November 30, 1781

opposite the Quaker Meeting House, SECOND STREET,

SIR:

As soon as I can suppose you to be a little at leisure from business and visits, I shall, with much pleasure, wait on you, to pay you my respects and congratulate you on the success you have most deservedly been blest with.

I hope nothing in the perusal of this letter will add a care to the many that employ your mind; but as there is a satisfaction in speaking where one can be conceived and understood, I divulge to you the secret of my own situation; because I would wish to tell it to somebody, and as I do not want to make it public, I may not have a fairer opportunity.

It is seven years, this day, since I arrived in America, and though I consider them as the most honorary time of my life, they have nevertheless been the most inconvenient and even distressing. From an anxiety to support, as far as laid in my power, the reputation of the Cause of America, as well as the Cause itself, I declined the customary profits which authors are entitled to, and I have always continued to do so; yet I never thought (if I thought at all on the matter), but that as I dealt generously and honorably by America, she would deal the same by me. But I have experienced the contrary-and it gives me much concern, not only on account of the inconvenience it has occasioned to me, but because it unpleasantly lessens my opinion of the character of a country which once appeared so fair, and it hurts my mind to see her so cold and inattentive to matters which affect her reputation.

Almost everybody knows, not only in this country but in Europe, that I have been of service to her, and as far as the interest of the heart could carry a man I have shared with her in the worst of her fortunes, yet so confined have 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 support: but this and many others of the like nature I have always endeavored to conceal, because to expose them would only serve to entail on her the reproach of being ungrateful, and might start an ill opinion of her honor and generosity in other countries, especially as there are pens enough abroad to spread and aggravate it.

Unfortunately for me, I knew the situation of Silas Deane when no other person knew it, and with an honesty, for which I ought to have been thanked, endeavored to prevent his fraud taking place. He has himself proved my opinion right, and the warmest of his advocates now very candidly acknowledge their deception.

While it was everybody’s fate to suffer I cheerfully suffered with them, but though the object of the country is now nearly established and her circumstances rising into prosperity, I feel myself left in a very unpleasant situation. Yet I am totally at a loss what to attribute it to; for wherever I go I find respect, and everybody I meet treats me with friendship; all join in censuring the neglect and throwing blame on each other, so that their civility disarms me as much as their conduct distresses me. But in this situation I cannot go on, and as I have no inclination to differ with the country or to tell the story of her neglect, it is my design to get to Europe, either to France or Holland. I have literary fame, and I am sure I cannot experience worse fortune than I have here. Besides a person who understood the affairs of America, and was capable and disposed to do her a kindness, might render her considerable service in Europe, where her situation is but imperfectly understood and much misrepresented by the publications which have appeared on that side the water, and though she has not behaved to me with any proportionate return of friendship, my wish for her prosperity is no ways abated, and I shall be very happy to see her character as fair as her cause.

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 asylum.

In thus speaking to your Excellency, I know I disclose myself to one who can sympathize with me, for I have often cast a thought at your difficult situation to smooth over the unpleasantness of my own.

I have begun some remarks on the Abbe Raynal’s History of the Revolution. In several places he is mistaken, and in others injudicious and sometimes cynical. I believe I shall publish it in America, but my principal view is to republish it in Europe both in French and English.

Please, Sir, to make my respectful compliments to your Lady, and accept to yourself the best wishes of, Your obedient humble Servant,

THOMAS PAINE.

From the original letter at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania

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Philadelphia

Nov. 26th. 1781

Dear Sir

Since my arrival I have received a letter from you dated Passy May 18, and directed to me at Brest. I intended writing to you by Mr. Baseley who is counsel at L’Orient but neglected it till it was too late — Mem: I desired Baseley to mention to you that Mr. Butler of S: Carolina is surprised at Capt. Rob-n’s drawing on him for money; this, Mr. Butler mentioned to me, and as a friend I communicate it to you. — I sent you Col. Laurens’s draft on Madam Babut (I think that is her name) at Nantes for 12 L’ d’ors for the expense of the Journey but have never learned if you received it.

Your former friend Silas Deane has run his last length. In france he is reprobating America, and in America (by letters) he is reprobating france, and advising her to abandon her Alliance, relinquish her independance and once more become subject to Britain. A number of letters signed Silas Deane, have been published in the New York papers to this effect: they are believed, by those who formerly were his friends, to be genuine. Mr. Robt. Morris assured me that he had been totally deceived in Deane, but that he now looked upon him to be a bad man, and his reputation totally ruined. Governeur Morris hopped round upon one leg, swore they had all been duped, himself among the rest, complimented me on my quick sight, — and by God says he nothing carries a man through the world like honesty: — And my old friend Duer “sometimes a sloven and sometimes a Beau” says, Deane is a damned artful rascal. However Duer has fairly cleared himself. 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 receive, and of such a traitorous cast that he communicated it to Mr. Luzerne the Minister.

Lord Cornwallis with 7247 officers and men are nabbed nicely in the Chesapeake, which I presume you have heard already, otherwise I should send you the particulars. I think the enemy can hardly hold out another campaign. Genl Greene has performed wonders to the Southward, and our affairs in all quarters have a good appearance — The French Ministry have hit on the right scheme, that of bringing their force and ours to act in conjunction against the enemy.

