Thomas Paine

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THE LIFE AND WRITINGS OF THOMAS PAINE
Volume I. Biographies & Appreciations 1. Introduction 2. Life of Paine 3. Erskine Defense of Paine 4. Father of Republics 5. American Revolution 6. Ingersoll on Paine 7. Journey to the Home 8. A Square Deal Volume II. Common Sense & Miscellaneous Essays Introduction Explanatory Preface Common Sense 1. Common Sense 2. Monarchy and Hereditary Succession 3. Thoughts of the Present State of American Affairs 4. Of the Present Ability of America 5. Appendix 6. Epistle to Quakers Miscellaneous Essays 1. African Slavery in America 2. A Dialogue Between General Wolfe 3. Magazine in America 4. Useful and Entertaining Hints 5. Anecdotes Alexander the Great 6. Reflections Lord Clive 7. Cupid and Hymen 8. Duelling 9. Reflections on Titles 10. The Dream Interpreted 11. Reflections on Unhappy Marriages 12. Thoughts on Defensive War 13. An Occasional Letter on the Female Sex 14. A Serious Thought 15. The Foresters Letters 16. A Dialogue 17. Retreat Across the Delaware 18. Letter to Franklin in Paris 19. The Affair of Silas Deane Volume III. the American Crisis 1. The Crisis I 2. The Crisis II, To Lord Howe 3. The Crisis III 4. The Crisis IV 5. The Crisis V, To General Howe 6. The Crisis VI, To the Earl of Carlisle Etc 7. The Crisis VII, To the People of England 8. The Crisis VIII, Address to the People of England 9. The Crisis IX, 10. The Crisis X, On the Subject of Taxation 11. The Crisis XI, On the King of England's Speech 12. The Crisis XII, On the Present State of News 13. The Crisis XIII, To Sir Guy Carleton 14. The Crisis XIV, To the Earl of Shelbourne 15. The Crisis XV, 16. The Crisis XVI, To the People of America Volume IV. Rights of Man, Part I. 1. To George Washington 2. Historical Preface 3. Preface to English Edition 4. Preface to French Edition 5. Rights of Man, Part I 6. Declaration of the Rights of Man 7. Observations on the Declaration of Rights 8. Miscellaneous Chapter 9. Conclusion Rights of Man, Part II. Rights of Man, Part II, Preface. I. Of Society and Civilisation II. On the Origin of the Present Old Governments III. Of the Old and New Systems of Government IV. On Constitutions Volume V. Rights of Man, Part II & Miscellaneous Essays Rights of Man, Part II. V. Plus Appendix Ways and Means of Improving Miscellaneous Essays 1. To the Authors of Le Republicain 2. A Republican Manifesto 3. To the Abbe Sieyes 4. To the Attorney General 5. To Mr Secretary Dundas 6. Letters to Onslow Cranley 7. To the Sheriff of the County of Sussex 8. To Mr Secretary Dundas 9. Letter Addressed to the Addressers 10. Address to the People of France 11. Essay Written to Aid New Republicans 12. To the Attorney General on the Prosecution 13. On the Propriety of Bringing Louis Xvi to Trial 14. Reasons For Preserving the Life of Louis Capet 15. Shall Louis Xvi Be Respited 16. Plan of A Declaration 17. Answers to Four Questions Volume VI. the Age of Reason, Part I. 1. To My Fellow Citizens of the U.S.A. 2. Age of Reason Part1 3. Age of Reason Part2 Preface 4. Age of Reason Part2 5. The New Testament 6. Conclusion 7. Age of Reason Letters 8. Age of Reason Prosecution Volume VII. the Age of Reason, Part II. 1. The Existence of God 2. Worship and Church Bells 3. Extract from a Reply to the Bishop of Llandaff 4. Origin of Freemasonry 5. Prospect Papers 6. Examination of Prophecies 7. A Letter to Andrew Dean 8. Predestination Volume VIII. Essays, Letters and Addresses. 1. To the Public on Mr Deanes Affair 2. Autobiographical Sketch 3. Messrs Deane Jay and Gerard 4. 1 Peace and the Newfoundland Fisheries 5. 2 Peace and the Newfoundland Fisheries 6. 3 Peace and the Newfoundland Fisheries 7. The American Philosophical Society 8. Emancipation of Slaves 9. Public Good 10. Intro Letter to the Abbe Raynal 1782 11. Letter to the Abbe Raynal 1782 12. Dissertations on Government the Affairs Volume IX. Essays, Letters and Addresses. 1. The Society For Political Enquiries 2. Prospects on the Rubicon 3. Specification of Thomas Paine 4. Letter to Jefferson in Paris 1789-02-16 5. Address and Declaration 6. Private Letters to Jefferson 7. Letter to Danton 8. A Citizen of America to the Citizens of Europe 9. Appeal to the Convention 10. Memorial Addressed to James Monroe 11. Addenda 12. Letter to George Washington 13. Observations 14. Dissertation on First Principles of Government 15. The Constitution of 1795 16. The Decline and Fall of the English System of Finance 17. Forgetfulness Volume X. Essays, Letters and Poems. 1. Agrarian Justice 2. The Eighteenth Fructidor 3. The Recall of Monroe 4. Private Letter to Thomas Jefferson 5. Proposal That Louisiana Be Purchased 6. Thomas Paine to the Citizens of the United States 7. To the French Inhabitants of Louisiana 8. Case of the Officers of Excise 9. Letter to Dr Goldsmith 10. Scientific Memoranda 11. The Iron Bridge 12. The Construction of Iron Bridges 13. To the People of England on the Invasion of England 14. Constitutional Reform 15. Constitutions Governments, and Charters 16. The Cause of Yellow Fever 17. Liberty of the Press 18. Songs and Rhymes 19. The Will of Thomas Paine

