The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1811-12-07

Paine, the Americans are not. nor can they
be, Indifferent"
| +" Tom Paine, (said venerable patriot O
70, conversing on this point,) was worth tn.
right wing o1an army to us"
| The opinion which Mr.. Randolph has
sported, is on mere historical. facl. DID
Mr.. Paine render any important services
during the Revolution. When it is seen
| that the historians and sages of these days
have acknowledged his services to be sub
stantial, the discussion is at an end. For at
that time, Mr.. Randolph, if net "muiing
and puking i'll his. nurses arms," was ut
!eas, trundling his hoops or chucking mar
b,cs, while the efforts of Paine we're diffu-
sing the glow of liberty around him. Yet
am acknowledgment of these services is
made even by those who were not surely "a
n,ong his warmest admirers in this latter
day" MIR. Marshal says that common
SENSE written by Thomas Paine, had har-
t.cmiar influence. He possessed Il style and
manner of saying bold things, singulariy
well fitted to act on the public mind, to en-
list every feeling with him, and very often,
especially in times when these were great
~ agitated, TO seize on the Judgment itself.
He was universally read, and among those
who were Jealous in the W ar. obtained eve
ry where friends to the doctrine of indie
pendence."
scorn to lay much stress on the testimo-
ny OF ChecthaMs who has written the life
OF Mr.. Paine vet even he, while he was
Fprowling for food like a Hyena over the
grave. was compelled to wreathe chaphlet
around the revolutionary services of the de-
ceased.-But Cheetham himself has now
descended to the tomb, and peace be TO his
ashes ) ~N,
cannot pass ever the sneers of Mr.. Ran
doph at the idea of an English Stay-maker.
A wag might very well say, that man,
who had been one of the ssays of America,
need not blush at having been a Stay-ma-
ker: Mr.. Smile was certainly right when
he apprehended that the profession of
Panc would never lessen the value CT his
Writings"
Is it any reproach to a man that he has
risen from the obscure walks of life to the
heights of distinction, Are we to adopt
these drfstocraticai ideasl
so tar from its being any reproach, it is an
honor to any man that he has raised himself by
the force OF his own merits, to the respect Of
the world The pine that shoots from the bot
tom OF the vale, and towers above, all the
trees of the mountain, only proves by it's ell
sN alton the native strength of the stamina
With which it is endued.
Nv hen a man has Surmounted all the Do
ssacies, which would arrest his progress
when the innate springs of mind have SUR
gnounted that augusta res domi which would
bind his aspiring genius down to earth p
re we to reproach him with his gallant
success Are we to tell him, ''Y Your disco
very would be Very useful, if you had not been
breda carpenter: your opinions are errone-
Gus, because you are poor |"
| Was Socrates less of. a sage, because he
was born the son of Potter?
| Was our own Franklin less the wonder
OF the age, because his father was Scat
collier and atallozu chandler 2 When Mi
rabeau pronounced his funeral eulogium ir
he National Assembly of France-"Frank
lin Is dead--he has returned to the bosom
OF God-the genius who has liberated A
merlca, & shed over Europe the torrents Of
his light. The sage OF. two worlds the
man tor whom the history of sciences and che
history of Empires contend, should doubtless
hold an elevated rank in the human race
| -whatif, at that moment, some one had ex
claimed" But, he was the son of a soat
| boiler
( Away with those artificial distinction.
which disgrace the polished nations of Eu.
rope The poor man, on whom the light o.
| heaven has shone, and guided to be bene
| factor OF his race,is of more real estimation
than all the useless peers in Europe. The
Proverb tells us, to giOe eUen the deuiP' hi.
| due-So let 1t be with Thomas Paine