the principal of which are those in ,shropshire1 ,yorkshire1 and ,scotland4 ,it was my intention to have communicated with ,mr4 ,wilkinson1 who is one of the proprietors of the ,shropshire ,iron ,works1 and concerned in those in ,france1 but his departure for ,sweden before ,i had possession of the patents prevented me4 ,the ,iron ,works in ,yorkshire belonging to the ,walkers near to ,sheffield are the most eminent in ,england in point of establishment and property4 ,the proprietors are reputed to be worth two hundred thousand pounds and consequently capable of giving energy to any great undertaking4 ,a friend of theirs who had seen the model wrote to them on the subject1 and two of them came to ,london last ,fryday to see it and talk with me on the business4 ,their opinion is very decided that it can be executed either in wrought or cast ,iron1 and ,i am to go down to their ,works next week to erect an experiment arch4 ,this is the point ,i am now got to1 and until now ,i had nothing to inform you of4 ,if ,i succeed in erecting the arch all reasoning and opinion will be at an end1 and1 as this will soon be known1 ,i shall not return to ,france till that time2 and until then ,i wish every thing to remain respecting my ,bridge over the ,seine1 in the state ,i left matters in when ,i came from ,france4 ,with respect to the ,patents in ,england it is my intention to dispose of them as soon as ,i have established the certainty of the construction4 ,besides the ill success of ,black friars ,bridge1 two ,bridges built successively on the same spot1 the last by ,mr ,smeaton1 at ,hexham1 over the ,tyne in ,northumberland1 have fallen down1 occasioned by quicksands under the bed of the river4 ,if therefore arches can be extended in the proportion the model promises1 the construction in certain situations1 without regard to cheapness or dearness1 will be valuable in all countries4444 ,as to ,english news or ,politics1 there is little more than what the public papers contain4 ,the assembling the ,states ,general1 and the reappointment of ,mr4 ,neckar1 make considerable impression here4 ,they overawe a great deal of the ,english habitual rashness1 and check that triumph of presumption which they indulged themselves in with respect to what they called the deranged and almost ruinous condition of the finances of ,france4 ,they acknowledge unreservedly that the natural resources of ,france are greater than those of ,england1 but they plume themselves on the superiority of the means necessary to bring national resources forth4 ,but the two circumstances above mentioned serve very well to lower this exaltation4 ,some time ago ,i spent a week at ,mr4 ,burke's1 and the ,duke of ,portland's in ,buckinghamshire4 ,you will recollect that the ,duke was the member during the time of the coalition--he is now in the opposition1 and ,i find the opposition as much warped in some respects as to ,continental ,politics as the ,ministry4--,what the extent of the ,treaty with ,russia is1 ,mr4 ,burke says that he and all the opposition are totally unacquainted with2 and they speak of it not as a very wise measure1 but rather tending to involve ,england in unnecessary continental disputes4 ,the preference of the opposition is to a connection with ,prussia if it could have been obtained4 ,sir ,george ,staunton tells me that the interference with respect to ,holland last year met with considerable opposition from part of the ,cabinet4 ,mr4 ,pitt was against it at first1 but it was a favourite measure with the ,king1 and that the opposition at that crisis contrived to have it known to him that they were disposed to support his measures4 ,this together with the notification of the #afth of ,september gave ,mr4 ,pitt cause and pretence for changing his ground4 ,the ,marquis of ,landsdown is unconnected either with the ,ministry or the opposition4 ,his politics is distinct from both4 ,this plan is a sort of armed neutrality which has many advocates4 ,in conversation with me he reprobated the conduct of the ,ministry towards ,france last year as operating to 'cut the throat of confidence' 7this was his expression7 between ,france and ,england at a time when there was a fair opportunity of improving it4 ,the enmity of this country against ,russia is as bitter as it ever was against ,america1 and is carried to every pitch of abuse and vulgarity4 ,what ,i hear in conversations exceeds what may be seen in the news-papers4 ,they are sour and mortified at every success she acquires1 and voraciously believe and rejoice in the most improbable accounts and rumours to the contrary4 ,you may mention this to ,mr4 ,simelin on any terms you please for you cannot exceed the fact4 ,there are those who amuse themselves here in the hopes of managing ,spain4 ,the notification which the ,marquis del ,campo made last year to the ,british ,cabinet1 is perhaps the only secret kept in this country4 ,mr4 ,burke tells me that the opposition knows nothing of it4 ,they all very freely admit that if the ,combined fleets had had thirty or forty thousand land forces1 when they came up the channel last war1 there was nothing in ,england to oppose their landing1 and that such a measure would have been fatal to their resources1 by at least a temporary destruction of national credit4 ,this is the point on which this country is most impressible4 ,wars carried on at a distance1 they care but little about1 and seem always disposed to enter into them4 ,it is bringing the matter home to them that makes them fear and feel1 for their weakest part is at home4 ,this ,i take to be the reason of the attention they are paying to ,spain2 for while ,france and ,spain make a common cause and start together1 they may easily overawe this country4 ,i intended sending this letter by ,mr4 ,parker1 but he goes by the way of ,holland1 and as ,i do not chuse to send it by the ,english ,post1 ,i shall desire ,mr4 ,bartholemy to forward it to you4 ,remember me with much affection to the ,marquis de la ,fayette4 ,this letter will serve for two letters4 ,whether ,i am in ,london or the country any letter to me at ,mr ,whiteside's1 ,merchant1 ,no4 #ac ,broad ,street ,buildings1 will come safe4 ,my compliments to ,mr4 ,short4 ,london1 ,september #ae4--;,i have not heard of ,mr4 ,lewis ,littlepage since ,i left ,paris1--if you have1 ,i shall be glad to know it4 ,as he dined sometimes at ,mr4 ,neckar's1 he undertook to describe the ,bridge to him4 ,mr4 ,neckar very readily conceived it4 ,if you have an opportunity of seeing ,mr4 ,neckar1 and see it convenient to renew the subject1 you might mention that ,i am going forward with an experiment arch4--,mr4 ,le ,couteulx desired me to examine the construction of the ,albion ,steam ,mills erected by ,bolton and ,watt4 ,i have not yet written to him because ,i had nothing certain to write about4 ,i have talked with ,mr4 ,rumsey1 who is here1 upon this matter1 and who appears to me to be master of that subject1 and who has procured a model of the ,mill1 which is worked originally from the steam4444 ,when you see ,mr4 ,le ,roy please to present my compliments4 ,i hope to realize the opinion of the ,academy on the ,model1 in which case ,i shall give the ,academy the proper information4 ,we have no certain accounts here of the arrangement of the new ,ministry4 ,the papers mention ,count ,st4 ,preist for ,foreign ,affairs4 ,when you see him please to present my compliments4444 ,please to present my compliments to ,m4 and ,madame ,de ,corney4 ,london1 ,december #af4--,that the ,king is insane is now old news4 ,he yet continues in the same state1 and the ,parliament are on the business of appointing a ,regent4 ,the ,dukes of ,york and ,gloucester have both made speeches in the house of ,peers4 ,an embarrassing question1 whether the ,prince of ,wales has a right in himself by succession during the incapacity of his father1 or whether the right must derive to him thro' ,parliament1 has been agitated in both ,houses4 ,illegible and the speeches of ,york and ,gloucester of avoiding the question4 ,this day is fixt for bringing the matter on in the house of ,commons4 ,a change of ,ministry is expected1 and ,i believe determined on4 ,the ,duke of ,portland and his friends will in all probability come in4 ,i shall be exceedingly glad to hear from you1 and to know if you have received my letters1 and also when you intend setting off for ,america1 or whether you intend to visit ,england before you go4 ,in case of change of ,ministry here there are certain matters ,i shall be glad to see you upon4 ,remember me to the ,marquis de la ,fayette4 ,we hear good things from ,france1 and ,i sincerely wish them all well and happy4 ,remember me to ,mr4 ,short and ,mr4 ,mazzei499 99 ,mazzei was a scientific ,italian who settled in ,virginia with a ,tuscan colony before the ,revolution1 in which he took up arms and was captured by the ,british4 ,his colony had been under the patronage of ,jefferson1 to whose fortunes he was always devoted1 though the publication of ,jefferson's famous letter to him1 reflecting on ,washington's administration1 caused his patron much trouble4 ,london1 ,jan4 #ae1 #aghi4--,my last letter requested to know if you had any thoughts of coming to ,england before you sailed to ,america4 ,there will certainly be a change of ministry1 and probably some change of measures1 and it might not be inconvenient if you could know before your sailing1 for the information of the new ,congress1 what measures the new ,ministry here intended to pursue or adopt with respect to commercial arrangements with ,america4 ,i am in some intimacy with ,mr4 ,burke1 and after the new ministry are formed he has proposed to introduce me to them4 ,the ,duke of ,portland1 at whose seat in the country ,i was a few days last summer1 will be at the head of the ,treasury1 and ,mr4 ,fox ,secretary for ,foreign ,affairs4 ,the ,king continues1 ,i believe1 as mad as ever4 ,it appears that he has amassed several millions of money1 great part of which is in foreign funds4 ,he had made a ,will1 while he had his senses1 and devised it among his children1 but a second ,will has been produced1 made since he was mad1 dated the #beth of ,oct41 in which he gives his property to the ,queen4 ,this will probably produce much dispute1 as it is attended with many suspicious circumstances4 ,it came out in the examination of the physicians1 that one of them1 ,dr4 ,warrens1 on being asked the particular time of his observing the ,king's insanity1 said the twenty-second of ,october1 and some influence has been exerted to induce him to retract that declaration1 or to say that the insanity was not so much as to prevent him making a ,will1 which he has refused to do4 ,london1 ,february #af4--,your favour of the #bc;d ,december continued to the ---- ,janry4 came safe to hand1--for which ,i thank you4 ,i begin this without knowing of any opportunity of conveyance1 and shall follow the method of your letter by writing on till an opportunity offers4 ,i thank you for the many and judicious observations about my bridge4 ,i am exactly in your ,ideas as you will perceive by the following account4--,i went to the ,iron ,works the latter end of ,octr4 ,my intention at the time of writing to you was to construct an experiment arch of #bej feet1 but in the first place1 the season was too far advanced to work out of doors and an arch of that extent could not be worked within doors1 and nextly1 there was a prospect of a real ,bridge being wanted on the spot of #ij feet extent4 ,the person who appeared disposed to erect a ,bridge is ,mr4 ,foljambe nephew to the late ,sir ,george ,saville1 and member in the last ,parliament for ,yorkshire4 ,he lives about three miles from the works1 and the ,river ,don runs in front of his house1 over which there is an old ill constructed ,bridge which he wants to remove4 ,these circumstances determined me to begin an arch of #ij feet with an elevation of #e feet4 ,this extent ,i could manage within doors by working half the arch at a time4444 ,a great part of our time1 as you will naturally suppose was taken up in preparations1 but after we began to work we went on rapidly1 and that without any mistake1 or anything to alter or amend4 ,the foreman of the works is a ,relation to the ,proprietors1 an excellent mechanic and who fell into all my ,ideas with great ease and penetration4 ,i staid at the works till one half the ,rib1 #de feet1 was compleated and framed horizontally together and came up to ,london at the meeting of ,parliament on the #dth of ,december4 ,the foreman1 whom1 as ,i told him1 ,i should appoint ',president of the ,board of ,works1' in my absence wrote me word that he has got the other half together with much less trouble than the first4 ,he is now preparing for erecting and ,i for returning4 ,february #bf4--;,a few days ago ,i received a letter from ,mr4 ,foljambe in which he says3 ,i saw the ,rib of your ,bridge4 ,in point of elegance and beauty1 it far exceeded my expectations and is certainly beyond any thing ,i ever saw4'--,my model and myself had many visitors while ,i was at the works4 ,a few days after ,i got there1 ,lord ,fitz-,william1 heir to the ,marquis of ,rockingham1 came with ,mr4 ,burke4 ,the former gave the workmen five guineas and invited me to ,wentworth ,house1 a few miles distant from the works1 where ,i went1 and staid a few days4 ,this ,bridge ,i expect will bring forth something greater1 but in the meantime ,i feel like a ,bird from its nest and wishing most anxiously to return4 ,therefore1 as soon as ,i can bring any thing to bear1 ,i shall dispose of the contract and bid adieu4 ,i can very truly say that my mind is not at home4 ,i am very much rejoiced at the account you give me of the state of affairs in ,france4 ,i feel exceedingly interested in the happiness of that nation4 ,they are now got or getting into the right way1 and the present reign will be more ,immortalized in ,france than any that ever preceded it4 ,they have all died away1 forgotten in the common mass of things1 but this will be to ,france like an ,anno ,mundi1 or an ,anno ,domini4 ,the happiness of doing good and the ,pride of doing great things unite themselves in this business4 ,but as there are two kinds of ,pride--the little and the great1 the privileged orders will in some degree be governed by this ,division4 ,those of little pride 7,i mean little-minded pride7 will be schismatical1 and those of the great pride will be orthodox1 with respect to the ,states ,general4 ,interest will likewise have some share1 and could this operate freely it would arrange itself on the orthodox side4 ,to enrich a ,nation is to enrich the individuals which compose it4 ,to enrich the farmer is to enrich the farm--and consequently the ,landlord2--for whatever the farmer is1 the farm will be4 ,the richer the subject1 the richer the revenue1 because the consumption from which ,taxes are raised is in proportion to the abilities of people to consume2 therefore the most effectual method to raise both the revenue and the rental of a country is to raise the condition of the people1--or that order known in france by the ,tiers ,etat4 ,but ,i ought to ask pardon for entering into reasonings in a letter to you1 and only do it because ,i like the subject4 ,i observe in all the companies ,i go into the impression which the present circumstances of ,france has upon this ,country4 ,an internal ,alliance in ,france between ,throne and ,people is an alliance which ,england never dreamed of1 and which she most dreads4 ,whether she will be better or worse tempered afterwards ,i cannot judge of1 but ,i believe she will be more cautious in giving offence4 ,she is likewise impressed with an ,idea that a negotiation is on foot between the ,king ,louis ,,xvi4 and the ,emperor for adding ,austrian ,flanders to ,france4 ,this appears to me such a probable thing1 and may be rendered so conducive to the interest and good of all the parties concerned1 that ,i am inclined to give it credit and wish it success4 ,i hope then to see the ,scheld opened1 for it is a sin to refuse the bounties of nature4 ,on these matters ,i shall be glad of your opinion4 ,i think the ,states ,general of ,holland could not be in earnest when they applied to ,france for the payment of the quota to the ,emperor4 ,all things considered to request it was meanness1 and to expect it absurdity4 ,i am more inclined to think they made it an opportunity to find how they stood with ,france4 ,absalom 7,i think it was7 set fire to his brother's field of corn to bring on a conversation4 ,march #ab4--,with respect to ,political matters here1 the truth is1 the people are fools4 ,they have no discernment into principles and consequences4 ,had ,mr4 ,pitt proposed a ,national ,convention1 at the time of the ,king's insanity1 he had done right2 but instead of this he has absorbed the right of the ,nation into a right of ,parliament1--one house of which 7the ,peers7 is hereditary in its own right1 and over which the people have no controul 7not so much as they have over their ,king27 and the other elective by only a small part of the ,nation4 ,therefore he has lessened instead of increased the rights of the people2 but as they have not sense enough to see it1 they have been huzzaing him4 ,there can be no fixed principles of government1 or anything like a constitution in a country where the ,government can alter itself1 or one part of it supply the other4 ,whether a man that has been so compleatly mad as not to be managed but by force and the mad shirt can ever be confided in afterwards as a reasonable man1 is a matter ,i have very little opinion of4 ,such a circumstance1 in my estimation1 if mentioned1 ought to be a perpetual disqualification4 ,the ,emperor ,i am told has entered a caveat against the ,elector of ,hanover 7not the electoral vote7 for ,king of the ,romans4 ,john ,bull1 however1 is not so mad as he was1 and a message has been manufactured for him to ,parliament in which there is nothing particular4 ,the ,treaty with ,prussia is not yet before ,parliament but is to be4 ,had the ,regency gone on and the new administration been formed ,i should have been able to communicate some matters of business to you1 both with respect to ,america and ,france2 as an interview for that purpose was agreed upon and to take place as soon as the persons who were to fill the offices should succeed4 ,i am the more confidential with those persons1 as they are distinguished by the name of the ,blue ,buff1--a dress taken up during the ,american ,war1 and is the undress uniform of ,general ,washington with ,lapels which they still wear499 ,but1 at any rate1 ,i do not think it is worth while for ,congress to appoint any ,minister to this ,court4 ,the greater distance ,congress observes on this point the better4 ,it will be all money thrown away to go to any expence about it--at least during the present reign4 ,i know the nation well1 and the line of acquaintance ,i am in enables me to judge better than any other ,american can judge--especially at a distance4 ,if ,congress should have any business to state to the ,government here1 it can be easily done thro' their ,minister at ,paris--but the seldomer the better4 99 ,on this ,blue and ,buff ,society1 ,canning wrote some satirical verses4 ,he also described ,french philanthropy as ,condorcet filtered through the dregs of ,paine4 ,i believe ,i am not so much in the good graces of the ,marquis of ,landsdowne as ,i used to be--,i do not answer his purpose4 ,he was always talking of a sort of reconnection of ,england and ,america1 and my coldness and reserve on this subject checked communication4 ,london1 ,april #aj4--,the ,king continues in his amended state1 but ,dr4 ,willis1 his son1 and attendants1 are yet about his person4 ,he has not been to ,parliament nor made any public appearance1 but he has fixed the #bc;d ,april for a public thanksgiving1 and he is to go in great ,parade to offer up his ,devotions at ,st4 ,paul's on that day4 ,those about him have endeavoured to dissuade him from this ostentatious pilgrimage1 most probably from an apprehension of some effect it may have upon him1 but he persists4444 ,the acts for regulating the trade with ,america are to be continued as last year4 ,a paper from the ,privy ,council respecting the ,american fly is before ,parliament4 ,i had some conversation with ,sir ,joseph ,banks upon this subject1 as he was the person whom the ,privy ,council referred to4 ,i told him that the ,hessian fly attacked only the green plant1 and did not exist in the dry grain4 ,he said that with respect to the ,hessian fly1 they had no apprehension1 but it was the weevil they alluded to4 ,i told him the weevil had always more or less been in the wheat countries of ,america1 and that if the prohibition was on that account it was as necessary fifty or sixty years ago1 as now2 that ,i believe it was only a political manoeuvre of the ,ministry to please the landed interest1 as a balance for prohibiting the exportation of wool to please the manufacturing interest4 ,he did not reply1 and as we are on very sociable terms ,i went farther by saying--,the ,english ought not to complain of the non-payment of ,debts from ,america while they prohibit the means of payment4 ,i suggest to you a thought on this subject4 ,the debts due before the war1 ought to be distinguished from the debts contracted since1 and all and every mode of payment and remittance under which they have bein discharged at the time they were contracted ought to accompany those ,debts1 so long as any of them shall continue unpaid2 because the circumstances of payment became united with the debt1 and cannot be separated by subsequent acts of one side only4 ,if this was taken up in ,america1 and insisted on as a right coeval with and inseparable from those ,debts1 it would force some of the restrictions here to give way4 ,you speak very truly of this country when you say 'that they are slumbering under a half reformation of ,politics and religion1 and cannot be excited by any thing they hear or see to question the remains of prejudice4' ,their ignorance on some matters1 is unfathomable1 for instance the ,bank of ,england discount ,bills at #e p cent1 but a proposal is talked of for discounting at #d #a_/b2 and the reason given is the vast quantity of money1 and that money of the good houses discounts at #d #a_/b2 from this they deduce the great ability and credit of the nation4 ,whereas the contrary is the case4 ,this money is all in paper1 and the quantity is greater than the object to circulate it upon1 and therefore shows that the market is glutted1 and consequently the ability for farther paper excretions is lessened4--,if a war should ever break out1 between the countries again1 this is the spot where it ought to be prosecuted1 they neither feel nor care for any thing at a distance1 but are frightened and spiritless at every thing which happens at home4 ,the ,combined fleet coming up the ,channel1 ,paul ,jones1 and the ,mob of #agch1 are the dreadful eras of this country4 ,but for national puffing none equals them4 ,the addresses which have been presented are stuffed with nonsense of this kind4 ,one of them published in the ,london ,gazette and presented by a ,sir ,william ,appleby begins thus1--',britain1 the ,queen of ,isles1 the pride of ,nations1 the ,arbitress of ,europe1 perhaps of the world4'444 ,on the receipt of your last1 ,i went to ,sir ,joseph ,banks to inform him of your having heard from ,ledyard1 from ,grand ,cairo1 but found he had a letter from him of the same date4 ,sir ,joseph is one of the society for promoting that undertaking4 ,he has an high opinion of ,ledyard1 and thinks him the only man fitted for such an exploration4 ,as you may probably hear of ,ledyard by accounts that may not reach here1 ,sir ,joseph will be obliged to you to communicate to him any matters respecting him that may come to you 7,sir ,joseph ,banks1 ,bart41 ,soho ,square74444 ,while writing this ,i am informed that the ,minister has had a conference with some of the ,american creditors1 and proposed to them to assume the debts and give them ten shillings on the pound--the conjecture is that he means1 when the new ,congress is established1 to demand the payment4 ,if you are writing to ,general ,washington1 it may not be amiss to mention this--and if ,i hear farther on the matter ,i will inform you499 ,but1 as being a money matter it cannot come forward but thro' ,parliament1 there will be notice given of the business4 ,this would be a proper time to show that the ,british ,acts since the ,peace militate against the payment by narrowing the means by which those debts might have been paid when they were contracted1 and which ought to be considered as constituant parts of the contract4 99 ,this and other parts of ,paine's correspondence were forwarded to ,washington4 ,june #ag4--;,i received your last to the #bast ,may4 ,i am just now informed of ,messrs4 ,parker and ,cutting setting off tomorrow morning for ,paris by whom this will be delivered to you4 ,nothing new is showing here4 ,the trial of ,hastings1 and the ,examination of evidence before the house of ,commons into the ,slave ,trade still continue4 ,i wrote ,sir ,joseph ,banks an account of my ,experiment ,arch4 ,in his answer he informs me of its being read before the ,royal ,society who expressed 'great satisfaction at the ,communication4' ',i expect' says ,sir ,joseph 'many improvements from your ,countrymen who think with vigor1 and are in a great measure free from those shackles of ,theory which are imposed on the minds of our people before they are capable of exerting their mental faculties to advantage4' ,in the close of his letter he says3 ',we have lost poor ,ledyard4 ,he had agreed with certain ,moors to conduct him to ,sennar4 ,the time for their departure was arrived when he found himself ill1 and took a large dose of ,emetic ,tartar1 burst a blood-vessel in the operation1 which carried him off in three days4 ,we sincerely lament his loss1 as the papers we have received from him are full of those emanations of spirit1 which taught you to construct a ,bridge without any reference to the means used by your predecessors in that art4' ,i have wrote to the ,walkers and proposed to them to manufacture me a compleat ,bridge and erect it in ,london1 and afterwards put it up to sale4 ,i do this by way of bringing forward a ,bridge over the ,thames--which appears to me the most advantageous of all objects4 ,for1 if only a fifth of the persons1 at a half penny each1 pass over a new ,bridge as now pass over the old ones the tolls will pay #be per ,cent besides what will arise from carriage and horses4 ,mrs4 ,williams tells me that her letters from ,america mention ,dr4 ,franklin as being exceedingly ill4 ,i have been to see the ,cotton ,mills1--the ,potteries--the ,steel furnaces--,tin plate manufacture--,white lead manufacture4 ,all those things might be easily carried on in ,america4 ,i saw a few days ago part of a hand bill of what was called a geometrical wheelbarrow1--but cannot find where it is to be seen4 ,the ,idea is one of those that needed only to be thought of1--for it is very easy to conceive that if a wheelbarrow1 as it is called1 be driven round a piece of land1--a sheet of paper may be placed in it--so as to receive by the tracings of a ,pencil1 regulated by a little ,mechanism--the figure and content of the land--and that neither ,theodolite nor chain are necessary4 ,rotherham1,yorkshire1 ,july #ac4--,the ,walkers are to find all the materials1 and fit and frame them ready for erecting1 put them on board a vessel send them to ,london4 ,i am to undertake all expense from that time to compleat the erecting4 ,we intend first to exhibit it and afterwards put it up to sale1 or dispose of it by private contract1 and after paying the expences of each party the remainder to be equally divided--one half theirs1 the other mine4 ,my principal object in this plan is to open the way for a ,bridge over the ,thames4444 ,i shall now have occasion to draw upon some funds ,i have in ,america4 ,i have one thousand ,dollars stock in the ,bank at ,philadelphia1 and two years interest due upon it last ,april1 ,l#ahj in the hands of ,general ,morris '1,l#dj with ,mr4 ,constable of ,new ,york2 a house at ,borden ,town1 and a farm at ,new ,rochelle4 ,the stock and interest in the ,bank1 which ,mr4 ,willing manages for me1 is the easiest negotiated1 and full sufficient for what ,i shall want4 ,on this fund ,i have drawn fifteen guineas payable to ,mr4 ,trumbull1 tho' ,i shall not want the money longer than till the ,exhibition and sale of the ,bridge4 ,i had rather draw than ask to borrow of any body here4 ,if you go to ,america this year ,i shall be very glad if you can manage this matter for me1 by giving me credit for two hundred pounds1 on ,london1 and receiving that amount of ,mr4 ,willing4 ,i am not acquainted with the method of negotiating money matters1 but if you can accommodate me in this1 and will direct me how the transfer is to be made1 ,i shall be much obliged to you4 ,please direct to me under cover to ,mr4 ,trumbull4 ,i have some thoughts of coming over to ,france for two or three weeks1 as ,i shall have little to do here until the ,bridge is ready for erecting4 ,september #ae4--,when ,i left ,paris ,i was to return with the ,model1 but ,i could now bring over a compleat ,bridge4 ,tho' ,i have a slender opinion of myself for executive business1 ,i think1 upon the whole that ,i have managed this matter tolerable well4 ,with no money to spare for such an undertaking ,i am the sole ,patentee here1 and connected with one of the first and best established houses in the ,nation4 ,but absent from ,america ,i feel a craving desire to return and ,i can scarcely forbear weeping at the thoughts of your going and my staying behind4 ,accept my dear ,sir1 my most hearty thanks for your many services and friendship4 ,remember me with an overflowing affection to my dear ,america--the people and the place4 ,be so kind to shake hands with them for me1 and tell our beloved ,general ,washington1 and my old friend ,dr4 ,franklin how much ,i long to see them4 ,i wish you would spend a day with ,general ,morris of ,morrisania1 and present my best wishes to all the family4--,but ,i find myself wandering into a melancholy subject that will be tiresome to read1--so wishing you a prosperous passage1 and a happy meeting with all your friends and mine1 ,i remain yours affectionately1 etc4 ,i shall be very glad to hear from you when you arrive4 ,if you direct for me to the care of ,mr4 ,benjamin ,vaughn it will find me4--,please present my friendship to ,captain ,nicholson and family of ,new ,york1 and to ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,few4 ,september #ah4--;,i this moment receive yours of ye #ac int4 which being ,post ,night1 affords me the welcome opportunity of acknowledging it4 ,i wrote you on the #ae th by post--but ,i was so full of the thoughts of ,america and my ,american friends that ,i forgot ,france4 ,the people of this ,country speak very differently on the affairs of ,france4 ,the mass of them1 so far as ,i can collect1 say that ,france is a much freer ,country than ,england4 ,the ,peers1 the ,bishops1 c4 say the ,national ,assembly has gone too far4 ,there are yet in this country1 very considerable remains of the feudal ,system which people did not see till the revolution in france placed it before their eyes4 ,while the multitude here could be terrified with the cry and apprehension of ,arbitrary power1 wooden shoes1 popery1 and such like stuff1 they thought themselves by comparison an extraordinary free people2 but this bugbear now loses its force1 and they appear to me to be turning their eyes towards the ,aristocrats of their own ,nation4 ,this is a new mode of conquering1 and ,i think it will have its effect4 ,i am looking out for a place to erect my ,bridge1 within some of the ,squares would be very convenient4 ,i had thought of ,soho ,square1 where ,sir ,joseph ,banks lives1 but he is now in ,lincolnshire4 ,i expect it will be ready for erecting and in ,london by the latter end of ,october4 ,whether ,i shall then sell it in ,england or bring it over to ,paris1 and re-erect it there1 ,i have not determined in my mind44 ,in order to bring any kind of a contract forward for the ,seine1 it is necessary it should be seen1 and1 as oeconomy will now be a principle in the ,government1 it will have a better chance than before4 ,if you should pass thro' ,borden ,town in ,jersey1 which is not out of your way from ,philadelphia to ,new ,york1 ,i shall be glad you would enquire out my particular friend ,col4 ,kirkbride4 ,you will be very much pleased with him4 ,his house is my home when in that part of the ,country--and it was there that ,i made the ,model of my ,bridge4 ,,chapter ,,xix4 ,,the ,,key ,,of ,,the ,,bastille ,in ,june1 #aggg1 the ,emperor ,joseph ,,ii4 visited his sister1 the ,queen of ,france1 and passed a day at ,nantes4 ,the ,count de ,menou1 commandant of the place1 pointed out in the harbor1 among the flags raised in his honor1 one bearing thirteen stars4 ,the ,emperor turned away his eyes1 saying3 ,i cannot look on that2 my own profession is to be royalist ,weber1 foster-brother of ,marie ,antoinette1 who reports the ,emperor's remark1 recognized the fate of ,france in those thirteen stars4 ,that republic1 he says1 was formed by the subjects of a ,king1 aided by another ,king4 ,these ,french armies1 mingling their flags with those of ,america1 learned a new language4 ,those warriors1 the flower of their age1 went out ,frenchmen and returned ,americans4 ,they returned to a court1 but decorated with republican emblems and showing the scars of ,liberty4 ,lafayette1 it is said1 had in his study a large carton1 splendidly framed1 in two columns3 on one was inscribed the ,american ,declaration of ,independence2 the other was blank1 awaiting the like ,declaration of ,france499 99 ,memoires concernant ,marie-,antoinette1 pp4 #cd-gi4 #bfh ,the year #aghi found ,france afflicted with a sort of famine1 its finances in disorder2 while the people1 their eyes directed to the new world by the ,french comrades of ,washington1 beheld that great chieftain inaugurated as president of a prosperous republic4 ,the first pamphlet of ,thomas ,paine1 expurgated in translation of anti-monarchism1 had been widely circulated1 and ,john ,adams 7#aggi7 found himself welcomed in ,france as the supposed author of ,common ,sense4 ,the lion's skin dropped from ,paine's disgusted enemy1 and when1 ten years later1 the lion himself became known in ,paris1 he was hailed with enthusiasm4 ,this was in the autumn of #aghi1 when ,paine witnessed the scenes that ushered in the crowned republic1 from which he hoped so much4 ,jefferson had sailed in ,september1 and ,paine was recognized by ,lafayette and other leaders as the representative of the ,united ,states4 ,to him ,lafayette gave for presentation to ,washington the ,key of the destroyed ,bastille1 ever since visible at ,mount ,vernon1--symbol of the fact that1 in ,paine's words1 the principles of ,america opened the ,bastille4 ,but now an ,american enemy of ,paine's principles more inveterate than ,adams found himself similarly eclipsed in ,paris by the famous author4 ,early in #aghi ,gouverneur ,morris came upon the stage of events in ,europe4 ,he was entrusted by the ,president with a financial mission which1 being secret1 swelled him to importance in the imagination of courtiers4 ,at ,jefferson's request ,gouverneur ,morris posed to ,houdon for the bust of ,washington2 and when1 to ,morris' joy1 ,jefferson departed1 he posed politically as ,washington to the eyes of ,europe4 ,he was scandalized that ,jefferson should retain recollections of the ,declaration of ,independence strong enough to desire for ,france a downright republican form of government2 and how it happened that under ,jefferson's secretaryship of state this man1 whom even ,hamilton pronounced an exotic in a republic1 was presently appointed ,minister to ,france1 is a mystery remaining to be solved4 ,morris had a high old time in ,europe4 ,intimacy with ,washington secured him influence with ,lafayette1 and the fine ladies of ,paris1 seeking official favors for relatives and lovers1 welcomed him to the boudoirs1 baths1 and bedrooms to which his diary now introduces the public4 #agij ,it was but natural that such a man1 just as he had been relieved of the overlaying ,jefferson1 should try to brush ,paine aside4 ,on ,january #bf1 #agij1 he enters in his diary3 ,to-day1 at half-past three1 ,i go to ,m4 de ,lafayette's4 ,he tells me that he wishes to have a meeting of ,mr4 ,short1 ,mr4 ,paine1 and myself1 to consider their judiciary1 because his place imposes on him the necessity of being right4 ,i tell him that ,paine can do him no good1 for that1 although he has an excellent pen to write1 he has but an indifferent head to think4 ,eight years before1 ,gouverneur ,morris had joined ,robert ,morris in appealing to the author to enlighten the nation on the subject of finance and the direction of the war4 ,he had also confessed to ,paine that he had been duped by ,silas ,deane1 who1 by the way1 was now justifying all that ,paine had said of him by hawking his secret letter-books in ,london4 ,now1 in ,paris1 ,morris discovers that ,paine has but an indifferent head to think499 ,gouverneur ,morris was a fascinating man4 ,his diary and letters1 always entertaining1 reveal the secret of his success in twisting the ,constitution and ,jefferson and ,washington around his fingers in several important junctures4 ,to ,paine also he was irresistible4 ,his cordial manners disarm suspicion1 and we presently find the author pouring into the ear of his secret detractor what state secrets he learns in ,london4 ,on ,march #ag1 #agij1 ,paine left ,paris to see after his ,bridge in ,yorkshire1 now near completion4 ,on the day before1 he writes to a friend in ,philadelphia how prosperously everything is going on in ,france1 where ,lafayette is acting the part of a ,washington2 how the political reformation is sure to influence ,england2 and how he longs for ,america4 ,i wish most anxiously to see my much loved ,america4 ,it is the country from whence all reformation must originally spring4 ,i despair of seeing an abolition of the infernal traffic in negroes4 ,we must push that matter further on your side of the water4 ,i wish that a few well-instructed could be sent among their brethren in bondage2 for until they are able to take their own part nothing will be done49999 99 ,diary and ,letters of ,gouverneur ,morris4 ,edited by ,anne ,cary ,morris4 i41 p4 #bhf4 9999 ,one cannot help wondering how1 in this matter1 ,paine got along with his friend ,jefferson1 who1 at the very time of his enthusiasm for the ,french ,revolution1 had a slave in his house at ,challiot4 ,paine was not of the philanthropic type portrayed in the ,biglow ,papers3 ,i du believe in ,freedom's cause ,ez fur away ez ,payris is2 ,i love to see her stick her claws ,in them infarnal ,phayrisees4 ,it's well enough agin a king ,to dror resolves and triggers1 ,but libbaty 's a kind 'o thing ,that don't agree with niggers4 ,on his arrival in ,london he has the happiness of meeting his old friend ,general ,morris of ,morrisania1 and his wife4 ,gouverneur is presently over there1 to see his brother2 and in the intervals of dancing attendance at the opera on titled ladies--among them ,lady ,dunmore1 whose husband desolated the ,virginia coast1--he gets ,paine's confidences499 ,poor ,paine was an easy victim of any show of personal kindness1 especially when it seemed like the magnanimity of a political opponent4 ,the historic sense may recognize a picturesque incident in the selection by ,lafayette of ,thomas ,paine to convey the ,key of the ,bastille to ,washington4 ,in the series of intellectual and moral movements which culminated in the ,french ,revolution1 the ,bastille was especially the prison of ,paine's forerunners1 the writers1 and the place where their books were burned4 ,the gates of the ,bastille1 says ,rocquain1 were opened wide for ,abbes1 savants1 brilliant intellects1 professors of the ,university and doctors of the ,sorbonne1 all accused of writing or reciting verses against the ,king1 casting reflections on the ,government1 or publishing books in favor of ,deism1 and contrary to good morals4 ,diderot was one of the first arrested1 and it was during his detention that he conceived the plan of his ',encyclopedia4' 9999 99 ,diary1 etc41 i41 pp4 #cci1 #cda4 9999 ,l',esprit revolutionaire avant la ,revolution4 ,a good service has just been done by ,miss ,hunting in translating and condensing the admirable historical treatise of ,m4 ,felix ,rocquain on ,the ,revolutionary ,spirit ,preceding the ,revolution1 for which ,professor ,huxley has written a preface4 ,the coming ,key was announced to ,washington with the following letters3 ,london1 ,may #a1 #agij4--,sir1--,our very good friend the ,marquis de la ,fayette has entrusted to my care the ,key of the ,bastille1 and a drawing1 handsomely framed1 representing the demolition of that detestable prison1 as a present to your ,excellency1 of which his letter will more particularly inform4 ,i feel myself happy in being the person thro' whom the ,marquis has conveyed this early trophy of the ,spoils of despotism1 and the first ripe fruits of ,american principles transplanted into ,europe1 to his great master and patron4 ,when he mentioned to me the present he intended you1 my heart leaped with joy4 ,it is something so truly in character that no remarks can illustrate it1 and is more happily expressive of his remembrance of his ,american friends than any letters can convey4 ,that the principles of ,america opened the ,bastille is not to be doubted1 and therefore the ,key comes to the right place4 ,i beg leave to suggest to your ,excellency the propriety of congratulating the ,king and ,queen of ,france 7for they have been our friends17 and the ,national ,assembly1 on the happy example they are giving to ,europe4 ,you will see by the ,king's speech1 which ,i enclose1 that he prides himself on being at the head of the ,revolution2 and ,i am certain that such a congratulation will be well received and have a good effect4 ,i should rejoice to be the direct bearer of the ,marquis's present to your ,excellency1 but ,i doubt ,i shall not be able to see my much loved ,america till next ,spring4 ,i shall therefore send it by some ,american vessel to ,new ,york4 ,i have permitted no drawing to be taken here1 tho' it has been often requested1 as ,i think there is a propriety that it should first be presented4 ,but ,mr4 ,west wishes ,mr4 ,trumbull to make a painting of the presentation of the ,key to you4 ,i returned from ,france to ,london about five weeks ago1 and ,i am engaged to return to ,paris when the ,constitution shall be proclaimed1 and to carry the ,american flag in the procession4 ,i have not the least doubt of the final and compleat success of the ,french ,revolution4 ,little ,ebbings and ,flow-ings1 for and against1 the natural companions of revolutions1 sometimes appear2 but the full current of it1 is1 in my opinion1 as fixed as the ,gulph ,stream4 ,i have manufactured a ,bridge 7a single arch7 of one hundred and ten feet span1 and five feet high from the cord of the arch4 ,it is now on board a vessel coming from ,yorkshire to ,london1 where it is to be erected4 ,i see nothing yet to disappoint my hopes of its being advantageous to me4 ,it is this only which keeps me in ,europe1 and happy shall ,i be when ,i shall have it in my power to return to ,america4 ,i have not heard of ,mr4 ,jefferson since he sailed1 except of his arrival4 ,as ,i have always indulged the belief of having many friends in ,america1 or rather no enemies1 ,i have mutilated to mention but my affectionate mutilated' and am ,sir with the greatest respect1 c4 ,if any of my friends are disposed to favor me with a letter it will come to hand by addressing it to the care of ,benjamin ,vaughn ,esq41 ,jeffries ,square1 ,london4 ,london1 ,may #ca1 #agij4--,sir1--,by ,mr4 ,james ,morris1 who sailed in the ,may ,packet1 ,i transmitted you a letter from the ,marquis de la ,fayette1 at the same time informing you that the ,marquis had entrusted to my charge the ,key of the ,bastille1 and a drawing of that prison1 as a present to your ,excellency4 ,mr4 ,j4 ,rutledge1 jun'r1 had intended coming in the ship ',marquis de la ,fayette1' and ,i had chosen that opportunity for the purpose of transmitting the present2 but1 the ship not sailing at the time appointed1 ,mr4 ,rutledge takes his passage on the ,packet1 and ,i have committed to his care that trophie of ,liberty which ,i know it will give you pleasure to receive4 ,the french ,revolution is not only compleat but triumphant1 and the envious despotism of this nation is compelled to own the magnanimity with which it has been conducted4 ,the political hemisphere is again clouded by a dispute between ,england and ,spain1 the circumstances of which you will hear before this letter can arrive4 ,a ,messenger was sent from hence the #fth inst4 to ,madrid with very peremptory demands1 and to wait there only forty-eight hours4 ,his return has been expected for two or three days past4 ,i was this morning at the ,marquis del ,campo's but nothing is yet arrived4 ,mr4 ,rutledge sets off at four o'clock this afternoon1 but should any news arrive before the making up the mail on ,wednesday ,june #b1 ,i will forward it to you under cover4 ,the views of this ,court as well as of the ,nation1 so far as they extend to ,south ,america1 are not for the purpose of freedom1 but conquest4 ,they already talk of sending some of the young branches to reign over them1 and to pay off their national debt with the produce of their ,mines4 ,the ,bondage of those countries will1 as far as ,i can perceive1 be prolonged by what this ,court has in contemplation4 ,my ,bridge is arrived and ,i have engaged a place to erect it in4 ,a little time will determine its fate1 but ,i yet see no cause to doubt of its success1 tho' it is very probable that a ,war1 should it break out1 will as in all new things prevent its progress so far as regards profits4 ,in the partition in the ,box1 which contains the ,key of the ,bastille1 ,i have put up half a dozen ,razors1 manufactured from ,cast-steel made at the ,works where the ,bridge was constructed1 which ,i request you to accept as a little token from a very grateful heart4 ,i received about a week ago a letter from ,mr4 ,g4 ,clymer4 ,it is dated the #dth ,february1 but has been travelling ever since4 ,i request you to acknowledge it for me and that ,i will answer it when my ,bridge is erected4 ,with much affection to all my friends1 and many wishes to see them again1 ,i am1 etc4 ,washington received the ,key at ,new ,york1 along with this last letter1 and on ,august #aj1 #agij1 acknowledges ,paine's agreeable letters4 ,it must1 ,i dare say1 give you great pleasure to learn by repeated opportunities1 that our new government answers its purposes as well as could have been reasonably expected1 that we are gradually overcoming the difficulties which presented in its first organization1 and that our prospects in general are growing more favorable4 ,paine is said by several biographers to have gone to ,paris in the ,may of this year4 ,no doubt he was missed from ,london1 but it was probably because he had gone to ,thetford1 where his mother died about the middle of ,may4 ,gouverneur ,morris reports interviews with him ,august #hth and #aeth1 in ,london4 ,the beautiful iron bridge1 #aaj feet long1 had been erected in ,june at ,leasing-,green 7now ,paddington-,green7 at the joint expense of ,paine and ,peter ,whiteside1 an ,american merchant in ,london4 ,it was attracting a fair number of visitors1 at a shilling each1 also favorable press notices1 and all promised well4 ,so ,paine was free to run over to ,paris1 where ,carlyle mentions him1 this year1 as among the ,english missionaries499 ,it was a brief visit1 however1 for ,october finds him again in ,london1 drawn probably by intimations of disaster to the interests of his ,bridge4 ,whiteside had failed1 and his assignees1 finding on his books ,l#fbj debited to ,paine's ,bridge1 came upon the inventor for the money2 no doubt unfairly1 for it seems to have been ,whiteside's investment1 but ,paine1 the ,american merchants ,cleggett and ,murdoch becoming his bail1 scraped together the money and paid it ,probably he lost through ,whiteside's bankruptcy other moneys1 among them the sum he had deposited to supply his mother with her weekly nine shillings4 ,paine was too much accustomed to straitened means to allow this affair to trouble him much4 ,the ,bridge exhibition went on smoothly enough4 ,country gentlemen1 deputations from riverside towns1 visited it1 and suggested negotiations for utilizing the invention4 ,the snug copyright fortune which the author had sacrificed to the ,american cause seemed about to be recovered by the inventor4 99 ,her ,paine2 rebellious ,staymaker2 unkempt2 who feels that he1 a single needleman1 did1 by his ',common ,sense' pamphlet1 free ,america2--that he can and will free all this ,world2 perhaps even the other4--,french ,revolution4 ,but again the ,cause arose before him2 he must part from all--patent interests1 literary leisure1 fine society--and take the hand of ,liberty1 undowered1 but as yet unstained4 ,he must beat his bridge-iron into a ,key that shall unlock the ,british ,bastille1 whose walls he sees steadily closing around the people4 ,,chapter ,,xx4 ,,the ,,rights ,,of ,,man ,edmund ,burke's ,reflexions on the ,revolution in ,france appeared about ,november #a1 #agij ,paine was staying at the ,angel inn1 ,islington1 and there immediately began his reply4 ,with his sentiment for anniversaries1 he may have begun his work on ,november #dth1 in honor of the ,english ,revolution1 whose centenary celebration he had witnessed three years before4 ,in a hundred years all that had been turned into a more secure lease of monarchy4 ,burke's pamphlet founded on that ,revolution a claim that the throne represented a perpetual popular franchise4 ,paine might have heard under his window the boys1 with their ,please to remember ,the fifth of ,november1 and seen their effigy of ,guy ,fawkes1 which in two years his own effigy was to replace4 ,but no misgivings of that kind haunted him4 ,for his eyes the omens hung over the dark ,past2 on the horizon a new day was breaking in morning stars and stripes4 ,with the inspiration of perfect faith1 born of the sacrifices that had ended so triumphantly in ,america1 ,paine wrote the book which1 coming from such deep1 the deeps answered4 ,although ,paine had been revising his religion1 much of the orthodox temper survived in him2 notably1 he still required some kind of ,satan to bring out his full energy4 ,in ,america it had been ,george ,,iii41 duly hoofed and horned1 at whom his inkstand was hurled2 now it is ,burke1 who appeared with all the seductive brilliancy of a fallen ,lucifer4 ,no man had been more idealized by ,paine than ,burke4 ,not only because of his magnificent defence of ,american patriots1 but because of his far-reaching exposures of despotism1 then creeping1 snake-like1 from one skin to another4 ,at the very time that ,paine was writing ,common ,sense1 ,burke was pointing out that the power of the crown1 almost dead and rotten as prerogative1 has grown up anew1 with much more strength and far less odium1 under the name of influence4 ,he had given liberalism the sentence3 ,the forms of a free and the ends of an arbitrary government are things not altogether incompatible4 ,he had been the intimate friend of ,priestley and other liberals1 and when ,paine arrived in #aghg had taken him to his heart and home4 ,paine maintained his faith in ,burke after ,priestley and ,price had remarked a change4 ,in the winter of #aghi1 when the enthusiastic author was sending out jubilant missives to ,washington and others1 announcing the glorious transformation of ,france1 he sent one to ,burke1 who might even then have been preparing the attack on ,france1 delivered early in the ,parliament of #agij4 ,when1 soon after his return from ,paris1 ,paine mingled with the mourners for their lost leader1 he was informed that ,burke had for some time been a masked pensioner1 to the extent of ,l#a1ejj per annum4 ,this rumor ,paine mentioned1 and it was not denied1 whether because true1 or because ,burke was looking forward to his subsequent pension of ,l#b1ejj1 is doubtful4 ,burke's book preceded the events in ,france which caused reaction in the minds of ,wordsworth and other thinkers in ,england and ,america4 ,the ,french were then engaged in adapting their government to the free principles of which ,burke himself had long been the eloquent advocate4 ,it was not without justice that ,erskine charged him with having challenged a ,revolution in ,england1 by claiming that its hereditary monarchy was bound on the people by a compact of the previous century1 and that1 good or bad1 they had no power to alter it4 ,the power of ,burke's pamphlet lay largely in his deftness with the methods of those he assailed4 ,he had courted their company1 familiarized himself with their ideas1 received their confidences4 ,this had been especially the case with ,paine4 ,so there seemed to be a soupcon of treachery in his subtleties and his disclosures4 ,but after all he did not know ,paine4 ,he had not imagined the completeness with which the struggle in ,america had trained this man in every art of controversy4 ,grappling with ,philadelphia ,tories1 ,quakers1 reactionists1 with aristocrats on the one hand and anarchists on the other1 ,paine had been familiarized beyond all men with every deep and by-way of the subject on which ,burke had ventured4 ,where ,burke had dabbled ,paine had dived4 ,never did man reputed wise go beyond his depth in such a bowl as when ,burke appealed to a revolution of #afhh as authoritative4 ,if one revolution could be authoritative1 why not another8 ,how did the seventeenth century secure a monopoly in revolution8 ,if a revolution in one century could transfer the throne from one family to another1 why might not the same power in another transfer it to an elective monarch1 or a president1 or leave it vacant8 ,to demolish ,burke was the least part of ,paine's task4 ,burke was1 indeed1 already answered by the government established in ,america1 presided over by a man to whom the world paid homage4 ,to ,washington1 ,paine's work was dedicated4 ,his real design was to write a ,constitution for the ,english nation4 ,and to-day the student of political history may find in ,burke's pamphlet the fossilized1 and in ,paine's 7potentially7 the living1 ,constitution of ,great ,britain4 #agia ,for adequacy to a purpose ,paine's ,common ,sense and his ,rights of ,man have never been surpassed4 ,washington pronounced the former unanswerable1 and ,burke passed the like verdict on the latter when he said that the refutation it deserved was that of criminal justice4 ,there was not the slightest confusion of ideas and aim in this book4 ,in laying down first principles of human government1 ,paine imports no preference of his own for one form or another4 ,the people have the right to establish any government they choose1 be it democracy or monarchy1--if not hereditary4 ,he explains with nicety of consecutive statement that a real ,constitution must be of the people1 and for the people4 ,that is1 for the people who make it2 they have no right1 by any hereditary principle1 to bind another people1 unborn4 ,his principle of the rights of man was founded in the religious axiom of his age that all men derived existence from a divine maker4 ,to say men are born equal means that they are created equal4 ,precedent contradicts precedent1 authority is against authority1 in all our appeals to antiquity1 until we reach the time when man came from the hands of his maker4 ,what was he then8 ,man4 ,man was his high and only title1 and a higher cannot be given him4 ,god said ,let us make man in our own image4 ,no distinction between men is pointed out4 ,all histories1 all traditions1 of the creation agree as to the unity of man4 ,generation being the mode by which creation is carried forward1 every child derives its existence from ,god4 ,the world is as new to him as it was to the first man that existed1 and his natural right to it is of the same kind4 ,on these natural rights ,paine founds man's civil rights4 ,to secure his natural rights the individual deposits some of them--e4g4 the right to judge in his own cause--in the common stock of society4 ,paine next proceeds to distinguish governments which have arisen out of this social compact from those which have not4 ,governments are classified as founded on--7#a7 superstition2 7#b7 power2 7#c7 the common interests of society1 and the common rights of man3 that is1 on priestcraft1 on conquest1 on reason4 ,a national constitution is the act of the people antecedent to government2 a government cannot therefore determine or alter the organic law it temporarily represents4 ,pitt's bill to reform ,parliament involves the absurdity of trusting an admittedly vitiated body to reform itself4 ,the judges are to sit in their own case4 ,the right of reform is in the nation in its original character1 and the constitutional method would be by a general convention elected for the purpose4 ,the organization of the aggregate of rights which individuals concede to society1 for the security of all rights1 makes the ,republic4 ,so far as the rights have been surrendered to extraneous authority1 as of priest-craft1 hereditary power1 or conquest1--it is ,despotism4 ,to set forth these general principles was ,paine's first design4 ,his next aim was to put on record the true and exact history of events in ,france up to the year #agia4 ,this history1 partly that of an eyewitness1 partly obtained from the best men in ,france--,lafayette1 ,danton1 ,brissot1 and others1--and by mingling with the masses1 constitutes the most fresh and important existing contribution to our knowledge of the movement in its early stages4 ,the majority of histories of the ,french ,revolution1 ,carlyle's especially1 are vitiated by reason of their inadequate attention to ,paine's narrative4 ,there had been then few serious outbreaks of the mob1 but of these ,burke had made the most ,paine contends that the outrages can no more be charged against the ,french than the ,london riots of #aghj against the ,english nation2 then retorts that mobs are the inevitable consequence of mis-government4 ,it is by distortedly exalting some men1 that others are distortedly debased4 ,a vast