Details
PAINE, THOMAS. Autograph letter signed ("Thomas Paine") to General Nathanael Greene, Philadelphia, 17 October 1780. 3 pages, large folio, 379 x 235 mm. (14 7/8 x 9 1/4 in.), integral address leaf with one-line address in Paine's hand, Greene's docket AND WITH ADDITIONAL DOCKET IN THE HAND OF GEORGE WASHINGTON: "94 strongly characteristic Hints to the French Minister Arnold & Andre"; the two leaves separated at central folds, a few marginal tears, red morocco gilt-lettered protective folder.
PAINE PONDERS BENEDICT ARNOLD'S TREASON, THE EXECUTION OF MAJOR ANDRÉ, AND THE PROSPECT OF FRENCH AID: ONE OF THE FINEST PAINE LETTERS IN PRIVATE HANDS
A letter of exceptional content to Greene, who had taken command of the Continental Army in the Hudson Highlands following the discovery of Benedict Arnold's treason, and who had served as President of the courts-martial which condemned André (whose execution took place on 2 October). Three days prior to Paine's letter, Greene had been appointed, at Washington's request, commander of the Southern Department. From the docket in Washington's hand (never previously described), it appears that Greene felt obliged, given its contents, to forward Paine's letter to his Commander-in-Chief. The author of Common Sense adopts a familiar, conversational tone: "Thank God nobody can publish my letters after I am dead for I write none. And in the present uncertainty of conveyance I feel determined to write none. This much by way of apology for not writing sooner. Good God what an escape have you [the American cause] had! Were I inclined to be superstitious, I should attribute the whole of this discovery to Providence. I see so many changes the Treason had of succeeding and every chance opposed by an uncontrived something, that I almost feel myself a Predestinarian.
"But how is it that André who died like a Roman should suffer himself to be taken as a coward would have been taken[?] A man on horseback against three on foot had a chance of escaping especially as the pursuit could not have been for so long. Do you think an American Officer would have been taken by three Tories within sight almost of his own lines without a struggle for it?... [André was captured at an advance American post by volunteer militiamen] But why, if Providence had the management of the whole, did she let Arnold escape: Perhaps to be hung afterwards by the Enemy [the British] for some act of traitorship against them. In this life he will have no apology left and all Parties will call him what they now think him, a Villain."
Paine then remarks on the well-known justificatory letters from Arnold to Washington after the discovery of his treason. He advise that: "...should Arnold send any more letters -- return them unopened to General Clinton." He scoffs at Colonel [Alexander] Hamilton's concern for the situation of Arnold's wife, the former Peggy Shippen of Philadelphia: "tell him to[o], that...the best thing she can do will be to sue for a divorce, which she is fairly entitled to do as the man [Arnold] is dead in Law..." He wishes Greene success in his Southern command and expresses concern over the general shortage of supplies and currency: "How are we to make out for pay and supplies?....This morning I expect a visit from Mr. [Barbe-] Marbois....I shall make it an occasion of mentioning to him, what has long been my opinion: that were France to give money & subsidy, she could not lay it out to better advantage that to assist us with 5 or 6000 men more, and a Million of hard money. It will save her many millions and had we this sum in a Bank it would give a reality to the currency, and command such a value as it ought to have. But now it is like a perishable animal -- a Body without a Soul."
Paine is no longer under attack by his enemies: "...all my opposers become mute....If I had been six foot high I would have licked some of them soundly," though he would not have challenged any to duel, for he sets "to much value upon my self to go out of the world for a Trifle and should be ashamed to have it said that after living like a Philosopher I died a fool." He concludes with the hope that Greene will be able to visit him soon and asks him to "present my compliments to Gen. Washington and his Family..." Paine forwards "this days paper in which there is not a syllable of mine -- but in the paper of the 11th Inst you will see a little piece of light reading which in a leisure hour I amused myself with putting together." In addition, he sends "the last Crisis," probably his Crisis Extraordinary, published this month, on the financing of the Revolution. In a telling postscript, he tells an anecdote regarding his verses in answer to Willaim Duer's anonymous Plain Truth (1776), an attack on Paine's Common Sense (1776) and its author: "when they came out Governier [Gouvernour Morris] said, what a dammed Slap Paine has given [William] Duer -- and Duer said -- By God how Paine has rolled Mr. Morris..."
