Tom Paine
Writer and Revolutionary
Jill Scholey
19th Jan 2012
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Paine started planning to go undercover to England to rouse the English towards their own revolution.
He was dissuaded by friends who thought the idea too dangerous.
Then an opportunity arose for him to journey to France with John Laurens, to ask the French government for aid to fight against the British.
Paine and Laurens set sail in the winter of 1781.
The passage was traumatic, and the ship nearly ran into icebergs.
However, Paine arrived in France a month later, unkempt but in good spirits.
Paine received a hero’s welcome from the French monarchist government despite his overt republicanism.
He worked as an unofficial Secretary to Laurens who, with Benjamin Franklin, was arranging military aid.
Once the aid was secured, Paine returned to America ,landing back at Boston in August 1781.
As a political writer, Paine’s role in public life was less secure the closer that America travelled towards peace.
He strengthened his friendship with General Washington, the future President of America.
He also befriended Robert Morris, a powerful politician, and it was through these friendships that Paine managed to secure employment.
Paine wrote an essay entitled Letter to the Abbe Raynal, on the Affairs of North America in 1782 (Raynal had written a history of the America Revolution).
Paine’s essay developed his ideas that revolution should spread throughout Europe.
Paine viewed himself as a world citizen, and firmly believed America could act a model for other countries.
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