mass of mankind are degradedly thrown into the background of the human picture1 to bring forward1 with greater glare1 the puppet show of state and aristocracy4 ,in the commencement of a revolution1 those men are rather followers of the camp than of the standard of liberty1 and have yet to be instructed how to use it4 ,part ,i4 of ,the ,rights of ,man was printed by ,johnson in time for the opening of ,parliament 7,february71 but this publisher became frightened1 and only a few copies bearing his name found their way into private hands1--one of these being in the ,british ,museum4 ,j4 ,s4 ,jordan1 #aff ,fleet ,street1 consented to publish it1 and ,paine1 entrusting it to a committee of his friends--,william ,godwin1 ,thomas ,holcroft1 and ,thomas ,brand ,hollis--took his departure for ,paris499 ,from that city he sent a brief preface which appeared with ,jordan's first edition1 ,march #ac1 #agia4 ,oldys 7,chalmers7 asserts that the work was altered by ,jordan4 ,this assertion1 in its sweeping form1 is disproved not only by ,holcroft's note to ,godwin1 but by a comparison of the ,johnson and ,jordan volumes in the ,british ,museum49999 99 ,i have got it--,if this do not cure my cough it is a damned perverse mule of a cough--,the pamphlet--,from the row --,but mum--,we don't sell it--,oh1 no--,ears and ,eggs--,verbatim1 except the addition of a short preface1 which as you have not seen1 ,i send you my copy--,not a single castration 7,laud be unto ,god and ,j4 ,s4 ,jordan67 can ,i discover--,hey for the ,new ,jerusalem6 ,the ,millennium6 ,and peace and eternal beatitude be unto the soul of ,thomas ,paine6--,c4 ,kegan ,paul's ,william ,godwin4 ,in supposing that ,paine may have gone to ,paris before his book appeared 7,march #acth71 ,i have followed ,rickman1 who says the work was written partly at the ,angel1 at ,islington1 partly in ,harding ,street1 ,fetter ,lane1 and finished at ,versailles4 ,he adds that many hundred thousand more copies were rapidly sold4 ,but ,i have no certain trace of ,paine in ,paris in #agia earlier than ,april #hth4 9999 ,this comparison was made for me by a careful writer1 ,mr4 ,j4 ,m4 ,wheeler1 of ,london1 who finds1 with a few corrections in spelling1 but one case of softening3 ,p4 #fj1 in ,johnson ,paine wrote ',everything in the ,english government appears to me the reverse of what it ought to be' which in ,jordan is modified to ',many things1' etc4 ,the preface to which ,holcroft alludes is of biographical interest both as regards ,paine and ,burke4 ,as it does not appear in the ,american edition it is here inserted3 ,from the part ,mr4 ,burke took in the ,american ,revolution1 it was natural that ,i should consider him a friend to mankind2 and as our acquaintance commenced on that ground1 it would have been more agreeable to me to have had cause to continue in that opinion1 than to change it4 ,at the time ,mr4 ,burke made his violent speech last winter in the ,english ,parliament against the ,french ,revolution and the ,national ,assembly1 ,i was in ,paris1 and had written him1 but a short time before1 to inform him how prosperously matters were going on4 ,soon after this ,i saw his advertisement of the ,pamphlet he intended to publish4 ,as the attack was to be made in a language but little studied1 and less understood1 in ,france1 and as everything suffers by translation1 ,i promised some of the friends of the ,revolution in that country1 that whenever ,mr4 ,burke's ,pamphlet came forth1 ,i would answer it4 ,this appeared to me the more necessary to be done1 when ,i saw the flagrant misrepresentations which ,mr4 ,burke's ,pamphlet contains2 and that while it is an outrageous abuse of the ,french ,revolution1 and the principles of ,liberty1 it is an imposition on the rest of the world4 ,i am the more astonished and disappointed at this conduct in ,mr4 ,burke1 as 7from the circumstance ,i am going to mention7 ,i had formed other expectations4 ,i had seen enough of the miseries of war1 to wish it might never more have existence in the world1 and that some other mode might be found out to settle the differences that should occasionally arise in the neighbourhood of nations4 ,this certainly might be done if ,courts were disposed to set honestly about it1 or if countries were enlightened enough not to be made the dupes of ,courts4 ,the people of ,america had been bred up in the same prejudices against ,france1 which at that time characterized the people of ,england2 but experience and an acquaintance with the ,french ,nation have most effectually shown to the ,americans the falsehood of those prejudices2 and ,i do not believe that a more cordial and confidential intercourse exists between any two countries than between ,america and ,france4 ,when ,i came to ,france in the spring of #aghg1 the ,archbishop of ,thoulouse was then ,minister1 and at that time highly esteemed4 ,i became much acquainted with the private ,secretary of that ,minister1 a man of an enlarged benevolent heart2 and found that his sentiments and my own perfectly agreed with respect to the madness of war1 and the wretched impolicy of two nations1 like ,england and ,france1 continually worrying each other1 to no other end than that of a mutual increase of burdens and taxes4 ,that ,i might be assured ,i had not misunderstood him1 nor he me1 ,i put the substance of our opinions into writing1 and sent it to him2 subjoining a request1 that if ,i should see among the people of ,england any disposition to cultivate a better understanding between the two nations than had hitherto prevailed1 how far ,i might be authorised to say that the same disposition prevailed on the part of ,france8 ,he answered me by letter in the most unreserved manner1 and that not for himself only1 but for the ,minister1 with whose knowledge the letter was declared to be written4 ,i put this letter into the hands of ,mr4 ,burke almost three years ago1 and left it with him1 where it still remains1 hoping1 and at the same time naturally expecting1 from the opinion ,i had conceived of him1 that he would find some opportunity of making a good use of it1 for the purpose of removing those errors and prejudices which two neighbouring nations1 from the want of knowing each other1 had entertained1 to the injury of both4 ,when the ,french ,revolution broke out1 it certainly afforded to ,mr4 ,burke an opportunity of doing some good1 had he been disposed to it2 instead of which1 no sooner did he see the old prejudices wearing away1 than he immediately began sowing the seeds of a new inveteracy1 as if he were afraid that ,england and ,france would cease to be enemies4 ,that there are men in all countries who get their living by war1 and by keeping up the quarrels of ,nations1 is as shocking as it is true2 but when those who are concerned in the government of a country1 make it their study to sow discord1 and cultivate prejudices between ,nations1 it becomes the more unpardonable4 ,with respect to a paragraph in this work alluding to ,mr4 ,burke's having a pension1 the report has been some time in circulation1 at least two months2 and as a person is often the last to hear what concerns him the most to know1 ,i have mentioned it1 that ,mr4 ,burke may have an opportunity of contradicting the rumour1 if he thinks proper4 ,the ,rights of ,man produced a great impression from the first4 ,it powerfully reinforced the ,constitutional ,society1 formed seven years before1 which ,paine had joined4 ,the book was adopted as their new ,magna ,charta4 ,their enthusiasm was poured forth on ,march #bc;d in resolutions which ,daniel ,williams1 secretary1 is directed to transmit to all our corresponding ,constitutional ,societies in ,england1 ,scotland1 and ,france4 ,in ,ireland the work was widely welcomed4 ,i find a note that at a numerous meeting of the ,whigs of the ,capital ,dublin on ,tuesday the #eth of ,april1 ,hugh ,crothers in the chair1 a committee was appointed to consider the most effectual mode of disseminating ,mr4 ,paine's pamphlet on ,the ,rights of ,man4 ,in order to be uniform with ,burke's pamphlet the earlier editions of ,the ,rights of ,man1 were in the three-shilling style4 ,the proceeds enriched the ,society for ,constitutional ,information1 though ,paine had been drained of funds by the failure of ,whiteside4 ,gouverneur ,morris1 as appears by the subjoined extracts from his diary1 is disgusted with ,paine's wretched apartments in ,paris1 in which1 however1 the reader may see something finer than the diarist's luxury1 which the author might have rivalled with the means devoted to his ,cause4 ,this was perhaps what ,morris and ,paine s friend ,hodges agreed in deeming a sort of lunacy4 ,april #h4 ,return home1 and read the answer of ,paine to ,burke's book2 there are good things in the answer as well as in the book4 ,paine calls on me4 ,he says that he found great difficulty in prevailing on any bookseller to publish his book2 that it is extremely popular in ,england1 and1 of course1 the writer1 which he considers as one of the many uncommon revolutions of this age4 ,he turns the conversation on times of yore1 and as he mentions me among those who were his enemies1 ,i frankly acknowledge that ,i urged his dismissal from the office he held of secretary to the ,committee of ,foreign ,affairs4 ,april #af4 ,this morning ,i visit ,paine and ,mr4 ,hodges4 ,the former is abroad1 the latter is in the wretched apartments they occupy4 ,he speaks of ,paine as being a little mad1 which is not improbable4 ,april #be4 ,this morning ,paine calls and tells me that the ,marquis de ,lafayette has accepted the position of head of the ,national ,guards4 ,may #a4 ,dine with ,montmorin4 ,bouinville is here4 ,he is just returned from ,england4 ,he tells me that ,paine's book works mightily in ,england4 ,up to this point ,paine had1 indeed1 carried ,england with him1--for ,england was at heart with ,fox and the ,opposition4 ,when ,burke made his first attack on the ,french ,revolution 7,february #i1 #agij71 he was repeatedly called to order2 and ,fox--with tears1 for their long friendship was breaking forever--overwhelmed ,burke with his rebuke4 ,even ,pitt did not say a word for him4 ,his pamphlet nine months later was ascribed to inspiration of the ,king1 from whom he expected favors2 and although the madmen under whom the ,french ,revolution fell presently came to the support of his case4 ,burke personally never recovered his place in the esteem of ,england4 ,that the popular instinct was true1 and that ,burke was playing a deeper game than appeared1 was afterwards revealed in the archives of ,england and ,france499 99 ,thirty thousand copies of ,burke's book were circulated in all the courts and among the ,european aristocracy as so many lighted brands to set ,europe in flames4 ,during this time the author1 by his secret correspondence1 excited ,queen ,marie- ,antoinette1 the court1 the foreigners1 to conspire against the ,revolution4 ',no compromises with rebels6' he wrote2 'appeal to sovereign neighbors2 above all trust to the support of foreign armies4'--,histoire de ,france1 par ,henri ,martin1 i41 p4 #aea4 ,there was every reason why ,paine's reply should carry liberal statesmen with him4 ,his pamphlet was statesmanlike4 ,the ,french ,constitution at that time was the inchoate instrument beginning with the ,declaration of ,rights1 adopted on ,lafayette's proposal 7,august #bf1 #aghi71 and containing provisions contrary to ,paine's views4 ,it recognized the reigning house1 and made its executive power hereditary4 ,yet so free was ,paine from pedantry1 so anxious for any peaceful advance1 that it was at the expected inauguration of this ,constitution he had consented to bear the ,american flag1 and in his reply to ,burke he respects the right of a people to establish even hereditary executive1 the right of constitutional reform being retained4 ,the ,french constitution distinguishes between the king and the sovereign2 it considers the station of the king as official1 and places sovereignty in the nation4 ,in the same practical way he deals with other survivals in the ,french ,constitution--such as clericalism1 and the property qualification for suffrage--by dwelling on their mitigations1 while reaffirming his own principles on these points4 ,a very important part of ,paine's answer was that which related to the ,united ,states4 ,burke1 the most famous defender of ,american revolutionists1 was anxious to separate their movement from that in ,france4 ,paine1 with ample knowledge1 proved how largely the uprising in ,france was due to the training of ,lafayette and other ,french officers in ,america1 and to the influence of ,franklin1 who was not the diplomatist of a court1 but of man4 ,he also drew attention to the effect of the ,american ,state ,constitutions1 which were a grammar of liberty499 ,he points out that under this transatlantic influence ,french liberalism had deviated from the line of its forerunners1--from ,montesquieu1 obliged to divide himself between principle and prudence2 ,voltaire1 both the flatterer and satirist of despotism2 ,rousseau1 leaving the mind in love with an object without describing the means of possessing it2 ,turgot1 whose maxims are directed to reform the administration of government rather than the government itself4 ,to these high praise is awarded1 but they all had to be filtered through ,america4 99 ,dr4 ,franklin had these constitutions translated1 and presented them in a finely bound volume to the ,king4 ,according to ,paine1 who must have heard it from ,franklin1 ,vergennes resisted their publication1 but was obliged to give way to public demand4 ,paine could not allude to the effect of his own work1 ,common ,sense1 which may have been the more effective because its argument against monarchy was omitted from the translation4 ,but his enemies did not fail to credit his pen with the catastrophes in ,france4 ,john ,adams declares that the ,constitution of ,pennsylvania was ascribed wrongly to ,franklin2 it was written by ,paine and three others2 ,turgot1 ,condorcet1 and the ,duke de la ,rochefoucauld were enamored of it1 and two of them owed their final and fatal catastrophe to this blind love 7,letter to ,s4 ,perley1 ,june #ai1 #ahji74 ,whence ,cheetham4 dwelling on the enormity of the single representative assembly1 queries3 ,may not ,paine's constitution of ,pennsylvania have been the cause of the tyranny of ,robespierre8 ,and it goes without saying that it was not the reactionary ,america with which ,john ,adams and ,gouverneur ,morris had familiarized ,burke4 ,the ,rights of ,man was the first exposition of the republicanism of ,jefferson1 ,madison1 and ,edmund ,randolph that ever appeared4 ,and as this republicanism was just then in deadly struggle with reaction1 the first storm raised by ,paine's book occurred in ,america4 ,it was known in ,america that ,paine was about to beard the ,british lion in his den1 and to expectant ears the roar was heard before its utterance4 ,paine's answer to ,burke 7writes ,madison to ,jefferson1 ,may #ast7 has not yet been received here ,new ,york4 ,the moment it can be got1 ,freneau tells me1 it will be published in ,child's paper ,daily ,advertiser1 ,it is said that the pamphlet has been suppressed1 and that the author withdrew to ,france before or immediately after its appearance4 ,this may account for his not sending copies to his friends in this country4 ,mr4 ,beckley1 however1 had by this time received a copy and loaned it to ,jefferson1 with a request that he would send it to ,j4 ,b4 ,smith1 whose brother1 ,s4 ,h4 ,smith1 printed it with the following ,preface3 ,the following ,extracts from a note accompanying a copy of this pamphlet for republication is so respectable a testing of its value1 that the ,printer hopes the distinguished writer will excuse its present appearance4 ,it proceeds from a character equally eminent in the councils of ,america1 and conversant in the affairs of ,france1 from a long and recent residence at the ,court of ,versailles in the ,diplomatic department2 and at the same time that it does justice to the writings of ,mr4 ,paine1 it reflects honor on the source from which it flows by directing the mind to a contemplation of that ,republican firmness and ,democratic simplicity which endear their possessor to every friend of the ,rights of ,man4 ,after some prefatory remarks the ,secretary of ,state observes3 ' ,i am extremely pleased to find it will be reprinted1 and that something is at length to be publickly said against the political heresies which have sprung up among us4 ',i have no doubt our citizens will rally a second time round the standard of ,common ,sense4' ,as the pamphlet had been dedicated to the ,president199 this encomium of the ,secretary of ,state 7,jefferson was not mentioned by the sagacious publisher7 gave it the air of a manifesto by the administration4 ,had all been contrived1 ,paine's arrow could not have been more perfectly feathered to reach the heart of the anti-republican faction4 ,the ,secretary's allusion to political heresies was so plainly meant for the ,vice-,president that a million hands tossed the gauntlet to him1 and supposed it was his own hand that took it up4 ,these letters1 to ,the ,columbian ,centinel 7,boston71 were indeed published in ,england as by ,john ,adams1 and in the trial of ,paine were quoted by the ,attorney-,general as proceeding from the second in the executive government of ,america4 ,had it been generally known1 however1 that they were by the ,vice-,president's son1 ,john ,quincy ,adams1 the effect might not have been very different on the father4 ,edmund ,randolph1 in view of ,john ,adams' past services1 felt some regret at the attacks on him1 and wrote to ,madison3 ,i should rejoice that the controversy has been excited1 were it not that under the character of ,publicola he1 who was sufficiently depressed before1 is now irredeemable in the public opinion without being the real author4 ,the youth1 however1 was only in his twenty-fourth year1 and pretty certainly under his father's inspiration4 99 ,sir1 ,i present you a small treatise in defence of those principles of freedom which your exemplary virtue hath so eminently contributed to establish4 ,that the rights of men may become as universal as your benevolence can wish1 and that you may enjoy the happiness of seeing the new world regenerate the old1 is the prayer of1 ,sir1 your much obliged and obedient humble servant1 ,thomas ,paine4 ,it is improbable1 however1 that ,john ,adams could have written such scholarly and self-restrained criticisms on any work by ,paine1 mere mention of whom always made him foam at the mouth4 ,publicola's arguments could not get a fair hearing amid surviving animosities against ,england and enthusiasm for a republican movement in ,france1 as yet not a revolution1 which promised the prevalence of ,american ideas in ,europe4 ,the actual ,england of that era1 whose evils were powerfully portrayed by ,paine1 defeated in advance any theoretical estimate of the advantages of its unwritten ,constitution4 ,america had1 too1 an inventor's pride in its written ,constitution1 as yet untried by experience4 ,publicola assailed1 successfully as ,i think1 ,paine's principle that a vitiated legislature could never be trusted to reform itself4 ,it was answered that there is no reason why the people may not delegate to a legislature1 renewed by suffrage1 the power of altering even the organic law4 ,publicola contends that the people could not act in their original character in changing a constitution1 in opposition to an existing legislature1 without danger of anarchy and war2 that if the people were in harmony with their legislature it could be trusted to carry out their amendments2 that a legislature without such constitutional powers would nevertheless exercise them by forced constructions2 and that the difficulty and delay of gathering the people in convention might conceivably endanger the commonwealth1 were the power of fundamental alteration not delegated to the legislature1--a concurrent right being reserved by the people4 ,this philosophical statement1 interesting in the light of ,french revolutions and ,english evolutions1 recoiled on ,publicola from the walls of ,paine's real fortress4 ,this was built of the fact that in ,england the majority was not represented even in the ,commons1 and that the people had no representation at all in two branches of their government4 ,moreover1 ,paine's plea had been simply for such reconstitution of government as would enable the people to reform it without revolution or convulsion4 ,publicola was compelled to admit that the ,english people had no resort but the right of revolution1 so that it appeared mere ,monarchism to argue against ,paine's plea for a self-amending constitution in ,england4 ,publicola's retort on the ,secretary's phrase1 political heresies 7infelicitous from a freethinker71--,does he consider this pamphlet of ,mr4 ,paine's as the canonical book of political scripture1--hurt ,jefferson so much that he supposed himself harmed4 ,he was indeed much annoyed by the whole affair1 and straightway wrote to political leaders letters--some private1 others to be quoted1--in which he sought to smooth things by declaring that his note was not meant for publication4 ,to ,washington he writes 7,may #hth7 the ,beckley-,smith story1 beginning3 ,i am afraid the indiscretion of a printer has committed me with my friend ,mr4 ,adams1 for whom1 as one of the most honest and disinterested men alive1 ,i have a cordial esteem1 increased by long habits of concurrence in opinion in the days of his republicanism2 and even since his apostasy to hereditary monarchy and nobility1 though we differ1 we differ as friends should do4 ,the ,jeffersonians were1 of course1 delighted1 and there is no knowing how much reputation for pluck the ,secretary was gaining in the country at the very moment when his intimate friends were soothing his tremors4 ,these were increased by the agitation of the ,british representatives in ,america over the affair4 ,the following re-enforcement was sent by ,madison on ,may #abth3 ,i had seen ,paine's pamphlet1 with the ,preface of the ,philadelphia edition4 ,it immediately occurred that you were brought into the frontispiece in the manner you explain4 ,but ,i had not foreseen the particular use made of it by the ,british partizans4 ,mr4 ,adams can least of all complain4 ,under a mock defence of the ,republican constitutions of his country he attacked them with all the force he possessed1 and this in a book with his name to it1 while he was the ,representative of his country at a foreign ,court4 ,since he has been the second magistrate in the new ,republic1 his pen has constantly been at work in the same ,cause2 and though his name has not been prefixed to his anti-republican discourses1 the author has been as well known as if that formality had been observed4 ,surely if it be innocent and decent in one servant of the public thus to write attacks against its ,government1 it cannot be very criminal or indecent in another to patronize a written defence of the principles on which that ,government is founded4 ,the sensibility of ,hammond ,british ,minister and ,bond ,british ,consul-,general for the indignity to the ,british ,constitution is truly ridiculous4 ,if offence could be justly taken in that quarter1 what would ,france have a right to say to ,burke's pamphlet1 and the countenance given to it and its author1 particularly by the ,king himself8 ,what1 in fact1 might not the ,united ,states say1 when revolutions and democratic ,governments come in for a large charge of the scurrility lavished on those of ,france8 ,one curious circumstance of this incident was that the fuss made by these ,british agents was about a book concerning which their government1 under whose nose it was published1 had not said a word4 ,there was1 indeed1 one sting in the ,american edition which was not in the ,english1 but that does not appear to have been noticed499 ,the resentment shown by the ,british agents was plainly meant to aid ,adams and the partisans of ,england in their efforts to crush the republicans1 and bring ,washington to their side in hostility to ,jefferson4 ,four years later they succeeded1 and already it was apparent to the republican leaders that fine engineering was required to keep the ,colossus on their side4 ,washington being at ,mount ,vernon1 his secretary1 ,tobias ,lear1 was approached by ,major ,beckwith1 an ,english agent 7at ,mrs4 ,washington's reception71 who undertook to lecture through him the ,president and ,secretary of ,state4 ,he expressed surprise that ,paine's pamphlet should be dedicated to the ,president1 as it contained remarks that could not but be offensive to the ,british government4 ,the ,major might have been embarrassed if asked his instructions on the point1 but ,lear only said that the ,president had not seen the pamphlet1 nor could he be held responsible for its sentiments4 ,true1 said ,beckwith1 but ,i observe1 in the ,american edition1 that the ,secretary of ,state has given a most unequivocal sanction to the book1 as ,secretary of ,state2 it is not said as ,mr4 ,jefferson4 ,lear said he had not seen the pamphlet1 but1 he added1 ,i will venture to say that the ,secretary of ,state has not done a thing which he would not justify4 ,beckwith then remarked that he had spoken only as a private character1 and ,lear went off to report the conversation in a letter to ,washington 7,may #hth71 and next day to ,attorney-,general ,randolph4 ,lear also reports to ,washington that he had heard ,adams say1 with his hand upon his breast3 ,i detest that book and its tendency1 from the bottom of my heart4 ,meanwhile the ,attorney-,general1 after conversation with ,beckwith1 visited ,jefferson1 and asked if he had authorized the publication of his note in ,paine's pamphlet4 99 ,it has already been stated that the volume as printed by ,jordan 7,london7 in ,march1 contained one single modification of that which ,johnson had printed in ,february1 but declined to publish4 ,the ,american edition was printed from the ,johnson volume2 and where the ,english were reading ,many things1 etc1 the ,americans read3 ,every thing in the ,english government appears to me the reverse of what it ought to be1 and of what it is said to be4 ,mr4 ,jefferson said that1 so far from having authorized it1 he was exceedingly sorry to see it there2 not from a disavowal of the approbation which it gave the work1 but because it had been sent to the printer1 with the pamphlet for republication1 without the most distant idea that he would think of publishing any part of it4 ,and ,mr4 ,jefferson further added that he wished it might be understood1 that he did not authorize the publication of any part of his note4 ,these words of ,lear to ,washington1 written no doubt in ,randolph's presence1 suggest the delicacy of the situation4 ,jefferson's anxiety led him to write ,vice-,president ,adams 7,july #agth7 the ,beckley-,smith story4 ,i thought he adds so little of the note that ,i did not even keep a copy of it1 nor ever heard a tittle more of it till1 the week following1 ,i was thunderstruck with seeing it come out at the head of the pamphlet4 ,i hoped that it would not attract4 ,but ,i found on my return from a journey of a month1 that a writer came forward under the name of ,publicola1 attacking not only the author and principles of the pamphlet1 but myself as its sponsor by name4 ,soon after came hosts of other writers1 defending the pamphlet and attacking you by name as the writer of ,publicola4 ,thus our names were thrown on the stage as public antagonists4 ,then follows some effusiveness for ,adams1 and protestations that he has written none of these attacks4 ,jefferson fully believed that ,publicola was the ,vice-,president1 and had so informed ,monroe1 on ,july #ajth4 ,it was important that his lieutenants should not suspect their leader of shrinking1 and ,jefferson's letters to them are in a different vein4 ,publicola1 he tells ,monroe1 in attacking all ,paine's principles1 is very desirous of involving me in the same censure with the author4 ,i certainly merit the same1 for ,i profess the same principles2 but it is equally certain ,i never meant to have entered as a volunteer in the cause4 ,my occupations do not permit it4 ,to ,paine he writes 7,july #bith73 ,indeed ,i am glad you did not come away till you had written your ,rights of ,man4 ,a writer under the signature of ,publicola has attacked it1 and a host of champions has entered the arena immediately in your defence4 ,it is added that the controversy has shown the people firm in their republicanism1 contrary to the assertions of a sect here1 high in name but small in numbers1 who were hoping that the masses were becoming converted to the doctrine of ,king1 ,lords1 and ,commons4 ,in the letter to which this was a reply1 ,paine had stated his intention of returning to ,america in the spring499 ,the enthusiasm for ,paine and his principles elicited by the controversy was so overwhelming that ,edmund ,randolph and ,jefferson made an effort to secure him a place in ,washington's ,cabinet4 ,but1 though reinforced by ,madison1 they failed9999 99 ,i enclose you a few observations on the establishment of a ,mint4 ,i have not seen your report on that subject and therefore cannot tell how nearly our opinions run