21 



he turned tory.* 1 told him 1 believed that he had his 

 hand dossed with British gold, Mi. Charles Christian 

 was present, he said to Cheetham that is a bold attack 

 of Carver's in your own house: he replied and said 1 

 know Carver, he will contradict a Judge on the bench 

 if he thinks him not right : but he did not deny the charge. 

 When Paine was on his death bed, I wrote him the fol- 

 lowing letter, this shows what opinion I had of him, 1 

 think he was one of the greatest men that ever lived. 



DEAR SIR: 



I have heard that you are much indisposed in health, 

 and that your mind, at present, is not reconciled to me : 

 be that as it may, 1 can assure you that on my part, 1 

 bear no ill-will, but still remain your sincere well-wisher; 

 and am still a zealous supporter and defender of the 

 principles that you have advocated, believing they are 

 founded on immortal truth and justice ; therefore 1 think 

 it a pity that you or myself should depart this life with 

 envy in our hearts against each other and 1 firmly be- 

 lieve that no difference would have taken place between 

 us, had not some of those of your pretended friends en- 

 deavoured to have caused a separation of friendship be- 

 tween us. 



1, sir, want nothing of you or from you, but only that 

 the ignorant and superstitious herd may not have it in 

 their power to exclaim and say, that Thomas Paine, or 

 Carver, died without a reconciliation to each other. 1 

 have often told my friends, if 1 were on my dying bed, 

 1 should send for you, hoping that all our difference 

 might be buried in oblivion before our bodies were buri- 

 ed in the grave,as I hope that my dying pillow may not 

 be planted with thorn's : 1 consider that time with me 

 is short, and perhaps shorter with you. If I never should 



*Cheetham edited a paper but deserted his Democratic prin- 

 ciples, and Paine attacked him with much force: Cheetham 

 took his revenge by writing his life. 



