English Affairs

*On the Question, WILL THERE BE WAR? from the Public Advertiser (New York), August 15, 1807. Every one asks, Will there be war? The answer to this is easy, which is, That so long as the English government be permitted, at her own discretion, to search, capture, and condemn our vessels, controul our commerce, impress […]

GUN-BOATS, AND FORTIFICATIONS [This article is reprinted from Miscellaneous Letters and Writings of Thomas Paine, London, 1819, pp. 221-25.-Editor.] THE natural defense by men is common to all nations; but artificial defense as an auxiliary to human strength must be adapted to the local condition and circumstances of a country. What may be suitable to

Of the English Navy — from the American Citizen, January 7, 1807. THE boasted navy of England has been the ruin of England. This may appear strange to a set of stupid feds, who have no more foresight than a mole under ground or they would not abuse France as they do; but strange as

THE battles which decided the fate of the King of Prussia and his Government, began on the 9th of October, and ended on the 14th of that month; but the final event, that of the total overthrow of the Russian army of one hundred and fifty thousand men on the 14th, was not known in

Philip Foner’s introduction: This interesting article on English affairs appeared in the Baltimore Evening Post of July 8, 1805, and has never before been reprinted or even mentioned in any discussion of Paine’s writings. It was preceded by an introductory comment by the editor of the Post which went: “The following excellent remarks upon English

From the Philadelphia Aurora, March 6, 1804. TO THE EDITOR. As the good sense of the people in their elections have now put the affairs of the union in a prosperous condition at home, and abroad, there is nothing immediately important for the subject of a letter, I therefore send you a piece on another

TO THE SHERIFF OF THE COUNTY OF SUSSEX OR THE GENTLEMAN WHO SHALL PRESIDE AT THE MEETING TO BE HELD AT LEWES, JULY FOURTH DATED AT LONDON, JUNE 30, 1792. SIR: I have seen in the Lewes newspapers, of June twenty-fifth, an advertisement, signed by sundry persons, and also by the sheriff, for holding a

Foner’s Introduction: The case brought by the English government against Paine was set down in the Calendar for June 8, 1792. Paine was in the court that day, but to his disappointment the trial was postponed to December 18. Meanwhile he continued to address letters to government officials filled with irony and sarcasm. LORD LIEUTENANT

Philip Foner’s introduction: Rights of Man divided British public opinion into Burkeites and Paineites, inspired a generation of democratic reformers, and formed the programs of hundreds of popular societies which sprang up throughout Great Britain. It was inevitable, therefore, that British royalty would seek frantically to destroy the influence of the writer who had dared

ON THE PROSECUTION AGAINST THE SECOND PART OF RIGHTS OF MAN SIR:-As there can be no personal resentment between two strangers, I write this letter to you, as to a man against whom I have no animosity. You have, as Attorney-General, commenced a prosecution against me as the author of “Rights of Man.” Had not

OR AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF THE POLITICS TO BE AGITATED AT THE NEXT MEETING OF PARLIAMENT from the 1787 London pamphlet. PREFACE AN expression in the British Parliament respecting the American war, alluding to Julius Caesar having passed the Rubicon, has on several occasions introduced that river as the figurative river