Republican ledger, and Portsmouth price current — Portsmouth, N.H., 1802-12-14 00:00:00, page 2

Birt there is one difo, and that the cholceft of all,
they have not yet preferred on the table, and it is
time they fhoukl,' They,have not yet accujed pro
licence if infidelity.* Yet according to their out
rageous piety, die muff be as bad as Thomas
Paine, she has protested him in all his dangers,
pmronifed him in alibis undertakings, encoura
ge.d him in all bisff„, and rewarded, hup aglafty
*by bringing hin in fitety and in health to the pro
niifel land. This is more than fhedid by -the 1
fJews^ the chosen people, that they tell us she
brought out ofithe land of Egypt and out of the
house of bondage ; for the, all.died in the wilder
• fiefs and Mohs too.
• ' I was one of the ninr'members that composed
^thefird committee of conffituton. Six of them
% have been dellroyed. Sieyes end myfelf have fur
rived/' He by bending with the times and I by
"'not bending. The other survivor joined RobeG
* pierre, and figne'd with him the warrant for my
^reflation, After the fall of Robespierre he was
„ seized and imprisoned id his turn, and fentenc
, cd to transportation. He has since apologized to
'me for having signed the warrant, by faying,he
iclthmfelf in danger and was obliged to do it.
2 - * Hb'rault Setftfelles,ah acquaintance of Mr. Jeffer
fon and, good patriot, was my fuppliairt as a
member of the committee of couHitutiyn, that is,
in politics or religion.—When any thing is attemp
ted to be supported by lying, it is presumptive
evidence that the thing so supported is a lie also.
The flock on which a lie can be engrafted mull be
of the fame species of the graft.
What is become of the mighty clamor about
French invasions, and the cry that our country is
in danger and taxes and armies mull be railed to.
defend it ? The danger is fled with the faction
that created it, and what is word mall, the mo
ney is fled too. It is'l only that have committed
the hostility of iteration, and all the artillery of
pop-guns are prepared for aflion. Poor Fellows,
how they foam !—.They set half their own parti-;
zans in laughter ; for among ridiculous things/
nothing is more ridiculous than ridiculous rage.
, But 1 hope they will not leave off. I shall lose
half my greatuefs when they cease to lie.|
So far as refpe^ts myfelfl have reason to believe
and a right to fay, that the leaders of the reign of.
terror in America, and the leaders of the reign bf
terror in France, during the time of Robefpierr%
were in character the fame fort of men, or how is <
it to be accounted for, that I was persecuted by
both at the fame time.—When I was voted out of
the French convention the reason assigned for it
was, that I was a foreigner. When Robespierre
had me seized in the night ahd imprisoned in the
Luxemburg (where 1 remained eleven months) he
assigned no reason for it. But when he proposed
bringing me to the tribunal,which was like fending
me at once to the fc/ffold,he then afligned a rea
son, and the reason was "for the interest of A
?ncrica as well as of France." —Pour Finteret de l'
fimerique autant que de la France. Ihe words
fore inbisown hand, writing and reported to the
convention by the committee appointed to exam
ine his papers, and are printed in their report,
with this reflection added to them, " Why I hernias
Paine more than another ? because he contributed
•to the liberty of both worlds." ,„",!
There mutt have been a coalition in sentiment,
if not in fact, between the terrorifls of America
and the terrorifls of France, and Kobefpierre
muff have known it, or he could ,npt have
had the idea of putting America into the bill
of accusation against me. Yet these men, these
terrorists of the new-worldj who, were waiting in
the devotion of their hearts for the joyful news of
my definition, are the fame banditti who age
now bellowing, inall the hackneyed language of
• hackneyed hypocriff, about humanity anti piety,
and often abbot tomething they call infidelity, and
/they finish with the chords of crucify hint crucify,
him. Jam become fa famous among them they
cannot eat or drink without me. I serve them as^
-a Landing d^m, and they cannot make up a bill of
fare if I am wot in it.
them in those particular departments where
inthey^re probably to act. They should be
early taught that the principal object of rea
ding is hot arnufement, but the acquisition
of practical knowledge ; and thpfe books
should be carefully feleaed for their perusal
which will correct their imaginations, in
form their judgments and improve their
hearts. Vicious and futile? books are a^
contaminating, as bad company : and there
fore girls should be as careful, rclpe£ting the
books they read, as of the company they
keep.