together2 but as it is by thinking upon and talking subjects over that we approach towards truth1 there may probably be something in the enclosed that may be of use4--,as the establishment of a ,mint combines a portion of politics with a knowledge of the ,arts1 and a variety of other matters1 it is a subject ,i shall very much like to talk with you upon4 ,i intend at all events to be in ,america in the ,spring1 and it will please me much to arrive before you have gone thro' the arrangement4 --,paine to ,jefferson1 dated ,london1 ,september #bh1 #agij4 9999 ,madison to ,jefferson1 ,july #acth1--,i wish you success with all my heart in your efforts for ,paine4 ,besides the advantage to him which he deserves1 an appointment for him at this moment would do public good in various ways4 ,these statesmen little knew how far ,washington had committed himself to the ,british government4 ,in ,october1 #aghi1 ,washington1 with his own hand1 had written to ,gouverneur ,morris1 desiring him in the capacity of private agent1 and on the authority and credit of this letter1 to converse with ,his ,britannic ,majesty's ministers on these points2 viz41 whether there be any1 and what objections to performing those articles in the treaty which remained to be performed on his part1 and whether they incline to a treaty of commerce with the ,united ,states on any1 and what terms8 ,this was a secret between ,washington1 ,morris1 and the ,british ,cabinet499 ,it was the deepest desire of ,washington to free ,america from ,british garrisons1 and his expectation was to secure this by the bribe of a liberal commercial treaty1 as he ultimately did4 ,the demonstration of the ,british agents in ,america against ,paine's pamphlet1 their offence at its dedication to the ,president and sanction by the ,secretary of ,state1 were well calculated4 ,that it was all an ,american coup1 unwarranted by any advice from ,england1 could not occur to ,washington1 who was probably surprised when he presently received a letter from ,paine showing that he was getting along quite comfortably under the government he was said to have aggrieved4 99 ,diary of ,gouverneur ,morris1 i41 p4 #caj4 ,edmund ,randolph to ,madison1 ,july #bast4--,i need not relate to you1 that since the standard of republicanism has been erected1 it has been resorted to by a numerous corps4 ,the newspapers will tell you how much the crest of aristocracy has fallen4444 ,but he ,adams is impotent1 and something is due to past services4 ,mr4 ,j4 and myself have attempted to bring ,paine forward as a successor to ,osgood ,postmaster-,general4 ,it seems to be a fair opportunity for a declaration of certain sentiments4 ,but all that ,i have heard has been that it would be too pointed to keep a vacancy unfilled until his return from the other side of the water4 ,london1 ,july #ba1 #agia--;,dear ,sir4--,i received your favor of last ,august by ,col3 ,humphries since which ,i have not written to or heard from you4 ,i mention this that you may know no letters have miscarried4 ,i took the liberty of addressing my late work ',rights of ,man1' to you2 but tho' ,i left it at that time to find its way to you1 ,i now request your acceptance of fifty copies as a token of remembrance to yourself and my ,friends4 ,the work has had a run beyond anything that has been published in this ,country on the subject of ,government1 and the demand continues4 ,in ,ireland it has had a much greater4 ,a letter ,i received from ,dublin1 #ajth of ,may1 mentioned that the fourth edition was then on sale4 ,i know not what number of copies were printed at each edition1 except the second1 which was ten thousand4 ,the same fate follows me here as ,i at first experienced in ,america1 strong friends and violent enemies1 but as ,i have got the ear of the ,country1 ,i shall go on1 and at least shew them1 what is a novelty here1 that there can be a person beyond the reach of corruption4 ,i arrived here from france about ten days ago4 ,m4 de la ,fayette is well4 ,the affairs of that ,country are verging to a new crisis1 whether the ,government shall be ,monarchical and heredetary or wholly representative8 ,i think the latter opinion will very generally prevail in the end4 ,on this question the people are much forwarder than the ,national ,assembly4 ,after the establishment of the ,american ,revolution1 it did not appear to me that any object could arise great enough to engage me a second time4 ,i began to feel myself happy in being quiet2 but ,i now experience that principle is not confined to ,time or place1 and that the ardour of seventy-six is capable of renewing itself4 ,i have another work on hand which ,i intend shall be my last1 for ,i long much to return to ,america4 ,it is not natural that fame should wish for a rival1 but the case is otherwise with me1 for ,i do most sincerely wish there was some person in this ,country that could usefully and successfully attract the public attention1 and leave me with a satisfied mind to the enjoyment of quiet life3 but it is painful to see errors and abuses and sit down a senseless spectator4 ,of this your own mind will interpret mine4 ,i have printed sixteen thousand copies2 when the whole are gone of which there remain between three and four thousand ,i shall then make a cheap edition1 just sufficient to bring in the price of the printing and paper as ,i did by ,common ,sense4 ,mr4 ,green who will present you this1 has been very much my friend4 ,i wanted last ,october to draw for fifty pounds on ,general ,lewis ,morris who has some money of mine1 but as he is unknown in the ,commercial line1 and ,american credit not very good1 and my own expended1 ,i could not succeed1 especially as ,gov'r ,morris was then in ,holland4 ,col3 ,humphries went with me to your ,agent ,mr4 ,walsh1 to whom ,i stated the case1 and took the liberty of saying that ,i knew you would not think it a trouble to receive it of ,gen4 ,morris on ,mr4 ,walsh's account1 but he declined it4 ,mr4 ,green afterwards supplied me and ,i have since repaid him4 ,he has a troublesome affair on his hands here1 and is in danger of losing thirty or forty thousand pounds1 embarked under the flag of the ,united ,states in ,east ,india property4 ,the persons who have received it withhold it and shelter themselves under some law contrivance4 ,he wishes to state the case to ,congress not only on his own account1 but as a matter that may be nationally interesting4 ,the public papers will inform you of the riots and tumults at ,birmingham1 and of some disturbances at ,paris1 and as ,mr4 ,green can detail them to you more particularly than ,i can do in a letter ,i leave those matters to his information4 ,i am1 etc4 ,nine months elapsed before ,washington answered this letter1 and although important events of those months have yet to be related1 the answer may be here put on record4 ,philadelphia1 #f ,may1 #agib4--;,dear ,sir4--,to my friends1 and those who know my occupations1 ,i am sure no apology is necessary for keeping their letters so much longer unanswered1 than my inclination would lead me to do4 ,i shall therefore offer no excuse for not having sooner acknowledged the receipt of your letter of the #bast of ,june ,july4 ,my thanks1 however1 for the token of your remembrance1 in the fifty copies of ',the ,rights of ,man1' are offered with no less cordiality1 than they would have been had ,i answered your letter in the first moment of receiving it4 ,the duties of my office1 which at all times1 especially during the session of ,congress1 require an unremitting attention1 naturally become more pressing towards the close of it2 and as that body have resolved to rise tomorrow1 and as ,i have determined1 in case they should1 to set out for ,mount ,vernon on the next day1 you will readily conclude that the present is a busy moment with me2 and to that ,i am persuaded your goodness will impute my not entering into the several points touched upon in your letter4 ,let it suffice1 therefore1 at this time1 to say1 that ,i rejoice in the information of your personal prosperity1 and1 as no one can feel a greater interest in the happiness of mankind than ,i do1 that it is the first wish of my heart1 that the enlightened policy of the present age may diffuse to all men those blessings1 to which they are entitled1 and lay the foundation of happiness for future generations4--,with great esteem1 ,i am1 dear ,sir c4 ,p4 ,s4 ,since writing the foregoing1 ,i have received your letter of the #acth of ,february1 with the twelve copies of your new work1 which accompanied it1 and for which you must accept my additional thanks4 ,there is no lack of personal cordiality in this letter1 but one may recognize in its ingenious vagueness1 in its omission of any acknowledgment of the dedication of ,paine's book1 that he mistrusts the ,european revolution and its ,american allies4 ,,chapter ,,xxi4 ,,founding ,,the ,,european ,,republic ,it has already been mentioned that ,john ,adams had been proclaimed in ,france the author of ,common ,sense499 ,the true author was now known1 but1 as the anti-monarchal parts of his work were expurgated1 ,paine1 in turn1 was supposed to be a kind of ,john ,adams--a revolutionary royalist4 ,this misunderstanding was personally distasteful1 but it had the important compensation of enabling ,paine to come before ,europe with a work adapted to its conditions1 essentially different from those of ,america to which ,common ,sense was addressed in #aggf4 ,it was a matter of indifference to him whether the individual executive was called ,king or ,president4 ,he objected to the thing1 not the name1 but as republican superstition had insisted on it in ,america there was little doubt that ,france would follow the example4 ,under these circumstances ,paine made up his mind that the republican principle would not be lost by the harmonizing policy of preserving the nominal and ornamental king while abolishing his sovereignty4 ,the erection of a tremendous presidential power in the ,united ,states might well suggest to so staunch a supporter of ministerial government that this substance might be secured under a show of royalty4 ,dr4 ,robinet considers it a remarkable prophecy that ,paine should have written in #aghg of an approaching alliance of the ,majesty of the ,sovereign with the ,majesty of the ,nation in ,france4 ,this was opposed to the theories of ,jefferson1 but it was the scheme of ,mirabeau1 the hope of ,lafayette1 and had not the throne been rotten this prudent policy might have succeeded4 ,it was with an eye to ,france as well as to ,england that ,paine1 in his reply to ,burke1 had so carefully distinguished between executive sovereignty subject to law and personal monarchy4 99 ,when ,i arrived in ,france1 the ,french naturally had a great many questions to settle4 ,the first was whether ,i was the famous ,adams1 ',ah1 le fameux ,adams4' ,in order to speculate a little upon this subject1 the pamphlet ',common ,sense' had been printed in the ',affaires de l',angle-terre et de l',amerique1' and expressly ascribed to ,mr4 ,adams1 'the celebrated member of ,congress4' ,it must be further known that although the pamphlet ',common ,sense' was received in ,france and in all ,europe with rapture1 yet there were certain parts of it that they did not dare to publish in ,france4 ,the reasons of this any man may guess4 ',common ,sense' undertakes to prove that monarchy is unlawful by the ,old ,testament ,they therefore gave the substance of it1 as they said2 and paying many compliments to ,mr4 ,adams1 his sense and rich imagination1 they were obliged to ascribe some parts of it to republican zeal4 ,when ,i arrived at ,bordeaux all that ,i could say or do would not convince anybody but that ,i was the fameux ,adams4 ',c'est un homme calibre4 ,votre nom est bien connu ici4'--,works of ,john ,adams1 vol4 iii41 p4 #ahi4 ,this was in #aggi1 and when ,adams entered on his official duties at ,paris the honors thrust upon him at ,bordeaux became burdensome4 ,when the last proof of his book was revised ,paine sped to ,paris1 and placed it in the hand of his friend ,m4 ,lanthenas for translation4 ,mirabeau was on his death-bed1 and ,paine witnessed that historic procession1 four miles long1 which bore the orator to his shrine4 ,witnessed it with relief1 perhaps1 for he is ominously silent concerning ,mirabeau4 ,with others he strained his eyes to see the ,coming ,man2 with others he sees formidable ,danton glaring at ,lafayette2 and presently sees advancing softly between them the sentimental1 philanthropic--,robespierre4 ,it was a happy hour for ,paine when1 on a day in ,may1 he saw ,robespierre rise in the ,national ,assembly to propose abolition of the death penalty4 ,how sweet this echo of the old testimonies of ,thetford ,quaker meetings4 ,capital punishment1 cries ,robespierre1 is but a base assassination--punishing one crime by another1 murder with murder4 ,since judges are not infallible they have no right to pronounce irreparable sentences4 ,he is seconded by the jurist ,duport1 who says impressively3 ,let us at least make revolutionary scenes as little tragic as possible6 ,let us render man honorable to man6 ,marat1 right man for the role1 answered with the barbaric demand blood for blood1 and prevailed4 ,but ,paine was won over to ,robespierre by this humane enthusiasm4 ,the day was to come when he must confront ,robespierre with a memory of this scene4 ,that ,robespierre would supersede ,lafayette ,paine could little imagine4 ,the ,king was in the charge of the great friend of ,america1 and never had country a fairer prospect than ,france in those beautiful spring days4 ,but the royal family fled4 ,in the early morning of ,june #bast ,lafayette burst into ,paine's bedroom1 before he was up1 and cried3 ,the birds are flown6 ,it is well1 said ,paine2 ,i hope there will be no attempt to recall them4 ,hastily dressing1 he rushed out into the street1 and found the people in uproar4 ,they were clamoring as if some great loss had befallen them4 ,at the ,hotel de,ville ,lafayette was menaced by the crowd1 which accused him of having assisted the ,king's flight1 and could only answer them3 ,what are you complaining of8 ,each of you saves twenty sous tax by suppression of the ,civil ,list4 ,paine encounters his friend ,thomas ,christie4 ,you see1 he said1 the absurdity of monarchical governments2 here will be a whole nation disturbed by the folly of one man499 99 ,the letter of ,christie 7,priestley's nephew71 written ,june #bb;d1 appeared in the ,london ,morning ,chronicle1 ,june #bith4 ,here was ,marat's opportunity4 ,his journal1 ,l',ami du ,peuple1 clamored for a dictator1 and for the head of ,lafayette4 ,against him rose young ,bonneville1 who1 in ,la ,bouche de ,fer wrote3 ,no more kings6 ,no dictator6 ,assemble the ,people in the face of the sun2 proclaim that the ,law alone shall be sovereign1--the ,law1 the ,law alone1 and made for all6 ,bonneville's words in his journal about that time were apt to be translations from the works of his friend ,paine1 with whom his life was afterwards so closely interwoven4 ,the little group of men who had studied ,paine1 ardent republicans1 beheld a nation suddenly become frantic to recover a king who could not be of the slightest value to any party in the state4 ,the miserable man had left a letter denouncing all the liberal measures he had signed since ,october1 #aghi1 which sealed his doom as a monarch4 ,the appalling fact was revealed that the most powerful revolutionists--,robespierre and ,marat especially--had never considered a ,republic1 and did not know what it was4 ,on ,june #beth1 ,paine was a heavy-hearted spectator of the return of the arrested king4 ,he had personal realization that day of the folly of a people in bringing back a king who had relieved them of his presence4 ,he had omitted to decorate his hat with a cockade1 and the mob fell on him with cries of ,aristocrat6 a la lanterne6 ,after some rough handling he was rescued by a ,frenchman who spoke ,english1 and explained the accidental character of the offence4 ,poor ,paine's ,quaker training had not included the importance of badges1 else the incident had revealed to him that even the popular rage against ,louis was superstitious homage to a cockade4 ,never did friend of the people have severer proofs that they are generally wrong4 ,in ,america1 while writing as with his heart's blood the first plea for its independence1 he was shadowed as a ,british spy2 and in ,france he narrowly escapes the aristocrat's lantern1 at the very moment when he was founding the first republican society1 and writing its declaration4 ,this ,societe ,republicaine1 as yet of five members1 inaugurated itself on ,july #ast1 by placarding ,paris with its manifesto1 which was even nailed on the door of the ,national ,assembly4 ,brethren and fellow citizens3 ,the serene tranquillity1 the mutual confidence which prevailed amongst us1 during the time of the late ,king's escape1 the indifference with which we beheld him return1 are unequivocal proofs that the absence of a ,king is more desirable than his presence1 and that he is not only a political superfluity1 but a grievous burden1 pressing hard on the whole nation4 ,let us not be imposed upon by sophisms2 all that concerns this is reduced to four points4 ,he has abdicated the throne in having fled from his post4 ,abdication and desertion are not characterized by the length of absence2 but by the single act of flight4 ,in the present instance1 the act is everything1 and the time nothing4 ,the nation can never give back its confidence to a man who false to his trust1 perjured to his oath1 conspires a clandestine flight1 obtains a fraudulent passport1 conceals a ,king of ,france under the disguise of a valet1 directs his course towards a frontier covered with traitors and deserters1 and evidently meditates a return into our country1 with a force capable of imposing his own despotic laws4 ,whether ought his flight to be considered as his own act1 or the act of those who fled with him8 ,was it a spontaneous resolution of his own1 or was it inspired into him by others8 ,the alternative is immaterial2 whether fool or hypocrite1 idiot or traitor1 he has proved himself equally unworthy of the important functions that had been delegated to him4 ,in every sense that the question can be considered1 the reciprocal obligation which subsisted between us is dissolved4 ,he holds no longer any authority4 ,we owe him no longer obedience4 ,we see in him no more than an indifferent person2 we can regard him only as ,louis ,capet4 ,the history of ,france presents little else than a long series of public calamity1 which takes its source from the vices of the ,kings2 we have been the wretched victims that have never ceased to suffer either for them or by them4 ,the catalogue of their oppressions was complete1 but to complete the sum of their crimes1 treason yet was wanting4 ,now the only vacancy is filled up1 the dreadful list is full2 the system is exhausted2 there are no remaining errors for them to commit1 their reign is consequently at an end4 ,what kind of office must that be in a government which requires neither experience nor ability to execute8 that may be abandoned to the desperate chance of birth1 that may be filled with an idiot1 a madman1 a tyrant1 with equal effect as by the good1 the virtuous1 and the wise8 ,an office of this nature is a mere nonentity3 it is a place of show1 not of use4 ,let ,france then1 arrived at the age of reason1 no longer be deluded by the sound of words1 and let her deliberately examine1 if a ,king1 however insignificant and contemptible in himself1 may not at the same time be extremely dangerous4 ,the thirty millions which it costs to support a ,king in the eclat of stupid brutal luxury1 presents us with an easy method of reducing taxes1 which reduction would at once release the people1 and stop the progress of political corruption4 ,the grandeur of nations consists1 not1 as ,kings pretend1 in the splendor of thrones1 but in a conspicuous sense of their own dignity1 and in a just disdain of those barbarous follies and crimes1 which1 under the sanction of royalty have hitherto desolated ,europe4 ,as to the personal safety of ,louis ,capet1 it is so much the more confirmed1 as ,france will not stoop to degrade herself by a spirit of revenge against a wretch who has dishonored himself4 ,in defending a just and glorious cause1 it is not possible to degrade it1 and the universal tranquillity which prevails is an undeniable proof1 that a free people know how to respect themselves4 ,malouet1 a leading royalist member1 tore down the handbill1 and1 having ascertained its author1 demanded the prosecution of ,thomas ,paine and ,achille ,duchatelet4 ,he was vehemently supported by ,martineau1 deputy of ,paris1 and for a time there was a tremendous agitation4 ,the majority1 not prepared to commit themselves to anything at all4 99 ,how great is a calm1 couchant people6 ,on the morrow men will say to one another1 ',we have no king1 yet we slept sound enough4' ,on the morrow ,achille ,duchatelet1 and ,thomas ,paine1 the rebellious needleman1 shall have the walls of ,paris profusely plastered with their placard1 announcing that there must be a republic4--,carlyle4 ,dumont 7,recollections of ,mirabeau7 gives a particular account of this paper1 which ,duchatelet wished him to translate4 ,paine and he1 the one an ,american1 the other a young thoughtless member of the ,french nobility1 put themselves forward to change the whole system of government in ,france4 ,lafayette had been sounded1 but said it would take twenty years to bring freedom to maturity in ,france4 ,but some of the seed thrown out by the audacious hand of ,paine began to bud forth in the minds of many leading individuals4 7,e4 g4 ,condorcet1 ,brissot1 ,petion1 ,claviere47 voted the order of the day1 affecting1 says ,henri ,martin1 a disdain that hid embarrassment and inquietude4 ,this document1 destined to reappear in a farther crisis1 and the royalist rage1 raised ,paine's ,republican ,club to vast importance4 ,even the ,jacobins1 who had formally declined to sanction republicanism1 were troubled by the discovery of a society more radical than themselves4 ,it was only some years later that it was made known 7by ,paine7 that this formidable association consisted of five members1 and it is still doubtful who these were4 ,certainly ,paine1 ,achille ,duchatelet1 and ,condorcet2 probably also ,brissot1 and ,nicolas ,bonneville4 ,in order to avail itself of this tide of fame1 the ,societe ,republicaine started a journal1--,the ,republican499 ,the time was not ripe1 however2 only one copy appeared2 that1 however1 contained a letter by ,paine1 written in ,june1 which excited considerable flutter4 ,to the reader of to-day it is mainly interesting as showing ,paine's perception that the ,french required instruction in the alphabet of republicanism2 but1 amid its studied moderation1 there was a paragraph which the situation rendered pregnant3 99 ,le ,republicain2 on le defenseur du gouvernement ,representatif2 par une ,societe des ,republicans4 ,a ,paris4 ,july #agia4 ,no4 #a4 ,whenever the ,french ,constitution shall be rendered conformable to its declaration of rights1 we shall then be enabled to give to ,france1 and with justice1 the appellation of a ,civic ,empire2 for its government will be the empire of laws1 founded on the great republican principles of elective representation and the rights of man4 ,but monarchy and hereditary succession are incompatible with the basis of its ,constitution4 ,now this was the very constitution which ,paine1 in his answer to ,burke1 had made comparatively presentable2 to this day it survives in human memory mainly through indulgent citations in ,the ,rights of ,man4 ,those angels who1 in the celestial war1 tried to keep friendly with both sides1 had human counterparts in ,france1 their constitutional oracle being the ,abbe ,sieves4 ,he had entered warmly into the ,revolution1 invented the name ,national ,assembly1 opposed the veto power1 supported the ,declaration of ,rights4 ,but he had a superstitious faith in individual executive1 which1 as an opportunist1 he proposed to vest in the reigning house4 ,this class of survivals in the constitution were the work of ,sieyes1 who was the brain of the ,jacobins1 now led by ,robespierre1 and with him ignoring republicanism for no better reason than that their title was ,societe des ,amis de la ,constitution499 ,sieyes petted his constitution maternally1 perhaps because nobody else loved it1 and bristled at ,paine's criticism4 ,he wrote a letter to the ,moniteur1 asserting that there was more liberty under a monarchy than under a republic ,he announced his intention of maintaining monarchical executive against the new party started into life by the ,king's flight4 ,in the same journal 7,july #hth17 ,paine accepts the challenge with pleasure49999 ,paine himself was something of an opportunist2 as in ,america he had favored reconciliation with ,george ,,iii4 up to the ,lexington massacre1 so had he desired a modus vivendi with ,louis ,,xvi4 up to his flight499 ,but now he unfurls the anti-monarchical flag4 99 ,the club1 founded in #aghi1 was called ,jacobin1 because they met in the hall of the ,dominicans1 who had been called ,jacobins from the street ,st4 ,jacques in which they were first established1 anno #abai4 9999 ,it was probably this letter that ,gouverneur ,morris alludes to in his ,diary1 when1 writing of a ,fourth of ,july dinner given by ,mr4 ,short 7,u4 ,s4 ,charge d',affaires71 he mentions the presence of ,paine1 inflated to the eyes and big with a letter of ,revolutions4 999999 ,in this spirit was written ,part ,i4 of ,the ,rights of ,man whose translation by ,m4 ,lanthenas1 with new preface1 appeared in ,may4 ,sieyes agreed that hereditaryship was theoretically wrong1 but1 he said1 refer to the histories of all elective monarchies and principalities3 is there one in which the elective mode is not worse than the hereditary succession8 ,for notes on this incident see ,professor ,f4 ,a4 ,aulard's important work1 ,les ,orateurs de l',assemblee ,constituante1 p4 #daa4 ,also ,henri ,martin's ,histoire de ,france1 i41 p4 #aic4 ,i am not the personal enemy of ,kings4 ,quite the contrary4 ,no man wishes more heartily than myself to see them all in the happy and honorable state of private individuals2 but ,i am the avowed1 open1 and intrepid enemy of what is called monarchy2 and ,i am such by principles which nothing can either alter or corrupt--by my attachment to humanity2 by the anxiety which ,i feel within myself for the dignity and honor of the human race2 by the disgust which ,i experience when ,i observe men directed by children and governed by brutes2 by the horror which all the evils that monarchy has spread over the earth excite within my breast2 and by those sentiments which make me shudder at the calamities1 the exactions1 the wars1 and the massacres with which monarchy has crushed mankind3 in short1 it is against all the hell of monarchy that ,i have declared war4 ,in reply ,sieyes used the terms monarchy and republic in unusual senses4 ,he defines republic as a government in which the executive power is lodged in more than one person1 monarchy as one where it is entrusted to one only4 ,he asserted that while he was in this sense a monarchist ,paine was a polycrat4 ,in a republic all action must finally lodge in an executive council deciding by majority1 and nominated by the people or the ,national ,assembly4 ,sieyes did not1 however1 care to enter the lists4 ,my letter does not announce that ,i have leisure to enter into a controversy with republican polycrats4 ,paine now set out for ,london4 ,he travelled with ,lord ,daer and ,etienne ,dumont1 ,mirabeau's secretary4 ,dumont had a pique against ,paine1 whose republican manifesto had upset a literary scheme of his1--to evoke ,mirabeau from the tomb and make him explain to the ,national ,assembly that the ,king's flight was a court plot1 that they should free ,louis ,,xvi4 from aristocratic captivity1 and support him4 ,but on reading the ,paine placard1 ,i determined1 says ,dumont1 for fear of evil consequences to myself1 to make ,mirabeau return to his tomb499 ,dumont protests that ,paine was fully convinced that the world would be benefited if all other books were burned except ,the ,rights of ,man1 and no doubt the republican apostle had a sublime faith in the sacred character of his testimonies against kings4 ,without attempting to determine whether this was the self-reliance of humility or egoism1 it may be safely affirmed that it was that which made ,paine's strokes so effective4 99 ,souvenirs sur ,mirabeau4 ,par ,etienne ,dumont4 ,it may also be remarked again that ,paine showed a prudence with which he has not been credited4 ,thus1 there is little doubt that this return to ,london was in pursuance of an invitation to attend a celebration of the second anniversary of the fall of the ,bastille4 ,he arrived at the ,white ,bear1 ,piccadilly1 the day before 7,july #acth71 but on finding that there was much excitement about his republican manifesto in ,france he concluded that his presence at the meeting might connect it with movements across the ,channel1 and did not attend4 ,equal prudence was not1 however1 displayed by his opponents1 who induced the landlord of the ,crown