answer to the Rights of Man,' has been one of the promoters of this prosecution; and I shall return the compliment to him by shewing, in a future publication, that he has been a masked pensioner at £1500 per annum for about ten years.

"Thus it is that the public money is wasted, and the dread of public investigation is produced.

This letter was written previous to Mr. Paine's quitting England, and is, the writer believes, the only letter he ever wrote to Sir Archibald Macdonald.

It is the more necessary to state this as a letter said to be Mr. Paine's was read on his trial; a letter calculated to make much

against him, and which was no doubt, as Mr. Erskine asserted, a forged one. This letter, even if genuine, was not evidence, was not charged in the information, and ought not to have made any part in the trial.

Of this letter Mr. Erskine, now Lord Erskine, thus remarked on Mr. Paine's trial:

"I consider that letter and indeed have "always heard it treated as a forgery, con"trived to injure the merits of the cause, "and to embarrass me personally in its de"fence: I have a right so to consider it, "because it is unsupported by any thing "similar at an earlier period. The defen"dant's whole deportment previous to the

publication has been wholly unexception"able he properly desired to be given up

as the author of the book if any enquiry "should take place concerning it; and he "is not affected in evidence, directly or in

66

directly, with any illegal or suspicious "conduct, not even with uttering an indis

"creet or taunting expression, nor with any "one matter or thing inconsistent with the "best subject in England.

"His opinions, indeed, were adverse to our system, but I maintain that opinion is free, and that conduct alone is amenable to "the law.”* As the proclamation which

rise to the Letter to the Addressers' is a gave curious document, and evinces the temper of the powers that were of that day, it is for the entertainment of the reader here inserted ;

"The London Gazette, published by authority, from Saturday, May 19, to Tuesday, May 22.

"By the King, a Proclamation.

"George R..

"Whereas divers wicked and seditious wri

The reader is referred to Mr. Erskine's speech on Mr. Paine's trial, as a most luminous exhibition of just reasoning, sound argument, interesting quotations, and manly eloquence.

tings have been printed, published, and industriously dispersed, tending to excite tumult and disorder, by endeavouring to raise groundless jealousies and discontents in the minds of our faithful and loving subjects respecting the laws and happy constitution of government, civil and religious, established in this kingdom, and endeavouring to vilify, and bring into contempt, the wise and wholesome provisions made at the time of the glorious revolution, and since strengthened and confirmed by subsequent laws for the preservation and security of the rights and liberties of our faithful and loving subjects: and whereas divers writings have also been printed, published, and industriously dispersed, recommending the said wicked and seditious publications to the attention of all our faithful and loving subjects: and whereas we have also reason to believe that correspondencies have been entered into with sundry persons in foreign parts with a view to forward the criminal and wicked purposes above mentioned: and whereas the wealth, happiness and prosperity of this kingdom do, under divine providence, chiefly depend upon

a due submission to the laws, a just confidence in the integrity and wisdom of parliament, and a continuance of that zealous attachment to that government and constitution of the kingdom which has ever prevailed in the minds of the people thereof: and whereas there is nothing which we

so earnestly desire as to secure the public peace and prosperity, and to preserve to all our loving subjects the full enjoyment of their rights and liberties, both religious and civil : We, therefore, being resolved, as far as in us lies, to repress the wicked and seditious practices aforesaid, and to deter all persons from following so pernicious an example, have thought fit, by the advice of our privy council, to issue this our Royal Proclamation, solemnly warning all our loving subjects, as they tender their own happiness, and that of their posterity, to guard against all such attempts, which aim at the subversion of all regular government within this kingdom, and which are inconsistent with the peace and order of society and earnestly exhorting them at all times, and to the utmost of their power, to avoid and discourage all proceedings, tending to produce tumults and