Thomas Paine, whose pamphlet Common Sense had been a source of inspiration for the beleaguered patriots in the midst of their rebellion against the British, had been free with his opinions. However, the stakes were higher in revolutionary France, and when he spoke out against the execution of the French king, he landed in prison. Monroe came to Paine’s rescue, secured his release from prison, and let Paine move into his home in Paris. Monroe also made it possible for all the Americans who had been sentenced to serve terms in French prisons to be freed.