and ,anchor to close his doors against the advertised meeting4 ,this effort to prevent the free assemblage of ,englishmen1 and for the humane purpose of celebrating the destruction of a prison whose horrors had excited popular indignation1 caused general anger4 ,after due consideration it was deemed opportune for those who sympathized with the movement in ,france to issue a manifesto on the subject4 ,it was written by ,paine1 and adopted by a meeting held at the ,thatched ,house ,tavern1 ,august #bjth1 being signed by ,john ,home ,tooke1 as ,chairman4 ,this ,address and ,declaration of the ,friends of ,universal ,peace and ,liberty1 though preceded by the vigorous ,declaration of the ,volunteers of ,belfast1 quoted in its second paragraph1 was the earliest warning ,england received that the revolution was now its grim guest4 ,friends and ,fellow ,citizens3 ,at a moment like the present1 when wilful misrepresentations are industriously spread by partizans of arbitrary power and the advocates of passive obedience and court government1 we think it incumbent upon us to declare to the world our principles1 and the motives of our conduct4 ,we rejoice at the glorious event of the ,french revolution4 ,if it be asked1 ',what is the ,french revolution to us8' we answer as has already been answered in another place1 ',it is much--much to us as men2 much to us as ,englishmen4 ,as men1 we rejoice in the freedom of twenty-five millions of men4 ,we rejoice in the prospect which such a magnificent example opens to the world4' ,we congratulate the ,french nation for having laid the ax2 to the root of tyranny1 and for erecting government on the sacred hereditary rights of man2 rights which appertain to all1 and not to any one more than another4 ,we know of no human authority superior to that of a whole nation2 and we profess and claim it as our principle that every nation has at all times an inherent and indefeasable right to constitute and establish such government for itself as best accords with its disposition1 interest1 and happiness4 ,as ,englishmen we also rejoice1 because we are immediately interested in the ,french ,revolution4 ,without inquiring into the justice1 on either side1 of the reproachful charges of intrigue and ambition which the ,english and ,french courts have constantly made on each other1 we confine ourselves to this observation1--that if the court of ,france only was in fault1 and the numerous wars which have distressed both countries are chargeable to her alone1 that court now exists no longer1 and the cause and the consequence must cease together4 ,the ,french therefore1 by the revolution they have made1 have conquered for us as well as for themselves1 if it be true that this court only was in fault1 and ours never4 ,on this side of the case the ,french revolution concerns us immediately3 we are oppressed with a heavy national debt1 a burthen of taxes1 an expensive administration of government1 beyond those of any people in the world4 ,we have also a very numerous poor2 and we hold that the moral obligation of providing for old age1 helpless infancy1 and poverty1 is far superior to that of supplying the invented wants of courtly extravagance1 ambition1 and intrigue4 ,we believe there is no instance to be produced but in ,england1 of seven millions of inhabitants1 which make but little more than one million families1 paying yearly seventeen millions of taxes4 ,as it has always been held out by the administrations that the restless ambition of the court of ,france rendered this ex-pences necessary to us for our own defence1 we consequently rejoice1 as men deeply interested in the ,french revolution2 for that court1 as we have already said1 exists no longer1 and consequently the same enormous expences need not continue to us4 ,thus rejoicing as we sincerely do1 both as men and ,englishmen1 as lovers of universal peace and freedom1 and as friends to our national prosperity and reduction of our public expences1 we cannot but express our astonishment that any part or any members of our own government should reprobate the extinction of that very power in ,france1 or wish to see it restored1 to whose influence they formerly attributed 7whilst they appeared to lament7 the enormous increase of our own burthens and taxes4 ,what1 then1 are they sorry that the pretence for new oppressive taxes1 and the occasion for continuing many old taxes1 will be at an end8 ,if so1 and if it is the policy of courts and court government to prefer enemies to friends1 and a system of war to that of peace1 as affording more pretences for places1 offices1 pensions1 revenue and taxation1 it is high time for the people of every nation to look with circumspection to their own interest4 ,those who pay the expences1 and not those who participate in the emoluments arising from them1 are the persons immediately interested in inquiries of this kind4 ,we are a part of that national body on whom this annual expence of seventeen millions falls2 and we consider the present opportunity of the ,french revolution as a most happy one for lessening the enormous load under which this nation groans4 ,if this be not done we shall then have reason to conclude that the cry of intrigue and ambition against other courts is no more than the common cant of all courts4 ,we think it also necessary to express our astonishment that a government desirous of being called free1 should prefer connexion with the most despotic and arbitrary powers in ,europe4 ,we know of none more deserving this description than those of ,turkey and ,prussia1 and the whole combination of ,german despots4 ,separated as we happily are by nature from the tumults of the continent1 we reprobate all systems and intrigues which sacrifice 7and that too at a great expence7 the blessings of our natural situation4 ,such systems cannot have a natural origin4 ,if we are asked what government is1 we hold it to be nothing more than a national association2 and we hold that to be the best which secures to every man his rights and promotes the greatest quantity of happiness with the least expence4 ,we live to improve1 or we live in vain2 and therefore we admit of no maxims of government or policy on the mere score of antiquity or other men's authority1 the old whigs or the new4 ,we will exercise the reason with which we are endued1 or we possess it unworthily4 ,as reason is given at all times1 it is for the purpose of being used at all times4 ,among the blessings which the ,french revolution has produced to that nation we enumerate the abolition of the feudal system1 of injustice1 and of tyranny1 on the #dth of ,august1 #aghi4 ,beneath the feudal system all ,europe has long groaned1 and from it ,england is not yet free4 ,game laws1 borough tenures1 and tyrannical monopolies of numerous kinds still remain amongst us2 but rejoicing as we sincerely do in the freedom of others till we shall haply accomplish our own1 we intended to commemorate this prelude to the universal extirpation of the feudal system by meeting on the anniversary of that day 7the #dth of ,august7 at the ,crown and ,anchor3 from this meeting we were prevented by the interference of certain unnamed and sculking persons with the master of the tavern1 who informed us that on their representation he would not receive us4 ,let those who live by or countenance feudal oppressions take the reproach of this ineffectual meanness and cowardice to themselves3 they cannot stifle the public declaration of our honest1 open1 and avowed opinions4 ,these are our principles1 and these our sentiments2 they embrace the interest and happiness of the great body of the nation of which we are a part4 ,as to riots and tumults1 let those answer for them who by wilful misrepresentations endeavour to excite and promote them2 or who seek to stun the sense of the nation1 and lose the great cause of public good in the outrages of a mis-informed mob4 ,we take our ground on principles that require no such riotous aid4 ,we have nothing to apprehend from the poor for we are pleading their cause2 and we fear not proud oppression for we have truth on our side4 ,we say and we repeat it that the ,french revolution opens to the world an opportunity in which all good citizens must rejoice1 that of promoting the general happiness of man1 and that it moreover offers to this country in particular an opportunity of reducing our enormous taxes3 these are our objects1 and we will pursue them4 ,a comparative study of ,paine's two republican manifestos--that placarded in ,paris ,july #ast1 and this of ,august #bjth to the ,english--reveals the difference between the two nations at that period4 ,no break with the throne in ,england is suggested1 as none had been declared in ,france until the ,king had fled1 leaving behind him a virtual proclamation of war against all the reforms he had been signing since #aghi4 ,the ,thatched ,house address leaves it open for the ,king to take the side of the ,republic1 and be its chief4 ,the address is simply an applied ,declaration of ,rights4 ,paine had already maintained1 in his reply to ,burke1 that the ,english monarch was an importation unrelated to the real nation1 which is left to govern itself1 and does govern itself1 by magistrates and juries1 almost on its own charge1 on republican principles4 ,his chief complaint is that royalty is an expensive sinecure4 ,so far had ,george ,,iii4 withdrawn from his attempt to govern as well as reign1 which had ended so disastrously in ,america4 ,the fall of the ,french ,king who had aided the ,american rebellion was probably viewed with satisfaction by the ,english court1 so long as the revolution confined itself to ,france4 ,but now it had raised its head in ,england1 and the alarm of aristocracy was as if it were threatened with an invasion of political cholera4 ,the disease was brought over by ,paine4 ,he must be isolated4 ,but he had a hold on the people1 including a large number of literary men1 and ,nonconformist preachers4 ,the authorities1 therefore1 began working cautiously1 privately inducing the landlords of the ,crown and ,anchor and the ,thatched ,house to refuse their rooms to the ,painites1 as they were beginning to be called ,but this was a confession of ,paine's power4 ,indeed all opposition at that time was favorable to ,paine4 ,publicola's reply to ,the ,rights of ,man1 attributed to ,vice-,president ,adams1 could only heighten ,paine's fame2 for ,john ,adams' blazing court-dress1 which amused us at the ,centenary 7#ahhi71 was not forgotten in ,england2 and while his influence was limited to court circles1 the entrance of so high an official into the arena was accepted as homage to the author4 ,the publication at the same time of the endorsement of ,paine's ,rights of ,man by the ,secretary of ,state1 the great ,jefferson1 completed the triumph4 ,the ,english government now had ,paine on its hands1 and must deal with him in one way or another4 ,the closing of one door after another of the usual places of assembly to sympathizers with the republican movement in ,france1 being by hidden hands1 could not be charged upon ,pitt's government2 it was1 however1 a plain indication that a free expression through public meetings could not be secured without risk of riots4 ,and probably there would have been violent scenes in ,london had it not been for the moderation of the ,quaker leader4 ,at this juncture ,paine held a supremacy in the constitutional clubs of ,england and ,ireland equal to that of ,robespierre over the ,jacobins of ,paris4 ,he had the giant's strength1 but did not use it like a giant4 ,he sat himself down in a quiet corner of ,london1 began another book1 and from time to time consulted his ,cabinet of ,reformers4 ,his abode was with ,thomas ,rickman1 a bookseller1 his devoted friend4 ,he had known ,rickman at ,lewes1 as a youthful musical genius of the club there1 hence called ,clio4 ,he had then set some song of ,paine's to music1 and afterwards his ,american patriotic songs1 as well as many of his own4 ,he now lived in ,london with wife and children--these bearing names of the great republicans1 beginning with ,thomas ,paine1--and with them the author resided for a time4 ,a particular value1 therefore1 attaches to the following passages in ,rickman's book3 ,mr4 ,paine's life in ,london was a quiet round of philosophical leisure and enjoyment4 ,it was occupied in writing1 in a small epistolary correspondence1 in walking about with me to visit different friends1 occasionally lounging at coffee-houses and public places1 or being visited by a select few4 ,lord ,edward ,fitzgerald1 the ,french and ,american ambassadors1 ,mr4 ,sharp the engraver1 ,romney the painter1 ,mrs4 ,wolstonecraft1 ,joel ,barlow1 ,mr4 ,hull1 ,mr4 ,christie1 ,dr4 ,priestley1 ,dr4 ,towers1 ,col4 ,oswald1 the walking ,stewart1 ,captain ,sampson ,perry1 ,mr4 ,tuffin1 ,mr4 ,william ,choppin1 ,captain ,de ,stark1 ,mr4 ,home ,tooke1 c4 c4 were among the number of his friends and acquaintance2 and of course1 as he was my inmate1 the most of my associates were frequently his4 ,at this time he read but little1 took his nap after dinner1 and played with my family at some game in the evening1 as chess1 dominos1 and drafts1 but never at cards2 in recitations1 singing1 music1 c2 or passed it in conversation3 the part he took in the latter was always enlightened1 full of information1 entertainment1 and anecdote4 ,occasionally we visited enlightened friends1 indulged in domestic jaunts and recreations from home1 frequently lounging at the ,white ,bear1 ,picadilly1 with his old friend the walking ,stewart1 and other clever travellers from ,france1 and different parts of ,europe and ,america4 ,when by ourselves we sat very late1 and often broke in on the morning hours1 indulging the reciprocal interchange of affectionate and confidential intercourse4 ',warm from the heart and faithful to its fires' was that intercourse1 and gave to us the 'feast of reason and the flow of soul4' ,mr4 ,paine in his person was about five feet ten inches high1 and rather athletic2 he was broad shouldered1 and latterly stooped a little4 ,his eye1 of which the painter could not convey the exquisite meaning1 was full1 brilliant1 and singularly piercing2 it had in it the 'muse of fire4' ,in his dress and person he was generally very cleanly1 and wore his hair cued1 with side curls1 and powdered1 so that he looked altogether like a gentleman of the old ,french school4 ,his manners were easy and gracious2 his knowledge was universal and boundless2 in private company and among his friends his conversation had every fascination that anecdote1 novelty and truth could give it4 ,in mixt company and among strangers he said little1 and was no public speaker4 ,paine does not appear to have ever learned that his name had been pressed for a place in ,washington's ,cabinet1 and apparently he did not know until long after it was over what a tempest in ,jefferson's teapot his book had innocently caused4 ,the facts came to him while he was engaged on his next work1 in which they are occasionally reflected4 ,in introducing an ,english friend to ,william ,short1 ,u4 ,s4 ,charge d',affaires at ,paris1 under date of ,november #b;d1 ,paine reports progress3 ,i received your favour conveying a letter from ,mr4 ,jefferson and the answers to ,publicola for which ,i thank you4 ,i had ,john ,adams in my mind when ,i wrote the pamphlet and it has hit as ,i expected4 ,m4 ,lenobia who presents you this is come to pass a few days at ,paris4 ,he is a bon republicain and you will oblige me much by introducing him among our friends of bon foi4 ,i am again in the press but shall not be out till about ,christmas1 when the ,town will begin to fill4 ,by what ,i can find1 the ,government ,gentry begin to threaten4 ,they have already tried all the under-plots of abuse and scurrility without effect2 and have managed those in general so badly as to make the work and the author the more famous2 several answers also have been written against it which did not excite reading enough to pay the expence of printing4 ,i have but one way to be secure in my next work which is1 to go further than in my first4 ,i see that great rogues escape by the excess of their crimes1 and1 perhaps1 it may be the same in honest cases4 ,however1 ,i shall make a pretty large division in the public opinion1 probably too much so to encourage the ,government to put it to issue1 for it will be rather like begging them than me4 ,by all the accounts we have here1 the french emigrants are in a hopeless condition abroad2 for my own part ,i never saw anything to fear from foreign courts--they are more afraid of the french ,revolution than the revolution needs to be of them2 and the same caution which they take to prevent the french principles getting among their armies1 will prevent their sending armies among the principles4 ,we have distressing accounts here from ,st4 ,domingo4 ,it is the natural consequence of ,slavery and must be expected every where4 ,the ,negroes are enraged at the opposition made to their relief and are determined1 if not to relieve themselves to punish their enemies4 ,we have no new accounts from the ,east ,indies1 and people are in much doubt4 ,i am1 affectionately yours1 ,thomas ,paine4 ,the scurrility referred to may have been that of ,george ,chalmers1 elsewhere mentioned4 ,two days after this letter to ,short was written ,paine received a notable ovation4 ,there was a so-called ,revolution ,society in ,london1 originally formed by a number of prominent dissenters4 ,the ,society had manifested its existence only by listening to a sermon on the anniversary of the ,revolution of #afhh 7,november #dth7 and thereafter dining together4 ,it had not been supposed to interest itself in any later revolution until #aghi4 ,in that year the annual sermon was delivered by ,dr4 ,richard ,price1 the ,unitarian whose defence of the ,american ,revolution received the thanks of ,congress4 ,in #aggf ,price and ,burke stood shoulder to shoulder1 but the sermon of #aghi sundered them4 ,it was ,on the ,love of our ,country1 and affirmed the constitutional right of the ,english people to frame their own government1 to choose their own governors1 and to cashier them for misconduct4 ,this was the red rag that drew ,burke into the arena4 ,dr4 ,price died ,april #ai1 #agia1 and his great discourse gathered new force from the tributes of ,priestley and others at his grave4 ,he had been a staunch friend of ,paine1 and at the ,november festival of this year his place was accorded to the man on whom the ,constitutionalists beheld the mantle of ,price and the wreath of ,washington4 ,the company at this dinner of #agia at the ,london ,tavern1 included many eminent men1 some of them members of ,parliament4 ,the old ,society was transformed--,william and ,mary and #afhh passed into oblivion before ,thomas ,paine and #agia4 ,it was probably for this occasion that the song was written 7by whom ,i know not7--,paine's ,welcome to ,great ,britain4 ,he comes--the great ,reformer comes6 ,cease1 cease your trumpets1 cease1 cease your drums6 ,those warlike sounds offend the ear1 ,peace and ,friendship now appear3 ,welcome1 welcome1 welcome1 welcome1 ,welcome1 thou ,reformer1 here6 ,prepare1 prepare1 your songs prepare1 ,freedom cheers the brow of care2 ,the joyful tidings spread around1 ,monarchs tremble at the sound6 ,freedom1 freedom1 freedom1 freedom1-- ,rights of ,man1 and ,paine resound6 ,mr4 ,dignum sang 7to the tune of ,the tear that bedews sensibility's shrine47 ,unfold1 ,father ,time1 thy long records unfold1 ,of noble achievements accomplished of old2 ,when men1 by the standard of ,liberty led1 ,undauntedly conquered or chearfully bled3 ,but now 'midst the triumphs these moments reveal1 ,their glories all fade and their lustre turns pale1 ,while ,france rises up1 and proclaims the decree ,that tears off their chains1 and bids millions be free4 ,as spring to the fields1 or as dew to the flowers4 ,to the earth parched with heat1 as the soft dropping showers1 ,as health to the wretch that lies languid and wan1 ,or rest to the weary--is ,freedom to man6 ,where ,freedom the light of her countenance gives1 ,there only he triumphs1 there only he lives2 ,then seize the glad moment and hail the decree ,that tears off their chains1 and bids millions be free4 ,too long had oppression and terror entwined ,those tyrant-formed chains that enslaved the free mind2 ,while dark superstition1 with nature at strife1 ,for ages had locked up the fountain of life2 ,but the daemon is fled1 the delusion is past1 ,and reason and virtue have triumphed at last2 ,then seize the glad moments1 and hail the decree1 ,that tears off their chains1 and bids millions be free4 ,france1 we share in the rapture thy bosom that fills1 ,while the ,genius of ,liberty bounds o'er thy hills3 ,redundant henceforth may thy purple juice flow1 ,prouder wave thy green woods1 and thine olive trees grow6 ,while the hand of philosophy long shall entwine1 ,blest emblems1 the laurel1 the myrtle and vine1 ,and heaven through all ages confirm the decree ,that tears off their chains1 and bids millions be free6 ,paine gave as his toast1 ,the ,revolution of the ,world1 and no doubt at this point was sung ,a ,new ,song1 as it was then called1 written by ,paine himself to the tune of ,rule ,britannia3 ,hail1 ,great ,republic of the world1 ,the rising empire of the ,west1 ,where famed ,columbus1 with a mighty mind inspired1 ,gave tortured ,europe scenes of rest4 ,be thou forever1 forever great and free1 ,the ,land of ,love and ,liberty4 ,beneath thy spreading mantling vine1 ,beside thy flowery groves and springs1 ,and on thy lofty1 thy lofty mountains' brow1 ,may all thy sons and fair ones sing4 ,chorus4 ,from thee may rudest nations learn ,to prize the cause thy sons began2 ,from thee may future1 may future tyrants know ,that sacred are the ,rights of ,man4 ,from thee may hated discord fly1 ,with all her dark1 her gloomy train2 ,and o'er thy fertile1 thy fertile wide domain ,may everlasting friendship reign4 ,of thee may lisping infancy ,the pleasing wondrous story tell1 ,and patriot sages in venerable mood ,instruct the world to govern well4 ,ye guardian angels watch around1 ,from harm protect the new-born ,state2 ,and all ye friendly1 ye friendly nations join1 ,and thus salute the ,child of ,fate4 ,be thou forever1 forever great and free1 ,the ,land of ,love and ,liberty6 ,notwithstanding royal tremors these gentlemen were genuinely loyal in singing the old anthem with new words3 ,god save the ,rights of ,man6 ,give him a heart to scan ,blessings so dear2 ,let them be spread around1 ,wherever ,man is found1 ,and with the welcome sound ,ravish his ear6 ,no report is preserved of ,paine's speech1 but we may feel sure that in giving his sentiment ,the ,revolution of the ,world he set forth his favorite theme--that revolutions of nations should be as quiet1 lawful1 and fruitful as the revolutions of the earth4 #agib ,,chapter ,,xxii4 ,,the ,,right ,,of ,,evolution ,the ,abbe ,sieyes did not escape by declining to stand by his challenge of the republicans4 ,in the second part of ,the ,rights of ,man ,paine considers the position of that gentleman1 namely1 that hereditary monarchy is an evil1 but the elective mode historically proven worse4 ,that both are bad ,paine agrees1 but such a mode of reasoning on such a subject is inadmissible1 because it finally amounts to an accusation of providence1 as if she had left to man no other choice with respect to government than between two evils4 ,every now and then this ,quaker ,antaeus touches his mother earth--the theocratic principle--in this way2 the invigoration is recognizable in a religious seriousness1 which1 however1 makes no allowance for the merely ornamental parts of government1 always so popular4 ,the splendor of a throne is the corruption of a state4 ,however1 the time was too serious for the utility of bagatelles to be much considered by any4 ,paine engages ,sieyes on his own ground1 and brings historic evidence to prove that the wars of succession1 civil and foreign1 show hereditary a worse evil than elective headship1 as illustrated by ,poland1 ,holland1 and ,america4 ,but he does not defend the method of either of these countries1 and clearly shows that he is1 as ,sieyes said1 a poly-crat1 so far as the numerical composition of the ,executive is concerned499 ,he affirms1 however1 that governing is no function of a republican ,executive4 ,the law alone governs4 ,the sovereign authority in any country is the power of making laws1 and everything else is an official department4 99,i have always been opposed to the mode of refining government up to an individual1 or what is called a single ,executive4 ,such a man will always be the chief of a party4 ,a plurality is far better4 ,it combines the mass of a nation better together4 ,and besides this1 it is necessary to the manly mind of a republic that it lose the debasing idea of obeying an individual4--,paine ,,ms4 ,more than fifty thousand copies of the first part of ,the ,rights of ,man had been sold1 and the public hungrily awaited the author's next work4 ,but he kept back his proofs until ,burke should fulfil his promise of returning to the subject and comparing the ,english and ,french constitutions4 ,he was disappointed1 however1 at finding no such comparison in ,burke's ,appeal from the ,new to the ,old ,whigs4 ,it did1 however1 contain a menace that was worth waiting for4 ,oldys 7,chalmers7 says that ,paine was disappointed at not being arrested for his first pamphlet on ,the ,rights of ,man1 and had1 while fluttering on the wing for ,paris1 hovered about ,london a whole week waiting to be taken4 ,it is1 indeed1 possible that he would have been glad to elicit just then a fresh decision from the courts in favor of freedom of speech and of the press1 which would strengthen faint hearts4 ,if he had this desire he was resolved not to be disappointed a second time4 ,a publisher 7,chapman7 offered him a thousand guineas for the manuscript of ,part ,,ii4 ,paine declined2 he wished to reserve it in his own hands4 ,facts afterwards appeared which rendered it probable that this was a ministerial effort to suppress the book499 99 ,paine may1 indeed1 only have apprehended alterations1 which he always dreaded4 ,his friends1 knowing how much his antagonists had made of his grammatical faults1 sometimes suggested expert revision4 ,he would say1 says ,richard ,carlile1 that he only wished to be known as he was1 without being decked with the plumes of another4 ,paine's ,part ,second was to appear about the first of ,february1 or before the meeting of ,parliament ,but the printer 7,chapman7 threw up the publication1 alleging its dangerous tendencies1 whereby it was delayed until ,february #agth1 when it was published by ,jordan4 ,meanwhile1 his elaborate scheme for reducing taxes so resembled that which ,pitt had just proposed in ,parliament that the author appended his reasons for believing that his pages had been read by the government clerk1 ,chalmers1 and his plan revealed to ,pitt4 ,be the case1 however1 as it may1 ,mr4 ,pitt's plan1 little and diminutive as it is1 would have made a very awkward appearance had this work appeared at the time the printer had engaged to finish it4 ,at the time 7,september7 when ,chapman began printing ,paine's ,part ,,ii41 ,george ,chalmers brought to the same press his libellous ,life of ,pain4 ,on learning that ,chapman was printing ,paine1 ,chalmers took his book away4 ,as ,chalmers was a government employe1 and his work larger4 ,chapman returned ,paine's work to him half printed1 and the ,chalmers book was restored to him4 ,as ,chapman stated in his testimony1 and so wrote to ,paine 7,january #ag1 #agib71 that he was unwilling to go on with the printing because of the dangerous tendency of a part of it1 his offer of a thousand guineas for it could only have contemplated its expurgation or total suppression4 ,that it was the latter1 and that the money was to be paid by the government1 is rendered probable by the evidences in ,chalmers' book1 when it appeared1 that he had been allowed the perusal of ,paine's manuscript while in ,chapman's hands4 ,chalmers also displays intimate knowledge of ,chapman's business transactions with ,paine4 ,in the light of ,pitt's subsequent career it is a significant fact that1 in the beginning of #agib1 he should be suspected of stealing ,paine's thunder6 ,and1 indeed1 throughout ,paine's ,part ,second the tone towards ,pitt implies some expectation of reform from him4 ,its severity is that which ,english agitators for constitutional reform have for a half century made familiar and honorable4 ,the historical student finds mirrored in this work the rosy picture of the ,united ,states as seen at its dawn by the disfranchised people of ,europe1 and beside that a burdened ,england now hardly credible4 ,it includes an historical statement of the powers claimed by the crown and gradually distributed among non-elective peers and class-elective commoners1 the result being a combination of all three against admission of the people to any degree of self-government4 ,though the arraignment is heavy1 the method of reform is set forth with moderation4 ,particular burdens are pointed out1 and ,england is warned to escape violent revolution by accommodating itself to the new age4 ,it is admitted that no new