Subjects
Thomas Paine and America, 1776–1809
Editor: Kenneth W Burchell
978 1 85196 964 7: 234x156mm: £495.00/$875.00
From his migration to America in 1774 to his death in New York City in 1809, Thomas Paine’s ideology was at the centre of American political and social debate. In fact, his ideological influence is still felt in modern-day America. His pro-Independence pamphlet, Common Sense (1776) convinced many colonists to reject monarchy and Englishmen’s rights in favour of a broader interpretation of republicanism and the natural rights of mankind. Famously, General George Washington ordered that Paine’s inspirational American Crisis (1776) be read to his troops before the Battle of Trenton, which helped turn the tide at a critical juncture in the War of Independence.
This six-volume facsimile edition brings together rare texts from books, periodicals and newspaper contributions to unearth the contemporary American response to Thomas Paine. Responses to Common Sense, Rights of Man, Age of Reason and Letter to George Washington are included.
This edition complements Pickering & Chatto’s highly successful editions on eighteenth-century radical thought, including The Political Writings of the 1790s. It will be important for scholars of Eighteenth-Century Studies, American History, Radical History and Political Science.
- First major collection to explore the American response to Thomas Paine
- Full editorial apparatus includes a general introduction, headnotes, endnotes and a consolidated index in the final volume
- Each facsimile page is digitally cleaned and enhanced, significantly improving on the quality and legibility of the original text
Sample pages
Contents
Volume 1
Common Sense
John Adams, Thoughts on Government: Applicable to the Present State of the American Colonies (1776); Anon, Additions to Common Sense: Addressed to the Inhabitants of America (1776); Anon, Civil Prudence, Recommended to the Thirteen United Colonies of North-America A Discourse, Shewing that it is in the Power of Civil Prudence to Prevent or Cure State Distempers, and to make an Industrious, Wealthy and Flourishing People (1776); Candidus, Pennsylvannia Gazette, 3 February 1776; Rationalis, Pennsylvania Gazette, 28 February 1776; Charles Inglis, The True Interest of America Impartially Stated in Certain Strictures on a Pamphlet Intitled Common Sense by an American (1776); Henry Middleton, The True Merits of a Late Treatise, Printed in America, Intitled, Common Sense, Clearly Pointed Out: Addressed to the Inhabitants of America (1776)
Volume 2
The Silas Deane Controversy
Silas Dean, Echo from the Temple of Wisdom Announced , or, A Constitutional Answer and Refutation of an Address to Mr Silas Deane (1779); T Gracchus, ‘Mr Dunlap, the Pains which has been …’ Pennsylvania Packet, 5 January 1779
Rights of Man
Hermes [C A Rodney], The Oracle of Liberty and Mode of Establishing a Free Government (1791); John Adams, An Answer to Pain’s Rights of Man (1793); James Philip de Puglia, A Short Extract (Concerning the Rights of Man and Titles) from the Work entitled Man Undeceived Written in Spanish … In confutation of Several Theological Objections Produced in an Aristocratical Piece by Walworth, against Thomas Pain (1793); Juvenis, 'Sonnet to Thomas Paine’, Greenleaf’s New York Journal, 12 February 1794; The Cordwainer Letters, The Norwich Packet (1794) no 1, 18 September, no 2, 25 September, no 3, 25 September, no 4, 2 October, no 5 9 October, no 6, 30 October, no 7, 13 September; 'The Triumph of Liberty: or, The Rights of Man', Greenleaf's New York Journal, 8 July 1795; Henry Mackenzie, An Answer to Paine’s Right of Man (1796); 'Miscellanies: France and America', Thomas's Massachusetts Spy, 15 August 1798; 'Communication', Aurora General Advertiser, 18 June 1798
The Age of Reason
