Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1855-03-13
Price Two cents.
OBJ 57alIp Spp,
TUESDAY, MARCH 10. 1855.

THOMAS PAINE.-In a recent article on the
celebration Of Tom Paine's birth .dav we al
luded to Grant Thorburn as a living witness
of his dissolute and disgusting habits. The
last Ne1o York Observer contains letter from
Mr.. Thorburn, written on his SD BIRTH ay,
Feb. 18th, and dated at Winsted, Conn.
where he expects to pass his remaining DAYS.
This letter is devoted chiefly to "reminiscences
of Tom Paine. We make the following ex.
tracts, which we hope will be read at the next
and every subsequent anniversary of the in
hdel debauchee.-N. Y. Journal of Commerce.
As there is but step between me and death,
owe 1t to the generations yet to come, to tell
what saw and heard of Thomas Paine Per-
haps there lives not a man on earth, who
traced him from his cradle to his grave, exeept
myself. Carver and were fellow laborers in
the same shop. Paine and Carver were born
i'll the same town in England. Paine and L
boarded with Carver. l often heard Carver,
his wife, and Paine, as we four sat by the fire
on winter night, rehearse the items of his
life think he was the worst member ofthe
body polite l ever met in all my journey
through life. He married a respectable lady,
who died eleven months thereafter, in conse-
quence OF brutal treatment. He then married
daughter OF the Collector of the Port of Lew
is; after three years she obtained a divorce for
like treatment.
In 1878, while he held an Office in the Gus
tom House, (giyen him by his father in -law1
he was detected in taking brides from the
smugglers, and fled to America. He was
made Secretary to the private Committee of
Congress, and took an oath of office to keen
their secrets. He broke his oath BY divulg-
ing the project OF a secret mission to the Court
of France by Silas Dean. He was dismissed
with disgrace. LSee the Journal of Congress
in IVA or 81 This treachery was the cause
of much trouble i'll Congress, and in the Court
Of Louis XVI.
We next find him in Psris, helping Robes
pierre in his labors of love to establish the free.
dom of the press, and the right Of speech by
means of the guillotine. He quarrelled with
Robbie, and was chalked for the gulliotine.
God, willing to make the wrath of Paine to
praise him, sent an angel who delivered him
out of prison. CFor the particulars of this
miracle, see the Life of Thorburn, 1OIst page.)
In 1901, when King Thomas the First as
cended the throne of his kingdom, he Instant
ly dispatched a national frigate to convey to
our shores the venerated Thomas Paine. He
arrived early in the year 1902. l spoke with
him at the City Hotel, Bowery, few hours
after his arrival. He found letters urging him
on to Washington, then four days's Journey.
He started next morning. At Georgetown a
messenger was sent forward to announce his
approach a feast was gotready, and all those
of like thinking were invited. Paine entered
late, his shirt unwashed, his head unshorn,
and reeling like drunken man. A look Of
CONSERVATION shone forth from every face;
mirth ceased; one by one they went out, leav-
ing Paine alone on his chair fast asleep Next
day he received letters and instructions to re-
turn to New York.
When Aaron Burr returned from Europe,
whittier he had fed after his duel with Ham
ilton, he kept his office in Nassau Street, near
my feed store. From him l received the ac-
count above stated.
Paine on his return was unable to find lodg-
ings-Carver took him for old acquaintance
sake He died at Greenwich, of delirum tre-
mems, in 1898.