Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1830-01-14

of his way 10 Now.York,
asked him what he thought ur his nj.
most miraculous escape. llu said tho
FARES had ordained hn was not then to
die. Says I, "Mr. Paino, IN tell you
what I'll think you know you hive writ.
ten and spoken much against what we call
the religion Of tho Bible; you have highly
extolled tho perIectN6ilily Of human reason
when leN to It's own guidance, Nu>hackled
by priestcrat( and superstition. Tho God
IN whom you live, move, and have your
being, has spared your life that you might
give 10 tho world living comment on
your doctrines. You now show what hut
man nature Is when left to itself. Here
YOU Sit, in an obscure and cUmforllcss
dwelling, stined with snuff aud Supplied
with brandy You, who were once tho
companion 0f Washington, Of Jay, and
Hamilton. Every good man has deserted
you; and even Deists, that have any re-
gard Cor decency, cross tho street to avoid
YOU"
He was then the most disgusting human
being that could any where be met with.
Intempcrance had b,oa,ed his countenance
beyond description. A few of his disci-
pies, who stuck to him through good re-
port aud through bad report, to hide him
from the adherence Of mankind, had him
conveyed to N. Rochelle, where they sup
piled him with brandy ill Il burned up his
liver. But this man, hcastly as he was in
appearance, and dreadful ia principle, still
retained something or humanity within the
deprOvity of his heart, like the gem in the
head Of the odious toad. The mum who
suffered death in his stead left widow,
with young children, in poor circunlstan- !
ces. Paine brought them all with him to
New York, supplied them while no lived,
and lcN them most Of his property when
he died. The widow and children lived
in apartments ia tho city by themselves.
| saw them often, but never saw Paine in
their company; and I am we'll assured,
aud believe, that his conduct towards them
was disinterested and honorable. q. r.
One evening I found Tom Paine l,ar-
arguing II company Of his disciples on the
great mischief done to mankind by tho 10
PRODUCTION Of the bible and christianity
When ha paused; M. Paine, says !, you
have been in Scotland, you know there is
not moro bigoted set in the world than
they aro IN The attachment to the bible
It is their school book, thoir churches are
full Of them. When young man leaves
his fathers house, his mother always, in
packing his chest, puts bible on top Of
his clothes. He said It was true.) con.
tinued, you have boon in Spain and Por-
tugal, where they have no bible, and there
you can hire a man for u dollar to murder
his neighbor who never gave him any ot-
fence. lilo asscntcd.) You have seen
the manufacturing districts ~ England,
where not one man in fifty can read, (for-
~ years ago there we're no Sunday
schools) and you have been in Ireland,
where the majority never saw bible
Now, says I, you know It is historical
fact, that in any ono county in England
or Ireland there are ten times more capital
convictions in six months, than there arc
in the whole population Of Scotland for
twelve; besides, says /, this day there is
not one Scotchnaan in the aimshousc,
states prison, bridewell, nor penitentia-
~ of New York. Now then, if the bible
were as bad a book as you represent il,
they who use il would be- tho worst men,
UOaS W SoCsceyS uu' tuc SV"N"'y 20 "S "SS
for our prisons, almshouses, and penitentia-
ries are filled with men aud women whose
ignorance aud unbclef prevents them from
reading the bible.
Ii was now nearly ten o'clock, p. M.
Mr.. Paine answered not word, but lifting
a candle from the table walked up stairs,
leaving his friends and myself staring at
one another.
For some years before Mr.. Paine died,
he was so much addicted to the vice of
drinking strong liquors, that his face (which
in his sober days was very coarse One) I've.
came so bluated, red and full Of rum bios
SONS as almost TO make one shudder to
look at him. His person was dirty and
his dress shabby. The respectable part Of
his friends, though they admired his prin-
ciples, were ashamed to speak with him in
the street. He died few miles from the
city, attended by some OF his disciples, aud
though I was on friendly terms with two
or three of them, never could learn his
last words nor what was the state OF his
mind at the closing scene.
Now, Mr.. Editor, | think tho wisdom
Of Providence is clearly displayed in the
last wears Of this mans life. He who had
said SO much and wrote SO much on the