he is
teaching us in this country, to teach us the morality and
religion of implacability? Is he to teach human creatures,
whose moments of existence depend upon the permission of a
Being, merciful, long-suffering, and of great goodness, that
those youthful errors from which even royalty is not
exempted, are to be treasured up in a vindictive memory, and
are to receive sentence of irremissible sin at His hands....
If giving me pain was his object he has that hellish
gratification." Erskine, Fame's counsel, protested in
advance against the reading of this letter (of which he had
heard), as containing matter likely to divert the Jury from
the subject of prosecution (the book). Lord Kenyon admitted
the letter.--_Editor._

P. S. I intended, had I staid in England, to have published the
information, with my remarks upon it, before the trial came on; but as
I am otherwise engaged, I reserve myself till the trial is over, when I
shall reply fully to every thing you shall advance.

XIII. ON THE PROPRIETY OF BRINGING LOUIS XVI. TO TRIAL.(1)

Read to the Convention, November 21, 1792.

Paris, Nov. 20, 1792.

Citizen President,

As I do not know precisely what day the Convention will resume the
discussion on the trial of Louis XVI., and, on account of my inability
to express myself in French, I cannot speak at the tribune, I request
permission to deposit in your hands the enclosed paper, which contains
my opinion on that subject. I make this demand with so much more
eagerness, because circumstances will prove how much it imports to
France, that Louis XVI. should continue to enjoy good health. I should
be happy if the Convention would have the goodness to hear this paper
read this morning, as I propose sending a copy of it to London, to be
printed in the English journals.(2)

Thomas Paine.

1 This address, which has suffered by alterations in all
editions is here revised and completed by aid of the
official document: "Opinion de Thomas Payne, Depute du
Departement de la Somme [error], concernant le jugement de
Louis XVI. Precede par sa lettre d'envoi au President de la
Convention. Imprime par ordre de la Convention Nationale. A
Paris. De l'Imprimerie Nationale." Lamartine has censured
Paine for this speech; but the trial of the King was a
foregone conclusion, and it will be noted that Paine was
alre