Virginia free press & farmers' repository. [volume] (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1827-1832, 1830-01-13
TOM PAtSE..

respectable ot his friends on account
OF his drunken habits. he boarded ia
The house of one William c., n
idrrler. This c. and I being nc
quainteJ, hal free access To- his house
and frequently called to converse with
Tom Paine. One evening he related
the following anecdote.
During the slauch,erv Of Robes
pierre. when every republican that the
monster could get IN his power was be.
headed, Pane was cast into Drisnn.
anl las name was on the list With nine
teen who were ordered for execution
next morning. IL was customary for
The tribunal 20 80 round the cell, al
n'gtt. and put n cross with chalk on
the back Of the door at such 81 the pri-
soners rs were ordered Tor the scalfold
IN The morning. When the execution.
er came with his guard to remove the
victims, wherever chalkiu. was
iound, the inmate of the cell was taken
forth AMI executed.
In these horrible sham5les there was
a long gallery, having row ofssells
on each side. Ihe passage was pcur.
CT at each end, but the doors Of the
cells were lief, open. and sometimes
the prisoners stepped into the rnoms
.o' one another Tor company. II h.r-
pened. on the night prrccd,n. the dav
appointed for the doom Of Paine, that
he had gone 10 his neighbours cell.
leaving has door open with its back 70
the wall. Just then the chalker came
past. and being probably drunk, cross
cd the inside IL the cell door.
Next morning. whenthc guard came
"'th an ordertu bring out the twenty
victims, and finding only nineteen
oha'kS, Paine being in bed and his door
shut. they touk a prisoner from the
further end at III. gallery. and thus
made up the requisite number.
About fOrty-eight hours after this
atrocious deed, Robc.picrre was over
thrown, aud his own head chopped of.
20 that Paine was set at liberty. and
made The best of his'wav 20 Newly rk.
asked him what he tho: sht Of his
almost miraculous escape. lie said
the YATES had not ordained lie WAS In
die. Says /, e" Mr.. Paine, III tell YOU
what;-l think Won have written and
spoken much against what we call he
religion Of the bible; YOU have highly
cxtGiied the pcr!eCtibiltv OF human
reason when left 20 its own guidance.
nnshaoklcd by pricstoraft and supersti-
ton. The God. 10 nhom YOU live.
move. anal have your being. has spar
ed your HE that YOU might give to the
world i living comment OH YOUR doc
trInes. f"n now show what human
nature - when lrft To itself. Here
Won ~, in an obscure and comfcrtlcss
dwelling. sided with >uutT and ,tupih-
ell With br1ndy ;-you. who were once
the cnWpsn'on Of Washington. uf Jaw,
and ut Hamilton. Ever good man
ha> deserted YOU; and even D.i.:>.
that have any irsard tor deccncy cross
Inc street TO avoid YOU"
lie was then the most DISGUSTING
human being that could any where b,
met with. iGtcmpcrancc had b!nat,d
bis conference beyond de,cripllon.-
4 few of mis- disciples, who tuck to
BIN through good report aud bad report.
10 hide him from the abhurience of
mankind, had Lpn conveyed 10 y. Ro.
chellr. where they supplied him With
brandy mill II burned UP kis liver
But this man. hcastly as he was ~ an
pearaucc, anI dreadful ~ principIc.
still retained something at humanity
within tho dcpraviiy of heart. Ike The
gem ~ the head nf he odious toad -
The man wli" suffered IN his stead left
y widow. with two Young children, IN
poor ciTcunstsn,cs. Paine brought
them all with him tn New York, sup
piled them While he lived, and LETT them
The most part "f hIs property when he
lied. The widow and children lived
ipaparimcut- 90 the city by themselves.
saws them often. bit never saw PANE
ur their company and am well A..
-ured, md believe. bat his CONDUCT to-
wards them was di>intcrestcd and hn
nor4ble. ~ HsckwoyFs Haga,ine.