IhadbythistimesocompletelygainedtheearandconfidenceofAmerica,andmyownindependencewasbecomesovisible,astogivemearangeinpoliticalwritingbeyond,perhaps,whatanymaneverpossessedinanycountry,and,whatismoreextraordinary,Ihelditundiminishedtotheendofthewar,andenjoyitinthesamemannertothepresentmoment。Asmyobjectwasnotmyself,Isetoutwiththedetermination,andhappilywiththedisposition,ofnotbeingmovedbypraiseorcensure,friendshiporcalumny,norofbeingdrawnfrommypurposebyanypersonalaltercation,andthemanwhocannotdothisisnotfitforapubliccharacter。
WhenthewarendedIwentfromPhiladelphiatoBorden—Town,ontheeastbankoftheDelaware,whereIhaveasmallplace。
CongresswasatthistimeatPrince—Town,fifteenmilesdistant,andGeneralWashingtonhadtakenhisheadquartersatRockyHill,withintheneighbourhoodofCongress,forthepurposeofresigninguphiscommission（theobjectforwhichheaccepteditbeingaccomplished）,andofretiringtoprivatelife。WhilehewasonthisbusinesshewrotemetheletterwhichIheresubjoin:
"Rocky—Hill,Sept。10,1783。
"IhavelearnedsinceIhavebeenatthisplacethatyouareatBorden—Town。
WhetherforthesakeofretirementoreconomyI
knownot。Beitforeither,forboth,orwhateveritmay,ifyouwillcometothisplace,andpartakewithme,Ishallbeexceedinglyhappytoseeyouatit。
"YourpresencemayremindCongressofyourpastservicestothiscountry,andifitisinmypowertoimpressthem,commandmybestexertionswithfreedom,astheywillberenderedcheerfullybyonewhoentertainsalivelysenseoftheimportanceofyourworks,andwho,withmuchpleasure,subscribeshimself,Yoursincerefriend,G。WASHINGTON。"
Duringthewar,inthelatterendoftheyear1780,IformedtomyselfadesignofcomingovertoEngland,andcommunicatedittoGeneralGreene,whowastheninPhiladelphiaonhisroutetothesouthward,GeneralWashingtonbeingthenattoogreatadistancetocommunicatewithimmediately。IwasstronglyimpressedwiththeideathatifIcouldgetovertoEnglandwithoutbeingknown,andonlyremaininsafetytillIcouldgetoutapublication,thatIcouldopentheeyesofthecountrywithrespecttothemadnessandstupidityofitsGovernment。IsawthatthepartiesinParliamenthadpittedthemselvesasfarastheycouldgo,andcouldmakenonewimpressionsoneachother。GeneralGreeneenteredfullyintomyviews,buttheaffairofArnoldandAndrehappeningjustafter,hechangedhismind,understrongapprehensionsformysafety,wroteverypressinglytomefromAnnapolis,inMaryland,togiveupthedesign,which,withsomereluctance,Idid。SoonafterthisIaccompaniedColonelLawrens,sonofMr。Lawrens,whowasthenintheTower,toFranceonbusinessfromCongress。WelandedatL'Orient,andwhileIremainedthere,hebeinggoneforward,acircumstanceoccurredthatrenewedmyformerdesign。AnEnglishpacketfromFalmouthtoNewYork,withtheGovernmentdispatchesonboard,wasbroughtintoL'Orient。Thatapacketshouldbetakenisnoextraordinarything,butthatthedispatchesshouldbetakenwithitwillscarcelybecredited,astheyarealwaysslungatthecabinwindowinabagloadedwithcannon—ball,andreadytobesunkatamoment。Thefact,however,isasIhavestatedit,forthedispatchescameintomyhands,andIreadthem。
Thecapture,asIwasinformed,succeededbythefollowingstratagem:—Thecaptainofthe"Madame"privateer,whospokeEnglish,oncomingupwiththepacket,passedhimselfforthecaptainofanEnglishfrigate,andinvitedthecaptainofthepacketonboard,which,whendone,hesentsomeofhisownhandsback,andhesecuredthemail。Butbethecircumstanceofthecapturewhatitmay,IspeakwithcertaintyastotheGovernmentdispatches。TheyweresentuptoParistoCountVergennes,andwhenColonelLawrensandmyselfreturnedtoAmericawetooktheoriginalstoCongress。
