Volume II Part 35 (1/2)

Undated letter of Paine to John Hall, in Philadelphia:

”Fryday Noon--Old Friend: Inclosed (as the man said by the horse) I send you the battau, as I wish to present it as neat and clean as can be done; I coot on Board the vessel the better I shall set off from here on Monday and expect to be in New York on Tuesday I shall take all the tools that are here with et on a working fit we may have some to ith Let me hear from you by the Sunday's boat and send o with and what owners they belong to at New York, or what o to I wrote to you by the last boat, and Peter tells ave the letter to Capt

Haines, but Joe says that he enquired for letters and was told there was none--wishi+ng you an agreeable voyage andat New York, I am your friend, and humble servant Present my compliments to Capt and Mrs

Coltman and William Col and Mrs Kirkbride's and Polly's compt”

Note of Hall, dated Oct 3 (1786) ”Dashwood Park, of Captain Roberts: On Thursday on for Trenton Jo had gone up by water the day before to a sale of land and a very capital iron works and nailing with a large cornand slitting mill upon an extensive scale the man has failed--The works with about 60 or 70 acres of land were sold for 9000 currency Then was put up about 400 acres of land and sold for 2700 currency and I believe a good bargain; and bought by a friend of mine called Co it when he caht and they came to look at it the next day; then Jo went into the Jerseys to find a countryes but was disappointed Came back to Bordentown and on Saturday looked all over Mr Paine's purchase along with hiht orth money

Nov 21st Mr Paine told us an anecdote of a French noble's applying to Dr Franklin, as the A for from Normandy, he offered his service and wished hiress Mr Paine observed that Britain is thea million a year and falls down and worshi+ps hiht me in my room a pair of war Had a wooden pot stove stand betwixt my feet by Mr Paine's desire and found it kept my feet warm

November 24 As soon as breakfast was over mounted button [Paine's horse] and set off for Philadelphia I brought Mr Paine 120 in gold and silver

Bordentown 27 th, Monday Day was devoted to rivetting the bars, and punching the upper bar for the bannisters [of the bridge] Mr Kirkbride and Polly went to hear a David Jones preach a rhodoainst deists, etc

Dece on the abut theo easier

Then set the ribs at proper distance, and after dinner I and Jackaway [?

] put on soht, and when Mr Pain ca cords I then saw that it had bulged full on one side and hollow on the other I told him of it, and he said it was done by th swore by God that it was straight when I left it, he replied as positively the contrary, and I think myself ill used in this affair

Philadelphia Dec 22nd Bridge packed and tied on the sled We arrived in town about 5 oclock took our bags to Capt Coltmans, and then went down to Dr Franklin's, and helped unload the bridge Mr Paine called onhim of the value of any new European publication; he had not been inforious posthumous anecdotes of Doctor Johnson, of resolves he had th to keep them; which showed the Doctor said that he had not s had better be suppressed as nobody had anything to do betwixt God and e at Dr Franklin's

Co from thence met Mr Pain and Mr Rittenhouse; returned with them and helped move it for all three to stand upon, and then turned it to exath and sufficiency for the Schuylkill, but wished to knohat quantity of iron [it would require,] as he seemed to think it too expensive

December 27 Walk to the State House The Bank bill called but postponed until toiven to exhibit the Bridge at the State House to be viewed by the members Left the House and met Mr Pain, who told e, and adth and powers Then took a walk beyond Vine street, and passed by the shop where the stea on the Bank affair brought on a dispute between Mr Pain and the Captain [Colth A reflection fro lost them considerable, he [Paine] instantly took that as a reflection on himself, and swore by G--d, let ould, it was a lie

I then left the room and went up stairs They quarrelled a considerable ti ready I went down; but the Captain continued talking about politics and the Bank, and what he thought theout and in with the several parties I endeavoured to excuse Mr Pain in soood sense in changing his ground when any party was going wrong,--and that he seeht in difficulties, in Mechanics particularly, and was pleased in therearm, and said he kne he could not eat his dinner