[TO BE CONCLUDED IN OUR NETT.j
Cbomas Paine,
7b tide Citizens of the United Slates,
LETTER the THIRD. g
To eleft, and to reject, is the prerogative ofu
free people.l
Since the eflablifhment of independence no peril
od has arrived that so decidedly proves the excel
lence of the representative fydem of gover
and its Superiority over every other, as th
we now live in. Had America been curfet . 1
John Adams' hereditary monarchy or Ale. ^r
Hamilton's fenatef^ life, the muff,have foi &
the doubtful contest of civil war, what sh now
obtains ')> the expreflion of public will, f ap
peal to elections decides better than an app a. to
the sword.
The reign of terror that raged in Ameri< dur
ing the latter end of the Washington adminiHrr
tion, and the whole of that of Adams, is e
- in myllery to me. That there uerel
the government hostile to the reprefentati
tern, though it is now their overthrow, wat
their boast, and therefore, the fact is efiat :: °I
aguinft them. But that so large amass ?
people should become the dupes of those
were loading them with taxes, in order to
them with chains and deprive them of the
of election, can be ascribed only to that fpci
wild fire cage, lighted up by faifhood, tin .ot
only alts without reflection, but is too impetuous
to make any.
There is a general and Striking difference be
tween the genuine effects of truth itfelf, and the
effects of falfhoods believed to truth. Truth is
naturally benign ; but talfoood believed to be
truth is always furious. The former delights in
serenity, is mild and perfuifive, and seeks not the
auxiliary aid of invention. The latter flicks at
nothing. It has naturally no morals. Every lie
is welcom that Suits its purpose. It is the inmate
character of the thing to alt in this manner, and
the criterion by which it may be known whether
During the whole of my imprisonment, prior
to the fall of Robespierre, there was no time
when 1 could think my life worth twenty-four
hours,and my mind was raade up to meet its fate.
The Americans in Paris went in a body to the
convention to reclaim me, but without fiiccefs.
There was no party among them with refpeft to
me. My only hope then retted on the govern
ment ot America that it would remember me.
But the icy heart of Ingratitude in whatever man
it be placed, has neither feeling nor sense of hon
or. The letter ot Mr J ff?rfon has served to wipe
away the reproach, and done justice to the mafs^
of the people of America.
When a party was forming in the latter end of
seventy seven. and beginning of seventy eight, of
which John Adams was one, to remove Mr. Wash
ington from the command of the army on the
complaint that he did nothing, 1 wrote the fifth
number of the Crisis and published it at Lancaster
(congress being then at Yorktown in Pennsylvania)/
to ward oit tho moJltot^J 44— — • " 6—r Uevo^b i<
well knew that the black times of seventy fix was
the natural consequence of his want of military 1
judgment in the choice of portions into whici
the army was put about New-York and Jersey, 1<
could fee no possible advantage, and nothing but
mifehief, that could arise by diftrifting the arm.
into parties which would have been the case had
the intended motion gone on.
General l£e, who with a'farcaftic genius joined
a great fund of Military knowledge, was perked
by right when he laid : He have, no @u/inejj on
glands and in the bottom of bogs, where the enemy
by the aid of its flips' ,can bring its whole force
against a part of ours and shut it up. This had
like to have been the case at New York, and it
was the czfeat fort Wafhingtort, and would have
been the case at fort Lee if General Greene had not
moved instantly off on the frit news of the enemy's
approach. I was with Greene through the wholei
of that affair and know it perfectly.
But though I came forward in defence of Mr.
Wafliingtotiwhen he was attacked, and made the
bed that could be made of a Series of blunders that
had nearly ruined the country, he left me to perish
when 1 was in prison. But as I told him of it in
his life time, I Should not now bring it up, if the
ignorant impertinence of some of the federal;
papers, who are pushing Mr. Washington forward^
as their fialking horfe,did not make it necessary.;
That gentleman did not perform his part in the!
revolution better, nor with more honor than I did
mine, and the one part was as necessary then asthe;
other. He accepted as a prefect (though he was)
already rich)a hundred thousand acres of land in 4
America, and left me to occupy fix foot of earth
in France, I wifli, for his own reputation^ be;
had acted with more justice. But it was always
known of Mr. Wafliington, by those who befh
knew him, that he was of such an icy and death
like constitution, that he neither loved his friends
nor hated his enemies. But be this as it may, 1 fee'
no reason that a difference between Mr. Washing
ton and me should be made a theme of discord
with other people. There are those who may
fee merit in both, without making themselves,
partizans of either, and with this reflection I clofe'
the fubjeft.