BythesedispatchesIsawintothestupidityoftheEnglishCabinetfarmorethanIotherwisecouldhavedone,andIrenewedmyformerdesign。ButColonelLawrenswassounwillingtoreturnalone,moreespeciallyas,amongothermatters,wehadachargeofupwardsoftwohundredthousandpoundssterlinginmoney,thatIgaveintohiswishes,andfinallygaveupmyplan。
ButIamnowcertainthatifIcouldhaveexecuteditthatitwouldnothavebeenaltogetherunsuccessful。
29。Itisdifficulttoaccountfortheoriginofcharterandcorporationtowns,unlesswesupposethemtohavearisenoutof,orbeenconnectedwith,somespeciesofgarrisonservice。Thetimesinwhichtheybeganjustifythisidea。Thegeneralityofthosetownshavebeengarrisons,andthecorporationswerechargedwiththecareofthegatesofthetowns,whennomilitarygarrisonwaspresent。Theirrefusingorgrantingadmissiontostrangers,whichhasproducedthecustomofgiving,selling,andbuyingfreedom,hasmoreofthenatureofgarrisonauthoritythancivilgovernment。Soldiersarefreeofallcorporationsthroughoutthenation,bythesameproprietythateverysoldierisfreeofeverygarrison,andnootherpersonsare。Hecanfollowanyemployment,withthepermissionofhisofficers,inanycorporationtownsthroughoutthenation。
30。SeeSirJohnSinclair'sHistoryoftheRevenue。Theland—taxin1646wasL2,473,499。
31。SeveralofthecourtnewspapershaveoflatemadefrequentmentionofWatTyler。Thathismemoryshouldbetraducedbycourtsycophantsandanthosewholiveonthespoilofapublicisnottobewonderedat。Hewas,however,themeansofcheckingtherageandinjusticeoftaxationinhistime,andthenationowedmuchtohisvalour。Thehistoryisconciselythis:—InthetimeofRichardII。apolltaxwasleviedofoneshillingperheaduponeverypersoninthenationofwhateverestateorcondition,onpooraswellasrich,abovetheageoffifteenyears。
Ifanyfavourwasshowninthelawitwastotherichratherthantothepoor,asnopersoncouldbechargedmorethantwentyshillingsforhimself,familyandservants,thougheversonumerous;whileallotherfamilies,underthenumberoftwentywerechargedperhead。Polltaxeshadalwaysbeenodious,butthisbeingalsooppressiveandunjust,itexcitedasitnaturallymust,universaldetestationamongthepoorandmiddleclasses。
ThepersonknownbythenameofWatTyler,whosepropernamewasWalter,andatilerbytrade,livedatDeptford。Thegathererofthepolltax,oncomingtohishouse,demandedtaxforoneofhisdaughters,whomTylerdeclaredwasundertheageoffifteen。Thetax—gathererinsistedonsatisfyinghimself,andbegananindecentexaminationofthegirl,which,enragingthefather,hestruckhimwithahammerthatbroughthimtotheground,andwasthecauseofhisdeath。Thiscircumstanceservedtobringthediscontenttoanissue。TheinhabitantsoftheneighbourhoodespousedthecauseofTyler,whoinafewdayswasjoined,accordingtosomehistories,byupwardsoffiftythousandmen,andchosentheirchief。WiththisforcehemarchedtoLondon,todemandanabolitionofthetaxandaredressofothergrievances。
TheCourt,findingitselfinaforlorncondition,and,unabletomakeresistance,agreed,withRichardatitshead,toholdaconferencewithTylerinSmithfield,makingmanyfairprofessions,courtier—like,ofitsdispositionstoredresstheoppressions。WhileRichardandTylerwereinconversationonthesematters,eachbeingonhorseback,Walworth,thenMayorofLondon,andoneofthecreaturesoftheCourt,watchedanopportunity,andlikeacowardlyassassin,stabbedTylerwithadagger,andtwoorthreeothersfallinguponhim,hewasinstantlysacrificed。Tylerappearstohavebeenanintrepiddisinterestedmanwithrespecttohimself。AllhisproposalsmadetoRichardwereonamorejustandpublicgroundthanthosewhichhadbeenmadetoJohnbytheBarons,andnotwithstandingthesycophancyofhistoriansandmenlikeMr。Burke,whoseektoglossoverabaseactionoftheCourtbytraducingTyler,hisfamewilloutlivetheirfalsehood。IftheBaronsmeritedamonumenttobeerectedatRunnymede,TylermeritedoneinSmithfield。