EMANCIPATION OF SLAVES

Preamble to the Act Passed by The Pennsylvania Assembly, March 1, 1780.

1. When we contemplate our abhorrence of that condition, to which the arms and tyranny of Great Britain were exerted to reduce us, when we look back on the variety of dangers to which we have been exposed, and how miraculously our wants in many instances have been supplied, and our deliverances wrought, when even hope and human fortitude have become unequal to the conflict, we are unavoidably led to a serious and grateful sense of the manifold blessings, which we have undeservedly received from the hand of that Being, from whom every good and perfect gift cometh.

Impressed with these ideas, we conceive that it is our duty, and we rejoice that it is in our power, to extend a portion of that freedom to others, which hath been extended to us, and release them from the state of thralldom, to which we ourselves were tyrannically doomed, and from which we have now every prospect of being delivered. It is not for us to inquire why, in the creation of mankind, the inhabitants of the severalparts of the earth were distinguished by a difference in feature or complexion. It is sufficient to know that all are the work of the Almighty Hand. We find in the distribution of the human species, that the most fertile as well as the most barren parts of the earth are inhabited by men of complexions different from ours, and from each other; from whence we may reasonably as well as religiously infer, that He, who placed them in their various situations, hath extended equally His care and protection to all, and that it becometh not us to counteract His mercies.

We esteem it a peculiar blessing granted to us, that we are enabled this day to add one more step to universal civilization, by removing, as much as possible, the sorrows of those who have lived in undeserved bondage, and from which, by the assumed authority of the Kings of Great Britain, no effectual legal relief could be obtained. Weaned, by a long course of experience from those narrow prejudices and partialities we had imbibed, we find our hearts enlarged with kindness and benevolence toward men of all conditions and nations; and we conceive ourselves at this particular period particularly called upon by the blessings which we have received, to manifestthe sincerity of our profession, and to give a substantial proof of our gratitude.

2. And whereas the condition of those persons, who have heretofore been denominated Negro and mulatto slaves, has been attended with circumstances, which not only deprived them of the common blessings that they were by nature entitled to, but has cast them into the deepest afflictions, by an unnatural separation and sale of husband and wife from each other and from their children, an injury, the greatness of which can only be conceived by supposing that we were in the same unhappy case. In justice, therefore, to persons so unhappily circumstanced, and who, having no prospect before them whereon they may rest their sorrows and their hopes, have no reasonable inducement to render their services to society, which they otherwise might, and also in grateful commemoration of our own happy deliverance from that state of unconditional submission to which we were doomed by the tyranny of Britain,

3. Be it enacted.. etc.

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