As to the hypocritical abuse thrown out by the
federalifts on other fubjcfts.l recommend to them
the observance of a commandment, that existed;
before either Christian or j^w existed.
cc Thou Shalt make a covenant with thy senses.
" With thine eye that it beholds no evil.
“ With thine ear, that it hearts no evil.
“ With thy 'tongue, that it fpeAks no evil.
“ With thy handsihat they commit no evil.%
Ifthe-federalffts will follow this commandment,
they will leave off lying. -'
THOMAS PAINE.
Federal City,LoveWs Hotel,)
N0v:16,1502. , • ';
he was to firm?'?, place, if l had not accepted
or had ref gn d, tl.g next in number ot votes to
me. HeuFin< r ied in the Luxemberg with
me, wo tn.ten t o f tribunal and the Guillotine,
ant! 1, r princes, w s left.
Thic were w o foreigners in the convention,
Anarci^rfis C& s and m, ft If. We were both put
out / the c<r 1 .ion by the fame vote, arretted
by the lame order, and carried to prison together
the fame n^t. He was taken to the guillotine
and 1 * ..s again left. Joel Barlow was with us
when we went ty prifun.
Joseph Eebon, one of the vilest characters that
ever c>& <e j, and who made the Greets of Arras
run w .h blood, was my suppliant as member of
the convention for the department of the Pas de
Calais. When I was put out of the convention
,)e < me and took my place. When I was liber
ated ir )prifon, and voted again into the con
vemion ne wa+fent to the fame prison and took
my place there, and was sent to the guilotine in-
Head es me. He supplied my place all the way
through.
One hundred and sixty eight persons were tak
en out of the Luxemburg in one night, and an
hundred and sixty ofthem guillotined the next
I day, of u Inch 1 now know I was to have been one;
Land the manner I escaped that fate is curious and
Bas all rhe appearance ot accident.
om in which 1 was lodged was on the
, oor, and one of a long range of rooms
4 allery, and the door of it opened out
j fiat against the wall ; so that when it
V the inside of the door appeared out-
I the contrary when ihnt. I had three
, fellow prisoners with me, Joseph Van
' ruges, since president of the.municipal
' t town, Michael, and Robbins Battini of
>erfons by scores and by hundreds were
to out of prison for the -guillotine, it was
ne in the night, and those who perform-
Ice had a private mark or signal by?
I knew what robins to go to and what
take. We, as I have said, were four,
^ f >or of our room was marked unobferv-'
vith that number in chalk ; but it bap
happening is a proper word, that the
mam w put on when the door was open and
flat against the wall, and thereby came on the in
side when we flint it at night, and the destroying
angel passed by it. A few days after this Robes
pierre fell and Mr. Munroe arrived and reclaim
ed me, and invited me to his house.
Our readers will find in: the preceding columns
the third letter of Thomas Paine. We consider
it proper, on this occaGpn, to repeat remarks which
.have been before made, and without an attention
to which; erroneous inferences may be drawn.
It is the duty of tin independent press freely th
express or allow to be expressed the ideas entertain
ed of the motives, character and measures of pub
lic men. However such ideas may. differ from
those of the Editor of a public print, he may admit
them without apy derogation from that sacred re-
Text—" And he called unto him his Disciples,
and fairth, verily / fay unto you, that this
peer Widow hath cap more in, than all they
which have cast into the Treasury. —Mark
xi,4gd.,
THE scripture is profitable for all things ;
it contains doctrines which are applicable both
to civil and religious institutions. Our Sa
viour took cognizance of all tranfa&ions,
and always made his observations with a
view to inculcate social and divine precepts.
After cautioning his heaters against those
" who love to°go in long eloathing, and fa
lutatious in the market-place, the chief feats
in the synagogue, the uppermost feats at feafts:
who devoured widow's houses, and for a pre
tence made long prayers." At this moment
of exhortation, he fat over against the Trea
fuiy, and beheld many that were rich call in
much ; but amidftthis general exhibition Os
public munificence, he descried a poor wo
man putting in her mite, which so far arres
ted his attention as immediately led him to
notice the promptitude with wliich file paid
her exactions.
