Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1850-07-27
Palne's nydrO.EIeeIrlc Light.

The history of great discoveries in Science,
crowded as il is with records of the neglect,
abuse and scorn with which the world has
greeted its bcneiuctors, who have been the
pioneers in this department of progress, can
scarcely furnish an instance of more fragrant
injustice than has been shown towards our
fellow townsman, Henry NJ. Paine, since the
announcement of his grand and benelicent
discovery of a simple and economical mode
of decolnposing water, and applying the
gases of which il is composed to the produce
ton of light and heat, for all the purposes of
life. Believing, as we do, that the discovc-
ry claimed by Mr. Paine is genuine, that
there is no deception or trickcry about it,
and having the evidence of our senses that
water is dccomposed 10y the apparatus, in
the manner described by Mr.. Paine, and
! light produced from it, which for purity aud
brillancy cannot be cquallcd 10y any other
known process, we have no hesitation in
saying so, even in the face of the adverse
reports of the scll:constituted scientific COM
mttee, who have pretended to examine it;
and the Presidents of the gas companies,
who have put forth their statements for the
purpose of creating the impression that the
discovery claimed by MIR. Paine is cheat
and dcllIsion.
We have been somewhat familiar with
the successive steps by which the ingenious
inventor has brought his discovery TO its
present state of perfection and We have
seen tho machine in operation at divers
times in divers places, and under such cir
! cunlstances as in our opinion, would pre-
clude all possibility of imposition ifimposi-
ton was intended, and every successive ex-
pertinent has only confirmed our faith in the
magnitude and importance of this sublime
discovery.
But it is said that the results produced by
Mr.. Paine are such as, in the opinion of
scientific men, cannot be produced. To this
we have only to reply that professors of sci
euce have not always been the first discover
ers of new principles, or new applications
of science. The pamphlet is still in exist
ence in which the celebrated DIR. Lardner
undertook to prove that it was impossible to
cross the Atlantic Ocean by steam and the
files Of Blackwood's Magazine contain an
elaborate essay, from the pen of some other
celebrated sarant, to show the utter inprnc-
ticabiity of propellng carriages, upon rail-
ways, by steam at the rate of ~ miles an hour.
Facts are more stubborn things than asser-
tions, and when man demonstrates to us,
by an actual performance, that he can do a
certain piece of work, We will believe in
the fact though dozen mere theorists stand
up and tell us it is impossible. Professors
of science, forsooth For how many ol
the magnificent discoveries that have eleyat.
ed the general position, and magniied the
powers and capacities of the human race, is
the world indebted to them? Let the lives
of such men us James Watt, Benjamin
Franklin, Robert Fulton and Clude Jac.
guard answer the question.
We are sorry that the professors of science
and Mr.. Paine should get at loggerhead:
about this discovery for we believe that IL
this case, as in Fulton's, all their objections
will be refuted by the actual results of the
invention. In our mind there does not ling
er tho slightest doubt as TO the magnitude
importance or completeness of the invcn
Standardization Citizen.