The Crisis No. XIII - On The Peace, And The Probable Advantages
Thereof

A Supernumerary Crisis - (To The People Of America)

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THE AMERICAN CRISIS.

EDITOR'S PREFACE.

THOMAS PAINE, in his Will, speaks of this work as The American
Crisis, remembering perhaps that a number of political pamphlets had
appeared in London, 1775-1776, under general title of " The Crisis."
By the blunder of an early English publisher of Paine's writings, one
essay in the London " Crisis " was attributed to Paine, and the error
has continued to cause confusion. This publisher was D. I. Eaton, who
printed as the first number of Paine's " Crisis " an essay taken from
the London publication. But his prefatory note says: " Since the
printing of this book, the publisher is informed that No. 1, or first
Crisis in this publication, is not one of the thirteen which Paine
wrote, but a letter previous to them." Unfortunately this correction
is sufficiently equivocal to leave on some minds the notion that
Paine did write the letter in question, albeit not as a number of his
" Crisis " ; especially as Eaton's editor unwarrantably appended the
signature " C. S.," suggesting " Common Sense." There are, however,
no such letters in the London essay, which is signed " Casca." It was
published August , 1775, in the form of a letter to General Gage, in