Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-12-21
From Blaekwood's Magazine for Nswn,b.r.
TON PAINE

EXTRACTS FROM THE NOTES or AN OBSERVER
When Paine had fallen Into disrel u,r AID
was stunned by the more respectable Ct hi,
friends On acc cunt of his crunken habi s h.
bosrJsd in the house Of one William c.
a farrier This c.. and beng a, ~ .o,,d
had free access TO his house and frrauer,lv
called to converse VITA Tom Paine On, even.
ing he related The following anecdo,e.
During the slaughtery OF Robespierre, when
every republican hat the monster could pe, il
his power was behesdeG. Paine was cast ip,o
Prison, and his name was or a Jist With nine.
teen who were ordered fOr.4xreu,iop hex,
morning ILwas customary for the cle,k Of
the tribunal TO 60 round he cells at nigh, and
put across with chalk on the back Of me Co,
Of such Of the prisoners as were ordered or
the &C sffoId in the morning. When the exc.
cutinnrr came with his guard te remove The
victims, wherever a chslkiag was found, til.
inmate oil the cell was taken forth and ey,eu,
ted
In thrse horrible shambies there was lone
gallery, having q row Of cells on each side Tie
passage was secured at each end, bu, the door,
oil the cells were lsf open, and sometimes hs
prisoners stepped into he rooms Of one snoIh.
e. for company. 1t happened, on the niga
preceding the day appointed for The doom d
Paine, tina, he had gone inro bis nrighboan
cell, leaving his door open with is back TO s
wall JUS, then the chalksr Came pas, and
being probably drunk Crossed the inside u
the cell door.
Mkt morning when The guard came with an
order TO bring ouI the swrutv victims, and h'd.
ing only nineteen chalks, Paine bring IN BED
and his door shut, they took j prisoner i'om
he farther end OF The gallery; and thus made
up the requisite number.
About forty.eight hours after this a'roeiOu'
deed, Robe sphere vas over thrown and hl'osn
head hoped fl, SOFIA Paine was st at
liberty, and made The bts, Of his way New
York.
] asked him VIVA, he thought OF his almost
miraculous escapr? He said he YATES had Or
dained he was not 10 die "Siys !, Mr Paine
III tell you what. then, think you kno" w
have written and spoke much agaIns! ""h
we cali The religion Of he bibI'; you hs"
highly rxoIled the periec'i'I!iiy oil humh
reason when lrfto 1t, own guidance, unshs'k
by pIiestoraft and SUPERSTITION. he G'a
whoa you live, move, and have your DEL
has spared your life thai you NH g'
10 'hew orld living comment onyour doctrine
You now show what human na'g'e is, whsn "
to itself. Here you sit in an OBSCURE 0nh eon
fortress dwelling, s'ihed win snuh ana sup
fled with brandy;-You who were once
companion Of Washing on. Of Jay, and OF h.n
ii on. Every good man has deserted you; u.
even Deiss. that have any regard Tor aeee"'
cross the street to avoid you"
He was then the most disgusting human ~
ing thai could any where br me- w''h. IL GU
prranre had bloated hi. coupsrnanee cf'O".
description a few OF his discipl woo ''..
10 him through good 'tport aid bad I'p"ttTS
hide him f.om the .bho,encr Of m,nsI0c' NJ
him conveyed 10 N. Rochelle. WHERE '"r, >'p.
plird him with brandy until il burheo W v"
liver. But thi,- man, beas iyss hr was }" ~
pearance, and dreadful in principle, 'iN
tanned som thing OF humanity within inc "
prs,iy Of his oesr,, like tie gem IN 'he ~
OF be odious ,osd The man who s'n".
death in his stead lrfts widow,vnh two VOW.
children. 10 poor circums anc,s. Paine nroos"
them wi h him o New York supplied 'n''
while H. lived and l.fi them The m's par
his property whsn he died The widow -,
children lived in apartments in The e'?
themselves. Isaw thsm often, but never ''
Pane in heir company; and am well a's'".
and believe, that his conduct towards 'ns" ., y"
d;.;o,or. I'D I'D hnnor,b bic, ". j.