duced a work that no Bible Believer, though writing at his
ease, and with a Library of Church Books about him, can
refute. Towards the latter end of December of that year, a
motion was made and carried, to exclude foreigners from
the Convention. There were but two, Anacharsis Cloots
and myself; and I saw I was particularly pointed at by
Bourdon de l'Oise, in his speech on that motion.

Conceiving, after this, that I had but a few days of lib-
erty, I sat down and brought the work to a close as speedily
as possible; and I had hot finished it more than six hours,
in the state it has since appeared, ¹ before a guard came there,
about three in the morning, with an order signed by the two
Committees of Public Safety and Surety General, for putting
me in arrestation as a foreigner, and conveying me to the
prison of the Luxembourg. I contrived, in my way there,
to call on Joel Barlow, and I put the Manuscript of the
work into his hands, as more safe than in my possession in
prison; and not knowing what might be the fate in France
either of the writer or the work, I addressed it to the pro-
tection of the citizens of the United States.

It is justice that I say, that the guard who executed this
order, and the interpreter to the Committee of General
Surety, who accompanied them to examine my papers,
treated me not only with civility, but with respect. The
keeper of the Luxembourg, Benoit, a man of good heart,
shewed to me every friendship in his power, as did also
all his family, while he continued in that station. He was
removed from it, put into arrestation, and carried before the
tribunal upon a malignant accusation, but acquitted.

After I had been in Luxembourg about three weeks, the
Americans then in Paris went in a body to the Convention,
to reclaim me as their countryman and friend; but were
answered by the President, Vadier, who was also President
of the Committee of Surety General, and had signed the
order for my arrestation, that I was born in England. ² I

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