As I have not time to copy letters, you will excuse the corrections.
1 In reading this letter at the trial the Attorney
interspersed comments. At the phrase, "Mr. Guelph and his
profligate sons," he exclaimed: "This passage is
contemptuous, scandalous, false, cruel. Why, gentlemen, is
Mr. Paine, in addition to the political doctrines he is
teaching us in this country, to teach us the morality and
religion of implacability? Is he to teach human creatures,
whose moments of existence depend upon the permission of a
Being, merciful, long-suffering, and of great goodness, that
those youthful errors from which even royalty is not
exempted, are to be treasured up in a vindictive memory, and
are to receive sentence of irremissible sin at His hands....
If giving me pain was his object he has that hellish
gratification." Erskine, Fame's counsel, protested in
advance against the reading of this letter (of which he had
heard), as containing matter likely to divert the Jury from
the subject of prosecution (the book). Lord Kenyon admitted
the letter.—Editor.
P. S. I intended, had I staid in England, to have published the information, with my remarks upon it, before the trial came on; but as I am otherwise engaged, I reserve myself till the trial is over, when I shall reply fully to every thing you shall advance.
XIII. ON THE PROPRIETY OF BRINGING LOUIS XVI. TO TRIAL.(1)
Read to the Convention, November 21, 1792.
Paris, Nov. 20, 1792.
Citizen President,
As I do not know precisely what day the Convention will resume the discussion on the trial of Louis XVI., and, on account of my inability to express myself in French, I cannot speak at the tribune, I request permission to deposit in your hands the enclosed paper, which contains my opinion on that subject. I make this demand with so much more eagerness, because circumstances will prove how much it imports to France, that Louis XVI. should continue to enjoy good health. I should be happy if the Convention would have the goodness to hear this paper read this morning, as I propose sending a copy of it to London, to be printed in the English journals.(2)
Thomas Paine.