The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-02-16
THOMAS PA1NEs PETITION

THOMAS PAlNE'S PETITION
TO CONGRESS.
Presented o.: The .4th February, AID refer
red 70 the committee d claims.
To the Hon. the Representative OF the U.
States
The piirport OF this address is to state
claim fee myself entitled to make on the
UDited States, leaving 10 their representa-
tlves ir Congress TO decide on its worth aid
its merits. Thc case is as follows
! Towards the latter end O, the YEAR 1880,
J the continental money had become so depre-
clated, paper do lar not beng worth more
than cent, that it seemed next to imposSi-
bility to Continue The war.
As the United States were then in alliance
with France, it became necessary to make
France acquainted with our real 81 uation.
Therefore drew up a letter to Count Vergen-
mes, stating undisguisediy the true case, con
Guiding with the request whether France
could nor, either as a subsidy or loan, sup
ply the United States with million sterling
and continue the supply annually during he
war.
j Showed this letter ta Mr.. Marbols. secre-
tary to the French minister. His remark
upon 1t was, that a million sent out or the
nation exhausted 1t more than ten millions
spent in it. ] then showed it to Re,ph lsard.
member of Congress from South Carolina
He borrowed the letter of ne. and said 1--WE
will endeavor 10 do something about it in
Congress"
Accordingly Congress appointed colonel ].
Ladrens, then aid to general Washington. to
go to France and make representation of our
situation, Tor the purpose of obtaining assis
lance. Col. Laurens wished to decline the
mission and that Congress would appoint CO.
lionel Hamilton, which Congress did not chuse
to do.
Col. Laurens then came to state the ca
TO me. He said he was enough acquainted
with the military difficulties the army. but
that he was not enough acquainted with DO
htlcal aiiaiis, nor with the resources of thr
country; but, said he, if you will go with
me, will accept which agreed to do, and
did so ~-
We sailed from Boston in the Alliance fri
gate, capt. Barry, the beginning of FEBRUARY
! 81, ard arrived at L'Orient the beeinnin,''
OF March The aid obtained from France
was SIN millions liVres as present and ten
millions as loan borrowed in Holland ON
the security. Of France. We sailed from
Brest III the French Resolution Frira4c fine
+! first OF June and arrived at Boston the. e5th
August, bringing with us two millions and
hait IN silver, and conveying a ship and a
brig laden with cioathing and military stores
ne money was transported in is OK teams
TO the national bank at Philadelphia, which
enabled the army to march to Yo,.kto,vn 70
attack, in conjunction with the French army
under Rochanbeau, the British army under
CORVALLIS. AsI never had a cert for tb;c
service, feel myself entitled, as the conn,
try now is in state of prosperity, TO state
tire case to congress.
AS to my pohucai works, beginning with the
pamphlet Common Sense published the. beginn;n,.
OF Jn.'Io, winch awakened Americans to a de I.
ciaIation or independence, the president and VIC.
president both knew. As they -,,orl.s 10.
from principle cannot dshomor TINT pripc;,,ie
by ash rs ANY reward for them The cO,;uf,- T.. :,
Decn benefited by them, and make ravseif bar.
Py IN UIe knowledge of it, II is b,,,s.e,.o. . =
per Tor me To add, tlIat the mere in,leyendrrce
OF America were it to have been followed ~, =
system OF go eminent modelled af or the co,.r,,r,
syst' III Oh the English government, it would n5t
have interested ne with the undated ar,I,,, !.
did. 1t W.. 90 bring forward and estabI;sj, ,Ie
representative system Of government "a the ,yo,s
itseii WI shcw, that was the leading lrincinie
VITA me ~ writing the5 work and ali INV oti.r
WORKS, during the progress of the re,3h,fi,n
ana followed the sumo principle in writing the
hllt'ts OF Man in England
There is resolve of the old Congress- iii
they sat at NewYotk, of grant To me of fI,r,.,
thousand dollars. The resolve is put in l,anden,,,
language, but it has relation TO a matter ,,bicL !.
does not express. Bldridgc Gerry was c,.r
o. the committee who brought ni The resolve -
Congress should Judge proper 70 refer this
RAJ to committee, will inform that commit,
~ u c p dticulais Of IT,
nae also U state 10 Congress, that the au
tn"i1y Of the old Congress was b.comc 60 ~.
duceo towards the close of the wa ne IN lao 80
able to hosd the states together Congress could
40 no more than recommend, of which the st,,,.s
lcS no notice and when they did il was meyer
uniformly. "0'ei
After the failure Of the FIVE per cent. duty r..
commenced by Congress, 70 ply tho interest of =
.o' 70 DC BORROWED m Holland, wrote to chs n
ceilor Liynsgton, their minister f,y FOREIGN a.;
aud Robert Morris, minister OF finance and nro
posed amethod for getting over the whole ,j8
Gully &. once, when was by adding coutinrn,
81 leg 'l"surG 70 Congress, WHO should he c,n.