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- <td BGCOLOR="#C0C0C0"><blockquote>
- <blockquote><blockquote>
- <font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif"
- size="-1">Thomas Paine (1737-1809) <br>
- Born in England and worked as an excise officer and many other
- occupations until 1774 when he met Benjamin Franklin in London
- and subsequently emigrated to the colonies.<br>
- <b>The Case of the Officers of Excise </b>(1772)<br>
- <b>Common Sense</b> (1776)<br>
- <b>Letter to Abb</b></font><font size="-1" face="Verdana"><b>é
- Raynal</b> (1782)</font><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif"
- size="-1"><br>
- <b>Rights of Man</b> (1791, 1792 published in two parts)<br>
- <b>The Age of Reason</b> (1794, 1795 published in two parts)<br>
- <b>Agrarian Justice</b> (1795)<br>
- <br>
- <b>Common Sense,</b>
- 1792</font></blockquote></blockquote>
- </blockquote>
- </td>
- </tr>
- <tr>
- <td><blockquote><blockquote><blockquote>
- <blockquote>
- <p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">Thomas
- Paine wrote <i>Common Sense</i> in 1776. In his own words he said that he
- held up publication until he could judge the reaction from the crown to
- the Declaration of Independence. There being none, he went ahead
- with publication. <i>Common Sense</i> appeared in many different editions
- over the years. The present edition was published in 1792 in
- London. It cost 6 pence. Note the reference to the "American
- War." </font></p>
- <p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">In <i>
- Common Sense</i>, Paine addresses the problems of monarchy, the
- advisability of separation, the nature of society, and makes modest
- proposals for a new form of government. He also considers
- practical considerations such as our relations with other countries in
- Europe, whether our diplomacy and trade should be governed by the
- self-interest of Britain, and the feasibility of winning a war of
- independence. He considers the issues of population, resources,
- and the navy and concludes that it is possible. Overall, he
- applies rational argument, supporting his points not only with
- philosophical but also with economic and political advantages.</font></p>
- <p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">The
- frontispiece of <i>Common Sense</i> also refers to <i>The Rights of Man</i> and to a <i>Letter
- to the </i>Abb</font><font size="-1" face="Verdana">é</font><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1"><i> Raynal </i>both written by Thomas Paine. While <i>The
- Rights of Man</i> is fairly well known, the <i>Letter to </i>Abb</font><font size="-1" face="Verdana">é
- </font><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1"><i>Raynal</i>
- is not, yet Cr</font><font face="Verdana"
- size="-1">è</font><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">vecoeur
- dedicated his <i><a href="Crevecoeur_book.html">Letters from an American
- Farmer</a></i> to Abbe Raynal. It is difficult
- to get a sense of that time, we only read and know about a few of the
- people who were writing to influence the new ideas concerning human
- rights, the role and shape of government, and dealing with a rapidly
- changing economy and world view.</font></p>
- <p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">Abb</font><font size="-1" face="Verdana">é</font><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">
- Raynal had published an account of the colonization of American and
- India in six volumes in 1770. His radical views of the rights of
- the governed to withhold taxation and overthrow their rulers got him
- thrown out of France. He is one of many writers at the time who
- exchanged ideas and had an influence on the thoughts and actions that
- led to the Revolutions in America and France. Raynal also
- wrote a history of the American Revolution, while it was in progress.
- He published it immediately following the war. Paine was
- writing to correct Raynal's misconceptions and inaccuracies concerning
- the American Revolution. He had certainly read some if not all of
- Raynal's work. Paine's <i>Letter to Raynal</i> gives us a picture
- of the different points of view in Europe and America concerning the
- Revolution. </font></p>
- <p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">Raynal
- is not a well-known name today, but neither would Thomas Paine be known
- to school children had not Thomas A. Edison worked to recall him to the
- limelight (see reference below). <i>Common Sense</i> might have
- been relegated to the dusty shelves of academe had not Edison written
- and talked about him and his philosophy a hundred years later. <br>
- </font></p>
- <p><b><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">
- Quotations:</font></b></p>
- <p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">Thomas
- Paine:</font></p>
- <p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">We have
- it in our power to begin the world over again. (Thomas Paine, <i>
- Common Sense</i>, 1792)</font></p>
- <p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">Society
- in every state is a blessing, but government even in its best state is
- but a necessary evil in its worst state an intolerable one... (Thomas
- Paine, <i>Common Sense</i>, 1792)</font></p>
- <p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1"><i>
- Mankind</i> being originally equals in the order of creation, the
- equality could only be destroyed by some subsequent circumstance...
- (Thomas Paine, <i>Common Sense</i>, 1792)</font></p>
- <p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">Common
- sense will tell us, that the power which hath endeavored to subdue us,
- is of all others the most improper to defend us. Conquest may be
- effected under the pretence of friendship; and ourselves, after a long
- and brave resistance, be at last cheated into slavery. (Thomas
- Paine, <i>Common Sense</i>, 1792)</font></p>
- <p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">These
- are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine
- patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country;
- but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and
- woman. (Thomas Paine, <i>The Crisis</i>, 1794)</font></p>
- <p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">The
- stamp act, it is true, was repealed in two years after it was passed,
- but it was<br>
- immediately followed by one of infinitely more mischievous magnitude; I
- mean the<br>
- declaratory act, which asserted the right, as it was styled, of the
- British parliament, "to<br>
- bind America in all cases whatsoever."</font></p>
- <p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">If then
- the stamp act was an usurpation of the Americans' most precious and
- sacred<br>
- rights, the declaratory act left them no rights at all; and contained
- the full grown seeds<br>
- of the most despotic government ever exercised in the world. It placed
- America not<br>
- only in the lowest, but in the basest state of vassalage; because it
- demanded an<br>
- unconditional submission in every thing, or as the act expresses it, in
- all cases<br>
- whatsoever: and what renders this act the more offensive, is, that it
- appears to have<br>
- been passed as an act of mercy; truly then may it be said, that the
- tender mercies of<br>
- the wicked are cruel. (Thomas Paine in his <i>Letter to Abbe
- Raynal</i>, 1782)</font></p>
- <p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">Abb</font><font size="-1" face="Verdana">é</font><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">
- Raynal:</font></p>
- <p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">All
- France is, at this time, divided into two classes. The good men, the men
- of moderation, are dispersed, mute, petrified with consternation; while
- men of violent spirits rush into close contact, electrify each other,
- and form those tremendous volcanoes which vomit so much flaming lava.