Anon, The Folly of Reason Being our Perfect and Unerring Guide, to the Knowledge of True Religion: In Answer to The Age of Reason (1794); Samuel Sitwell, A Guide to Reason or an Examination of Thomas Paine's Age of Reason (1794); James Muir, An Examination of the Principles Contained in the Age of Reason in Ten Discourses (1794)
Volume 3
The Age of Reason (continued)
James Jones Wilmer, Consolation: Being a Replication to Thomas Paine, and Others, on Theologics (1794); William Linn, Discourse on the Signs of the Times (1794); Divine Oracles the True Antidote against Deism, and False Christianity (1797); Ebenezer Bradford, Mr Thomas Paine’s Trial being an Examination of his Age of Reason (1795); William Patten, Christianity the True Theology, and Only Perfect Moral System, in Answer to ‘The Age of Reason’ (1795)
Volume 4
The Age of Reason (continued)
William Wyche, An Examination of The Examiners Examined: Being a Defence of Christianity Opposed to the Age of Reason (1795); Theocrat, The Brush of Sound Reason, Applyed to the Cobweb of Infidelity, or, Thomas Paine’s Reason Proved False, in Few Words Being a Brief Reply to The Age of Reason, part 2d In a Letter to a Deist (1796); Fisher Miers, A Reply to the False Reasoning in the ‘Age of Reason’ To which are Added, some Thoughts on Idolatry; on the Devil; and the Origin of Moral; Evil; on Educating Young Men for the Gospel Ministry; and on what is ‘The Word of God’ All of which Refer, more or less, to Opinions Advanced in Thomas Paine’s ‘Investigation of True and Fabulous Theology’ (1796); Thomas Williams, The Age of Infidelity: In Answer to Thomas Paine's Age of Reason (1794); Thomas Williams, The Age of Infidelity: Part II in Answer To the Second Part of the Age Of Reason with Some Addition Remarks upon the Former (1796)
Volume 5
The Age of Reason (continued)
Sanitas, ‘For the Universal Magazine In Reading the Observations of Theophrastus …’, Universal Magazine, 6 February 1797; Anon, ‘Short Comments on New Texts,’ Theological Magazine, October–December 1797; Donald Fraser, The Recantation; Being an Anticipated Valedictory Address, of Thomas Paine, to the French Directory (1797); Anon, ‘Health and Fraternity Thomas Paine and Judas Iscariot, One and Indivisible’, Weekly Oracle, 14 July 1798; Anon, 'A Letter from Paris …’, Theological Magazine, June–August 1798; Donald Fraser, A Collection of Select Biography, or, The Bulwark of Truth: Being a Sketch of the Lives and Testimonies of many Eminent Laymen who have Professed their Belief in and Attachment to the Christian Religion to which are Prefixed Two Letters to Thomas Paine (1798); William Linn, A Discourse on National Sins: Delivered May 9, 1798, Being the Day Recommended by the President of the United States to be Observed as a Day of General Fast (1798); Elias Boudinot, The Age of Revelation, or, The Age of Reason Shewn to be an Age of Infidelity (1801) (excerpts); Anon, ‘Thomas Paine’, Port Folio, 2 December 1802 (excerpt); Vicesimus Knox, Christian Philosophy, or, An Attempt to Display by Internal Testimony, the Evidence and Excellence of Revealed Religion: With an Appendix, on Mr Paine’s Pamphlet, on Prayer, etc (1804); John Hubbard Church, 'Three Unclean Spirits' … Combining Men against Jehovah, a Discourse Delivered at Haverhill, on the 4th, and at Pelham, on the 11th of April 1805, Days of Public Fasting and Prayer in Massachusetts and New-Hampshire (1805) (excerpt)
Volume 6
Letter to George Washington
Anon [American Citizen, in whose Heart the Amor Patriae holds the Highest Place], A Letter to Thomas Paine in Answer to his Scurrilous Epistle Addressed to our Late Worthy President Washington: and Containing Comments and Observations on his Life, Political and Deistical Writings, &c & c: Intended as an Alarm to the Good People of these States, from being Led Astray by the Sophistical Reasonings of Mr Paine (1797); Patrick Kennedy, An Answer to Paine’s Letter to General Washington Including some Pages of Gratuitous Counsel to Mr Erskine (1798); Anon, ‘From the British Critic: Review of Paine’s Letter to General Washington’, Eastern Herald and Gazette of Maine, 21 January 1799; The Time Piece; and Literary Companion, 1 February 1798; Anon, ‘A Letter in Answer to the Infamous Tom Paine in Answer to his Letter to General Washington’, Porcupine’s Political Censor, December 1796; Anon, ‘A Calumny Exposed …’, Balance and Columbian Repository, 28 December 1802