This calling into the Treasury, it is con
jeaured, was a tax upon the Jews, for the
support of their ecclefiaflical institutions ; as
we cannot suppose that either the rich or the
poor mere at that day disposing of their mo
ney in a wanton manner, without fame call
from the government. The rich Scribes
and Pharisees, it is probable, took occasion
in the presence of our Saviour, to shew their
alacrity in paying tythes of all the, possessed,
and deposited of their abundance, the full a
mount of their taxes. They thought it
would confound him, while reprobating
those who made a boaftof their fan&ity, to
fee with what readiness they placed their as
sessed quota into th, Treasury. It is proba
ble, they expe&ed the multitude and his dif
eiples would have rose in oppofitibn to his
denunciation, when the evidence was so
clearly before their eyes, of the sincerity of
their profeffions. No doubt some men in
|ong>cloathing, who had devoured ,many a
widow's houfe,took occasions to make a
great parade around the Treafurdr's office in
order to attract, the attention df the bystand
ers--they redirected TO bcariU- nenfrl; exy
outfrthefe are the men of order ! these are
the men of Ready habits ! these are those
who support Church and State ! these are
't,he charitable a&ions of those whom ye
mve thus calumniated ! Behold their sin
cerity ! fee with what cheerfulncfs they caff
in their riches! can any doubt their attach
ment to the rights, liberties and happiness of
the people ? As to this poor widow, she
only casts in a mite, while they are obliged
to enrich the Treasury with the greatest a
bundance.
This mode of reasoning Was very natural
for men who considered things in this con
traded point of view ; but otir Saviour rc
fleaed on this event in a different manner.
He never made an observation without an
explicit meaning ; he confideredjhe fubjed,
as it related to the circumflances of society,
and. the inequality of Taxes. He knew that
the abundance of the rich, was not in pro
portion to the widow's mite 4 and when he
saw that her tax was the greatest part of her
whole property, he could not but? remark to
his Disciples on the disproportion of the
burthen. His whole ministration was Sole
ly calculated to relieve the bowed down,
and when he observed in hrs general deposit
into the Treasury, that though the rich see
med to bear a large proportion of the public
expences, yet as it related to the property
poffeffed,the poor had the heaviest weight in
difehargingthe public debt. The Treasurer;
it is expelled, even Smiled at the poor
Widow, when She.threw in her mite ! apd
provided the old lady had made any com
plaint of her tax, She would have been con
sidered as a diforganizer, and Sent to the
house of corfeajon ; neither is it improba
ble, that our Saviour was denounced as a
Hirer up of sedition, for drawing any paral
lel between the widow and the rich men
who accompanied her. At that day they
held in Small repute tlte taxes of the mid
dling clades of citizens ; they thought their
aid in society was of but little consideration ;
without refloating, that while, others gave of
their abundance, the poor man paid a greater,
proportion of bis aCual poifeffions.;
I’hefa reflections naturally lead its tq no-I
lice the observations made by those who op-|
pose the repeal .of the £xcife and other Inter-,
nal Taxes. ; They fay the rich pay them, and'
thatrthe poor are not injured by their opera-,
tion. VVhile,confidering this question, we
, wiiLnofocopfine ourselves to the poor, in the
idea, generally affixed to this appellation ;'
but we will ip connection with them, bring;
into view the middling interc/l, confuting ot^
'farmers, tradesmen and laborers. When we
fpeß which is due to individual fentintent. Guid
ed by this principle, and considering Mr. Paine
as possessing equal rights with himfeif, the Editor
of the National Intelligencer, while he fanciions his
right by the admission of the remarks on General
Washington, thinks it his duty, in the exercise
of the fame right, to declare his conviction that
they ought not to have been made.
[National Intelligencer.]
From the Chronicle.