- (Abbe Raynal in a letter to the National Assembly of France protesting
- the continued terror and inquisition, the abuse of power, and anarchy;
- May 31, 1791)</font></p>
- <div align="center">
- <table border="0" width="80%" id="table1" bgcolor="#000000">
- <tr>
- <td>
- <p align="center">
- <a href="pictures/Paine/5580Paine_wl.jpg">
- <img border="0" src="pictures/Paine/5580Paine_w.jpg" width="234" height="400"></a></td>
- <td>
- <p align="center">
- <a href="pictures/Paine/5568Paine_wl.jpg">
- <img border="0" src="pictures/Paine/5568Paine_w.jpg" width="250" height="400"></a></td>
- </tr>
- <tr>
- <td colspan="2">
- <font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1" color="#FFFFFF">
- The etching below was included in the pamphlet.
- Compare it with the engraving by William Sharp based on the
- portrait by George Romney on the right which appeared in
- Conway's biography of Paine. </font></td>
- </tr>
- <tr>
- <td>
- <p align="center">
- <a href="pictures/Paine/5584Paine_wl.jpg">
- <img border="0" src="pictures/Paine/5584Paine_w.jpg" width="203" height="400"></a></td>
- <td>
- <p align="center">
- <a href="pictures/Paine/thomaspaine_wl.jpg">
- <img border="0" src="pictures/Paine/thomaspaine_w.jpg" width="283" height="400"></a></td>
- </tr>
- <tr>
- <td colspan="2" align="center">
- <font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1" color="#FFFFFF">
- The enlargements of the book are sufficient for easy reading
- -- they will be a slow download on a modem. The
- photographs of the pamphlet by Paine
- may be used freely on non-commercial sites (no
- advertisements) and for educational purposes. Please
- link to this page for copyright.</font></td>
- </tr>
- </table>
- </div>
- <p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif"
- size="-1">
- <br>
- <br>
- </font></p>
- </blockquote>
- </td>
- </tr>
- <tr>
- <td BGCOLOR="#C0C0C0"><blockquote>
- <blockquote><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif"
- size="-1"><b>Further
- Resources:</b><br>
- <br>
- The text of <i><a href="http://www.constitution.org/tp/comsense.htm">Common
- Sense</a></i><span
- style="text-decoration: underline;">.</span> 1776 from Liberty Library</font><p>
- <font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">The
- text of <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/3755">Common
- Sense</a></i> 1776 from Project Gutenberg, from book by Moncure
- Daniel Conway</font></p>
- <p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">
- Listen to <i><a href="http://www.freeaudio.org/tpaine/">Common Sense</a></i>
- 1776 from FreeAudio.org</font></p>
- <p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">
- Selected writings of
- <a href="http://www.constitution.org/tp/paine.htm">Thomas Paine</a>
- from Liberty Library</font></p>
- <p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">Text
- of a biography of Thomas Paine by Moncure Daniel Conway,
- <a href="http://www.thomaspaine.org/bio/ConwayLife.html">Volume One</a>,
- 1892-- from Thomas Paine National Historical Association</font></p>
- <p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">Text
- of a biography of Thomas Paine by Moncure Daniel Conway,
- <a href="http://www.thomaspaine.org/bio/ConwayLife_2.html">Volume
- Two</a>, 1892 -- from Thomas Paine National Historical Association</font></p>
- <p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">
- Philip S. Foner. <i>
- <a href="http://www.thomaspaine.org/contents.html">The Complete
- Writings of Thomas Paine</a></i>. New York: Citadel
- Press, 1945 -- complete text with comments by Foner -- excellent
- resource from Thomas Paine National Historical Association</font></p>
- <p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1"><i>
- <a href="http://www.thomaspaine.org/bio/edison.html">The Philosophy
- of Thomas Paine</a></i> -- a short essay by Thomas Alva Edison<br>
- <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br>
- </span>The text of <i><a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/4666">
- A Letter Addressed to the Abbe Raynal, on the Affairs of North
- America, in Which the Mistakes in the Abbe's Account of the
- Revolution of America Are Corrected and Cleared Up</a> </i>-- 1782 from Project
- Gutenberg<br>
- <br>
- The text of <i>
- <a href="http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=lhbtn&fileName=00543//lhbtn00543.db&recNum=0&itemLink=r?ammem/lhbtnbib:@field(NUMBER+@od1(lhbtn+00543))&linkText=0">
- Letter</a></i><i><a href="http://ideas.repec.org/h/hay/hetcha/paine1908-99.html">
- to the Abbe Raynal</a></i>
- -- downloadable from Ideas at University of Connecticut Economics </font></p>
- <p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1">Abbé
- Raynal, <i><a href="http://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/d/278/">
- Philosophical and Political History of the Settlements and Trade of
- the Europeans in the East and West Indies</a></i> (1770)</font></p>
- <p><font face="verdana, arial, helvetica, sans serif" size="-1"><br><br><br><br><br><br> (c) Marilyn Shea, 2005, 2006
- </font></p>
- </blockquote>
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