Page:Henry Adams' History of the United States Vol. 1.djvu/329

316 days after announcing in his Inaugural Address, "We are all Republicans—we are all Federalists," and appealing for harmony and affection in social intercourse, Jefferson wrote a letter to the famous Thomas Paine, then at Paris waiting for means of conveyance to America. A sloop-of-war, the "Maryland," was under orders for Havre to carry the ratification of the new treaty with France, and the Present made his first use of the navy to pay a public compliment to Paine.


 * "You expressed a wish," he wrote, "to get a passage to this country in a public vessel. Mr. Dawson is charged with orders to the captain of the 'Maryland' to receive and accommodate you with a passage back, if you can be ready to depart at such short warning. . . .  I am in hopes you will find us returned generally to sentiments worthy of former times.  In these it will be your glory to have steadily labored, and with as much effect as any man living.  That you may long live to continue your useful labors, and to reap their reward in the thankfulness of nations, is my sincere prayer.  Accept assurances of my high esteem and affectionate attachment."

The sentiments in which Pain gloried "to have steadily labored," so far as they were recent, chiefly consisted in applause of the French Revolution, in libels on President Washington and his successor, and in assaults on the Christian religion. Whether he was right or wrong need not be discussed. Even though he were correct in them all, and was entitled to