k the British at Princeton, who lost in killed and wounded two
hundred, and of prisoners the Americans took two hundred and thirty.
Many of Washington's best soldiers being now quite barefoot and badly
clad, and the winter weather severe, he closed the first campaign made
glorious for freedom by the pen of that man who had undertaken the
"_business of a world_."

But in the fall and winter before this his pen was not idle. The new
Constitution of Pennsylvania had distracted the State, and Paine tries
to bring order out of chaos. He is not unmindful of the Quakers, who
will not obey the teachings of their religion and remain neutral, and it
is a severe chastisement he gives them, for he talks to them as one
having authority.

Five weeks after the first campaign was ended John Adams came back to
Congress, not willing to be called "a sunshine patriot" in his home by
the sea. But it was not cowardice which made this chief of the war
committee desert his post in the most trying months of his country--it
was downright meanness of the temper. I mention him again here because
in April this year, 1777, he makes a motion that Thomas Paine be made
secretary to the committee on foreign affairs. Mr. Paine went on duty.
This was, doubtless, brought about by Benjamin Franklin, who is now in
France to secure the favors of the government, and as secrecy is the
success of diplomacy, Franklin wants Paine to receive his dispatches,
for in him he can trust. It was while in this office, as detective, that
he was made acquainted with the misconduct of Silas Deane. The stores
which Mr. Deane obtained from France were a gift to this country, but he
afterward brought in a demand for them, fraudulently pretending that he
had purchased them. This was in December, 1778. On the 29th of this
month Mr. Paine began a series of letters in the _Pennsylvania Packet_
entitled, "Common Sense to the Public on Mr. Deane's Affairs." He did
this to protect the Government, and took the responsibility upon himself
to save other parties. He began by saying of Mr. Deane, "as he rose like
a rocket he would fall like a stick." Three letters had made their
appearance when Mr. Paine was commanded to appear before Congress. The
President inquired of him, "Did you write this piece?" "I am the author
of that piece," responded Paine. "And this? and this?" "I am." "You may
retire." The Congress tried to dismiss him. It was a tie vote. The next
day, the 8th of January, 1779