The American Crisis, Thomas Paine [pdf to ebook reader TXT] 📗

on the chance of their being still in America when their colleagues should arrive. Of the new commissioners the first was to be Lord Carlisle, with him William Eden and George Johnston. It could not be alleged that the selection of these gentlemen had been made in any narrow spirit of party. George Johnston, who had retained the title of Governor from having filled that post in Florida, was a Member of the House of Commons, and as such a keen opponent of Lord North’s. The brother of William Eden had been the last colonial Governor of Maryland. William Eden himself was a man of rising ability on the government side; in after years, under Mr. Pitt, ambassador in succession to several foreign courts; and at last a peer with the title of Lord Auckland. Frederick Howard, the fifth Earl of Carlisle, was then only known to the public as a young and not very thrifty man of fashion and pleasure. Against his appointment therefore there were many cavils heard both in and out of Parliament.”

The Commissioners reached America just as the British were evacuating Philadelphia. Johnston having made an effort to approach members of Congress privately, and with bribes, that body refused to have anything to do with him, and he had to withdraw from the Commission. General Sir Henry Clinton acted in his place. On June 6, 1778, Congress sent the Commissioners its ultimatum, expressing its willingness to “attend to such terms of peace as may consist with the honour of independent nations, the interest of their constituents, and the sacred regard they mean to pay to treaties.” On learning this the King wrote to Lord North (Aug. 12, 1778): “The present accounts from America seem to put a final stop to all negotiations. Farther concession is a joke.” Stevens’ invaluable Facsimiles shed much light on these events. —⁠Conway ↩

The Rev. Dr. Price of London, the eminent defender of America, whose discourses excited the gratitude of Congress. His sermon in 1789 “On the Love of our Country,” bearing on events in France, was denounced by Burke. —⁠Conway ↩

General [Sir H.] Clinton’s letter to Congress. ↩

Adam Ferguson (b. 1724, d. 1816), Professor of Moral Philosophy in the University of Edinburgh, author of an “Essay on the History of Civil Society” (1767), and “Institutes of Moral Philosophy” (1769). —⁠Conway ↩

This is probably the earliest use of the phrase, “the religion of humanity.” By “Indian,” is meant the aboriginal American, employed by the British officials. —⁠Conway ↩

“For my own part, I thought it very hard to have the country set on fire about my ears almost the moment I got into it.” (Paine’s private letter to Franklin.) Paine arrived in America November 30, 1774. —⁠Conway ↩

This may appear inconsistent with a passage in “Common Sense,” on the advantage of a national debt, but it should be observed that the author there made the advantage dependent on such debt not bearing interest. —⁠Conway ↩

George III writing to Lord North May 12, 1778, recognizes in the rebuff of the Commissioners the end of all negotiation, and begins to abandon the hope of recovering the American Colonies. “All that can now be done is steadily to pursue the plan very wisely adopted in the spring, the providing Nova Scotia, the Floridas, and Canada, with troops.” He suggests that New York might be abandoned. —⁠Conway ↩

Whitehead’s New Year’s ode for 1776. ↩

Ode at the installation of Lord North, for Chancellor of the University of Oxford. ↩

Paine, who was now Clerk of the Pennsylvania Assembly, first proposed the subscription, and headed it with $500. —⁠Conway ↩

This is taking the highest number that the people of England have been, or can be rated at. ↩

The following is taken from Dr. Price’s state of the taxes of England.

An account of the money drawn from the public by taxes, annually, being the medium of three years before the year 1776.

Amount of customs in England £2,528,275 Amount of the excise in England 4,649,892 Land tax at 3s. 1,300,000 Land tax at 1s. in the pound 450,000 Salt duties 218,739 Duties on stamps, cards, dice, advertisements, bonds, leases, indentures, newspapers, almanacs, etc. 280,788 Duties on houses and windows 385,369 Post office, seizures, wine licences, hackney coaches, etc. 250,000 Annual profits from lotteries 150,000 Expense of collecting the excise in England 297,887 Expense of collecting the customs in England 468,703 Interest of loans on the land tax at 4s. expenses of collection, militia, etc. 250,000 Perquisites, etc. to customhouse officers, etc. supposed 250,000 Expense of collecting the salt duties in England 10½ percent 27,000 Bounties on fish exported 18,000 Expense of collecting the duties on stamps, cards, advertisements, etc. at 5¼ percent 18,000 Total £11,642,653

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I have made the calculations in sterling, because it is a rate generally known in all the states, and because, likewise, it admits of an easy comparison between our expenses to support the war, and those of the enemy. Four silver dollars and a half is one pound sterling, and three pence over. ↩

The depreciation of Pennsylvania currency. —⁠Conway ↩

At the opening of Parliament, November 27, 1781. After the surrender of Cornwallis, and the resignation of Lord North, the King, in a letter to North (April 21, 1782), describes himself as “a mind truely tore to pieces.” —⁠Conway ↩

Opening sentence of “The Forester’s” first letter to “Cato.” —⁠Conway ↩

Paine, as Secretary for Col. John Laurens, visited France early in 1781, and obtained from that country six millions of livres, with clothing and military stores, supplies which resulted in the defeat of Cornwallis. —⁠Conway ↩

Mr. William Marshall, of this city [Philadelphia], formerly a pilot, who had been taken at sea and carried to England, and got from thence to France, brought over letters from Mr. Deane to America, one of which was directed to “Robert