[Here followed a sharp personal quarrel between Hall and Colt Mr Paine ca the model to the State House We went to Dr Franklin's and fetched the Bridge to the Committee Roo to the State House and there placed in their Committee room, as by a letter addressed to this Speaker they admitted And by the desire of ive any information to inquiries until he came And then I was present when the assembly with their Speaker inspected it and many other persons as philosophers, Mechanics Statesmen and even Tailors I observed their sentiments and opinions of it were as different as their features The philosopher said it would add new light to the great utility And the tailor (for it is an absolute truth) reure It is yet to be laid (or by the by stand) before the Council of State Then the Philosophical Society and all the other Learned Bodies in this city And then to be canonised by an Act of State which is solicited to incorporate a body ofthis our Lilliputian handywork, that is now 13 feet long on a Scale of one to 24 And then will be added another to the world's present Wonders

January 4 Mr Pain called in and left e Company, who are to subscribe 33,330 50/99 then are to be put in possession of the present Bridge and premises to answer the interest of their money until they erect a new one; and after they have erected a new one, and thefrom it amounts to more than pays interest, it is to become a fund to pay off the principal stockholders, and then the Bridge to becoave hied one day's work and a pair of gloves

March 15th Mr Paine's boy called on time to [inquire] of the ; toldwith Dr

Franklin and about the chess player, or Automaton, and that the Dr

had no idea of the mode of communication Mr Paine has had several visitors, as Mr Jowel, Rev Dr Logan, &c

Sunday April 16th Prepared to attend Mr Paine up to Bordentown Mr

Paine's horse and chair cah a barren sandy country arrived at Bordentown at half past one-o'clock for dinner This is the pleasantest situation I have seen in this country

Trenton, April 20 Sitting in the house saw a chair pass down the street with a red coat on, and going out after it believed it to be Mr Paine, so followed hi where I boarded

I just then called to hiht's Tavern, and there he paid land by way of France in the French packet which sails the 25th instant He asked oing the road I gladly took the opportunity, as I could return on e On the journey he told es and Sewers; anecdotes of Dr Franklin, who had sent a letter by him to the president, or some person, to communicate to the Society of Civil Architects, who superintend solely over bridges in France The h full of e ill, and the numerous visitors on State business, and others that his fareat attention to trifles; but as he considers Mr Paine his adopted political Son he would endeavor to write by hih Mr Paine did not press, for reasons above In 2 or 3 days he sent him up to Bordentown no less than a dozen letters to his acquaintance in France--He toldto national and political concerns, and observations of ed and sensible men of his acquaintance in that country And the treaty that he the Doctoran article that, should war ever break out, (though never a probability of it) Commerce should be left free The Doctor said he showed it to the French ennes, who said it land, though he knew they would not,--they were so fond of robbing and plundering And the Doctor had gathered a hint froain by endeavoring to suppress his neighbor, for riches were to be gained frohbors; and a National reciprocity was as much necessary as a domestic one, or [inter] national trade as necessary to be free as ast the people of a country Such and2 or 3 e I then shook hands and wished hiton, N J, May 16, 1788, to John Coltland:

”Friend John: Tell that disbelieving sceptical Infidel thy Father that he has woundedshop--does he think I would palm such a falsity both upon Gray and Green heads! did not I send you word it was General Washi+ngton's And does he think I shall slanderously brook such a slanderous indignity--No! I tell him the first Ink thatfoot on Brittains Isle, shall be to call him to account I 'll haul out his Callous Leaden soul with its brother!

”In the late revolution the provincial ar near Princeton New Jersey one Sunday General Washi+ngton and Co Coan's and pulling off his great coat put it in the care of a servant man, and as I remember he was of the pure Irish Extraction; he walked then to reat coat and soan On their return they found what had been done in their absence and relating it to the General his ansas it was necessary to watch as well as pray--but told hiive him one--and that is the Coat I sent and the fact as related to me and others in public by said [Common Sense] Nor do I believe that Rome or the whole Roue than the above--though I dont wish to deem it a miracle, nor do I believe there is any miracle upon record for these 18 hundred years so true as that being General Washi+ngton's great coat--I, labouring hard for said Co up to keep snow out of the room I often told him I should expect that fora chest there I took care and locked it up when I had finished my work, and sent it to you So far are these historical facts--Maybe sometime hence I may collect dates and periods to them--But why should they be disputed? has not the world adopted as true a-many affairs without date and of less ard to them?

”If you communicate this to your Father and he feels a conify the same by letter, he will find I strictly adhere to the precepts of Christianity and shall forgive--If not------

”My best wishes to you all,