LONDON.- Shapero Rare Books has just acquired an extraordinary, rediscovered letter in the hand of the Anglo-American revolutionary Thomas Paine (1737-1809), whose pamphlet Common Sense was crucial in building support for independence in the 1770s. Paine's letters rarely come to the market and this one is of particular significance as Paine shares his view that George Washington should retire as president. Washington's retirement ultimately led to the introduction of the two-term presidency. This letter carries an asking price of $125,000.

Paine was a British-born French Revolutionary, inventor, political philosopher, and statesman, and he wrote this letter in Paris in January 1797 to Colonel John Fellows (1759-1844), who participated in several major battles during the American Revolutionary War. Paine discusses his publications, in particular The Age of Reason and wonders if his stinging letter to Washington, describing him as an 'incompetent commander' and a vain and ungrateful person, had indeed been published. Unbeknownst to him at this point, it had been published in 1796 and may have had some influence on the president resigning. Paine did not return to the United States of America until 1802, returning only at President Jefferson's invitation.

The letter comes with excellent provenance coming from the estate of James Watson (1799-1874), who was a radical printer who published the life of Thomas Paine in 1839. Watson had another letter by Paine to Fellows dated July 31st 1805, in his possession which was ‘given by Mr. Fellows to Mr. William Clark, now living in London’ before reaching Watson (The Life of Thomas Paine, London, J. Watson, 1849, p.54). It’s likely that this 1797 letter came by a similar route via Mr Joseph Cowen (1829-1900), who was an English radical Liberal politician and journalist.

It has not been in the public domain since Watson received it.

Bernard Shapero says: "This is an extraordinary document of American history and we are thrilled that it comes to the market in the year the United States of America celebrates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Paine was not only a Founding Father, but continued shaping the future of the USA until the end of his life."