The Washington union., 1857-10-03
WEEKLY MISCELLANY OF LITERATURE AND ART


No 4,
The suboined letter addressed 70 Mr. Madison by the
notorious Thomas Paine is for the first time pub
shed The circumsantial account it contains of his i'm
prsonment in France and release thereom through the
agency of Mr. Monroe will be read with interest while
the illusions to Mr. Washington, how strangely the pre-
fix sounds modern and the harsh ephets applied
TO him by whose name has, by the common verdict
Of mankind, been consigned TO deep and lasting inamy
will excite smile The impotency of Panes attacks
upon Christianity finds apt parallel in his sucoessess
efforts TO raduce the character Of whose anscenden
virtues inspired only his envy and hatred
1t is proper to add that the italics our own:
PARIS, Sept "a, 1895
SIR have borrowed two hundred and fifty French
crowns of Mr. Monroe at Paris and agTecably INV ar
rangements with him. the money Is to be repaid into
your hands in America, and have given orders to Mr.
Benjamin Franklin Bache to pay that sum to you upon
my account
1t was my intention to have returned TO America the
latter end of the present year, Iso) but the illness
suffer prevents me. / owe this illness partly To
Robespiere and partly to Mr. Washington. This per.
haps may surprise YOU but have good for say
ingit.
The present convention of France elected for the
express purpose Of forming constitution, and they in
vtcd by public decree the assistance OF foreigners Of
any nation. To they more particular by elect
ing member of the convention, and giving me, al
they had done to Others the honorary compliment
OF french cltlzcn but tney no Oatl allie
glance Of any other kind from me- nor have ever
taken any consider constitution thing distinct
from laws and from the government that is to issue from
it, and that a Of any nation may assist In such
work without any transfer of allegiance from the country
to which he belongs. 1t would be otherwise If he be-
part of the government afterwards because in
that case am oath of allegiance would be necessary or
would be required My intention was to continue in
France no longer than until constitution should be
tablished, and then return to America.
OF the violent that followed what is here
called the revolution of the list May l793 you
be uniformed Towards the latter end of December of
that year motion made and carried To exclude for
eigners from the convention in consequence of which
was excluded decree had been passed some time before
for putting all foreigners in arresation who born
in any of the countries at with France 1t on
the ground of this decree that imprisoned having
been born in England / had other defence against
the effect of this decree than that of being reclaimed
citizen of America The Americans then in Paris went
the bar of the convention for the purpose but did
succeed. 1 believe however that their interference
stopped at least for e any farther measures against
But when six or seven months had passed away,
and Robespiere that the American government took
interest upon account but silently connved at
Imprisonment he yentured to go step farther and to
propose decree of accusation against for the inter-
Of America well as of France you will see by
the preface to the second part of the Age of Reason to
which refer YOU
The violent illness was seized with in the Luxem-
bourg where confined, rendered the execution of
this intended accusation impossible, for not In
10 DC his preserved me until the
arrival of Mr. Monroe, which happened few days after
the fall of Robespiere The fever then just begin
ming to leave me, but in too weak state to sit up.
When informed of the arrival of Mr. Monroe en-
pected to be at liberty but You will Judge of my
surprise when was informed by letter from Mr. White
Sides late of Philadelphia that Mr. Monroe had in
strucons from the President, either verbally In w
ting, any kind of authority whatever from him. for
recaimng citizen of the United States nor for
taking any interest upon my account to inquire
anything about me; that the want of this authority
Obliged him, Mr. Monroe, to proceed with caution lest
he hazarded reclamation the committee (which was
still composed of the Robespere party would reject
upon discovering that he not authorized to make
it. This prolonged my imprisonment from the time
of Mr. Monroe arrival the beginnng of August to the
4th of November following when l liberated rs
a citizen of the United States Of America IL the
mean tme from this want of everything that ne
cessary to promote state Of recovery and from the ap
preaching cold and the want Of fuel in the prison.
ascess began to form itself on the left sde which has
continued ever since About two months ago had
siderable hopes of cure but since then it has taken
malignant turn accompanied with fever that confines
me to my chamber know that nature is ingenious in
cures but seeing that at the end Of the year become
instead of better do not entertain much hope Of
being able to return to America hdrs, hocper We
sion Of harng held up long enough 10 finish The second part
Me Age Of Reason, and small piece entitled Dissertation
upon First Principles Of Government 1t would be ageea
BILE to to ve but if 1t is not to be So can gif W
cih much tranqlaay any that passed aot scene
for hare done honest part IN the sld But 1t Is not
condition to the ungrateful neglect of country at
least of its government from whom had right to
pect better things Mr. Washington has served Amaicu
ch zeal ch greater dsaeresedness than myself and
op not that he has done sc better effect. He may per-
haps console himself in the cold and cous line Of Office
and say that Mr. Payne French citizen and there
fore he President had nothing to do in the case But
he ought to have informed himself If this the case
not and had he made the inquiry he ought to have DONE
he would have found it was not the case for i'm
prsoned foreigner born in England, and that for
eigner citizen of America but had it been other
wise it would not acqut him Of ingrattudc. He ought
at least to have said to somebody inquire into the case
of Mr. Paine, and if there is anything do o
him but Mr. Washington has not so much as done this
and his not doing it has been interpreted by Robespe
into connivance at my imprisonment, and would have
been fatal to if he had lived but few weeks longer
ought not to hare suspected Mr. Washington of heach1y, b@
he has dced odrds The part Of coldblooded traitor
Whether he has done this to crafty the English govern
ment to let fall into destruction in France that he
and his faction might excaim the louder against the
French revolution uhah heha hoped by my extinction
might meet nth less opposition IN mounting up The american goran
me, trouble myself not to know 1t is sufficient form
that know the fact and any he may give ri in
volpe him IN rqroach he oW moi easily shake off,
When released from the Luxembourg as a citizen
to his house. where have been ever since wrote Mr..
Washington letter by Mr. LIE Caube, French consul,
but on the request of Mr.. Monroe withdrew it, and
the letter is still by was the easily prevailed
upon to do this as il then my intention to return TO
America the latter end Of this year. 1895 should had
1 returned, have applied to Mr.. Washington and Mr.
Randolph for copies of any letters respecting which
they may have written though / very well knew they
have not scrap to give As the state of my disorder