I congratulate you on the return of Peace.  The War both in America and Europe was designed by Tyrant Kings to exterminate those rights and liberties which the Gracious Creator has granted to Man, and to sink the happiness resulting therefrom in ruin and oblivion.—­Is there not, my friend, reason to believe, that the principles of Democratic Republicanism are already better understood than they were before; and that by the continued efforts of Men of Science and Virtue, they will extend more and more till the turbulent and destructive Spirit of War shall cease?—­The proud oppressors over the Earth shall be totally broken down and those classes of Men who have hitherto been the victims of their rage and cruelty shall perpetually enjoy perfect Peace and Safety till time shall be no more.

I am

Your cordial friend

1802

TO THOMAS PAINE

[W.  V. Wells, Life of Samuel Adams, vol iii , pp 372, 373]

Boston, November 30, 1802.

Sir,—­

I have frequently with pleasure reflected on your services to my native and your adopted country.  Your Common Sense, and your Crisis, unquestionably awakened the public mind, and led the people loudly to call for a declaration of our national independence.  I therefore esteemed you as a warm friend to the liberty and lasting welfare of the human race.  But when I heard you had turned your mind to a defence of infidelity, I felt myself much astonished and more grieved, that you had attempted a measure so injurious to the feelings and so repugnant to the true interest of so great a part of the citizens of the United States.  The people of New England, if you will allow me to use a Scripture phrase, are fast returning to their first love.  Will you excite among them the spirit of angry controversy at a time when they are hastening to amity and peace?  I am told that some of our newspapers have announced your intention to publish an additional pamphlet upon the principles of your Age of Reason.  Do you think that your pen, or the pen of any other man, can unchristianize the mass of our citizens, or have you hopes of converting a few of them to assist you in so bad a cause?  We ought to think ourselves happy in the enjoyment of opinion, without the danger of persecution by civil or ecclesiastical law.  Our friend, the President of the United States, has been calumniated for his liberal sentiments by men who have attributed that liberality to a latent design to promote the cause of infidelity.  This, and all other slanders, have been made without the least shadow of proof.  Neither religion nor liberty can long subsist in the tumult of altercation, and amidst the noise and violence of faction.  Felix qui cautus.  Adieu.

*** End of the project gutenberg EBOOK, the original writings of Samuel Adams, volume 4 ***