Luxembourg, 8th Pluviose,
Second Year of the French Republic, one and indivisible
January 27, O. S. 1794
To my fellow-citizens of the United States Of America:
I put the following work under your protection. It contains my opinions upon Religion. You will do me the justice to remember, that I have always strenuously supported the Right of every Man to his own opinion, however different that opinion might be to mine. He who denies to another this right, makes a slave of himself to his present opinion, because he precludes himself the right of changing it.
The most formidable weapon against errors of every kind is Reason. I have never used any other, and I trust I never shall.
Your affectionate friend and fellow-citizen,
Thomas Paine
(Preface to "Age of Reason")
File Records: C/TAR2-USW/ 
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