The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1855-05-01
: :H!i5rrllanfuus.
From The Southern Weekly Post
Letter From Grant Thorburn.
WRITTEN on HIS $50. BIRTHDAY.
Wiasted, Conn.,, Fed. Is, '55.

Mr. PRISrER:-TLis day enter my eighty.
third year. Except that my hearing and seeing
are not so acute, am not sensible u any ma
terial decay for the last fifty years. During
that period, have been only one day confined
to the house by sickness. Goodness and mercy
have followed me all the days Of my life. Lowe
the Giver of all good large debt of gratitude
And as there is but step between me and
death, owe it to generations yet to come, TO
tell what saw and heard Of Thomas Paine
Perhaps there lives not man OH earth, who
traced him from his cradtto his grave, except
myself. Carver and | were tellow.labores in
the same shop. Paine and Carver were bor,
in the same town in England. Paine and |
boarded with Caser. often heard Carver, his
wife and Paine as we four sat by the fire on a
winter night, rehearsa the items of his life.
think he was the worst member Of the body
polite ever met in all my journey through
life. lie married respectable lady, who died
IL months thereafter, in consequence OF brutal
treatment. He then married a daughter Of the
Collector Of the Port of Lewis-after three
wears she obtained divorce for like treatment.
In 1878, while he held an Office in the Gus.
tom House-given him By his f,tller.nlaw,--
he was detected in taking bribes from the SNUG
clers, and fled to America. He was made Sec
retary to the private Committee Of Congress,
and took an oath of Office to keep their secrets.
lie broke this oath by divulging the project Of
:: secret mission to the Court Of France by Silas
Dean. lie was, dismissed WITH disgrace. See
the Journal Of Congress in l774 or 5. This
treachery was the cause Of much trouble in
Congress, and in the Court of Louis XVI
We next find him in Paris, helping Robes
SPHERE in his labors of love to establish the free
dom of the Press, and the right Of speech, by
means of the guillotine. lie quarreed with
Robbie, and was chaked for the guillotire. God,
willing to make the wrath of Paine to praise
him, sent an angel who delivered him out of
prison. (For particulars Of this miracle see the
Life of Thorburn, l0lst page.)
In 1901, when King Thomas the First as
cended the throne of his kingdom, he instantly
dispatched a national frigate to convey to our
shores the generated Thomas Paine. lie arrived
+ early in the year 1902. spoke with him at
>ths CITY Hotel, Bowery, few hours after his
arrival. He found letters urging him on to
Washington-then four days journey. He
started next morning. At Georgetown a mes.
seneer was sent forward to announce his ap-
proach; feast was got ready, and all those Of
ike thinking were invited. Paine entered late,
his shirt unwaslled, his beard unshorn, and reel.
ING like drunken man. A look of consterna-
ton shoue forth from every face, mrth ceased,
one by one they went OUT leaving Paine alone
on his chair fast asleep. Next day he received
letters and instructions to return to New York.
When Aaron Burr returned from Europe,
whittier he had fled after his duel with Hamil-
ton, he kept bis Office in Nassau street, near my
seed store. From him received the account as
above stated.
Paine on his return was unable to find .lodg-
: inps. Carver took him in for old acquaintance
sake. He died at Greenwich, Of dclirium tre-
anens, 1909.
To return from this old infdel to myself, !
am now near the end of my journey. 1t is
coincidence worth noting, that on the 18th OF
April, 1874, first sailed from Scotland, aid on
the 18th of April, 1854, I first entered my
dwelling in this place, being sixty years com
plete. The yard of my dwelling is separated
from the Presbyterian church end its place of
skulls BY fence If it so will heaven, here my
bones will rest It'll time shall be no more::"
The partner whom God has given me, is a
Eight to my feet, and a lamp to my path, max
iir smooth my track to the Banks Of Jordan.
She hath "known the Scriptures. from her youth
up.n A thankful heart completes my happi-
:, ness Yours. GRANT THoRDURS.
asThe pebbles in our path weary us, and make
us foot-sore, more than the rocks, which only
require bold effort to 'surlnount."
ssHappiness is bird that owns no cage but
the BOSOM"