Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1805-07-11
FRoM TIE CHARLEsroN COURIER.
To HE President Of the U. STATES,

litics. Mr.. THeMAs PAINE, has lost less
! time than raight have been expected from
his sedeasaru habits, in gratifying your
wish with a continuation Of ms useful la
bors., The halt of your prayers at least,
he endeayors to accomplish, unmindful
thaughhe may be of the other and though
unfortunately for mankind, enc of his pro-
p1ns;ties is ratnsr adverse TO his long
Imag'' another is as favorable as your
pie,y and patriotism could wish it to be,
10 the prosecution of his useful lsbors. The
over indulgence of the former will probably
be,suspcctrd of impairing the quality OF the
latter. Anniversary toasts, three times three
10 democracy, and ten tlmes repeated, may
perhaps be good things, bat when from
annualor quarterly, they become, dlurnal,
the lamp of life burns rather too tass, and
the goods citizen runs chance OF be-
rom1np the victim of his own zeal.
we have heard lately of the case of a
person taking FIRE from internal combus-
iib.lity. The quality Of self ignitionin hu-
MAJ bodies has been but lately discovered
in Europe; and America, which In all
matters of science, rreads close OH the
heels of the old country, will probably
no, be without It's experimental proofs OF
this new point. We should be sorry TO see
worthy patriot and christian take hire
from his spirited labors in :he cause OF IL
berry: and though there are many illloe.
raj persons. who would say that 1t was e.
noughthat he who, out OF pure benevolenee
had sei FIRE to every community he touched
should at last, (making charity for once be-
gina. honey set FIRE TO himself. 1t would
sill be to be regretted that such thing
should happen, till the great mans mission
was accomplished. When you and his
other friends would have the comfort to
$ think that his death was as conspicuous,
aud on the same principle too, as his life;
and thar like another Embedocies, he had
obtaingd immortal lame, by Perishlng IN
FIRE, leaving you as token, his old Slip
pers OF the Rights of Man, and Age OF
Reason. However the loss of such man
NIGH be felt, you would haze the conso-
lauon 20 reflect, that he died IN a noble,
spir.sed cause and that whatever was
lost in the man, would be gained IN the
glory of his fall. If the writings of Mr..
PANE, hike the archbishop OF Grenada,s
Homilies. now begin to smell little OF
decay, it is comfortable to reflect that II
is decay which has proceeded from his
persevering, spirited exertious in the right
eous cause of civil and religious freedom /;
and that the exceeding of his pious and
patriotic labors in that way, would atone
for the late deficiency of spirit In his
writings. Should his laudable habits ex-
tend tEeir effects from his iH,ellect to his
precious life, it win cast ray OF sunshine
into your bosom ands cheer it for that
great loss, TO reeollect that nothing was
wanting on your part, which could give
activity TO his industry, and add to the
benefits society have SO long derived from
that great and good mans labors. That
the naive benevolence of his heart has
beea animated by your example, aid en-
couraged by your patronage, to accom-.
plish the works he had so piously and
prosperously begun in the cause ofreligi,
on and government and that if the world
should be deprived Of his aid, before the
great work of reason and philosophy wa
completed, you could with pleasure recol-
lecs that it was not for want of your o.
risons for his safety and long life. No
doubt thar gentleman knows the proper
value TO be SET upon those orisous. Pray
ers, In themselves very good. he probably
thinks may be much the better for not be-
ing. oysrused and while he considers
yours as being, on that account, very va
luablc and ef6cacious, it must be Hatterins
to him 20 reflect that a precious article OF
which you have been so very sparing,
should be reserved for his use.. It is only
on important occasions, and high objects;
on great men, and gala days, that the
tre.snres rf the rich and wise are brought