The New Hampshire Gazette

An infamous Lie.

Some wicked and evil minded miscreant, has contrived to get into circulation a report, that Mr. Jefferson, the President of the United States, has sent an affectionate letter to the infamous Tom Paine, with an invitation to him to remove to America, and an offer of one of the public vessels to bring him over! This is doubtless a lie of some jacobin foreigner who hopes by it to sever from the President the esteem and respect of every American and then to insinuate himself into Mr. Jefferson's good graces. But it will not do. It will never be believed that any American, as Mr. Jefferson is, filling a high and responsible office, could so degrade himself and his country, as to become the affectionate correspondent of that beastly intemperate wretch who has grown grey in the employment of blaspheming God, corrupting man, and debasing humanity by the practice of the most abominable and filthy vices. It is not to be believed that Mr. Jefferson, the President of the United States, the successor of Washington, has invited to this country with the offer of a conveyance at the public expense and with public honour, the wretch who so lately and so grossly insulted the illustrious and venerable Washington, in the infamous letter which was issued from the press of the Aurora. Though we are no believers in the infallibility of Mr. Jefferson, and though we know that many of his adherents have no concern for the honor of this country, we cannot suspect him of so base an action as this, and we feel an interest in being able to deny and disprove a report which, if true, would throw so much disgrace upon our government and country, in the eyes of all foreign nations. We confidently hope therefore, that Mr. Jefferson out of regard to our national reputation as well as his own, will publicly repel this calumnious imputation.