Sampson, [William]:

SPEECH OF COUNSELLOR SAMPSON, ON THE TRIAL OF JAMES CHEETHAM, FOR LIBELLING MADAME BONNEVILLE, IN HIS LIFE OF THOMAS PAINE; WITH A SHORT SKETCH OF THE TRIAL.

New York: Charles Holt, 1810. 27, [1 blank] pp. Light to moderate foxing, housed in modern quarter morocco and marbled paper over boards. Good+. With the ownership signature of John B. Clopton (1789-1860), dated September 11th, 1811. Clopton was an American politician and jurist, who served in the Virginia militia in the War of 1812.

An Irish immigrant, Sampson became an extremely successful trial lawyer in New York City. Cheetham, the notorious pamphleteer, had claimed in his 'Life of Paine' that Paine had seduced Madame Bonneville, a respectable French wife and mother, and had borne his child. Madame Bonneville and her husband were friends of Thomas Paine; she took care of Paine during his serious illness. Cheetham wrote that Madame B's son resembled Paine, and insinuated that he was the product of their illicit relationship.
Sampson represented Mrs. Bonneville, "that injured lady in defence of whose unsullied honour I stand forward," in her suit against Cheetham, who was a defendant at the time in nine or ten similar suits. Sampson gave the sort of eloquent jury oration for which he was famous, attacking Cheetham, "who is hardened in every gross abuse; who lives reviling and reviled; who might construct himself a monument with no materials but those records to which he is a party and in which he stands enrolled a libeller." The jury found in Madame Bonneville's favor.
Cohen 13296. AI 21278 [5]. Item #39552

Price: $750.00