The case is somewhat similar with the
Tradesman, as he is obliged to employ ma
ny journeymen in his occupation, and wa
ges arc generally given in proportion to the
prices on certain particular articles-; the
number of apprentices usually taken by this
class of citizens, involve in it a heavy tax
from this species of revenue. Even the
Merchant is fubjeft to a disproportional
weight of government from this cause ; as
•foe &mpto,tncnt of his clerks and labourers
are attached with an expence arising from
this source. The old Soldier, who disposed
of the evidences of his patriotism during our
conflict with Britain, most aflurdly must
feel the weight of a tax, which falls on the
Sheering cordial that refreshes him amidst
the toils and fatigues of the day ; his mite
comes heavily, whence reflects that these
are the rewards of his services ; he now
drinks his grog with a merry heart, and
bleffeohe administration which has removed
the bitter ingredient of an Excifc.
When, therefore, we hear the Federalists
exclaiming that the Excise was principally
paid by the rich, and that it was an imposi
tion on the poor to repeal it,the fallacy of such
reasoning is evident from a more accurate
consideration of the fubjed: for I believe
we may venture to assert, that the middling
rintereft, including the laboring poor pay
tour times their just quota by this mode of
taxation, more than the richest dalles in fc
ciety. These small duties are a constant
draining from their hard earned property^
and tho' the Rich apparently cast into the
Treasury much of their abundance, yet, like
the poor Widow, the Farmer, Tradesman
arid Laborer pay in " more than they alk"
_The repeal of the Chaise Carriage Tax
is also said to be injurious to the middling
interest. They tell us that the rich nabobs
at the southward are jhe principal supporters
of this tax, and that It is only relieving then
by the repeal. But this reasoning also is
vanity, The proportion of carrjage^among
the rich men of this description, is scarcely
one.fo an hundred/ In this town we have
about. 50 such carriages, but through the
state, thenumber of chaises may ^reckoned
rcSWn T hese are generally-kept by Far
mers and Tradesmen,- not merely for con
venience but their local Situation requires it ;}
the distance, from meeting-boules in the
country, obliges a man to keep this family
carriage to convey his wife and children to
divine service ; to take a ride to the seaport
oh business ; and probably to pay interest
on a note in the bank, or in the bands of one
of these rich men, who so greatly bemoan (
the repeal of the tax. A Chaise therefore
cannot be called aduxury, but a neceffery
article in mod families in the country. To
apply thei[ remarks to my text, the duty on
5000 carriages is a revenue which arises
principally from the middling clades ; and
if they do not, like the Widow, pay into the
Treasury all tQ^have, yet they cast in more
in proportion to the property they possess,
than the 50 who appear to deftfit so largely
froQ their abundance. ,Cah ary person
offer thefedafles of the criterion on which
to judge, we must conclude, that they pay
more taxes by excite, than those generally
denominated the rich ; and though the high
toned federalifts pretend to juftify this mode
of taxation, as falling exclufaely on the
wealthy, yet on an accurate examination we
(ball find they fall heavily on the poor and
middling intcreft.
The Excife,as it relates to many rich men,
is principally on the consumption of fucii
articles as they are called on to furnish more
generally from inclination or accident, than
necessity. .For the most part, they are men
who live on the income of their public docks
and bank dividends. The excise which they
pay is e^her'to please their own appetites,
or to entertain their baccanalian associates,
on some peculiar feftive occasions. All
they pay is a voluntary tax, and as the reve
nue is increased by the turns raised on the com
munity at large, they are enabled to receive
their quarterly dividends with more punctu
ality. They are in favor of an excise up
on a general principle that if they pay 6f.
duty in the course ot the year, they are sure
of receiving from the Treasury, the full in
terest on their funds at 20/.
But the case (lands different with others,
who may be denominated the middling in
terest. The farmer, in copfequence of an
excise, is brought into an expence which is
a direct tax on his produce, and which he
cannot avoid. It is not merely to please
hifappetite, neither does he receive any im
mediate advantages re fulting from the reve
nue. The supplies of spirituous liquors to
the workmen and laborors upon his farm,
are an extra expence which he is necessita
ted to pay ; every glass of liquor is burden
ed with a duty, which lellons the profits on
his produce. In haying time he is obliged
to employ a great number of laborers ; in
the several busy seasons, he has a great addi
tion to his family, and their maintenance
includes many articles on which an excise is
laid. In most infiances, the farmer, by this
mode of taxation, has to pay a larger amount
to the government, "than many men who
have from 100 to 500,000 dollars in the
public funds.