Thomas Paine’s Salary as Clerk of the Pennsylvania Assembly
Paine, Thomas. (1737 - 1809). Political journalist, Philosopher and Agitator. Author of “Common Sense” (1776).
A document authorizing David Rittenhouse, State Treasurer, to pay “Thomas Paine Esquire, or his Order, the Sum of One thousand six hundred & ninety nine pounds 2/6 for his Wages for Sixty eight Days Service in the Assembly; and Sundry Extra expenses.” Vertically along the left-hand margin Paine has boldly written: “June 7 / Received the within Contents / Thos. Paine.”
In 1785, the Pennsylvania General Assembly approved a payment of £1,699 to Thomas Paine as compensation for his past service as clerk to the Assembly’s Committee on Military Affairs. Paine had held this role during the critical years of the American Revolutionary War, assisting in military organization and correspondence at a time when the young nation was struggling for survival. Despite the importance of his work, he had not been paid for his services, having focused his time and energy on advancing the revolutionary cause through both his clerical duties and his influential writings, including Common Sense.
The sum of £1,699 was granted as both back pay and salary owed to Paine for his earlier contributions. This financial award came as a form of delayed recognition, offering Paine some relief from the financial hardships he had endured due to his public service and political activism. While Paine had become an internationally known revolutionary figure, his personal finances remained strained, and this payment from Pennsylvania served as a rare material acknowledgment of his unpaid labor and sacrifices for the state and the broader cause of independence.
A Choice Rarity!
