SPEECH IN THE NATIONAL CONVENTION,

ON THE QUESTION,

"SHALL, OR SHALL NOT, A RESPITE OF THE SENTENCE OF LOUIS XVI. TAKE PLACE?"

I HAVE Voted for the detention of Louis, and his banishment after the war, but I am much afraid that the speedy execution of the sentence of Louis will rather pass for a deed of vengeance than a measure of justice. I wish the Convention had voted as the nation would; I mean for imprisonment.

The United States of America have the utmost veneration for Louis, who gave them liberty. And I can pledge myself to you, that the sentence of Louis will overwhelm all the Americans with consternation. And remember, that it is they who will alone supply you with all the timber and naval stores you shall want in the maritime war you are about to declare. The north of Europe is ready to bring its forces against you. You mean to send an ambassador to Philadelphia; my sincere wish is, that he may announce to the Americans, that the National Convention of France, from pure friendship to America, has consented to respite the sentence of Louis.

Citizens, let not a neighbouring despot enjoy the satisfaction of seeing that man mount the scaffold, who has broke the irons of the Americans.

ON LOUISIANA, AND EMISSARIES.

THE latest news from New-Orleans, in a letter from Major Claiborne, dated New-Orleans, August 29th, says, "It is now within a few minutes of the time when letters must go to the Post-office. I have waited to give you some information from Natchitoches, in case any should arrive, but no dispatches are received from Governor Claiborne, nor do we hear any thing more of (the Spanish) Governor Taxos and his nine hundred men.

"The city of New-Orleans is in perfect tranquillity, and the inhabitants thereof, and of the country, (Louisiana) continue to enjoy good health."

Carpenter's emissary paper asserted a few days ago, that terrible discontents existed in Louisiana, and that Buonaparte would avail himself thereof, and seize upon that country. The man who asserts and circulates false reports ought to be prosecuted. The press is free for the discussion of principle, but not for lying.

Pierpoint Edwards has taken the liars and alarmists of Connecticut in hand, and I hope he will not let those of New-York escape.

We have in all our cities and sea ports, a considerable number of men, chiefly dry good merchants, who are parties or agents of British merchants; these men want to embroil us with France and Spain, and there is no lying they will stick at to promote it; but they had better pack themselves off, for if Buonaparte should come, as they predict, and ought to be afraid of, he will trim their jackets, and make them pay the ex pense; and as to Carpenter, his nose will go to the grindstone. But the fellow, if caught, will turn informer, and impeach his employers. "Here," he will say, "is my list of subscribers, fall on them. I will show you where they live, and where their property is."

The continual abuse and blackguardism in Carpenter's paper VOL. II. 58

against France and Spain ought not to be permitted. If he must do it, let him go back to his own country and do it. France has always behaved with honour to the United States, and we are perfectly easy on that score. It was by her aid we drove off the British invaders in the revolutionary war, and if she has a mind to come and drive off the scoundrels and British emissaries that seek to embroil the United States and France with each other, we will not fortify New-York to prevent it. Let those pay the expense of fortifying who expose it to danger. The cheapest way to fortify New-York, will be to banish the scoundrels that infest it. When we are a peaceable people, and mind our own business, and let other nations and governments alone, we shall not stand in need of fortifications; but when we give protection and encouragement to foreign emissaries, we must expect trouble.

It is but a little time since the British ministry sent several of its emissaries to some of the states of Germany, to carry on conspiracies against France, and when the French government found it out, they sent an armed force and seized those emissaries. Two of the English ministers resident at those German states had to fly the country. The English minister, Drake, who was at Munich, was one of them. It is not because NewYork is more remote from France than those states were, that conspiracies can be carried on with greater safety, or ought to be permitted. Two or three thousand French troops would soon scour New-York, and carry off a cargo of conspirators. The Feds who encourage Carpenter (this emissary's name is Cullen) are cutting their own throats.

This man, Carpenter, for this is the name he goes by at present, is now a professed British emissary. He has been running over the world in quest of adventures, and he has taken up his residence at New-York, to carry on his treason against the peace of the United States. In the height of his folly, madness, and ignorance, he has proposed in two or three of his late papers, (beginning with that of Oct. 6th,) that the United States should join England in a war against France and Spain, and enter into an alliance with her. A man never turns a rogue but he turns a fool, and this is always the case with emissaries.

Does not this foolish fellow see that all those powers on the continent of Europe that formed alliances with England have been ruined? The late coalition against France consisted of five hundred thousand men, exclusive of England, and every one of the powers concerned in that coalition has had to repent it. The Emperor of Germany is dismissed from his rank as empeThe Emperor of Russia has been beaten into humiliation and peace. The dominions of the house of Austria have been reduced to a narrow compass, and the remaining part obliged to pay tribute. The King of Naples has lost his dominions. The Elector of Hanover has lost his electorate.

ror.

These are the fruits of forming alliances with England; yet with all these examples of ruin staring us in the face, this emissary of corruption, Carpenter, or Cullen, or whatever his travelling name may be, wants the United States to run their head into the fiery furnace of a war on the part of England. This emissary had better pack himself off, for we have those among us who know him.

Oct. 11, 1806,

THOMAS PAINE,

-A CHALLENGE TO THE FEDERALISTS TO DECLARE THEIR PRINCIPLES.

THE old names of Whig and Tory have given place to the later names of Republicans and Federalists; by contraction Feds. The word Republican contains some meaning, though not very positive, except that it is the opposite of monarchy; but the word Federalist contains none. It is merely a name without a meaning. It may apply to a gang of thieves federalized to commit robbery, or to any other kind of association. When men form themselves into political parties, it is customary with them to make a declaration of their principles. But the Feds do not declare what their principles are; from which we may infer, that either they have no principles, and are mere snarlers, or that their principles are too bad to be told. Their object, however, is to get possession of power; and their caution is to conceal the use they will make of it. Such men ought not to be trusted.

The Republicans, on the contrary, are open and frank, in declaring their principles, for they are of a nature that requires no concealment. The more they are published and understood, the more they are approved.

The principles of the Republicans are, to support the representative system of government, and to leave it an inheritance to their children; to cultivate peace and civil manners with all nations, as the surest means of avoiding wars, and never to embroil themselves in the wars of other nations, nor in foreign coalitions; to adjust and settle all differences that might arise with foreign nations, by explanation and negotiation in preference to the sword, if it can be done; to have no more taxes than are necessary for the decent support of government; to pay every man for his service, and to have no more servants than are wanted.