system need be constructed4 ,mankind 7from the long tyranny of assumed power7 have had so few opportunities of making the necessary trials on modes and principles of government1 in order to discover the best1 that government is but now beginning to be known1 and experience is yet wanting to determine many particulars4 ,paine frankly retracts an old opinion of his own1 that the legislature should be unicameral4 ,he now thinks that1 though there should be but one representation1 it might secure wiser deliberation to divide it1 by lot1 into two or three parts4 ,every proposed bill shall first be debated in those parts1 by succession1 that they may become hearers of each other1 but without taking any vote2 after which the whole representation to assemble1 for a general debate1 and determination by vote4 ,the great necessity is that ,england shall gather its people1 by representation1 in convention and frame a constitution which shall contain the means of peaceful development in accordance with enlightenment and necessity4 ,in ,part ,i4 ,paine stated his general principles with some reservations1 in view of the survival of royalty in the ,french constitution4 ,in ,part ,,ii4 his political philosophy is freely and fully developed1 and may be summarized as follows3 #a4 ,government is the organization of the aggregate of those natural rights which individuals are not competent to secure individually1 and therefore surrender to the control of society in exchange for the protection of all rights4 #b4 ,republican government is that in which the welfare of the whole nation is the object4 #c4 ,monarchy is government1 more or less arbitrary1 in which the interests of an individual are paramount to those of the people generally4 #d4 ,aristocracy is government1 partially arbitrary1 in which the interests of a class are paramount to those of the people generally4 #e4 ,democracy is the whole people governing themselves without secondary means4 #f4 ,representative government is the control of a nation by persons elected by the whole nation4 #g4 ,the ,rights of ,man mean the right of all to representation4 ,democracy1 simple enough in small and primitive societies1 degenerates into confusion by extension to large populations4 ,monarchy1 which originated amid such confusion1 degenerates into incapacity by extension to vast and complex interests requiring an assemblage of practical knowledges which no one individual can possess4 ,the aristocratical form has the same vices and defects with the monarchical1 except that the chance of abilities is better from the proportion of numbers4 ,the representative republic advocated by ,paine is different from merely epitomized democracy4 ,representation is the delegated monarchy of a nation4 ,in the early days of the ,american republic1 when presidential electors were independent of the constituents who elected them1 the filtration of democracy was a favorite principle among republicans4 ,paine evidently regards the representative as different from a delegate1 or mere commissioner carrying out instructions4 ,the representatives of a people are clothed with their sovereignty2 that1 and not opinions or orders1 has been transferred to them by constituencies4 ,hence we find ,paine1 after describing the ,english people as fools 7p4 #bfj71 urging representation as a sort of natural selection of wisdom4 ,whatever wisdom constituency is1 it is like a seedless plant2 it may be reared when it appears1 but it cannot be voluntarily produced4 ,there is always a sufficiency somewhere in the general mass of society for all purposes2 but1 with respect to the parts of society1 it is continually changing place4 ,it rises in one today1 in another tomorrow1 and has most probably visited in rotation every family of the earth1 and again withdrawn4 ,as this is the order of nature1 the order of government must follow it1 or government will1 as we see it does1 degenerate into ignorance4 ,the hereditary system therefore1 is as repugnant to human wisdom as to human rights2 and is as absurd as unjust ,as the republic of letters brings forward the best literary productions1 by giving to genius a fair and universal chance1 so the representative system is calculated to produce the wisest laws1 by collecting wisdom where it can be found4 ,we have seen that ,publicola 7,john ,quincy ,adams7 in his answer to ,paine's ,part ,i4 had left the people no right to alter government but the right of revolution1 by violence2 ,erskine pointed out that ,burkes pamphlet had similarly closed every other means of reform4 ,paine would civilize reformation3 ,formerly1 when divisions arose respecting governments1 recourse was had to the sword1 and civil war ensued4 ,that savage custom is exploded by the new system1 and reference is had to national conventions4 ,discussion and the general will arbitrate the question1 private opinion yields with a good grace1 and order is preserved uninterrupted4 ,thus he is really trying to supplant the right of revolution with the right of evolution3 ,it is now towards the middle of ,february4 ,were ,i to take a turn in the country the trees would present a leafless wintery appearance4 ,as people are apt to pluck twigs as they go along1 ,i perhaps might do the same1 and by chance might observe that a single bud on that twig had begun to smell4 ,i should reason very unnaturally1 or rather not reason at all to suppose this was the only bud in ,england which had this appearance4 ,instead of deciding thus1 ,i should instantly conclude that the same appearance was beginning1 or about to begin1 everywhere2 and though the vegetable sleep will continue longer on some trees and plants than others1 and though some of them may not blossom for two or three years1 all will be in leaf in the summer1 except those which are rotten4 ,what pace the political summer may keep with the natural1 no human foresight can determine4 ,it is1 however1 not difficult to perceive that the ,spring is begun4 ,thus wishing1 as ,i sincerely do1 freedom and happiness to all nations1 ,i close the ,second ,part4 ,apparently the publisher expected trouble4 ,in the ,gazetteer1 ,january #beth1 had appeared the following notice3 ,mr4 ,paine1 it is known1 is to produce another book this season4 ,the composition of this is now past1 and it was given a few weeks since to two printers1 whose presses it was to go through as soon as possible4 ,they printed about half of it1 and then1 being alarmed by some intimations1 refused to go further4 ,some delay has thus occurred1 but another printer has taken it1 and in the course of the next month it will appear4 ,its title is to be a repetition of the former1 ',the ,rights of ,man1' of which the words ',part the ,second' will shew that it is a continuation4 ,that the original printer1 ,chapman1 impeded the publication is suggested by the fact that on ,february #gth1 thirteen days after the above announcement1 ,paine writes3 ,mr4 ,chapman1 please to deliver to ,mr4 ,jordan the remaining sheets of the ,rights of ,man4 ,and that some intimations were received by ,jordan also may be inferred from the following note and enclosure to him3 ,february #af1 #agib4--;,for your satisfaction and my own1 ,i send you the enclosed1 tho' ,i do not apprehend there will be any occasion to use it4 ,if1 in case there should1 you will immediately send a line for me under cover to ,mr4 ,johnson1 ,st4 ,paul's ,church-,yard1 who will forward it to me1 upon which ,i shall come and answer personally for the work4 ,send also to ,mr4 ,home ,tooke4--,t4 ,p4 ,february #af1 #agib4--,sir3 ,should any person1 under the sanction of any kind of authority1 enquire of you respecting the author and publisher of the ,rights of ,man1 you will please to mention me as the author and publisher of that work1 and shew to such person this letter4 ,i will1 as soon as ,i am made acquainted with it1 appear and answer for the work personally4--,your humble servant1 ,thomas ,pain4 ,mr4 ,jordan1 ,no4 #aff ,fleet-street4 ,some copies were in ,paine's hands three days before publication1 as appears by a note of ,february #acth to ,jefferson1 on hearing of ,morris' appointment as ,minister to ,france3 ,mr4 ,kennedy1 who brings this to ,new ,york1 is on the point of setting out4 ,i am therefore confined to time4 ,i have enclosed six copies of my work for yourself in a parcel addressed to the ,president1 and three or four for my other friends1 which ,i wish you to take the trouble of presenting4 ,i have just heard of ,governeur ,morris's appointment4 ,it is a most unfortunate one2 and1 as ,i shall mention the same thing to him when ,i see him1 ,i do not express it to you with the injunction of confidence4 ,he is just now arrived in ,london1 and this circumstance has served1 as ,i see by the french papers1 to increase the dislike and suspicion of some of that nation and the ,national ,assembly against him4 ,in the present state of ,europe it would be best to make no appointments4 ,lafayette wrote ,washington a strong private protest against ,morris1 but in vain4 ,paine spoke frankly to ,morris1 who mentions him on ,washington's birthday3 ,february #bb4 ,i read ,paine's new publication today1 and tell him that ,i am really afraid he will be punished4 ,he seems to laugh at this1 and relies on the force he has in the nation4 ,he seems to become every hour more drunk with self-conceit4 ,it seems1 however1 that his work excites but little emotion1 and rather raises indignation4 ,i tell him that the disordered state of things in ,france works against all schemes of reformation both here and elsewhere4 ,he declares that the riots and outrages in ,france are nothing at all4 ,it is not worth while to contest such declarations4 ,i tell him1 therefore1 that as ,i am sure he does not mean what he says1 ,i shall not dispute it4 ,visit the ,duchess of ,gordon1 who tells me that she supposes ,i give ,paine his information about ,america1 and speaks very slightly of our situation1 as being engaged in a civil war with the ,indians4 ,i smile1 and tell her that ,britain is also at war with ,indians1 though in another hemisphere4 ,in his appendix ,paine alludes vaguely to the book of ,george ,chalmers 7,oldys74 ,a ministerial bookseller in ,picadilly1 who has been employed1 as common report says1 by a clerk of one of the boards closely connected with the ,ministry 7the board of ,trade and ,plantations1 of which ,lord ,hawkesbury is president7 to publish what he calls my ,life 7,i wish his own life and that of the ,cabinet were as good17 used to have his books printed at the same printing office that ,i employed4 ,in his fifth edition ,chalmers claims that this notice of his work1 unaccompanied by any denial of its statements1 is an admission of their truth4 ,it looks as if ,paine had not then seen the book1 but he never further alluded to it4 ,there was nothing in ,chalmers' political or orthographical criticisms requiring answer1 and its tar and feathers were so adroitly mixed1 and applied with such a masterly hand1 that ,paine had to endure his literary lynching in silence4 ,nothing can lie like the truth499 99 ,not that ,chalmers confines himself to perversions of fact4 ,the book bore on its title-page five falsehoods3 ,pain1 instead of ,paine3 ,francis ,oldys2 ,a4 ,m42 ,university of ,pennsylvania2 ,with a ,defence of his ,writings4 ,there is a marked increase of virulence with the successive editions4 ,the second is in cheap form1 and bears at the back of its title this note3 ,read this1 and then hand it to others who are requested to do likewise4 ,chalmers' libels were so ingeniously interwoven with the actual stumbles and humiliations of ,paine's early life1 that the facts could not be told without dragging before the public his mother's corpse1 and breaking treaty with his divorced wife4 ,chalmers would have been more successful as a government employe in this business had he not cared more for himself than for his party4 ,by advertising1 as we have seen 7,preface1 xv71 his first edition as a ,defence of ,paine's writings he reaped a pecuniary harvest from the ,painites before the substitution of ,review tempted the ,burkites4 ,this trick probably enraged more than it converted4 ,the pompous pseudonym covered a vanity weak enough to presently drop its lion skin1 revealing ears sufficiently long to expect for a government clerk the attention accorded to a reverend ,m4,a4 of the ,university of ,pennsylvania4 ,this degree was not only understood in ,england with a clerical connotation1 but it competed with ,paine's ,m4,a4 from the same institution4 ,the pseudonym also concealed the record of ,chalmers as a ,tory refugee from ,maryland1 and an opponent of ,burke1 long enough to sell several editions4 ,but the author was known early in #agib1 and was named in an important pamphlet by no means altogether favorable to ,paine4 ,after rebuking ,paine for personalities towards men whose station prevents reply1 this writer also disagrees with him about the ,constitution4 ,but he declares that ,paine has collected the essence of the most venerated writers of ,europe in the past1 and applied the same to the executive government1 which cannot stand the test4 ,the ,constitution will2 but the present mode of administering that ,constitution must shrink from the comparison4 ,and this is the reason1 that foolish ,mr4 ,rose of the ,treasury trembles on the bench1 and the crafty clerk in ,lord ,hawkesbury's office1 carries on his base attacks against ,paine by sap1 fights him under the mask of a ,philadelphia parson1 fit disguise for the most impudent falsehoods that ever were published1 and stabs him in the dark4 ,but1 of this upstart clerk at the ,cockpit1 more hereafter499 99 ,paine's ,political and ,moral ,maxims1 etc4 ,by a ,free-,born ,englishman4 ,london4 ,printed for ,h4 ,d4 ,symonds1 ,paternoster ,row1 #agib4 ,the introductory letter is dated ,may #aeth4 ,george ,chalmers being mentioned by name in this and other pamphlets1 and nothing like a repudiation coming from him or from ,oldys in any of his ten editions1 the libel recoiled on the government1 while it damaged ,paine4 ,the meanness of meeting inconvenient arguments by sniffing village gossip for private scandals was resented1 and the calumnies were discounted4 ,nevertheless1 there was probably some weakening in the ,paineite ranks4 ,although this un-,english tracking of a man from his cradle1 and masked assassination angered the republicans1 it could hardly fail to intimidate some4 ,in every period it has been seen that the largest interests1 even the liberties1 of ,english peoples may be placed momentarily at the mercy of any incident strongly exciting the moral sentiment ,a crafty clerk accuses ,paine of maltreating his wife2 the leader's phalanx of friends is for one instant disconcerted2 ,burke perceives the opportunity and points it out to the ,king2 ,pitt must show equal jealousy of royal authority2 ,paine is prosecuted4 ,there is little doubt that ,pitt was forced to this first step which reversed the traditions of ,english freedom1 and gave that ,minister his historic place as the ,english ,robespierre of counter-revolution499 99 ,pitt 'used to say1' according to ,lady ,hester ,stanhope1 'that ,tom ,paine was quite in the right1 but then he would add1 what am ,i to do8 ,as things are1 if ,i were to encourage ,tom ,paine's opinions we should have a bloody revolution4-- ,encyclop4 ,britaanica4 ,on ,may #adth ,paine1 being at ,bromley1 ,kent1 learned that the government had issued summons against ,jordan1 his publisher4 ,he hastened to ,london and assumed the expense of ,jordan's defence4 ,jordan1 however1 privately compromised the affair by agreeing to plead guilty1 surrender his notes relating to ,paine1 and receive a verdict to the author's prejudice--that being really the end of the government's business with the publisher4 ,on ,may #bast a summons was left on ,paine at his ,london lodgings 7,rickman's house7 to appear at the ,court of ,king's ,bench on ,june #hth4 ,on the same day issued a royal proclamation against seditious writings4 ,on ,may #beth1 in the debate on the ,proclamation1 ,secretary ,dundas said in the ,house of ,commons that the proceedings against ,jordan were instituted because ,mr4 ,paine could not be found4 ,thereupon ,paine1 detecting the unreality of the prosecution of his publisher1 addressed a letter to the ,attorney-,general44 ,alluding to the remark of ,dundas in ,parliament1 he says3 ,mr4 ,paine1 ,sir1 so far from secreting himself never went a step out of his way1 nor in the least instance varied from his usual conduct1 to avoid any measure you might choose to adopt with respect to him4 ,it is on the purity of his heart1 and the universal utility of the principles and plans which his writings contain1 that he rests the issue2 and he will not dishonour it by any kind of subterfuge4 ,the apartments which he occupied at the time of writing the work last winter1 he has continued to occupy to the present hour1 and the solicitors of the prosecution know where to find him2 of which there is a proof in their own office1 as far back as the #bast of ,may1 and also in the office of my own attorney4--,but admitting1 for the sake of the case1 that the reason for proceeding against the publication was1 as ,mr4 ,dundas stated1 that ,mr4 ,paine could not be found1 that reason can now exist no longer4 ,the instant that ,i was informed that an information was preparing to be filed against me as the author of1 ,i believe1 one of the most useful and benevolent books ever offered to mankind1 ,i directed my attorney to put in an appearance2 and as ,i shall meet the prosecution fully and fairly1 and with a good and upright conscience1 ,i have a right to expect that no act of littleness will be made use of on the part of the prosecution towards influencing the future issue with respect to the author4 ,this expression may1 perhaps1 appear obscure to you1 but ,i am in the possession of some matters which serve to show that the action against the publisher is not intended to be a real action4 ,he then intimates that1 if his suspicions should prove well-founded1 he will withdraw from his intention of defending the publisher1 and proposes that the case against ,jordan be given up4 ,at the close of his letter ,paine says3 ,i believe that ,mr4 ,burke1 finding himself defeated1 has been one of the promoters of this prosecution2 and ,i shall return the compliment by shewing1 in a future publication1 that he has been a masked pensioner at ,l#aejj per annum for about ten years4 ,thus it is that the public money is wasted1 and the dread of public investigation is produced4 ,the secret negotiations with the publisher being thus discovered1 no more was heard of ,jordan1 except that his papers were brought out at ,paine's trial4 ,the ,information against ,paine1 covering forty-one pages1 octavo1 is a curiosity4 ,it recites that ,thomas ,paine1 late of ,london1 gentleman1 being a wicked1 malicious1 seditious1 and ill-disposed person1 and being greatly disaffected to our said ,sovereign ,lord the now ,king1 and to the happy constitution and government of this kingdom444 and to bring them into hatred and contempt1 on the sixteenth day of ,february1 in the thirty-second year of the reign of our said present ,sovereign ,lord the ,king1 with force and arms at ,london aforesaid1 to wit1 in the parish of ,st4 ,mary le ,bone1 in the ,ward of ,cheap1 he1 the said ,thomas1 wickedly1 maliciously and seditiously1 did write and publish1 and caused to be written and published1 a certain false1 scandalous1 malicious1 and seditious libel1 of and concerning the said late happy ,revolution1 and the said settlements and limitations of the crown and regal governments of the said kingdoms and dominions444 intituled1 ',rights of ,man1 ,part the ,second1 ,combining principle and practice4'444 ,in one part thereof1 according to the tenor and effect following1 that is to say1 ',all hereditary government is in its nature tyranny4 ,an heritable crown' 7meaning1 amongst others1 the crown of this kingdom7 'or an heritable throne1' 7meaning the throne of this kingdom71 'or by what-other fanciful name such things may be called1 have no other significant explanation than that mankind are heritable property4 ,to inherit a government is to inherit the people1 as if they were flocks and herds4'444 ',the time is not very distant when ,england will laugh at itself for sending to ,holland1 ,hanover1 ,zell1 or ,brunswick1 for men' 7meaning the said ,king ,william the ,third1 and ,king ,george the ,first7 at the expence of a million a year1 who understood neither her laws1 her language1 nor her interest1 and whose capacities would scarcely have fitted them for the office of a parish constable4 ,if government could be trusted to such hands1 it must be some easy and simple thing indeed2 and materials fit for all the purposes may be found in every town and village in ,england4' ,in contempt of our said ,lord the now ,king and his laws1 to the evil example of all others in like case offending1 and against the peace of our said ,lord the ,king1 his crown and dignity4 ,whereupon the said ,attorney ,general of our said ,lord the ,king1 who for our said ,lord the ,king in this behalf1 prose-cuteth for our said ,lord the ,king1 prayeth the consideration of the court here in the premises1 and that due process of law may be awarded against him1 the said ,thomas ,paine1 in this behalf1 to make him answer to our said ,lord the ,king1 touching and concerning the premises aforesaid4 ,to this information the defendant hath appeared1 and pleaded ,not ,guilty1 and thereupon issue is joined4 ,the specifications and quotations in the ,information are reiterated twice1 in one case 7,paine's note on ,william and ,mary centenary71 three times499 99 ,i happened to be in ,england at the celebration of the centenary of the ,revolution of #afhh4 ,the characters of ,william and ,mary have always appeared to me detestable2 the one seeking to destroy his uncle1 the other her father1 to get possession of power themselves2 yet1 as the nation was disposed to think something of the event1 ,i felt hurt at seeing it ascribe the whole reputation of it to a man who had undertaken it as a job2 and who besides what he otherwise got1 charged six hundred thousand pounds for the expense of the little fleet that brought him from ,holland4 ,george the ,first acted the same close-fisted part as ,william had done1 and bought the ,duchy of ,bremen with the money he got from ,england1 two hundred and fifty thousand pounds over and above his pay as ,king2 and1 having thus purchased it at the expense of ,england1 added it to his ,hanoverian dominions for his own private profit4 ,in fact every nation that does not govern itself is governed as a job4 ,england has been the prey of jobs ever since the ,revolution4 ,it is marvellous that such an author1 martial with force and arms1 could still walk freely about ,london4 ,but the machinery for suppressing thought had always a tendency to rust in ,england2 it had to be refurbished4 ,to the royal proclamation against seditious writings corporations and rotten boroughs responded with loyal addresses4 ,in the debate on that proclamation 7,may #beth7 ,secretary ,dundas and ,mr4 ,adam had arraigned ,paine1 and he addressed an open letter to the ,secretary 7,june #fth7 which was well received4 ,mr4 ,adam had said that3 ,he had well considered the subject of constitutional publications1 and was by no means ready to say that books of science upon government though recommending a doctrine or system different from the form of our constitution were fit objects of prosecution2 that if he did1 he must condemn ,harrington for his ,oceana1 ,sir ,thomas ,more for his ,utopia1 and ,hume for his ,idea of a ,perfect ,commonwealth4 ,but the publication of ,mr4 ,paine reviled what was most sacred in the ,constitution1 destroyed every principle of subordination1 and established nothing in their room4 ,the real difficulty was that ,paine had put something in the room of hereditary monarchy--not a ,utopia1 but the representative system of the ,united ,states4 ,he now again compares the governmental expenses of ,england and ,america and their condition4 ,he shows that the entire government of the ,united ,states costs less than the ,english pension list alone4 ,here is a form and system of government that is better organized than any other government in the world1 and that for less than one hundred thousand pounds1 and yet every member of ,congress receives as a compensation for his time and attendance on public business1 one pound seven shillings per day1 which is at the rate of nearly five hundred pounds a year4 ,this is a government that has nothing to fear4 ,it needs no proclamations to deter people from writing and reading4 ,it needs no political superstition to support it4 ,it was by encouraging discussion and rendering the press free upon all subjects of government1 that the principles of government became understood in ,america1 and the people are now enjoying their present blessings under it4 ,you hear of no riots1 tumults and disorders in that country2 because there exists no cause to produce them4 ,those things are never the effect of freedom1 but of restraint1 oppression1 and excessive taxation4 ,on ,june #hth ,paine appeared in court and was much disappointed by the postponement of his trial to ,december4 ,lord ,onslow having summoned a meeting at ,epsom of the gentry in ,surrey1 to respond to the proclamation1 receives due notice4 ,paine sends for presentation to the gentlemen one hundred copies of his ,rights of ,man1 one thousand of his ,letter to ,dundas4 ,the bearer is ,home ,tooke1 who opens his speech of presentation by remarking on the impropriety that the meeting should be presided over by ,lord ,onslow1 a bed-chamber lord 7sinecure7 at ,l#a1jjj1 with a pension of ,l#c1jjj4 ,tooke1 being cut short1 his speech was continued by ,paine1 whose two letters to ,onslow 7,june #agth and #bast7 were widely circulated499 99 ,to this noble pensioner and sinecurist he says3 ,what honour or happiness you can derive from being the principal pauper of the neighborhood1 and occasioning a greater expence than the poor1 the aged1 and the infirm for ten miles round1 ,i leave you to enjoy4 ,at the same time ,i can see that it is no wonder you should be strenuous in suppressing a book which strikes at the root of these abuses4 ,on ,june #bjth was written a respectful letter to the ,sheriff of ,sussex1 or other presiding officer1 requesting that it be read at a meeting to be held in ,lewes4 ,this interesting letter has already been quoted in connection with ,paine's early residence at ,lewes4 ,in these letters the author reinforces his accused book1 reminds the assemblies of their illegal conduct in influencing the verdict in a pending matter1 taunts them with their meanness in seeking to refute by brute force what forty pamphlets had failed to refute by argument4 ,the meeting at ,lewes1 his old town1 to respond to the proclamation occurred on the fourth of ,july4 ,that anniversary of his first cause was celebrated by ,paine also4 ,notified by his publisher that upwards of a thousand pounds stood to his credit1 he directed it to be all sent as a present to the ,society for ,constitutional ,information499 ,a careful tract of #agic estimates the sales of ,the ,rights of ,man up to that year at #bjj1jjj copies49999 ,in the opinion of the famous publisher of such literature1 ,richard ,carlile1 the kings proclamation seriously impeded the sale4 ,one part of the community is afraid to sell1 and another to purchase1 under such conditions4 ,it is not too much to say that1 if ',rights of ,man' had obtained two or three years' free circulation in ,england and ,scotland1 it would have produced a similar effect to that which ',common ,sense' did in the ,united ,states4 ,however1 the reign of terror had not yet begun in ,france1 nor the consequent reign of panic in ,england4 99 ,the ,argus1 ,july #f1 #agib4 ,see ,biographia ,addenda1 ,no4 ,til41 ,london1 #agib4 ,to the same society ,paine had given the right to publish his ,letter to ,dundas1 ,common ,sense1 and ,letter to ,raynal in new editions4 9999 ,impartial ,memoirs of the ,life of ,thomas ,paine1 ,london1 #agic4 ,there were numbers of small ,lives of ,paine printed in these years1 but most of them were mere stealings from ,oldys4 ,,chapter ,,xxiii4 ,,the ,,deputy ,,for ,,calais ,,in ,,the ,,convention ,the prosecution of ,paine in ,england had its counterpart in a shrine across the channel4 ,the ,moniteur1 ,june #ag1 #agib1 announces the burning of ,paine's works at ,excester1 and the expulsion from ,manchester of a man pointed out as ,paine4 ,since ,april #afth his ,rights of ,man1 sympathetically translated by ,m4 ,lanthenas1 had been in every ,french home4 ,paine's portrait1 just painted in ,england by ,romney and engraved by ,sharpe1 was in every cottage1 framed in immortelles4 ,in this book the philosophy of visionary reformers took practical shape4 ,from the ashes of ,rousseau's ,contrat ,social1 burnt in ,paris1 rose ,the ,rights of ,man1 no phoenix1 but an eagle of the new world1 with eye not blinded by any royal sun499 99 ,l',esprit da ,contrat ,social2 suivi de l',esprit de ,sens ,commun do ,thomas ,paine4 ,present a la ,convention4 ,par le ,citoyen ,boinvilliers1 ,instituteur et ci-devant ,membre de plusieurs ,socies ,litteraires4 ,l'an second4 ,it comes to tell how by union of ,france and ,america--of ,lafayette and ,washington--the ,contrat ,social was framed into the ,constitution of a happy and glorious new earth1 over it a new heaven unclouded by priestly power or superstitions4 ,by that book of ,paine's 7,part ,i71 the idea of a national convention was made the purpose of the ,french leaders who were really inspired by an enthusiasm of humanity4 ,in ,december1 #agia1 when the legislature sits paralyzed under royal vetoes1 ,paine's panacea is proposed499 ,on the tenth of ,august1 #agib1 after the massacre of the ,marseillese by the ,king's ,swiss guards1 one book1 hurled from the window of the mobbed palace1 felled an ,american spectator--,robert ,gilmor1 of ,baltimore--who consoled himself by carrying it home4 ,the book1 now in the collection of ,dr4 ,thomas ,addis ,emmet1 ,new ,york1 was a copy of ,the ,thirteen ,constitutions1 translated by ,franklin's order into ,french 7#aghc7 and distributed among the monarchs of ,europe49999 99 ,veto after ,veto2 your thumbscrew paralysed6 ,gods and men may see that the ,legislature is in a false position4 ,as1 alas1 who is in a true one8 ,voices already murmur for a ,national ,convention4--,carlyle4 9999 ,constitutions des ,treize etats-,unis de l',amerique4 ,the ,french king's arms are on the red morocco binding1 and on the title a shield1 striped and winged2 above this thirteen minute stars shaped into one large star1 six-pointed4 ,for the particulars of ,franklin's gift to the monarchs see ,sparks' ,franklin1 x41 p4 #ci4 ,see also p4 #cij of this volume4 ,what a contrast between the peace and order amid which the thirteen peoples1 when the old laws and authorities were abolished1 formed new ones1 and these scenes in ,france6 ,for upwards of two years from the commencement of the ,american war1 wrote ,paine1 and a longer period1 in several of the ,american ,states1 there were no established forms of government4 ,the old governments had been abolished1 and the country was too much occupied in defence to employ its attention in establishing new governments2 yet1 during this interval1 order and harmony were preserved as inviolate as in any country in ,europe4 ,when ,burke pointed to the first riots in ,france1 ,paine could make a retort3 the mob is what your cruel governments have made it1 and only proves how necessary the overthrow of such governments4 ,that ,french human nature was different from ,english nature he could not admit4 ,liberty and equality would soon end these troubles of transition4 ,on that same tenth of ,august ,paine's two great preliminaries are adopted3 the hereditary representative is superseded and a national convention is called4 ,the machinery for such convention1 the constituencies1 the objects of it1 had been read in ,the ,rights of ,man1 as illustrated in the ,united ,states and ,pennsylvania1 by every ,french statesman4#a ,it was the ,american ,republic they were about to found2 and notwithstanding the misrepresentation of that nation by its surviving courtiers1 these ,french republicans recognized their real ,american ,minister3 ,paine is summoned4 99 ,theorie et ,pratique des ,droits de l',homme4 ,par ,thomas ,paine1 ,secrettaire da ,congres au ,departement des ,affaires ,ltrangeres pendant la guerre d',araenque1 auteur du ' ,sens ,commun1' et des ,reponses a ,burke4 ,traduit en ,francais par ,f4 ,lanthenas1 ,d4,m41 et par le ,traducteur du ,sens ,common4 ,a ,paris3 ,chez les ,directeurs de l'lmprimerie du ,cercle ,social1 rue du ,theatre ,francais1 ,no4 #d4 #agib4 ,l'an quatrierae de ,la ,liberte4 ,on ,august #bf1 #agib1 the ,national ,assembly1 on proposal of ,m4 ,guadet1 in the name of the ,commission ,extraordinaire1 conferred the title of ,french citizen on ,priestley1 ,payne1 ,ben thorn1 ,wilberforce1 ,clarkson1 ,mackintosh1 ,david ,williams1 ,gorani1 ,anacharsis ,clootz1 ,campe1 ,cornielle1 ,paw1 ,n4 ,pestalozzi1 ,washington1 ,hamilton1 ,madison1 ,klopstoc1 ,kosciusko1 ,gilleers4 ,schiller was afterwards added1 and on ,september #be th the ,patriote announces the same title conferred on ,thomas ,cooper1 ,john ,home ,tooke1 ,john ,oswald1 ,george ,boies1 ,thomas ,christie1 ,dr4 ,joseph ,warner1 ,englishmen1 and ,joel ,barlow1 ,american499 99 ,life and ,letters of ,joel ,barlow1 etc41 by ,charles ,burr ,todd1 ,new ,york1 #ahhf1 p4 #ig4 ,paine was elected to the ,french ,convention by four different departments--,oise1 ,puy-de-,dome1 ,somme1 and ,pas-de-,calais4 ,the votes appear to have been unanimous4 ,here is an enthusiastic appeal 7,riom1 le #h ,septembre7 signed by ,louvet1 auteur de la ,sentinelle1 and thirty-two others1 representing nine communes1 to ,paine1 that day elected representative of ,puy-de-,dome3 ,your love for humanity1 for liberty and equality1 the useful works that have issued from your heart and pen in their defence1 have determined our choice4 ,it has been hailed with universal and reiterated applause4 ,come1 friend of the people1 to swell the number of patriots in an assembly which will decide the destiny of a great people1 perhaps of the human race4 ,the happy period you have predicted for the nations has arrived4 ,come6 do not deceive their hope6 ,but already ,calais1 which elected him ,september #fth1 had sent a municipal officer1 ,achille ,audibert1 to ,london1 to entreat ,paine's acceptance4 ,paine was so eager to meet the ,english government in court1 that he delayed his answer4 ,but his friends had reason to fear that his martyrdom might be less mild than he anticipated1 and urged his acceptance4 ,there had been formed a society of the ,friends of ,liberty1 and1 at its gathering of ,september #abth1 ,paine appears to have poured forth inflammatory eloquence4 ,at the house of his friend ,johnson1 on the following evening1 ,paine was reporting what he had said to some sympathizers1 among them the mystical ,william ,blake1 who was convinced that the speech of the previous night would be followed by arrest4 ,gilchrist's account of what followed is here quoted3 ,on ,paine's rising to leave1 ,blake laid his hand on the orator's shoulder1 saying1 ',you must not go home1 or you are a dead man1' and hurried him off on his way to ,france1 whither he was now in any case bound to take his seat as a legislator4 ,by the time ,paine was at ,dover1 the officers were in his house1 he was staying at ,rickman's1 in ,marylebone and1 some twenty minutes after the ,custom ,house officials at ,dover had turned over his slender baggage1 narrowly escaped from the ,english ,tories4 ,those were hanging days6 ,blake on the occasion showed greater sagacity than ,paine1 whom1 indeed1 ,fuseli affirmed to be more ignorant of the common affairs of life than himself even4 ,spite of unworldliness and visionary faculty1 ,blake never wanted for prudence and sagacity in ordinary matters499 99 ,life of ,william ,blake1 by ,alexander ,gilchrist1 p4 #id4 ,before leaving ,london ,paine managed to have an interview with the ,american ,minister1 ,pinckney1 who thought he could do good service in the ,convention4 ,mr4 ,frost1 who accompanied ,paine and ,audibert1 had information of certain plans of the officials4 ,he guided them to ,dover by a circuitous route--,rochester1 ,sandwich1 ,deal4 ,with what emotions does our world-wanderer find himself in the old town where he married and suffered with his first love1 ,mary ,lambert1 whose grave is near6 ,nor is he so far from ,cranbrook1 where his wife receives her mysterious remittances1 but since their separation has not heard of this said ,thomas ,paine1 as her testimony goes some years later4 ,paine is parting from ,england and its ghosts forever4 ,the travellers find ,dover excited by the royal proclamation4 ,the collector of customs has had general instructions to be vigilant1 and searches the three men1 even to their pockets4 ,frost pretended a desire to escape1 drawing the scent from ,paine4 ,in his report 7,september #aeth7 of the search to ,mr4 ,dundas1 ,paine says3 ,among the letters which he took out of my trunk were two sealed letters1 given into my charge by the ,american minister in ,london ,pinckney1 one of which was addressed to the ,american minister at ,paris1 the other to a private gentleman2 a letter from the president of the ,united ,states1 and a letter from the secretary of ,state in ,america1 both directed to me1 and which ,i had received from the ,american minister1 now in ,london1 and were private letters of friendship2 a letter from the electoral body of the department of ,calais1 containing the notification of my being elected to the ,national ,convention2 and a letter from the president of the ,national ,assembly informing me of my being also elected for the department of the ,oise ,versailles4444 ,when the collector had taken what papers and letters he pleased out of the trunks1 he proposed to read them4 ,the first letter he took up for this purpose was that from the president of the ,united ,states to me4 ,while he was doing this ,i said1 that it was very extraordinary that ,general ,washington could not write a letter of private friendship to me1 without its being subject to be read by a customhouse officer4 ,upon this ,mr4 ,frost laid his hand over the face of the letter1 and told the collector that he should not read it1 and took it from him4 ,mr4 ,frost then1 casting his eyes on the concluding paragraph of the letter1 said1 ,i will read this part to you1 which he did2 of which the following is an exact transcript--',and as no one can feel a greater interest in the happiness of mankind than ,i do1 it is the first wish of my heart that the enlightened policy of the present age may diffuse to all men those blessings to which they are entitled and lay the foundation of happiness for future generations4' ,so ,washington's nine months' delay 7p4 #cjb7 in acknowledging ,paine's letter and gift of fifty volumes had brought his letter in the nick of time4 ,the collector quailed before the ,president's signature4 ,he took away the documents1 leaving a list of them1 and they were presently returned4 ,soon afterward the packet sailed1 and twenty minutes later the order for ,paine's arrest reached ,dover4 ,too late6 ,baffled pursuers gnash their teeth1 and ,paine passes to his ovation4 ,what the ovation was to be he could hardly anticipate even from the cordial1 or glowing1 letter of ,herault ,sechelles summoning him to the ,convention1--a fine translation of which by ,cobbett is given in the ,appendix4 ,ancient ,calais1 in its time1 had received heroes from across the channel1 but hitherto never with joy4 ,that honor the centuries reserved for a ,thetford ,quaker4 ,as the packet sails in a salute is fired from the battery2 cheers sound along the shore4 ,as the representative for ,calais steps on ,french soil soldiers make his avenue1 the officers embrace him1 the national cockade is presented4 ,a beautiful lady advances1 requesting the honor of setting the cockade in his hat1 and makes him a pretty speech1 ending with ,liberty1 ,equality1 and ,france4 ,as they move along the ,rue de l',egalite 7late ,rue du ,roi7 the air rings with ,vive ,thomas ,paine6 ,at the town hall he is presented to the ,municipality1 by each member embraced1 by the ,mayor also addressed4 ,at the meeting of the ,constitutional ,society of ,calais1 in the ,minimes1 he sits beside the president1 beneath the bust of ,mirabeau and the united colors of ,france1 ,england1 and ,america4 ,there is an official ceremony announcing his election1 and plaudits of the crowd1 ,vive la ,nation6 ,vive ,thomas ,paine6 ,the ,minimes proving too small1 the meeting next day is held in the church1 where martyred saints and miraculous ,madonnas look down on this miraculous ,quaker1 turned savior of society4 ,in the evening1 at the theatre1 a box is decorated ,for the ,author of ',the ,rights of ,man4' ,thus for once our wayfarer1 so marked by time and fate1 received such welcome as hitherto had been accorded only to princes4 ,alas1 that the aged eyes which watched over his humble cradle could not linger long enough to see a vision of this greatness1 or that she who bore the name of ,elizabeth ,paine was too far out of his world as not even to know that her husband was in ,europe4 ,a theatrical ,la ,france must be his only bride1 and in the end play the role of a cruel stepmother4 ,when ,washington was on his way to his inauguration in ,new ,york1 passing beneath triumphal arches1 amid applauding crowds1 a sadness came over him as he reflected1 so he wrote a friend1 how easily all this enthusiasm might be reversed by a failure in the office for which he felt himself so little competent ,but for ,paine on his way to sit in the ,convention of a ,people's representatives--one summoned by his own pen for objects to which his life was devoted1 for which he had the training of events as well as studies1--for him there could be no black star hovering over his welcome and his triumphal pathway to ,paris4 ,for1 besides his fame1 there had preceded him to every town rumors of how this representative of man--of man in ,america1 ,england1 ,france--had been hunted by ,british oppressors down to the very edge of their coast4 ,those outwitted pursuers had made ,paine a greater power in ,france than he might otherwise have been4 ,the ,moniteur 7,september #bc;d7 told the story1 and adds3 ,probably ,m4 ,payne will have been indemnified for such injustices by the brilliant reception accorded him on his arrival on ,french soil4 ,other representatives of ,calais were ,personne1 ,carnat1 ,bollet1 ,magniez1 ,varlet1 ,guffroy1 ,eulard1 ,duquesnoy1 ,lebas1 ,daunon4 ,it could hardly be expected that there should be no jealousy of the concentration of enthusiasm on the brilliant ,anglo-,american4 ,however1 none of this yet appeared1 and ,paine glided flower-crowned in his beautiful barge1 smoothly toward his ,niagara rapids4 ,he had1 indeed1 heard the distant roar1 in such confused1 hardly credited1 rumors of ,september massacres as had reached ,london1 but his faith in the ,national ,convention was devout4 ,all the riots were easily explained by the absence of that charm4 ,he had his flask of constitutional oil1 other representatives no doubt had theirs1 and when they gathered on ,september #ba st1 amid equinoctial gales1 the troubled waters would be still4 ,paine reached ,white's ,hotel1 ,paris1 ,september #aith2 on the #bjth attends a gathering of the ,conventionnels2 on the #bast moves in their procession to the ,tuileries1 for verification of credentials by the expiring ,assembly1 repairing with them for work in the ,salle du ,manege4 ,he was introduced by the ,abbe ,gregoire1 and received with acclamations4 ,on ,september #bast1 then1 the ,year ,one opens4 ,it greets mankind with the decree3 ,royalty is from this day abolished in ,france4 ,september #bb;d1 on a petition from ,orleans1 ,dan-ton proposes removal of the entire administrative corps1 municipal and judicial1 to prevent their removal by popular violence4 ,paine 7through ,goupilleau7 suggests postponement for more thorough discussion4 ,having got rid of kings they must be rid of royal hirelings2 but if partial reforms are made in the judiciary system those institutions cannot possess coherence2 for the present persons might be changed without altering laws2 finally1 justice cannot be administered by men ignorant of the laws4 ,danton welcomes ,paine's views1 and it is decreed that the administrative bodies be renewed by popular election2 but the limitations on eligibility1 fixed by the ,constitution of #agia1 are abolished--the judge need not be a lawyer1 nor the municipal officer a proprietor4 ,on ,september #beth appears ,paine's letter to his ,fellow ,citizens1 expressing his affectionate gratitude for his adoption and his election4 ,my felicity is increased by seeing the barrier broken down that divided patriotism by spots of earth1 and limited citizenship to the soil1 like vegetation4 ,the letter is fairly floreal with optimistic felicities4 ,an over-ruling ,providence is regenerating the old world by the principles of the new4 ,it is impossible to conquer a nation determined to be free4 ,it is now the cause of all nations against the cause of all courts4 ,in entering on this great scene1 greater than any nation has been called to act in1 let us say to the agitated mind1 be calm6 ,let us punish by instruction1 rather than by revenge4 ,let us begin the new era by a greatness of friendship1 and hail the approach of union and success4 ,october #aath1 a committee to frame a constitution is appointed1 consisting of ,sieyes1 ,paine1 ,bris-sot1 ,potion1 ,vergniaud1 ,gensonne1 ,barrere1 ,danton1 ,condorcet4 ,supplementary--,barbaroux1 ,herault ,sechelles1 ,lanthenas1 ,debry1 the ,abbe ,fauchet1 ,lavicourterie4 ,paine was placed second to his old adversary1 ,sieyes1 only because of his unfamiliarity with ,french4 ,at least four of the committee understood ,english--,condorcet1 ,danton1 ,barrere1 and ,brissot4 ,paine had known ,brissot in ,america1 their friendship being caused by literary tastes in common1 and the zeal of both for negro emancipation4 ,on ,october #beth was written for ,le ,patriote ,francais 7edited by ,brissot7 an address by ,paine arguing carefully the fallacies of royalism4 ,he tersely expresses the view now hardly paradoxical1 that a talented king is worse than a fool4 ,we are astonished at reading that the ,egyptians set upon the throne a stone1 which they called king4 ,well6 such a monarch was less absurd and less mischievous than those before whom nations prostrate themselves4 ,at least he deceived no one4 ,none supposed that he possessed qualities or a character4 ,they did not call him ,father of his ,people2 and yet it would have been scarcely more ridiculous than to give such a title to a blockhead 7un eturdi7 whom the right of succession crowns at eighteen4 ,a dumb idol is better than one animated4' ,in this letter ,paine adroitly prepares the way for his purpose of saving the life of ,louis ,,xvi41 for whose blood the thirst is growing4 ,it is little1 he says1 to overthrow the idol2 it is the pedestal which must especially be beaten down4 ,it is the kingly office1 rather than the officer1 that is destructive 7meurtriere74 ,this is not seen by every one4 ,in those who sympathized with the human spirit of his views ,paine inspired deep affection4 ,a volume might be filled with the personal tributes to him4 ,in ,paris he was the centre of a loving circle1 from the first4 ,i lodge1 writes ,lord ,edward ,fitzgerald to his mother 7,october #cjth71 with my friend ,paine--we breakfast1 dine1 and sup together4 ,the more ,i see of his interior1 the more ,i like and respect him4 ,i cannot express how kind he is to me2 there is a simplicity of manner1 a goodness of heart1 and a strength of mind in him1 that ,i never knew a man before possess49999 99 ,father of his ,people was a title of ,geo4 ,,iii4 ,father of his ,country was applied to ,peyton ,randolph1 first president of ,congress4 ,paine's essay1 quoted above1 which is not included in the editions of ,paine's works1 was printed by ,james ,watson in ,london1 #ahdc1 the translation being by ,w4 ,j4 ,linton1 who1 while editing the ,national1 also wrote the same year1 and for the same publisher1 a small but useful ,life of ,paine4 9999 ,moore's ,life and ,death of ,lord ,edward ,fitzgerald4 ,paine was chosen by his fellow-deputies of ,calais to offer the ,convention the congratulations of their department on the abolition of monarchy4 ,this letter1 written ,october #bgth1 was on that day read in ,convention1 in ,french4 ,citizen ,president3 ,in the name of the deputies of the department of ,pas de ,calais1 ,i have the honor of presenting to the ,convention the felicitations of the ,general ,council of the ,commune of ,calais on the abolition of royalty4 ,amid the joy inspired by this event1 one can not forbear some pain at the folly of our ancestors1 who have placed us under the necessity of treating seriously 7solennellement7 the abolition of a phantom4 ,thomas ,paine1 ,deputy1 etc499 ,the ,moniteur1 without printing the letter1 says that applause followed the word fantome ,the use of this word was a resumption of ,paine's effort to save the life of the king1 then a prisoner of state1 by a suggestion of his insignificance49999 ,but he very soon realizes the power of the phantom1 which lies not only in the monarchical ,trade ,union of ,europe but in the superstition of monarchy in those who presently beheaded poor ,louis4 ,paine was always careful to call him ,louis ,capet1 but the ,french deputies took the king seriously to the last4 ,the king's divine foot was on their necks in the moment when their axe was on his4 ,but ,paine feared a more terrible form which had arisen in place of the royal prisoner of the ,temple4 ,on the fourth day of the ,convention ,marat arose with the words1 ,it seems a great many here are my enemies1 and received the shouted answer1 ,all6 all6 ,paine had seen ,marat hypnotize the ,convention1 and hold it subdued in the hollow of his hand4 ,here was ,king ,stork ready to succeed ,king ,log4 99 ,this letter ,i copied and translated in the ,historical ,exhibition of the ,revolution1 in ,paris1 #ahhi4 ,this letter of the philosophe anglais as he is described in the catalogue1 is in the collection of ,m4 ,charavay1 and was framed with the ,bonneville portrait of ,paine4 9999 ,in his republican manifesto at the time of the king's flight he had deprecated revenge towards the captured monarch4 ,but what has the ,convention to do with deciding about ,louis ,,xvi41 or about affairs1 foreign or domestic8 ,it is there like the ,philadelphia ,convention of #aghg2 its business is to frame a ,constitution1 then dissolve1 and let the organs it created determine special affairs4 ,so the committee work hard on the ,constitution2 ,deputy ,paine and ,france generally expect1 finds ,carlyle1 all finished in a few months4 ,but1 alas1 the phantom is too strong for the political philosophers4 ,the crowned heads of ,europe are sinking their differences for a time and consulting about this imprisoned brother4 ,and at the same time the subjects of those heads are looking eagerly towards the ,convention499 99 ,that which will astonish posterity is that at ,stockholm1 five months after the death of ,gustavus1 and while the northern ,powers are leaguing themselves against the liberty of ,france1 there has been published a translation of ,thomas ,paine's ,rights of ,man1 the translator being one of the ,king's secretaries6 --,moniteur ,nov4 #h1 #agib4 ,the foreign menaces had thus far caused the ferocities of the revolution1 for ,france knew it was worm-eaten with enemies of republicanism4 ,but now the ,duke of ,brunswick had retreated1 the ,french arms were victorious everywhere2 and it is just possible that the suicide of the ,republic--the ,reign of ,terror--might never have been completed but for that discovery 7,november #bjth7 of secret papers walled up in the ,tuileries4 ,these papers compromised many1 revealed foreign schemes1 and made all ,paris shriek ,treason6 ,the smith 7,gamain7 who revealed the locality of that invisible iron press which he had set under the wainscot1 made a good deal of history that day4 ,a cry for the king's life was raised1 for to ,france he was the head and front of all conspiracy4 ,how everybody bent under the breath of those days may be seen in the fact that even ,gouverneur ,morris is found writing to ,lord ,wycombe 7,november #bb;d73 ,all who wish to partake thereof freedom will find in us 7ye ,french7 a sure and certain ally4 ,we will chase tyranny1 and1 above all1 aristocracy1 off the theatre of the ,universe499 99 ,diary and ,letters4 ,the letter was probably written with knowledge of its liability to fall into the hands of the ,french ,committee4 ,it could not deceive ,wycombe4 ,paine was living in the ,passage des ,petites ,peres1 ,no4 #g4 ,there are now two narrow passages of that name1 uniting near the church ,notre ,dame des ,victoires1 which still bears the words1 ,liberty ,egalite1 ,fraternity4 ,no4 #g has disappeared as a number1 but it may have described a part of either ,no4 #h or ,no4 #i1--;both ancient4 ,here he was close to a chapel of the ,capucines1 unless1 indeed1 it had already been replaced by this church1 whose interior walls are covered with tablets set up by individuals in acknowledgment of the ,virgin's miraculous benefits to them4 ,here he might study superstition1 and no doubt did2 but on ,november #bjth he has to deal with the madness of a populace which has broken the outer chains of superstition with a superstition of their own1 one without restraints to replace the chains4 ,beneath his window the ,place des ,victoires will be crowded with revolutionists1 frantic under rumors of the discovered iron press and its treasonable papers4 ,he could hardly look out without seeing some poor human scape-goat seeking the altar's safety4 ,our ,lady will look on him from her church the sad-eyed inquiry3 ,is this1 then1 the new religion of ,liberty1 with which you supplant the ,mother and ,babe8 ,paine has carried to success his anti-monarchical faith4 ,he was the first to assail monarchy in ,america and in ,france4 ,a little more than a year before1 he had founded the first ,republican ,society in ,europe1 and written its ,declaration on the door of the ,national ,assembly4 ,sieyes had denounced him then as a polyarchist4 ,now he sat with ,sieyes daily1 framing a republican ,constitution1 having just felicitated the ,convention on the abolition of the phantom--,royalty4 ,and now1 on this terrible night of ,november #bjth1 this unmaker of kings finds himself the solitary deputy ready to risk his life to save the man whose crown he had destroyed4 ,it is not simply because the old ,quaker heart in him recoils from bloodshed1 but that he would save the ,republic from the peril of foreign invasion1 which would surely follow the execution of ,louis1 and from disgrace in ,america1 whose independence owed much to the fallen monarch4 ,in his little room1 the lonely author1 unable to write ,french1 animated by sentiments which the best of the ,french revolutionists could not understand--,danton reminding him that revolutions are not made of rose-water--must have before the morrow's ,convention some word that shall control the fury of the moment4 ,rose-water will not answer now4 ,louis must pass his ordeal2 his secret schemes have been revealed2 the treachery of his submissions to the people exposed4 ,he is guilty1 and the alternatives are a calm trial1 or death by the hands of the mob4 ,what is now most needed is delay1 and1 that secured1 diversion of national rage from the individual ,louis to the universal anti-republican ,satan inspiring the crowned heads of ,europe4 ,before the morning dawns1 ,paine has written his letter to the president ,it is translated before the ,convention meets1 ,november #bast1 and is read to that body the same day499 ,louis ,,xvi41 he says1 should be tried4 ,the advice is not suggested by vengeance1 but by justice and policy4 ,if innocent1 he may be allowed to prove it2 if guilty1 he must be punished or pardoned by the nation4 ,he would1 however1 consider ,louis1 individually1 beneath the notice of the republic4 ,the importance of his trial is that there is a conspiracy of crowned brigands against the liberties not only of ,france1 but of all nations1 and there is ground for suspecting that ,louis ,,xvi4 was a partner in it4 ,he should be utilized to ferret out the whole gang1 and reveal to the various peoples what their monarchs1 some of whom work in secret for fear of their subjects1 are doing4 ,louis ,,xvi4 should not be dealt with except in the interest of all ,europe4 ,if1 seeing in ,louis ,,xvi4 only a weak and narrow-minded man1 badly reared1 as all like him1 subject1 it is said1 to intemperance1 imprudently re-established by the ,constituent ,assembly on a throne for which he was unfit1--if we hereafter show him some compassion1 this compassion should be the effect of national magnanimity1 and not a result of the burlesque notion of pretended inviolability4' 99 ,l' ,histoire ,parlementaire1 xx41 p4 #cfg4 9999 ,this essay has suffered in the translation found in ,english and ,american editions of ,paine4 ,the words national magnanimity are omitted4 ,the phrase brigands couronnes becomes crowned robbers in ,england1 and crowned ruffians in ,america4 ,both versions are commonplace1 and convey an impression of haste and mere abuse4 ,but ,paine was a slow writer1 and weighed his words even when quarelling in print4 ,when this letter was written to the ,convention its members were reading his ,essay on ,royalty1 which filled seven columns of ,brissot's ,patriot ,francois three weeks before4 ,in that he had traced royalty to the bandit-chief4 ,several troops of banditti assemble for the purpose of upsetting some country1 of laying contributions over it1 of seizing the landed property1 of reducing the people to thraldom4 ,the expedition being accomplished1 the chief of the gang assumes the title of king or monarch4 ,such has been the origin of royalty among all nations who live by the chase1 agriculture1 or the tending of flocks4 ,a second chieftain arriving obtains by force what has been acquired by violence4 ,he despoils his predecessor1 loads him with fetters1 puts him to death1 and assumes his title4 ,in the