32。IhappenedtobeinEnglandatthecelebrationofthecentenaryoftheRevolutionof1688。ThecharactersofWilliamandMaryhavealwaysappearedtobedetestable;theoneseekingtodestroyhisuncle,andtheotherherfather,togetpossessionofpowerthemselves;yet,asthenationwasdisposedtothinksomethingofthatevent,Ifelthurtatseeingitascribethewholereputationofittoamanwhohadundertakenitasajobandwho,besideswhatheotherwisegot,chargedsixhundredthousandpoundsfortheexpenseofthefleetthatbroughthimfromHolland。GeorgetheFirstactedthesameclose—fistedpartasWilliamhaddone,andboughttheDuchyofBremenwiththemoneyhegotfromEngland,twohundredandfiftythousandpoundsoverandabovehispayasking,andhavingthuspurchaseditattheexpenseofEngland,addedittohisHanoveriandominionsforhisownprivateprofit。Infact,everynationthatdoesnotgovernitselfisgovernedasajob。EnglandhasbeenthepreyofjobseversincetheRevolution。
33。Charles,likehispredecessorsandsuccessors,findingthatwarwastheharvestofgovernments,engagedinawarwiththeDutch,theexpenseofwhichincreasedtheannualexpendituretoL1,800,000
asstatedunderthedateof1666;butthepeaceestablishmentwasbutL1,200,000。
34。Poor—ratesbeganaboutthetimeofHenryVIII。,whenthetaxesbegantoincrease,andtheyhaveincreasedasthetaxesincreasedeversince。
35。Reckoningthetaxesbyfamilies,fivetoafamily,eachfamilypaysonanaverageL127s。6d。perannum。Tothissumaretobeaddedthepoor—rates。Thoughallpaytaxesinthearticlestheyconsume,alldonotpaypoor—rates。Abouttwomillionsareexempted—someasnotbeinghouse—keepers,othersasnotbeingable,andthepoorthemselveswhoreceivetherelief。Theaverage,therefore,ofpoor—ratesontheremainingnumber,isfortyshillingsforeveryfamilyoffivepersons,whichmakethewholeaverageamountoftaxesandratesL1417s。6d。ForsixpersonsL1717s。ForsevenpersonsL2O16s。6d。
TheaverageoftaxesinAmerica,undertheneworrepresentativesystemofgovernment,includingtheinterestofthedebtcontractedinthewar,andtakingthepopulationatfourmillionsofsouls,whichitnowamountsto,anditisdailyincreasing,isfiveshillingsperhead,men,women,andchildren。Thedifference,therefore,betweenthetwogovernmentsisasunder:
EnglandAmericaLs。d。Ls。d。
Forafamilyoffivepersons14176150
Forafamilyofsixpersons171701100
Forafamilyofsevenpersons201661150
36。Publicschoolsdonotanswerthegeneralpurposeofthepoor。Theyarechieflyincorporationtownsfromwhichthecountrytownsandvillagesareexcluded,or,ifadmitted,thedistanceoccasionsagreatlossoftime。Education,tobeusefultothepoor,shouldbeonthespot,andthebestmethod,Ibelieve,toaccomplishthisistoenabletheparentstopaytheexpensesthemselves。Therearealwayspersonsofbothsexestobefoundineveryvillage,especiallywhengrowingintoyears,capableofsuchanundertaking。Twentychildrenattenshillingseach（andthatnotmorethansixmonthseachyear）wouldbeasmuchassomelivingsamounttointheremotestpartsofEngland,andthereareoftendistressedclergymen'swidowstowhomsuchanincomewouldbeacceptable。Whateverisgivenonthisaccounttochildrenanswerstwopurposes。Tothemitiseducation—
tothosewhoeducatethemitisalivelihood。
37。Thetaxonbeerbrewedforsale,fromwhichthearistocracyareexempt,isalmostonemillionmorethanthepresentcommutationtax,beingbythereturnsof1788,L1,666,152—and,consequently,theyoughttotakeonthemselvestheamountofthecommutationtax,astheyarealreadyexemptedfromonewhichisalmostamilliongreater。
