The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-01-30

THE NFIDELs IN COUNCIL AND IN THE BALL ROOM
WHAT THEY THINK OF THE WORLD AND rBIsGs IN
GENERAL-NO SUPER, BUT PLENTY SPEECHES
AND roAsrs-A GOOD TINE EXPECTED SOON, HOW
EvER.
The l2lst anniversary Of Tom Paine's birthday was
celebrated last evening by the admirers and adherents OF
his peculiar principles The company WAS larger than
any have seen assembled on previous occasions-a
fact which would indicate the spread Of tho doc
trines OF the Psneies but suspect the ball
the chief object attraction and that bat for the dancing
the attendance would not have been numerous.
At IL O'Clock the company sat down TO what by re-
markable latitude Of expression, was called supper
and from which they with appetite slightly,
not all, impaired When they hsd disposed of whatever
worth disposng Of the chairman, Mr. Walker, spok
substantially foows:-Of all the characters, said he
in the Revolution so neglected and villhed
the author of the cage of Reasonand this because he
dared to express his opinion all subjects tina: be
fore him. however, natural TO expect this, for h
was in advance of the age in which he lived The live
Of great men illustrated this remark in the stronges
manner and therefore not TO be wondered ut tha
Tom Paine should be treated in that could not
thoroughly understand and appreciate him The speaker
here p oceeded 10 give brief sketch Of Paine lfe dwell
ing at length upon the service he had rendered by his
writings to the cause Of American independence. 'Com
mon Sense the name Of one Of the most powerful pam
phets from his pen produced electrical effect and gave
the colonss the first idea Of separation and To the world
the ideas OF and Independent mind. He the
author hero Of the American Revolution and the terror of
despOts.
At the close Of his remarks the President read the
The Day we Celebrate birthday of Thomas Paine
the who dared to sound the first note in the anthem
The Avant guard in Political and Moral Revolutions
May they succeed in removing the barriers which tom
poral and sprua despotism ever placed in the way OF
Education q Free Press md an Enlightened People-A
glorious and rational Trinity the cause and effect Of each
other three in one and one in threet
The Departed Champions Of Iberty-Persecuted by ty
rants for their fearless advocacy of human rights.
Republcanism-The keystone of the arch OF freedom,
and living protest against the usurpaton of power,
whether by Pope, King or President.
The Pcope-May the progress Of knowledge and truth
bring them perfect equality OF rights, without distinction
OF sex, country or coler
Woman The human is elevated in excellence and
power or Kept back progression, in accordance with
To the second toast, Mrs ERSRTNE L. RosE responded
meet you this esting OCCASION but allow TO
you that the qualification of meeting this
happy faces behold all around form striking
rast to the gloomy and despondng aspect things have
worn for some time past and cannot but congratulate
ourselves that in spite Of the monetary crisis,
with all the evils and suerngs brought in its tran
baye been able 10 cast of the anxious Of every
life spend evening social and intellectual enjoy
ment beautiful alike T. booy and mind The perform
Of every duty brings with itself corresponding
hcaton and am sure our greatest enjoyment this even
Of worshppipg at the shrine Of greatness in
morstion Of the natal day Of Thomas Paine The
Of celebrating certain events s old and beneficial
for only mparts historical facts, but prin
cples and stimulates 70 action Revolutions that have
freed nations irom the yoke OF aesposm OF such though
tended for human rights universal freedom, Justice and
humanity, are proper events to commemorate. The De-
claration Of American Independence, II rightly cele-
brated not by riot and confusion confounded but
in RATIONAL social and intellectual manner-by holding
up before the public mpd-by inquiring into s true
simultaneously restg
and the by which alone II could be carried into
prac,ce-mght teach the people Iuseful lesson, by
rousng them 10 the conviction that long as us-
tice and humanity are trampled under foot-as long
woman was forced TO pay taxes without the right
10 representations long as the coored man Is trans
formed into piece OF chatte because his darker
