Robert Bell (publisher)

Front cover of Thomas Paine's Common Sense, with "Printed and sold by: R. Bell" inscribed at bottom

In the years leading up to and through the American Revolution, Bell printed many pamphlets and books which ardently expressed his patriotic ideas and sentiments. As a printer in Philadelphia[lower-alpha 2] he worked tirelessly in that effort more than most printers. By 1776 he was especially busy when he printed a continuation of letters to the Legislature on American Independence. A second edition of "Plain Truth" was partly printed on coarse blue paper, which, as Bell stated, "constituted the law of necessity," and he added, further, "The Patriot surmounteth every difficulty," etc.[3]

Bell was commissioned by Thomas Paine to print his work, Common Sense, which has been widely considered the most inciteful and influential work of the revolutionary era,[15][16][17][lower-alpha 3] as it advocated American independence, now ripe in the minds of colonists, and openly criticized the British Crown and Parliamentary rule over the colonies.[14][19] Paine originally had intended for his work to be printed in the various colonial newspapers in a series of articles, but they were concerned that British colonial authorities very likely would threaten or confiscate their printing operations.[lower-alpha 4] On the recommendation of Benjamin Rush, who thought highly of Bell, referring to him as the "Republican printer", and thought him courageous enough to print what became a politically volatile work,[21][22][lower-alpha 5] Paine complied and turned over his manuscript to Bell. Paine made an agreement with him that if the publication should prove to be an unprofitable venture that he would cover any losses he incurred. To further make the prospect attractive, Paine agreed to give Bell half of any profits realized. The other half Paine intended to purchase wool mittens for the troops going to Quebec, giving a written order on Bell to two officers of the Continental Army. Bell at once set to printing the work with great enthusiasm, feeling just as strongly about the idea of independence as Paine. Bell set the price of the pamphlet at two shillings per copy.[23][lower-alpha 6] For fear of recrimination, Paine had the first edition of Common Sense published anonymously.[14] At the time of its printing there was a serious paper shortage in the colonies, compounded by the revolution.[25] Bell placed an advertisement in the 10 January 1776, issue of William Bradford's newspaper, The Pennsylvania Journal, following with one in The Pennsylvania Evening Post on 27 January, owned by Benjamin Towne. Common Sense was favorably received throughout the colonies and sold very quickly.[26][25]

Paine's work received some criticism, most notably in a pamphlet by James Chalmers, writing under the assumed name of Candidus[lower-alpha 7] entitled The Plain Truth, also printed by Bell, which was not received well by a patriotic populace who drove Chalmers into exile.[14] Bell also received heavy criticism for publishing Chalmers' work from patriots who assumed Bell was lending Chalmers support for appearing to oppose independence and the ideas set forth in Paine's work. In his own defense, in reference to Plain Truth, Bell inserted in another publication a vindication of the liberty of the press which he described as "Extracted from an Old Pamphlet, Published in the Year 1756, Entitled Plain Truth." The author of this "Old Pamphlet", like that of Chalmers named Plain Truth, was Benjamin Franklin. Bell used the words of Franklin, who, like Bell, was a strong proponent of independence and freedom of the press, in vindication of a pamphlet against these ideals.[27]

The Military Guide for Young officers, printed by Robert Bell, J. Humphreys, 1776 (this copy signed by John Adams)[28]

Bell and Paine fell into disagreement about payment and publishing terms over Common Sense which began three weeks after the first advertisement of Paine's work appeared in the Pennsylvania Journal. Bell had claimed that he had not made any profit printing and publishing Common Sense and proceeded to publish an unauthorized edition. The disagreement grew into a controversy between the two which was covered in the local newspapers. Bell's second advertisement in the Evening Post included an attack on Paine's work, while Paine was still an anonymous figure. Paine responded by taking his business to Bell's competitor, the Bradford brothers, William and Thomas, who printed a third edition that included Paine's name on the cover, with a note appended declaring that Bell's second edition was unauthorized.[29] The third edition became the standard text which became widely known to this day. It also contained an appendix, in which Paine included an “Epistle to the Quakers”. During the course of the sordid affair the attacks on the work and each other's character continued, mostly by Bell.[14][30][31]

In 1776, Bell, James Humphreys and Robert Aitken together reprinted and published The Military Guide for Young Officers, a military, historical, and definitive dictionary which included passages from essays on the recruiting, arming, supplying, training and discipline of British infantry and cavalry.[32]