The Marquis de Lafayette is on the point of setting out for France, but as I am now safely on this side the water again, I believe I shall postpone my second journey to France a little longer — Lest Doctr. Franklin should not have heard of Deane I wish you would write to him — and if anything new transpires in the mean time and the Marquis do not set off too soon I shall write by him.

Remember me to Mr. & Mrs. Johnstone, Dr. Pierce Mr. Watson and Ceasey and Mr. Wilt. Make my best wishes to Mrs. Williams, Mr. Alexander, and all the good girls at St. Germain —

I am your friend and Obt. Hble servt,

THOMAS PAINE

P. S. Mind, I’ll write no more till I hear from you — The French fleet is sailed from the Chesapeake, and the British fleet from New York — and since writing the above, a vessel is come up the Delaware, which informs, that he was chased by two french frigates to the southward of Chesapeake, 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 British. — N. B. The french fleet sailed the 4th of this month, and the British much about the same time — both to the southward —

From the original letter at the New-York Historical Society

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MONDAY MORNG,

Nov. 26th, 81

Sir

I am much obliged to you for the Abbe Raynal’ History. I have made some extracts from it, which has occasioned me to keep it longer than I intended. There are several mistakes in it, and his opinions are often in contradiction to one another. — His account of the rejection of the offers of the British Ministry pages 133, 134, 135 is erroneous. I send you my remarks thereon, which you will please return to me when you have perused them. His idea of the Alliance is injurious, because it is not so much what motives brought them together, as what consequences will ensue from it that is the object of philosophical enquiry. And all other considerations apart, the Alliance has a tendency to free the mind of Prejudice — I can feel it in myself — But his account of the confederated powers page (162) is truly cynical. pages 149 & 155 touches on a political secret.

I am sorry to see Mr. Deane’s letters gett into our papers, as I am very apprehensive they were written for the purpose of publication, and not with a design of being sent to the persons they are directed to. I have mentioned this to Bailey the printer, and advised him to discontinue them, and the more so, as the remarks he makes on them is not equal to the poison they infuse.

I return you my thanks for your kindness to Temple Harris the bearer of this — He is an honest diligent obliging youth, and I am persuaded will answer Mr. Whiteside’s expectations.

Col. Eveleigh lent me some English News-papers of yours — I returned them yesterday except two, which I have sent to the printers — The Col. desired me to mention this to you as you will find them two short of the proper number — the other two will be returned on Thursday —

I am Sir your Ob. Hble Servt

THOMAS PAINE —

P. S. Contrary to my Expectations the Attack on Augustine, by the Spaniards, is spoke of by the S: C. Gentlemen as an agreeable circumstance to them.

October 4, 1781

PHILADELPHIA,

DEAR SIR:

I received your favor (by the post) dated Sept. 9th, Head of Elk, respecting a mislaid letter. 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 lost, and that you mentioned something to him respecting baggage. This left me in a difficulty to judge whether after writing to me by post, you had not found the letter you wrote about, and took that opportunity to inform me about it. However, I have wrote to Gen. Heath in case the trunk should be there, and enclosed in it a letter to Blodget in case it should not. I have yet heard nothing from either. I have preferred forwarding the trunk, in case it can be done in a reasonable time, to the opening it, and if it cannot, then to open it agreeably to your directions, though I have no idea of its being there.

I went for your boots, the next day after you left town, but they were not done, and I directed the man to bring them to me as soon as finished, but have since seen nothing of him, neither do I wish him to bring them just now, as I must be obliged to borrow the money to pay for them; but I imagine somebody else has taken them off his hands. I expect Col. Morgan in town on Saturday, who has some money of mine in his hands, and then I shall renew my application to the boot-maker.

I wish you had thought of me a little before you went away, and at least endeavored to put matters in a train that I might not have to re-experience what has already past. The gentleman who conveys this to you, Mr. Burke, is an assistant judge of South Carolina, and one to whose friendship I am much indebted. He lodged some time in the house with me.

I enclose you the paper of this morning, by which you will see that Gillam had not sailed (or at least I conclude so) on the 4th of July, as Major Jackson was deputy toast master, or Burgos-master, or something, at an entertainment of that day. As soon as I can learn anything concerning Gillam I will inform you of it.

I am with every wish for your happiness and success, &c.

THOMAS PAINE.

Please to present my Compliments and best wishes to the General. I have wrote to the Marquis and put all my politics into his letter. A paper with Rivington’s account of the action is enclosed in the Marquis’ letter.

September 20, 1781

SECOND STREET,

SIR,

As your acquaintance with the finances, your being a member of the House, and an inhabitant of the City give you a united knowledge and interest, I therefore trouble you with a hint which occurred to me on the reports of yesterday.

I conjecture that one fourth or one third part of the rental of Philadelphia will defray the expense of a body of Men sufficient to prevent the Enemy from destroying it. I estimate at a guess the-yearly rental to be -L-300,000.

As I need not mention to you to great difference between giving up a quarters rent and losing the whole rental together with the Capital, I shall therefore make no remarks thereon, the hint I mean to convey is, to bring in a provisionary bill for the supply of the City at all times, where the destruction of it appears to be the object of the Enemy by empowering the tenant to pay immediately into the Treasury one quarters rent to be applied as above, and in case it should not be necessary to use the money when collected, the same so paid to be considered as part of the customary taxes-this all our circumstances considered appears to me the readiest and most eligible mode of procuring an immediate supply.

Your obedient Humble Servant,

THOMAS PAINE.