38。SeetheReportsontheCornTrade。
39。Whenenquiriesaremadeintotheconditionofthepoor,variousdegreesofdistresswillmostprobablybefound,torenderadifferentarrangementpreferabletothatwhichisalreadyproposed。
Widowswithfamilieswillbeingreaterwantthanwheretherearehusbandsliving。Thereisalsoadifferenceintheexpenseoflivingindifferentcounties:andmoresoinfuel。
Supposethenfiftythousandextraordinarycases,attherateoftenpoundsperfamilyperannumL500,000
100,000families,atL8perfamilyperannum800,000
100,000families,atL7perfamilyperannum700,000
104,000families,atL5perfamilyperannum520,000
Andinsteadoftenshillingsperheadfortheeducationofotherchildren,toallowfiftyshillingsperfamilyforthatpurposetofiftythousandfamilies250,000
——
L2,770,000
140,000agedpersonsasbefore1,120,000
——
L3,890,000
Thisarrangementamountstothesamesumasstatedinthiswork,PartII,linenumber1068,includingtheL250,000foreducation;butitprovides（includingtheagedpeople）forfourhundredandfourthousandfamilies,whichisalmostonethirdofanthefamiliesinEngland。
40。IknowitistheopinionofmanyofthemostenlightenedcharactersinFrance（therealwayswillbethosewhoseefurtherintoeventsthanothers）,notonlyamongthegeneralmassofcitizens,butofmanyoftheprincipalmembersoftheformerNationalAssembly,thatthemonarchicalplanwillnotcontinuemanyyearsinthatcountry。Theyhavefoundout,thataswisdomcannotbemadehereditary,poweroughtnot;andthat,foramantomeritamillionsterlingayearfromanation,heoughttohaveamindcapableofcomprehendingfromanatomtoauniverse,which,ifhehad,hewouldbeabovereceivingthepay。Buttheywishednottoappeartoleadthenationfasterthanitsownreasonandinterestdictated。InalltheconversationswhereI
havebeenpresentuponthissubject,theideaalwayswas,thatwhensuchatime,fromthegeneralopinionofthenation,shallarrive,thatthehonourableandliberalmethodwouldbe,tomakeahandsomepresentinfeesimpletotheperson,whoeverhemaybe,thatshallthenbeinthemonarchicaloffice,andforhimtoretiretotheenjoymentofprivatelife,possessinghisshareofgeneralrightsandprivileges,andtobenomoreaccountabletothepublicforhistimeandhisconductthananyothercitizen。
41。Thegentlemanwhosignedtheaddressanddeclarationaschairmanofthemeeting,Mr。HorneTooke,beinggenerallysupposedtobethepersonwhodrewitup,andhavingspokenmuchincommendationofit,hasbeenjocularlyaccusedofpraisinghisownwork。Tofreehimfromthisembarrassment,andtosavehimtherepeatedtroubleofmentioningtheauthor,ashehasnotfailedtodo,Imakenohesitationinsaying,thatastheopportunityofbenefitingbytheFrenchRevolutioneasilyoccurredtome,Idrewupthepublicationinquestion,andshowedittohimandsomeothergentlemen,who,fullyapprovingit,heldameetingforthepurposeofmakingitpublic,andsubscribedtotheamountoffiftyguineastodefraytheexpenseofadvertising。Ibelievethereareatthistime,inEngland,agreaternumberofmenactingondisinterestedprinciples,anddeterminedtolookintothenatureandpracticesofgovernmentthemselves,andnotblindlytrust,ashashithertobeenthecase,eithertogovernmentgenerally,ortoparliaments,ortoparliamentaryopposition,thanatanyformerperiod。Hadthisbeendoneacenturyago,corruptionandtaxationhadnotarrivedtotheheighttheyarenowat。
TheRightsOfMan:AppendixAsthepublicationofthisworkhasbeendelayedbeyondthetimeintended,Ithinkitnotimproper,allcircumstancesconsidered,tostatethecausesthathaveoccasioneddelay。