Paine’s Return to the United States, 1801–12
Aurora (Philadelphia), 14 July 1801; Port Folio, 18 July 1801; Anon, ‘Tom Paine and Pat Duane’, Gazette of the United States (1801); Anon, Letter to the Editor, Gazette of the United States (1801); Anon, ‘Anticipated Elegy, A Parody on “Tom Bowline”’, Gazette of the United States, 25 September 1801; 'From a Maryland Correspondent: The Letters of Thomas Paine’, Republican Advocate, 10 January 1802; Anon, ‘Tory Detraction Charges Mr Paine with Poverty’, Republican Star , 14 January 1802; Anon, ‘True American Against T Paine’, Trenton Federalist, 20 December 1802; 'Tom Paine, Invited to this Country by his Right Worthy and Affectionate Friend T Jefferson', New York Evening Post, 15 October 1802; Aurora (Philadelphia) 25 October 1802; 'From the Baltimore Anti-Democrat of Nov 1', New York Evening Post, 3 November 1802; American Patriot, 6 November 1802; Aurora (Philadelphia), 8 November 1802; Aurora (Philadelphia), 7 December 1802; Recorder (Richmond), 1 December 1802; Republican Star, 4 January 1803; ‘From the Trenton Federalist: Paine & Jefferson’, Connecticut Sentinel, 28 December 1802; Anon, ‘Deism’, and 'Thomas Paine & the King' Republican Star, 4 January 1803; Anon, ‘Deism (Continued from our Last)’, The Republican Star , 11 January 1803; 'Thomas Paine & the King', New York Evening Post, 10 January 1803; Aurora (Philadelphia), 11 January 1803; Republican Star, 18 January 1803; Wasp, 26 January 1803; New York Evening Post, 4 February 1803; Anon, ‘From the Aurora: a Letter to Thomas Paine', Republican Star, 29 March 1803; 'Thomas Paine', Trenton Federalist, 7 March 1803; Republican Star, 8 March 1803; Theophilus Philiander, ‘From the Republican Advocate, to Mr Thomas Paine’, Republican Star, 8 March 1803; Theophilus Philiander, ‘To Mr Thomas Paine’, Republican Star, 15 March 1803; 'Thomas Paine', Trenton Federalist, 14 March 1803; 'The Temptation', Recorder (Richmond), 6 April 1803; William Baker, ‘To Stanislaus Hoxton, Esq’, Balance and Columbian Repository, 7 June 1803; Western Star, 14 December 1805; 'From the Barber's Shop', New York Evening Post, 25 September 1807; John B Colvin, An Essay Towards an Exposition of the Futility of Thomas Paine’s Objections to the Christian Religion (1807); Peter R Maison, Letters to Thomas Paine in Reply to his Last Pamphlet, entitled, Examination of the Passages in the New Testament, quoted from Old, and called Prophecies Concerning Jesus Christ : and Shewing the Fallacy and Incompetency of Deism as a Rule for the Regulation of Human Conduct (1807); Peter R Maison, Letters to Thomas Paine, in Reply to his Last Pamphlet (1807); North American and Mercantile Daily Advertiser, 12 February 1808; Anon, ‘Thomas Paine’, Anti-Monarchist, 24 January 1810; Anon, ‘From the United States Gazette. A Southern Planter to the People of New England No II’ Washingtonian, 14 October 1811; Anon, ‘Remarks on the Pretensions of Thomas Paine, Author of "Common Sense", To the Character of a Poet,’ Port-Folio (1815)
Reviews
'Those studying the reaction by Americans to Thomas Paine's ideas, and, perhaps, to him as an individual, will find the judicious selection of works reprinted herein of immense value.'
– Robert Morrell, Journal of Radical History
'There are extensive editorial annotations by way of endnotes that identify people and events named in the texts, provide translations for passages in languages other than English, and supply full references for quotations. The result is a scholarly collection that will be of value to specialized researchers and undergraduate students alike. Recommended.'
– M G Spencer, CHOICE