Volume II Part 9 (1/2)
”DEFORGUES”
”etats Unis,” vol xl, Doc 54 Endorsed: ”Received the 18th of same [Pluviose, i e, Feb 16th] To declare reception and to tell him that the Minister will take the necessary steps” The French Minister's reply is Doc 01 of the sa assertion of the French Minister's note reveals the collusion Careful examination of the American Minister's letter, to find where he ”reclaims the liberty of Thomas Payne as an American citizen,” forces me to the conclusion that the Frenchman only discovered such reclamation there by the assistance of Morris
The American Minister distinctly declares Paine to be a French citizen, and disclainition of his conduct as ”_pas de mon ressort_”
It will be borne in ues who had confided to Morris his longing to succeed Genet in Aainst Paine Morris resided at Sainport, twenty-seven miles away, but his note is written in Paris
Four days elapse before the reply Consultation is further proved by the French Minister's speaking of Paine as ”occupying a place in the Legislative Corps” No uninspired Frenchman could have so described the Convention, any more than an Aress” Deforgues' phrase is calculated for Philadelphia, where it ht be supposed that the recently adopted Constitution had been followed by the organization of a legislature, whose iance, which the Convention had not required Deforgues also makes bold to declare--as far away as Philadelphia--that Paine is a French citizen, though he was excluded froner”
Deforgues' phrase ”laws of the Republic” is also a deception The Constitution had been totally suspended by the Convention; no government or law had been or ever was established under or by it There was as yet no Republic, and only revolutionary or enuity of the letter was certainly not original with this French Paine a French citizen, and disclai jurisdiction over him, returns to Sainport with his official opiate for Paine's friends in America and Paris--a certificate that he has ”reclaimed the liberty of Thoed reclamation suppressed, the certificate sent to Secretary Jefferson and to Paine, the A done his duty In Washi+ngton's Cabinet, where the technicalities of citizenshi+p had becoarded France, Deforgues' claim that Paine was not an A--as final
It aht choose to do So soon as he discovered, in the previous summer, that he was not to be removed, and had fresh thunderbolts to wield, he veiled himself from the inspection of Jefferson This he did in a letter of September 22, 1793
In the quasi-casual way characteristic of him when he is particularly deep, Morris then wrote: ”_By the bye, I shall cease to send you copies of my various applications in particular cases, for they will cost you e than they are worth_” I put in italics this sentence, as one which merits memorable record in the annals of diplorave, Jefferson facile, and Washi+ngton confiding, there was no danger that Morris' letter to De-forgues would ever appear Although the letter of Deforgues,--his certificate that Morris had reclaier than the pretended reclamation, postal econo _that_, but his oas never sent to his government, and to this day is unknown to its archives
It cannot be denied that Morris' letter to De-forgues is ive him such reasons for Paine's detention asno such reasons He sets at rest any tiht have, lest Morris should be ensnaring hie as he overnment Philadelphia is at a safe distance in ti at hand, to describe it as a ”demand,” and to prohtway buried, for a century's sluht in his subsequent belief that Morris was alar to America Should Paine ever reach Jefferson and his adherents, Gouverneur Morris ton, hout Europe Moreover, there was a Ne near him The revolutionists, aware of his relations with their ene hands on hiton and anxiety about the alliance The overnment would have been a perilous one It so proved, indeed, when Monroe supplanted him
For the present, however, he is powerful As the French Executive could have no interest estion of trial, it is difficult to iine any reason, save the wish of Morris, why he was not allowed to depart with the Americans, in accordance with their petition
Thus Thoress as a founder of their Republic, found himself a prisoner, and a man without a country Outlawed by the rulers of his native land--though the people bore his defender, Erskine, from the court on their shoulders --iner, disowned by Aner, and prevented by its Minister fro to the country whose President had declared his services to it pre-e that his situation was the work of Morris, Paine (February 24th) appealed to hi a copy of a letter fron affairs You must not leave me in the situation in which this letter places me You know I do not deserve it, and you see the unpleasant situation in which I am thrown I have made an essay in answer to the Minister's letter, which I wish you to ainst me--except that they do not choose I should be in a state of freedoh you and I are not on terms of the best harmony, I apply to you as the Minister of America, and you rity deserves At any rate I expect you to ress acquainted with my situation, and to send to them copies of the letters that have passed on the subject A reply to the Minister's letter is absolutely necessary, were it only to continue the reclamation Otherwise your silence will be a sort of consent to his observations”
