Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1802-12-02
rRsMrHs NAr1oNAL IrrfLLIcRscsi.
THOMAS PAINE.
Tsfbe titizens Of The Uaitea Ststts.
LETTER THE THIRD.

:
no period has arrived that 70 decidedly
proves the excellence Of the Representative
fyilem Of Government, and It's iuperlority
over every other, as the time we now
live in. Had America been curfed with
John Adans's Hereditary Monarchy, or
Alexander Hamilton's Senate for lyf, fhe
mue have foaght, in the doubtful conieit
OF civil War, what fhe now obtains by
the expreilion of the public will. Anaap-
pealio elections decides better than an aP-
peal 10 the iword.
The reign Of terror that ragged in Arne-
rica during the latter time Of the Wafh-
ingtm Administration, and Tic whole 0.
that of Adams, j, enveloped in nyeery 10
me. That there were mea in the govern
ment hottie to the representative yitem,
though it is now their overthrow, was
once their BOAT, and therefore, the fact is
eRabliihed againlt them. But that 70
large MATS Of the people ikould become
the dupes of thoic who were loading them
with taxes, in order 10 load them with
chains, and deprive them of the right of
election, can be aicribed only 20 that
fpecies Of wild6re rage, lighted up by
fallehood, that not only acts without re-
fiction, bus is two inpetuous to make
any.
There is general snd friking differ
| eace between the genuine effects Of truth
itfclf, and the effects Of falfehood believed
TO be truth. Truth is naturally benign;
but falfehood believed to be truth is al
ways furious. The former delights in ie-
renity, is mild and perfuahve, and ieeks
not the auxiliary aid Of invention. The
latter ticks at nothing. 1t has naturally
no morals. Every lie is welcome that
faits its purpoie. 1t is the innate charac-
ter of the thing TO at in this manner, and
| the criterion by which it may be known.
whether in politics or religion. When
any thing is attempted TO be inpportsd by
lying, it is prefumptise evidence thar
the thing 70 Imported is a lie ALTO. The
rock on which a lie can be engraited mult
be of the fame ipecies as The graft.
| What is become of the mighty Glamour
about Ftench inyaGons, and the cry that
| orr country is in danger ard taxes snd
armies NUT De RATED 10 defend il? The
danger is fed with the faction thar created
II, and what is wort Of all the money is
fed too. IL. only that have commit
ted the hoffility of invation, and all the
artillery OF pop guns are prepared for ac-
| ton. Poor fells7vs, how they foam!
They iet half their own partizans in laugh
| ter; for among ridiculous things nothing
| is more ridiculous than ridiculous rage.
Bot hope they will not leave eff. mail
loie halt my gfeatoefs when they ceafe TO
lie.
So far as refpeas myi.lf have reaion
to believe and a right to Gay, that the lea
ders OF the reign of terror in America, and
the leaders of the reign Of terror in France,
during the time of Robefpiere, were ia
character the fame fort ofmen, or how is
it to be accounted for, that l was perfecu-
ted by both at the fame time. When I
was voted out OF the French Convention
the reafon aligned for it was, thar I was
foreigner. When Robeipiere had ME
ielzed in the night and inprilonea in the
LLxemburg (where ] remained eleven
months) he aligned no realor for it. But
when he propofed bringing me to the Fri
Onnai, which was like tending me at once
to the fcafold, he then ALIGNED reafen,
and the reaion was tS, The sat<yeR al
Amtriea as qveli as Of France" Pm,
Plaftrft de PAmeri9se aataaf gue de la
France. The words are in his own hand
writiag and reported TO the Convention by
the committee appointed to examine his
papers, and are printed in their report,
with this reflection added to them, "lby
1bsmas Pane ~sre than axolbers beeax1e
bec0sfribafed ~ tbs H5erty Of BATH qvsylas.'
There mutt have been coalition in Zen