course of ages the memory of the outrage is lost2 his successors establish new forms of government2 through policy1 they become the instruments of a little good2 they invent1 or cause to be invented1 false genealogical tables2 they employ every means to render their race sacred2 the knavery of priests steps in to their assistance2 for their body-guard they take religion itself2 then it is that ,royalty1 or rather ,tyranny1 becomes immortal4 ,a power unjustly usurped is transformed into a hereditary right4 ,lamartine1 in his history of the ,girondists1 reproaches ,paine for these words concerning a king-who had shown him friendship during the ,american war4 ,but the facts were not well explored in ,lamartine's time4 ,louis ,blanc recognizes ,paine's intent499 99 ,hist1 de la ,revolution1 etc41 vol4 vii41 p4 #cif4 ,he had learned in ,england that killing a monarch does not kill monarchs4 ,this grand revolutionary proposal to raise the inevitable trial from the low plane of popular wrath against a prisoner to the dignity of a process against ,european monarchy1 would have secured delay and calmer counsels4 ,if the reader1 considering the newly discovered papers1 and the whole situation1 will examine critically ,paine's words just quoted1 he will find them meriting a judgment the reverse of ,lamartine's4 ,with consummate art1 the hourly imperilled king is shielded from vindictive wrath by the considerations that he is non compos1 not responsible for his bringing up1 was put back on the throne by the ,assembly1 after he had left it1 acknowledging his unfitness1 and that compassion for him would be becoming to the magnanimity of ,france4 ,a plea for the ,king's immunity from trial1 for his innocence or his virtues1 would at that juncture have been fatal4 ,as it was1 this ingenious document made an impression on the ,convention1 which ordered it to be printed4 99 99 ,convention ,nationale4 ,opinion de ,thomas ,payne1 ,depute du ,departement de la ,somme1 concern ant le jugement de ,louis ,,xvi4 ,precede de sa lettre d'envoi au ,president de la ,convention4 ,imprime par ordre de la ,convention ,nationale4 ,a ,paris4 ,de rimprimerie ,nationale4 ,it is very remarkable that1 in a ,state paper1 ,paine should be described as deputy for the ,somme4 ,his votes in the ,convention are all entered under ,calais4 ,dr4 ,john ,moore1 who saw much of ,paine at this time1 says1 in his work on the ,french ,revolution1 that his 7,paine's7 writings for the ,convention were usually translated into ,french by the ,marchioness of ,condorcet4 ,the delay which ,paine's proposal would involve was1 as ,louis ,blanc remarks1 fatal to it4 ,it remains now only to work among the members of the ,convention1 and secure if possible a majority that will be content1 having killed the king1 to save the man2 and1 in saving him1 to preserve him as an imprisoned hostage for the good behavior of ,europe4 ,this is now ,paine's idea1 and never did man toil more faithfully for another than he did for that discrowned ,louis ,capet4 ,,chapter ,,xxiv4 ,,outlawed ,,in ,,england ,while ,paine was thus1 towards the close of #agib1 doing the work of a humane ,englishman in ,france1 his works were causing a revolution in ,england--a revolution the more effectual because bloodless4 ,in ,paine's letter to ,secretary ,dundas 7,calais1 ,september #aeth71 describing the examination of his papers at ,dover1 a postscript states that among the papers handled was a printed proof copy of my ,letter to the ,addressers1 which will soon be published4 ,this must have been a thumbscrew for the ,secretary when he presently read the pamphlet that escaped his officers4 ,in humor1 freedom1 and force this production may be compared with ,carlyle's ,latter ,day ,pamphlets4 ,lord ,stormont and ,lord ,grenville having made speeches about him1 their services are returned by a speech which the author has prepared for them to deliver in ,parliament4 ,this satirical eulogy on the ,british constitution set the fashion for other radical encomiums of the wisdom of the king and of the peers1 the incorruptibility of the commons1 beauty of rotten boroughs1 and freedom of the people from taxes1 with which prosecuting attorneys were unable to deal4 ,having felicitated himself on the circulation of his opinions by the indictment1 and the advertisements of his books by loyal ,addresses1 ,paine taunts the government for its method of answering argument4 ,it had been challenging the world for a hundred years to admire the perfection of its institutions4 ,at length the challenge is taken up1 and1 lo1 its acceptance is turned into a crime1 and the only defence of its perfection is a prosecution6 ,paine points out that there was no sign of prosecution until his book was placed within reach of the poor4 ,when cheap editions were clamored for by ,sheffield1 ,leicester1 ,chester1 ,warwickshire1 and ,scotland1 he had announced that any one might freely publish it4 ,about the middle of ,april he had himself put a cheap edition in the press4 ,he knew he would be prosecuted for that1 and so wrote to ,thomas ,walker499 99 ,at the trial the ,attorney-,general admitted that he had not prosecuted ,part ,i4 because it was likely to be confined to judicious readers2 but this still more reprehensible ,part ,,ii4 was1 he said1 with an industry incredible1 ushered into the world in all shapes and sizes1 thrust into the hands of subjects of every description1 even children's sweetmeats being wrapped in it4 ,it was the common people the government feared4 ,he remarks that on the same day 7,may #bast7 the prosecution was instituted and the royal proclamation issued--the latter being indictable as an effort to influence the verdict in a pending case4 ,he calls attention to the special jury1 before which he was summoned4 ,it is virtually selected by the ,master of the ,crown ,office1 a dependant on the ,civil ,list assailed in his book4 ,the special jury is treated to a dinner1 and given two guineas for a conviction1 and but one guinea and no dinner for acquittal4 ,even a fairly selected local jury could not justly determine a constitutional issue affecting every part of the empire4 ,so ,paine brings under scrutiny every part of the legal machinery sprung on him1 adding new illustrations of his charges against the whole system4 ,he begins the siege1 which ,bradlaugh was to carry forward in a later time1 against the corrupt ,pension ,list1 introducing it with his promised exposure of ,edmund ,burke4 ,near the end of ,lord ,north's administration ,burke brought in a bill by which it was provided that a pension or annuity might be given without name1 if under oath that it was not for the benefit of a member of the ,house of ,commons4 ,burke's pension had been taken out under the name of another man2 but being under the necessity of mortgaging it1 the real pensioner had to be disclosed to the mortgagee499 ,for the rest1 this ,address to the ,addressers1 as it was popularly called1--or ,part ,third of the ,rights of ,man1 as one publisher entitled it1--sowed broadcast through ,england passages that were recited in assemblies1 and sentences that became proverbs4 99 ,this disclosure1 though not disproved1 is passed over silently by most historians4 ,nevertheless it was probably that which ended ,burke's parliamentary career4 ,two years later1 at the age of sixty-two1 he retired with an accumulation of pensions given at the king's request1 amounting to ,l#c1gjj per annum4 ,his reputation had been built up on his supposed energy in favor of economy4 ,the secret and illegal pension 7,l#a1ejj7 cast light on his sudden coalition with ,lord ,north1 whom he once proposed to impeach as a traitor4 ,the title of masked pensioner given by ,paine branded ,burke4 ,writing in #ahai ,cobbett says3 ,as my ,lord ,grenville introduced the name of ,burke1 suffer me1 my ,lord1 to introduce that of the man ,paine who put this ,burke to shame1 who drove him off the public stage to seek shelter in the pension list1 and who is now named fifty million times where the name of the pensioned ,burke is mentioned once4 ,it is a dangerous attempt in any government to say to a ,nation1 ,thou shalt not read4 ,thought1 by some means or other1 is got abroad in the world1 and cannot be restrained1 though reading may4 ,whatever the rights of the people are1 they have a right to them1 and none have a right either to withhold or to grant them4 ,the project of hereditary ,governors and ,legislatures was a treasonable usurpation over the rights of posterity4 ,put a country right1 and it will soon put government right4 ,when the rich plunder the poor of his rights1 it becomes an example to the poor to plunder the rich of his property4 ,who are those that are frightened at reform8 ,are the public afraid their taxes should be lessened too much8 ,are they afraid that sinecure places and pensions should be abolished too fast8 ,are the poor afraid that their condition should be rendered too comfortable8 ,a thing moderately good is not so good as it ought to be4 ,if to expose the fraud and imposition of monarchy1 and every species of hereditary government--to lessen the oppression of taxes--to propose plans for the education of helpless infancy1 and the comfortable support of the aged and distressed--to endeavour to conciliate nations with each other--to extirpate the horrid practice of war--to promote universal peace1 civilization1 and commerce--and to break the chains of political superstition1 and raise degraded man to his proper rank--if these things be libellous1 let me live the life of a ,libeller1 and let the name of ,libeller be engraven on my tomb4 ,two eminent personages were burnt in effigy in ,europe about this time1 one in ,france1 the other in ,england3 ,paine and the ,pope4 ,under date of ,december #aith1 the ,american minister 7,morris7 enters in his diary3 ,several ,americans dine with me4 ,paine looks a little down at the news from ,england2 he has been burned in effigy4 ,this was the reply of the ,addressers1 the noblemen and gentry1 to ,paine's ,letter4 ,it is said that on the ,fifth of ,november it was hinted to the boys that their ,guy ,fawkes would extort more pennies if labelled ,tom ,paine1 and that thenceforth the new ,guy paraded with a pair of stays under his arm4 ,the holocaust of ,paines went on through ,december1 being timed for the author's trial1 set for the eighteenth4 ,one gets glimpses in various local records and memoirs of the agitation in ,england4 ,thus in ,mrs4 ,henry ,sandford's account of ,thomas ,poole199 we read in ,charlotte ,poole's journal3 ,december #ah1 #agib4--;,john dined with ,tom ,poole1 and from him heard that there was a great bustle at ,bridgwater yesterday--that ,tom ,paine was burnt in ,effigy1 and that he saw ,richard ,symes sitting on the ,cornhill with a table before him1 receiving the oaths of loyalty to the king1 and affection to the present constitution1 from the populace4 ,i fancy this could not have been a very pleasant sight to ,tom ,poole1 for he has imbibed some of the wild notions of liberty and equality that at present prevail so much2 and it is but within these two or three days that a report has been circulated that he has distributed seditious pamphlets to the common people of ,stowey4 ,but this report is entirely without foundation4 ,everybody at this time talks politicks1 and is looking with anxiety for fresh intelligence from ,france1 which is a scene of guilt and confusion4 99 ,thomas ,poole and his ,friends4 ,by ,mrs4 ,henry ,sandford4 ,new ,york3 ,macmillan1 #ahhh4 ,in ,richardson's ,borderer's ,table ,book is recorded3 #agib 7,dec47--,this month1 ,thomas ,paine1 author of the ',rights of ,man1' c4 c41 was burnt at most of the towns and considerable villages in ,northumberland and ,durham4 ,no doubt1 among the ,durham towns1 ,wearmouth saw at the stake an effigy of the man whose iron bridge1 taken down at ,paddington1 and sold for other benefit than ,paine's1 was used in spanning the ,wear with the arch of his invention2 all amid shouts of ,god save the ,king1 and plaudits for the various public-spirited gentlemen and architects1 who patriotically appropriated the merits and patent of the inventor4 ,the ,bury ,post 7published near ,paine's birthplace7 says1 ,december #abth3 ,the populace in different places have been lately amusing themselves by burning effigies4 ,as the culprit on whom they meant to execute this punishment was ,thomas ,paine1 they were not interrupted by any power civil or military4 ,the ceremony has been at ,croydon in ,surrey1 at ,warrington1 at ,lymington1 and at ,plymouth4 ,january #i1 #agic3 ,on ,saturday last the effigy of ,thomas ,paine was carried round the town of ,swaffham1 and afterwards hung on a gibbet1 erected on the market-hill for that purpose4 ,in the evening his remains were committed to the flames amidst acclamations of ,god save the ,king1 etc4 ,the trial of ,paine for high treason was by a ,special ,jury in the ,court of ,king's ,bench1 ,guildhall1 on ,tuesday1 ,december #ah1 #agib1 before ,lord ,kenyon499 99 ,special ,jury3 ,john ,campbell1 ,john ,lightfoot1 ,christopher ,taddy1 ,robert ,oliphant1 ,cornelias ,donovan1 ,robert ,rolleston1 ,john ,lubbock1 ,richard ,tuckwell1 ,william ,porter1 ,thomas ,bruce1 ,isaac ,railton1 ,henry ,evans4 ,counsel for the ,crown3 ,sir ,archibald ,macdonald 7,attorney-,general71 ,solicitor- ,general1 ,mr4 ,bearcroft1 ,mr4 ,baldwin1 ,mr4 ,wood1 ,mr4 ,per- cival4 ,counsel for the ,defendant3 ,the ,hon4 ,thomas ,erskine1 ,mr4 ,piggot1 ,mr4 ,shepherd1 ,mr4 ,fitzgerald1 ,mr4 ,f4 ,vaughan4 ,solicitors3 ,for the ,crown1 ,messrs4 ,chamberlayne and ,white2 for ,defendant1 ,mr4 ,bonney4 ,the ,painites had probably little hope of acquittal4 ,in ,rickman's journal 7manuscript7 he says3 ,c4 ,lofft told me he knew a gentleman who tried for five or six years to be on the special juries1 but could not1 being known to be a liberty man4 ,he says special juries are packed to all intents and purposes4 ,the reason for gathering such powerful counsel for defence must have been to obtain from the trial some definitive adjudication on the legal liabilities of writers and printers1 and at the same time to secure1 through the authority of ,erskine1 an affirmation of their constitutional rights4 ,lord ,loughborough and others vainly tried to dissuade ,erskine from defending ,paine4 ,for himself1 ,paine had given up the case some time before1 and had written from ,paris1 ,november #aath1 to the ,attorney-,general1 stating that1 having been called to the ,convention in ,france1 he could not stay to contest the prosecution1 as he wished4 ,my necessary absence from your country affords the opportunity of knowing whether the prosecution was intended against ,thomas ,paine1 or against the ,rights of the ,people of ,england to investigate systems and principles of government2 for as ,i cannot now be the object of the prosecution1 the going on with the prosecution will show that something else was the object1 and that something else can be no other than the ,people of ,england4444 ,but ,i have other reasons than those ,i have mentioned for writing you this letter2 and however you chuse to interpret them they proceed from a good heart4 ,the time1 ,sir1 is becoming too serious to play with ,court prosecutions1 and sport with national rights4 ,the terrible examples that have taken place here upon men who1 less than a year ago1 thought themselves as secure as any prosecuting ,judge1 ,jury1 or ,attorney-,general can do now in ,england1 ought to have some weight with men in your situation4 ,that the ,government of ,england is as great1 if not the greatest perfection of fraud and corruption that ever took place since governments began1 is what you cannot be a stranger to2 unless the constant habit of seeing it has blinded your sense4 ,but though you may not chuse to see it1 the people are seeing it very fast1 and the progress is beyond what you may chuse to believe4 ,is it possible that you or ,i can believe1 or that reason can make any other man believe1 that the capacity of such a man as ,mr4 ,guelph1 or any of his profligate sons1 is necessary to the government of a nation8 ,i speak to you as one man ought to speak to another2 and ,i know also that ,i speak what other people are beginning to think4 ,that you cannot obtain a verdict 7and if you do it will signify nothing7 without packing a ,jury1 and we both know that such tricks are practised1 is what ,i have very good reason to believe4444 ,do not then1 ,sir1 be the instrument of drawing away twelve men into a situation that may be injurious to them afterwards4 ,i do not speak this from policy1 but from benevolence2 but if you chuse to go on with the process1 ,i make it my request that you would read this letter in ,court1 after which the ,judge and the ,jury may do what they please4 ,as ,i do not consider myself the object of the prosecution1 neither can ,i be affected by the issue one way or the other1 ,i shall1 though a foreigner in your country1 subscribe as much money as any other man towards supporting the right of the nation against the prosecution2 and it is for this purpose only that ,i shall do it4 ,as ,i have not time to copy letters1 you will excuse the corrections4 ,a month after this awful letter was written1 ,paine no doubt knew its imprudence4 ,it was sprung on the ,court by the ,attorney-,general1 and must alone have settled the verdict1 had it not been foregone4 ,erskine1 ,paine's leading counsel1 was ,attorney-,general for the ,prince of ,wales--foremost of ,mr4 ,guelph's profligate sons1--and he was compelled to treat as a forgery the letter all felt to be genuine4 ,he endeavored to prevent the reading of it1 but ,lord ,kenyon decided that in prosecutions for high treason1 where overt acts are laid1 you may prove overt acts not laid to prove those that are laid4 ,if it the letter goes to prove him the author of the book1 ,i am bound to admit it4 ,authorship of the book being admitted1 this was only a pretext4 ,the ,attorney-,general winced a good deal at the allusion to the profligate sons1 and asked3 ,is he ,paine to teach human creatures1 whose moments of existence depend upon the permission of a ,being1 merciful1 long-suffering1 and of great goodness1 that those whose youthful errors1 from which even royalty is not exempted1 are to be treasured up in a vindictive memory1 and are to receive sentence of irremissible sin at ,his hands8 ,it may be incidentally remarked here that the ,attorney-,general could hardly have failed to retort with charges against the author1 had not ,paine's reputation remained proof against the libellous biography by the government clerk1 ,chalmers4 ,the main part of the prosecution was thus uttered by ,paine himself4 ,while reading the letter the prosecutor paused to say3 ,if ,i succeed in this prosecution he shall never return to this country otherwise than in vinculis1 for ,i will outlaw him499 99 #bb ,howell's ,state ,trials #ceg4 ,other reports are by ,joseph ,gurney and by an eminent advocate4 ,the brief evidence consisted mainly of the notes and statements of ,paine's publishers already mentioned in connection with the publication of the indicted work4 ,the ,attorney-,general cited effectively the reply to ,paine which he attributed to ,vice- ,president ,adams4 ,publicola's pamphlet gave great comfort to ,paine's prosecutors4 ,mr4 ,long writes to ,mr4 ,miles1 agent in ,paris 7,december #ast71 about this book by the ,american ,adams1 which is admirable1 proving that the ,american government is not founded upon the absurd doctrine of the pretended rights of man1 and that if it had been it could not have stood for a week4 ,erskine's powerful defence of the constitutional rights of thought and speech in ,england is historical4 ,he built around ,paine an enduring constitutional fortress1 compelling ,burke and ,fox to lend aid from their earlier speeches4 ,the fable with which he closed was long remembered4 ,constraint is the natural parent of resistance1 and a pregnant proof that reason is not on the side of those who use it4 ,you must all remember1 gentlemen1 ,lucian's pleasant story3 ,jupiter and a countryman were walking together1 conversing with great freedom and familiarity upon the subject of heaven and earth4 ,the countryman listened with attention and acquiescence1 while ,jupiter strove only to convince him2 but happening to hint a doubt1 ,jupiter turned hastily around and threatened him with his thunder4 ',ah1 ha6' says the countryman1 'now1 ,jupiter1 ,i know that you are wrong2 you are always wrong when you appeal to your thunder4' ,this is the case with me4 ,i can reason with the people of ,england1 but ,i cannot fight against the thunder of authority4 ,mr4 ,attorney-,general arose immediately to reply to ,mr4 ,erskine1 when ,mr4 ,campbell 7the foreman of the jury7 said3 ,my ,lord1 ,i am authorized by the jury here to inform the ,attorney-,general that a reply is not necessary for them1 unless the ,attorney-,general wishes to make it1 or your ,lordship4 ,mr4 ,attorney-,general sat down1 and the jury gave in their verdict--,guilty4 ,paine was outlawed4 ,the eye of ,england followed its outlaw before and after his trial4 ,in the ,english state archives is a note of ,g4 ,munro to ,lord ,grenville1 ,september #hth1 announcing ,mr4 ,payne's election for the ,departement de l',oise4 ,earl ,gower announces1 on information of ,mr4 ,mason1 that ,tom ,payne is on his road to take his seat4 ,on ,september #bb;d a despatch mentions ,paine's speech on the judiciary question4 ,december #ag1 #agib4 ,tom ,payne is in the country unwell1 or pretending to be so4 ,the most remarkable of the secret despatches1 however1 are two sent from ,paris on the last day of the year #agib4 ,one of these alludes to the effect of ,paine's trial and outlawry on the ,english radicals in ,paris3 ,tom ,payne's fate and the unanimity of the ,english has staggered the boldest of them1 and they are now dwindling into nothing4 ,another address was1 however1 proposed for the ,national ,convention2 this motion1 ,i understand1 was made by ,tom ,payne and seconded by ,mr4 ,mery2 it was opposed by ,mr4 ,frost1 seconded by ,mr4 ,mc,donald4 ,the second allusion to ,paine on ,december #cast deserves to be pondered by historians3 ,tom ,payne has proposed banishing the royal family of ,france1 and ,i have heard is writing his opinion on the subject2 his consequence seems daily lessening in this country1 and ,i should never be surprised if he some day receives the fate he merits4 ,it thus seems that whatever good deed ,paine was about1 he deserves death4 ,earl ,gower1 and the agents he left on his departure 7,september7 in ,paris1 must have known that ,paine's proposal was the only alternative of the king's execution1 and that if his consequence was lessening it was solely because of labors to save the lives of the royal family4 ,this humane man has the death-sentence of ,robespierre on him anticipated by the ambassador of a country which1 while affecting grief for ,louis ,,xvi41 was helping on his fate499 ,danton said to ,count ,theodore de ,lameth3 ,i am willing to try and save the ,king1 but ,i must have a million of money to buy up the necessary votes1 and the money must be on hand in eight days4 ,i warn you that although ,i may save his life ,i shall vote for his death2 ,i am quite willing to save his head1 but not to lose mine4 #agic ,the ,count and the ,spanish ,ambassador broached the matter to ,pitt1 who refused the money49999 ,he was not willing to spend a few thousands to save the life of ,america's friend1 though he made his death a pretext for exhausting his treasury to deluge ,europe with blood4 ,gouverneur ,morris1 whose dislike of ,paine's republicanism was equally cynical1999999 was intimate with ,earl ,gower1 and no doubt gave him his information4 99 ,after ,september it was1 as ,talleyrand says1 no longer a question that the king should reign1 but that he himself1 the queen1 their children1 his sister1 should be saved4 ,it might have been done4 ,it was at least a duty to attempt it4 ,at that time ,france was only at war with the ,emperor ,austria1 the ,empire the ,german states1 and ,sardinia1 ,had all the other states concerted themselves to offer their mediation by proposing to recognise whatever form of government ,france might be pleased to adopt1 with the sole condition that the prisoners in the ,temple should be allowed to leave the country and retire wherever they liked1 though such a proposal1 as may be supposed1 would not have filled the demagogues with delight1 they would have been powerless to resist it4--,memoirs of the ,prince de ,talleyrand4 ,new ,york1 #ahia1 i41 p4 #afh4 9999 ,taine's ,french ,revolution 7,american ed471 iii41 p4 #ace4 ,see also the ,correspondence of ,w4 ,a4 ,miles on the ,french ,revolution1 ,london1 #ahij1 i41 p4 #cih4 ,the ,abbe ,noel1 a month before the king's death1 pointed out to this ,british agent how he might be saved4 999999 ,in relating to ,john ,randolph of ,roanoke ,paine's exposure of ,silas ,deane1 ,morris regards it as the prevention of a fraud1 but nevertheless thinks ,paine deserved punishment for his impudence6 ,morris was clear-headed enough to perceive that the massacres in ,france were mainly due to the menaces of foreign monarchs1 and was in hearty sympathy with ,paine's plan for saving the life of ,louis ,,xvi4 ,on ,december #bhth he writes to ,washington that a majority of the ,convention 444have it in contemplation not only to refer the judgment to the electors of ,france1 that is1 to her people1 but also to send him and his family to ,america1 which ,paine is to move for4 ,he mentioned this to me in confidence1 but ,i have since heard it from another quarter4 ,on ,january #f1 #agic1 ,morris writes to ,washington concerning ,genet1 the new ,minister to the ,united ,states1 who had been introduced to him by ,paine1 and dined with him4 ,at the close he says3 ,the ,king's fate is to be decided next ,monday the #adth4 ,that unhappy man1 conversing with one of his council on his own fate1 calmly summed up the motives of every kind1 and concluded that a majority of the ,council ,convention would vote for referring his case to the people1 and that in consequence he should be massacred4 ,i think he must die or reign4 ,paine also feared that a reference to the populace meant death4 ,he had counted a majority in the ,convention who were opposed to the execution4 ,submission of the question to the masses would thus1 if his majority stood firm1 be risking the life of ,louis again4 ,unfortunately this question had to be determined before the vote on life or death4 ,at the opening of the year #agic he felt cheerful about the situation4 ,on ,january #c;d he wrote to ,john ,king1 a retreating comrade in ,england1 as follows3 ,dear ,king1--,i don't know anything1 these many years1 that surprised and hurt me more than the sentiments you published in the ,courtly ,herald1 the #abth ,december1 signed ,john ,king1 ,egham ,lodge4 ,you have gone back from all you ever said4 ,when ,i first knew you in ,ailiffe-street1 an obscure part of the city1 a child1 without fortune or friends1 ,i noticed you2 because ,i thought ,i saw in you1 young as you was1 a bluntness of temper1 a boldness of opinion1 and an originality of thought1 that portended some future good4 ,i was pleased to discuss with you1 under our friend ,oliver's lime-tree1 those political notions which ,i have since given the world in my ',rights of ,man4' ,you used to complain of abuses as well as me4 ,what1 then1 means this sudden attachment to ,kings8 this fondness of the ,english ,government1 and hatred of the ,french8 ,if you mean to curry favour1 by aiding your ,government1 you are mistaken2 they never recompence those who serve it2 they buy off those who can annoy it1 and let the good that is rendered it be its own reward4 ,believe me1 ,king1 more is to be obtained by cherishing the rising spirit of the ,people1 than by subduing it4 ,follow my fortunes1 and ,i will be answerable that you shall make your own4--,thomas ,paine499 99 ,mr4 ,king's ,speech1 at ,egham1 with ,thomas ,paine's ,letter1 etc ,egham1 #agic4 ,in his reply1 ,january #aath1 ,king says3 ,such men as ,frost1 ,barlow1 and others1 your associates1 show the forlornness of your cause4 ,our respectable citizens do not go to you1 etc4 ,writing ,february #aath1 ,king expresses satisfaction at ,paine's vote on the ,king's fate3 the imputation of cruelty will not now be added to the other censures on your character2 but the catastrophe of this unhappy ,monarch has shewn you the danger of putting a nation in ferment4 ,this last sentence may even now raise a smile4 ,king must subsequently have reflected with satisfaction that he did not follow the fortunes of ,paine1 which led him into prison at the end of the year4 ,a third letter from him to ,paine appeared in the ,morning ,herald1 ,april #ag1 #agic1 in which he says3 ',if the ,french kill their king1 it will be a signal for my departure1 for ,i will not abide among such sanguinary men4' ,these1 ,mr4 ,paine1 were your words at our last meeting2 yet after this you are not only with them1 but the chief modeller of their new ,constitution4 ,mr4 ,king might have reflected that the author of the ,rights of ,man1 which he had admired1 was personally safer in regicide ,france than in liberticide ,england1 which had outlawed him4 ,,end ,,of ,,vol4 ,i4