than that OF his owner; and long honest con-
scencious avail Of disbelief the fashionable superst
ton called religion is stigmazed crime, long must
that noble that proclaimed the equality of
and perfect freedom of conscience dead let
ter Nor Is less beneficial 10 celebrate the OF
possessed Of great talents power and inue1ce Only
the manner of holding them ought TO be regulated
cordng 70 the character Of him In whose honor the day
kept The brthcay OF one of those spent hs
life in the laudaDle undertaking that this world
was vale o. tears-who preached the interesting and
waiting doctrine OF total depraviy aud endeavored
vince man that 20 please God be must displease
evrybody else, and particularly himself-that his only
chance OF salvation 70 believe profess himself a
miserable snner-that 20 be III for another world be must
be utterly unnt TO live In this and gain must
uake hell upon earth ought 70 be celebrated anx
ious seat In some abode snrouded In darkness amid the
and groans Of the faithful instead music But in
ccmmemorating the advent of whose life had been
a constant devotion TO the race--whose was "The
world s my country, and 10 do good my religion
great talents exerted 10 the destruction OF temporal
and spiritual despotism and the elevation man TO in
tegence virtue and happinesswe unite the social
with intellectual enjoyment, principle with practice,
TO enable tho people TO him-not a. painted by
his enemies, but as he was-thc dsntercs,cd patriot
the enlightened rcformor tho universal phianthropist
the generous friend, the honest, true and noble
This, my friends, our pleasing task not only duty
TO the past but o the only justice Paine
but 10 disabuse the minds Of the people s the
which clerical intolerance has led them Why II that
works of Paneworks that ought 10 he the book of
every true repubcan-aro little known II s because
the sanders and s,ehood propagated against the author
preudccd the public against bis works the priests have
laid them under ban, and will take the best efforts OF
friends ofrccdom and truth 10 remove H. Fasehood
too often repeated assumes the character Of truth.
Henry Ward Beecher recently said that 4" the nsment
any subject was bruhcd from the pulpit IL became
sacred Humatng az that assertion ought N be IN the
devotees OF the church, contains truth than poetry
The priests OF all ages, in assuming the function Of
prefers OF the mysterousof possessing orscuar power
being the vicegerent OF heaven upon earth and by
skifully playing the two strongest elements In human
pature-bope and fear-they SO worked the ignorant
and credulous that whatever they pronounced from tho
pulpit deemed sacredthe greatest folly taken
wisdom, the grossest fslsebcod truth and though
education increases and man becomes more lghtened
the power and influence of the clergy decreases Yet
lgious prejudice, having taken seldom
trey ersdcated II blinds the peryerts the
Judgment corrup,s the heart destroys Of
tce and gratitude, and turns man into hend who de.
lights in SANDER, abuse, persecution, destruction and
Had Thomas Paine left superstition and pries,craft
alone he would be honored truest frendas
who has done for American Independence with
his pen than Washington with his swordor be only
prepared the way for that final stroke and personally
aided In obtaining freedom but his works, the emenaon
Of his ecnus-the monument OF his greatness-the im
mortality Of his mighty mind, teaches how 70 maintain H.
But he attacked the priests and their idoshe wished
free the people only from the yoke Of king but from
the thraldom Of systemazed ignorance called theology
and therefore the important services he rendered this
country at the times that tried mems souls are
ignored no calumny too ve alsehooi too gross
against Tom Paine the nndel" But change has come
oy the spirit Of their the nnde ch bso,
ed ignorance applied 10 the the best 30 the
champions Of liberty and the guard in freedom q
battle IL becoming the mot honorable title III At can be
given 10 man-sen6cant of intelligence, progress and re-
form objection brought against Paine is that he
rdiculed the Bible The fact s, he quoted Scripture and
they call ridculipe. How could any one rdjcule the
interesting and Instructive accounts Of Elijah going 10
heaven chariot and horses OF FIRE and being cae By
children bald head che cursed them 10 the name OF