Provenance:
1. The Elsie O. and Philip D. Sang Foundation (sale, Sotheby Parke Bernet, 26 April 1978, lot 233, not noting the Washington docket)
2. Anonymous owner (sale, Christie's, 14 December 1984, lot 227, not noting the Washington docket).
PAINE PONDERS BENEDICT ARNOLD'S TREASON, THE EXECUTION OF MAJOR ANDRÉ, AND THE PROSPECT OF FRENCH AID: ONE OF THE FINEST PAINE LETTERS IN PRIVATE HANDS
A letter of exceptional content to Greene, who had taken command of the Continental Army in the Hudson Highlands following the discovery of Benedict Arnold's treason, and who had served as President of the courts-martial which condemned André (whose execution took place on 2 October). Three days prior to Paine's letter, Greene had been appointed, at Washington's request, commander of the Southern Department. From the docket in Washington's hand (never previously described), it appears that Greene felt obliged, given its contents, to forward Paine's letter to his Commander-in-Chief. The author of Common Sense adopts a familiar, conversational tone: "Thank God nobody can publish my letters after I am dead for I write none. And in the present uncertainty of conveyance I feel determined to write none. This much by way of apology for not writing sooner. Good God what an escape have you [the American cause] had! Were I inclined to be superstitious, I should attribute the whole of this discovery to Providence. I see so many changes the Treason had of succeeding and every chance opposed by an uncontrived something, that I almost feel myself a Predestinarian.
"But how is it that André who died like a Roman should suffer himself to be taken as a coward would have been taken[?] A man on horseback against three on foot had a chance of escaping especially as the pursuit could not have been for so long. Do you think an American Officer would have been taken by three Tories within sight almost of his own lines without a struggle for it?... [André was captured at an advance American post by volunteer militiamen] But why, if Providence had the management of the whole, did she let Arnold escape: Perhaps to be hung afterwards by the Enemy [the British] for some act of traitorship against them. In this life he will have no apology left and all Parties will call him what they now think him, a Villain."
Paine then remarks on the well-known justificatory letters from Arnold to Washington after the discovery of his treason. He advise that: "...should Arnold send any more letters -- return them unopened to General Clinton." He scoffs at Colonel [Alexander] Hamilton's concern for the situation of Arnold's wife, the former Peggy Shippen of Philadelphia: "tell him to[o], that...the best thing she can do will be to sue for a divorce, which she is fairly entitled to do as the man [Arnold] is dead in Law..." He wishes Greene success in his Southern command and expresses concern over the general shortage of supplies and currency: "How are we to make out for pay and supplies?....This morning I expect a visit from Mr. [Barbe-] Marbois....I shall make it an occasion of mentioning to him, what has long been my opinion: that were France to give money & subsidy, she could not lay it out to better advantage that to assist us with 5 or 6000 men more, and a Million of hard money. It will save her many millions and had we this sum in a Bank it would give a reality to the currency, and command such a value as it ought to have. But now it is like a perishable animal -- a Body without a Soul."
Paine is no longer under attack by his enemies: "...all my opposers become mute....If I had been six foot high I would have licked some of them soundly," though he would not have challenged any to duel, for he sets "to much value upon my self to go out of the world for a Trifle and should be ashamed to have it said that after living like a Philosopher I died a fool." He concludes with the hope that Greene will be able to visit him soon and asks him to "present my compliments to Gen. Washington and his Family..." Paine forwards "this days paper in which there is not a syllable of mine -- but in the paper of the 11th Inst you will see a little piece of light reading which in a leisure hour I amused myself with putting together." In addition, he sends "the last Crisis," probably his Crisis Extraordinary, published this month, on the financing of the Revolution. In a telling postscript, he tells an anecdote regarding his verses in answer to Willaim Duer's anonymous Plain Truth (1776), an attack on Paine's Common Sense (1776) and its author: "when they came out Governier [Gouvernour Morris] said, what a dammed Slap Paine has given [William] Duer -- and Duer said -- By God how Paine has rolled Mr. Morris..."
Provenance:
1. The Elsie O. and Philip D. Sang Foundation (sale, Sotheby Parke Bernet, 26 April 1978, lot 233, not noting the Washington docket)
2. Anonymous owner (sale, Christie's, 14 December 1984, lot 227, not noting the Washington docket).