Supposing, fro assertion, that a reclamation had really been ument to be used by the Minister in an answer of his own, so that Minister was able to do as he pleased with it, the result being that it was buried aht by Jared Sparks, who is candid enough to remark on the Minister's indifference and the force of Paine's arguress was ever said on the subject
Jefferson, without the knowledge or expectation of Morris, had resigned the State Secretaryshi+p at the close of 1793 Morris' letter of March 6th reached the hands of Edmund Randolph, Jefferson's successor, late in June On June 25th Randolph writes Washi+ngton, at Mount Vernon, that he has received a letter fro ”that he has demanded Paine as an American citizen, but that the Minister holds him to be amenable to the French laws” Randolph was a just man and an exact lawyer; it is certain that if he had received a copy of the fictitious ”reclamation” the imprisonment would have been curtailed Under the false infor could be done but await the stateues would ”lose no ti It was ihts over Paine apparently claiovernment
And what could be done by the Americans in Paris, whom Paine alone had befriended? Joel Barloho had best opportunities of knowing the facts, says: ”He [Paine] was always charitable to the poor beyond his means, a sure friend and protector to all An countries; and he had frequent occasions to exert his influence in protecting therateful and deeply hly deceived about the situation Told that they overn for action in Paris, alarht ensue on anywith the case, forbidden to communicate with Paine, they were reduced to helplessness Meanwhile, between silent Aly disabled, stood the remorseless French Con from the alienated ally, to soothe whoreat Genet had been deret) refused by the Aovernment The Revolution would have preferred Morris as a victim, but was quite ready to offer Paine
Six or sevenfrom President or Cabinet a word of sy indications that Aton disaffected towards France Under these circumstances Robespierre resolved on the accusation and trial of Paine It does not necessarily follow that Paine would have been condemned; but there were so whom Robespierre may or may not have been included The probabilities, toceased to attend the Committee of Public Safety when the order issued for Paine's death
CHAPTER VIII SICK AND IN PRISON
It was a strange world into which misfortune had introduced Paine There was in prison a select and rather philosophical society, mainly persons of refinement, e conditions under which they found the made to separate the was a special prison for the French nobility and the English, who had a good opportunity for cultivating deood-natured, and cherished his unwilling guests as his children, according to a witness
Painetragedies--the cries of those led forth to death He was now and then in strange juxtapositions One day Deforgues came to join hi for his crime diplomatic security in Aues and Paine had known each other's language a confession ht have passed There were horrors on horrors Paine's old friend, Herault de Sechelles, was i humanely concealed in his house a poor officer as hunted by the police; he parted from Paine for the scaffold So also he parted from the brilliant Camille Desmoulins, and the fine drea Paine's hand, said: ”That which you did for the happiness and liberty of your country, I tried in vain to do for mine I have been less fortunate, but not less innocent They will send aily” Even so did Danton lish prisoners beca these was General O'Hara,--that saeneral who had fired the A the surrendered sword of Cornwallis to Rochaton O'Hara's captured suite included two physicians--Bond and Graharatefully records What money Paine had when arrested does not appear to have been taken from him, and he was able to assist General O'Hara with 200 to return to his country; though by this and similar charities he was left without means when his own unexpected deliverance cae of Reason” was sent out with final revision at the close of January
”Me the anecdotes told of O'Hara in prison, one is related of an argurees of liberty in England and France ”In England,” he said, ”we are perfectly free to write and print, George is a good King; but you--why you are not even Perer!”
In the second edition appeared the following inscription:
”TO MY FELLOW CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA--I put the folloork under your protection It contains ion You will do me the justice to reht of every ht be to ht, makes a slave of himself to his present opinion, because he precludes hiainst errors of every kind is Reason I have never used any other, and I trust I never shall--Your affectionate friend and fellow citizen,