“ & lent it to me, desiring when I should have read it, that I would send it to a m( ^~ r) J. B. Smith, who had asked it for his brother to reprint it. being an utter stranger to J. B. Smith, both by sight and character. [punct. sic-- Ed.] I wrote a note to explain to him why I (a stranger to him) sent him a pamphlet, towit, that m( ^~ r) Beckley had desired it; & to take off a little of the dryness of the note, I added that I was glad to find it was to be reprinted, that something would at length be publicly said against the political heresies which had lately sprung up among us, & that I did not doubt our citizens would rally again around the standard of Common sense. that I had in my view the Discourses of Davila, which have filled Fenno’s papers for a twelvemonth, without contradiction, is certain. but nothing was ever further from my thoughts than to become myself the contradictor before the public. to my great astonishment however, when the pamphlet came out, the printer had prefixed my note to it, without having given me the most distant hint of it. m ( ^~ r) Adams will unquestionably take to himself the charge of political heresy. as conscious of his own views of drawing the present government to the form of the English constitution, and I fear will consider me as meaning to injure him in the public eye.--I learn that some Anglomen have censured it in another point of view, as a sanction of Paine’s principles tends to give offence to the British government. their real fear however is that this popular & republican pamphlet, taking wonderfully, is likely at a single stroke to wipe out all their unconstitutional doctrines which their bell-weather Davila has been preaching for a twelvemonth. I certainly never made a secret of my being anti-monarchical, & anti-aristocratical: but I am sincerely mortified to be thus brought forward on the public stage, where to remain, to advance or to retire, will be equally against my love of silence & quiet, & my abhorrence of dispute . . . ”

The “ note” prefixed by the printer reads as follows: The following Extract from a note accompanying a copy of this Pamphlet for republication, is so respectable a testimony of its value, that the Printer hopes the distinguished writer will excuse its present appearance. It proceeds from a character equally eminent in the councils of America, and conversant in the affairs of France, from a long and recent residence at the Court of Versailles in the Diplomatic department; and, at the same time that it does justice to the writings of Mr. Paine, it reflects honor on the source from which it flows, by directing the mind to a contemplation of that Republican firmness and Democratic simplicity which endear their possessor to every friend of the “Rights of Man.”

After some prefatory remarks, the Secretary of State observes:

“I am extremely pleased to find it will be re-printed here, and that something is at length to be publicly said against the political heresies which have sprung up among us.

I have no doubt our citizens will rally a second time round the standard of Common Sense.”

The day after his letter to the President, on May 9, Jefferson wrote to Madison: “ . . . have you seen the Philadelphia edñ of Paine’s pamphlet? you know you left Beckley’s copy in my hands. he called on me for it, before I had quite finished it, & desired me when done to send it to J. B. Smith whose brother was to reprint it. when I was proceeding to send it, I found it necessary to write a note to m ( ^~ r) Smith to explain why I, a perfect stranger to him, sent him the pamphlet. I mentioned it to be by the desire of m( ^~ r) Beckley, & to take off a little of the dryness of the note, added, currente calamo, that I was pleased to find it was to be reprinted here, that something was at length to be publicly said against the political heresies which had of late sprung up among us, not doubting but that our citizens would rally again round the standard of Common sense. I thought no more of this & heard no more till the pamphlet appeared to my astonishment with my note at the head of it. I never saw J. B. Smith or the printer either before or since. I had in view certainly the doctrines of Davila. I tell the writer freely that he is a heretic, but certainly never meant to step into a public newspaper with that in my mouth. I have just reason therefore to think he will be displeased. Col ^o. Hamilton & Col ^o. Beckwith are open mouthed against me, taking it in another view, as likely to give offence to the court of London. H. adds further that it marks my opposition to the government. thus endeavoring to turn on the government itself those censures I meant for the enemies of the government. to wit those who want to change it into a monarchy. I have reason to think he has been unreserved in uttering these sentiments . . . ”