Thereaderwillprobablyobserve,thatsomepartsintheplancontainedinthisworkforreducingthetaxes,andcertainpartsinMr。Pitt'sspeechattheopeningofthepresentsession,Tuesday,January31,aresomuchalikeastoinduceabelief,thateithertheauthorhadtakenthehintfromMr。Pitt,orMr。Pittfromtheauthor。—
Iwillfirstpointoutthepartsthataresimilar,andthenstatesuchcircumstancesasIamacquaintedwith,leavingthereadertomakehisownconclusion。
Consideringitasalmostanunprecedentedcase,thattaxesshouldbeproposedtobetakenoff,itisequallyextraordinarythatsuchameasureshouldoccurtotwopersonsatthesametime;andstillmoreso（consideringthevastvarietyandmultiplicityoftaxes）thattheyshouldhitonthesamespecifictaxes。Mr。Pitthasmentioned,inhisspeech,thetaxonCartsandWagons—thatonFemaleServants—theloweringthetaxonCandlesandthetakingoffthetaxofthreeshillingsonHouseshavingundersevenwindows。
Everyoneofthosespecifictaxesareapartoftheplancontainedinthiswork,andproposedalsotobetakenoff。Mr。Pitt'splan,itistrue,goesnofurtherthantoareductionofthreehundredandtwentythousandpounds;andthereductionproposedinthiswork,tonearlysixmillions。Ihavemademycalculationsononlysixteenmillionsandanhalfofrevenue,stillassertingthatitwas"verynearly,ifnotquite,seventeenmillions。"Mr。Pittstatesitat16,690,000。Iknowenoughofthemattertosay,thathehasnotoverstatedit。Havingthusgiventheparticulars,whichcorrespondinthisworkandhisspeech,Iwillstateachainofcircumstancesthatmayleadtosomeexplanation。
Thefirsthintforlesseningthetaxes,andthatasaconsequenceflowingfromtheFrenchrevolution,istobefoundintheADDRESSandDECLARATIONoftheGentlemenwhometattheThatched—HouseTavern,August20,1791。AmongmanyotherparticularsstatedinthatAddress,isthefollowing,putasaninterrogationtothegovernmentopposersoftheFrenchRevolution。"Aretheysorrythatthepretencefornewoppressivetaxes,andtheoccasionforcontinuingmanyoldtaxeswillbeatanend？"
ItiswellknownthatthepersonswhochieflyfrequenttheThatched—HouseTavern,aremenofcourtconnections,andsomuchdidtheytakethisAddressandDeclarationrespectingtheFrenchRevolution,andthereductionoftaxesindisgust,thattheLandlordwasunderthenecessityofinformingtheGentlemen,whocomposedthemeetingofthe20thofAugust,andwhoproposedholdinganothermeeting,thathecouldnotreceivethem。*[41]
WhatwasonlyhintedintheAddressandDeclarationrespectingtaxesandprinciplesofgovernment,willbefoundreducedtoaregularsysteminthiswork。ButasMr。Pitt'sspeechcontainssomeofthesamethingsrespectingtaxes,Inowcometogivethecircumstancesbeforealludedto。
Thecaseis:ThisworkwasintendedtobepublishedjustbeforethemeetingofParliament,andforthatpurposeaconsiderablepartofthecopywasputintotheprinter'shandsinSeptember,andalltheremainingcopy,whichcontainstheparttowhichMr。
Pitt'sspeechissimilar,wasgiventohimfullsixweeksbeforethemeetingofParliament,andhewasinformedofthetimeatwhichitwastoappear。HehadcomposednearlythewholeaboutafortnightbeforethetimeofParliamentmeeting,andhadgivenmeaproofofthenextsheet。Itwastheninsufficientforwardnesstobeoutatthetimeproposed,astwoothersheetswerereadyforstrikingoff。Ihadbeforetoldhim,thatifhethoughtheshouldbestraitenedfortime,Icouldgetpartoftheworkdoneatanotherpress,whichhedesiredmenottodo。InthismannertheworkstoodontheTuesdayfortnightprecedingthemeetingofParliament,whenallatonce,withoutanypreviousintimation,thoughIhadbeenwithhimtheeveningbefore,hesentme,byoneofhisworkmen,alltheremainingcopy,decliningtogoonwiththeworkonanyconsideration。
