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.

"I am, SIR,

"Your obedient humble Servant,

"THOMAS PAINE."

"To Sir A. MACDONALD,

Attorney-General."

The business being thus settled with respect to Jordan, and he consenting to give up the documents in his possession relative to the Rights of Man, in order to facilitate their means of proceeding against the author, they commenced their prosecution against the latter on the 21st of May. On the same day they issued their celebrated proclamation against what they were pleased to term "seditious writings." The authors of this document, preserved a careful silence as to the specific object of their alarms, but it was easy to discoyer that their intention was to cry down the Rights of Man, and to influence the verdict of the jury which was to try the author. Another

expedient was likewise resorted to, that of procuring addresses in favour of the existing system of government from the corporations, rotten boroughs, and other places under the influence of the ministry. Nothing could be more despicable than these addresses, and

* As a contrast to these contemptible and fulsome specimens of servility, I subjoin the following:

"At a Meeting of the Manchester Constitutional Society, held this day, it was unanimously resolved,

"That the thanks of this Society are due to Mr. Thomas Paine, for the publication of his "Second Part of the Rights of Man, combining Principle and Practice," a work of the highest importance to every nation under heaven; but particularly to this, as containing excellent and practical plans for an immediate and considerable reduction of the public expenditure; for the prevention of wars; for the extension of our manufactures and commerce; for the education of the young, for the comfortable support of the aged; for the better maintenance of the poor of every description; and, finally, for lessening greatly, and without delay, the enormous load of taxes under which this country at present labours.

"That this Society congratulate their countrymen at large, on the influence which Mr. Paine's publications appear to have had, in procuring the repeal of some oppressive taxes in the present session of Parliament; and they hope that this adoption of a small part of Mr. Paine's ideas, will be followed by the most strenuous exertions to accomplish a complete reform in the present inadequate state of the representation

nothing more glaring than the conduct of their promoters, who were chiefly persons directly or indirectly interested in the support of public abuses: but despicable as they were, they served in some measure the purpose of the moment in decrying the character of a work, and de

of the people, and that the other great plans of public benefit, which Mr. Paine has so powerfully recommended, will be speedily carried into effect.

March 13, 1792.

"THOMAS WALKER, President. "SAMUEL JACKSON, Secretary."

Sheffield Society for Constitutional Information.

"This Society, composed chiefly of the manufacturers of Sheffield, began about four months ago, and is already increased to nearly two thousand members, and is daily increasing, exclusive of the adjacent towns and villages who are forming themselves into similar societies.

"Considering, as we do, that the want of knowledge and information in the general mass of the people, has exposed them to numberless impositions and abuses, the exertions of this Society are directed to the acquirement of useful knowledge, and to spread the same as far as our endeavours and abilities can extend.

"We declare that we have derived more true knowledge from the two works of Mr. THOMAS PAINE, entitled Rights of Man, Part the First and Second, than from any author on the subject. The practice as well as the principle of government is laid down, in those works, in a manner so clear and

faming the reputation of a man whose arguments were unanswerable, and whose character was irreproachable. A great number of pamphlets, intended as answers to the Rights of Man, had issued from the press, but such was the irresistible nature of truth, that these

irresistibly convincing, that this Society do hereby resolve to give their thanks to Mr. Paine for his two said publications, entitled Rights of Man, Part 1st and 2d. Also,

"Resolved unanimously, That the thanks of this Society be given to Mr. Paine, for the affectionate concern he has shewn in his second work in behalf of the poor, the infant, and the aged; who, notwithstanding the opulence which blesses other parts of the community, are by the grievous weight of taxes, rendered the miserable victims of poverty and wretchedness.

"Resolved unanimously, That the thanks of this Society be given to JOHN HORNE TOOKE, Esq. for his meritorious support of our lawful privileges, as a firm advocate of our natural and just rights, the establishment of an equal representation of the people.

"Resolved unanimously, That this Society disdaining to be considered either of a ministerial or opposition party (names of which we are tired, having been so often deceived by both) do ardently recommend it to all their fellow-citizens, into whose hands these resolutions may come, to confer seriously and calmly with each other on the subject alluded to; and to manifest to the world, that the spirit of true liberty is a spirit of order; and that to obtain justice it is consistent that we be just to ourselves.

puny and feeble efforts on the part of wounded corruption no sooner appeared than they vanished, and a few short weeks consigned them and their authors to eternal oblivion. They therefore determined that an appeal to popular clamour would serve their cause better than an appeal to reason, and the verdict of a packed jury would answer their purpose better than any attempt to argue the merits of the work on the principles of truth and justice.

While the ministers of despotism were thus revelling in the anticipation of their plots and

"Resolved unanimously, That these Resolutions be printed, and that a copy thereof be transmitted to the Society for Constitutional Information, London, requesting their approbation for twelve of our friends to be entered into their society for the purpose of establishing a connection and a regular communication with that and all other similar societies in the kingdom.

March 14, 1792.

"By Order of the Committee,

"DAVID MARTIN, Chairman."

The above are selected from a number of others of a similar description. They shew that Mr. Paine had the approbation of the most independent portion of the people, though his writings were not sanctioned by the aristocracy, the landed interest, or any other class interested in the protection of a corrupt system of government.