hat William Cobbet was about to
write a life of Paine, sent him the following note: I must tell you
now that it is of great importance to find out whether Paine recanted.
If he recanted, then the Bible is true--you can rest assured that a
spring of water gushed out of a dead dry bone. If Paine recanted,
there is not the slightest doubt about that donkey making that speech
to Mr. Baalam--not the slightest--and if Paine did not recant, then the
whole thing is a mistake. I want to show that Thomas Paine died as he
has lived, a friend of man and without superstition, and if you will
stay here I will do it.

"New York, April 21, 1818.--Sir: Having been informed that you have a
design to write a history of the life and writings of Thomas Paine, if
you have been furnished with materials in respect to his religious
opinions, or rather of his recantation of his former opinions before
his death, all you have heard of his recanting is false. Being aware
that such reports would be raised after his death by fanatics who
infested his house at the time it was expected he would die, we, the
subscribers, intimate acquaintances of Thomas Paine since the year
1776, went to his house. He was sitting up in a chair, and apparently
in full vigor and use of all his mental faculties. We interrogated him
upon his religious opinions, and if he had changed his mind, or
repented of anything he had said or wrote on that subject. He
answered, "Not at all," and appeared rather offended at our supposition
that any change should take place in his mind. We took down in writing
the questions put to him and his answers thereto, before a number of
persons then in his room, among whom were his doctor, Mrs. Bonneville,
etc. This paper is mislaid and can not be found at present, but the
above is the substance, which can be attested by many living
witnesses.--Thomas Nixon, Daniel Pelton"

Mr. Jarvis, the artist, saw Mr. Paine one or two days before his death.
To Mr. Jarvis he expressed his belief in his written opinions upon the
subject of religion. B.F. Haskin, an attorney of the City of New York,
also visited him, and inquired as to his religious opinions. Paine was
then upon the threshold of death, but he did not tremble, he was not a
coward. He expressed his firm and unshaken belief in the religious
ideas he had given to the world.

Dr. Manly was with him when he spoke his last words. Dr. Manly asked
the dying man, and Dr. Manly was a C