ToaccountforthisextraordinaryconductIwastotallyataloss,ashestoppedatthepartwheretheargumentsonsystemsandprinciplesofgovernmentclosed,andwheretheplanforthereductionoftaxes,theeducationofchildren,andthesupportofthepoorandtheagedbegins;andstillmoreespecially,ashehad,atthetimeofhisbeginningtoprint,andbeforehehadseenthewholecopy,offeredathousandpoundsforthecopy—right,togetherwiththefuturecopy—rightoftheformerpartoftheRightsofMan。ItoldthepersonwhobroughtmethisofferthatIshouldnotacceptit,andwisheditnottoberenewed,givinghimasmyreason,thatthoughIbelievedtheprintertobeanhonestman,Iwouldneverputitinthepowerofanyprinterorpublishertosuppressoralteraworkofmine,bymakinghimmasterofthecopy,orgivetohimtherightofsellingittoanyminister,ortoanyotherperson,ortotreatasamerematteroftraffic,thatwhichIintendedshouldoperateasaprinciple。
Hisrefusaltocompletethework（whichhecouldnotpurchase）obligedmetoseekforanotherprinter,andthisofconsequencewouldthrowthepublicationbacktillafterthemeetingofParliament,otherwaysitwouldhaveappearedthatMr。
PitthadonlytakenupapartoftheplanwhichIhadmorefullystated。
Whetherthatgentleman,oranyother,hadseenthework,oranypartofit,ismorethanIhaveauthoritytosay。Butthemannerinwhichtheworkwasreturned,andtheparticulartimeatwhichthiswasdone,andthataftertheoffershehadmade,aresuspiciouscircumstances。Iknowwhattheopinionofbooksellersandpublishersisuponsuchacase,butastomyownopinion,Ichoosetomakenodeclaration。Therearemanywaysbywhichproofsheetsmaybeprocuredbyotherpersonsbeforeaworkpubliclyappears;towhichIshalladdacertaincircumstance,whichis,AministerialbooksellerinPiccadillywhohasbeenemployed,ascommonreportsays,byaclerkofoneoftheboardscloselyconnectedwiththeministry（theboardoftradeandplantation,ofwhichHawkesburyispresident）topublishwhathecallsmyLife,（Iwishhisownlifeandthoseofthecabinetwereasgood）,usedtohavehisbooksprintedatthesameprinting—officethatIemployed;butwhentheformerpartofRightsofMancameout,hetookhisworkawayindudgeon;andaboutaweekortendaysbeforetheprinterreturnedmycopy,hecametomakehimanofferofhisworkagain,whichwasaccepted。Thiswouldconsequentlygivehimadmissionintotheprinting—officewherethesheetsofthisworkwerethenlying;andasbooksellersandprintersarefreewitheachother,hewouldhavetheopportunityofseeingwhatwasgoingon。—Bethecase,however,asitmay,Mr。Pitt'splan,littleanddiminutiveasitis,wouldhavemadeaveryawkwardappearance,hadthisworkappearedatthetimetheprinterhadengagedtofinishit。
Ihavenowstatedtheparticularswhichoccasionedthedelay,fromtheproposaltopurchase,totherefusaltoprint。IfalltheGentlemenareinnocent,itisveryunfortunateforthemthatsuchavarietyofsuspiciouscircumstancesshould,withoutanydesign,arrangethemselvestogether。
Havingnowfinishedthispart,Iwillconcludewithstatinganothercircumstance。
AboutafortnightorthreeweeksbeforethemeetingofParliament,asmalladdition,amountingtoabouttwelveshillingsandsixpenceayear,wasmadetothepayofthesoldiers,orrathertheirpaywasdockedsomuchless。SomeGentlemenwhoknew,inpart,thatthisworkwouldcontainaplanofreformsrespectingtheoppressedconditionofsoldiers,wishedmetoaddanotetothework,signifyingthatthepartuponthatsubjecthadbeenintheprinter'shandssomeweeksbeforethatadditionofpaywasproposed。Ideclineddoingthis,lestitshouldbeinterpretedintoanairofvanity,oranendeavourtoexcitesuspicion（forwhichperhapstheremightbenogrounds）thatsomeofthegovernmentgentlemenhad,bysomemeansorother,madeoutwhatthisworkwouldcontain:andhadnottheprintingbeeninterruptedsoastooccasionadelaybeyondthetimefixedforpublication,nothingcontainedinthisappendixwouldhaveappeared。
THOMASPAINE