The American Crisis

Paine again addresses British General Howe in his March 1778 essay.

The author claims that General Howe has neither emotion or logic and compares arguing with someone such as Howe, who has “renounced reason,” to giving medicine to the dead. Paine mocks General Howe’s actions in America, characterizing them as “little villainies” and “unfinished adventures” (60). He also accuses Howe of distributing counterfeit continental bills to interfere with the American economy. Paine states that this interference was “without precedent or pretence,” and posits that the world will hate Howe. Paine warns Howe against encouraging forgery and predicts that England will suffer from forgers since Howe has encouraged this “vice” amongst his own military.

Paine transitions to lambasting Howe’s execution of Britain’s war campaign. He claims that Howe had incompetently squandered his opportunity to conquer America early in the war when the colonists’ army was weak and retreating. He reminds Howe of his losses, and the great expense of the war, which he claims has allowed France and Spain to become Europe’s strongest nations. He pressures Howe to end the war by claiming that British dissatisfaction with Howe’s decisions may result in his execution.

In his postscript, Paine shifts to writing directly to the American people.