The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1869-08-25
TOM PAINE AND sTEPHEN CULLEN
CARPENTER.

" -
cool and settle into form and quiet, the ev-
idences OF growth became more and more
conspicuous. The revolutionary strife IL
sell had given an active impulse 10 the po-
pulsr thought and hardy freedom 70 its
mind, which naturally So ut vsfiuas modes
0f utlerance. AT first, aud naturally. poll
itics and party FURNISHED the principal fields
oi letters. The great men OF the day were
coniroversalists 1.-THE newspapers became
frequent vehicles Of speech. Pamphlets
continued to issue from The press, and The
private correspondence Of the leading men
invaluable 10 US nov could il be recovered
sufficiently occupied The leading minds Of
The country. The periodical began to ap-
pear in small weekly quartos, or IL slender
and small oc,asos upon the English lnodei
Of that day, such as were issued BY Carey
10 Philadelphia. Stephen Cullen Carpen-
Ter published monthly in Charleston for
one or more seasons, which blended liter
alure and politics unsoclally together. He
was d bitter conlrosersalst, and came in
collision as such with The famous Tom Paine,
then held in no little esteem by Jefferson
and others.
A slury, told OF Paine and Carpenter. was
current fifty years ago. of which we may
say with the Italian, Isl non zero. ben
frorafo." Their cnniro, crsies, as was much
more common in those days than in ours.
usually grew into coarse aud bitter person.
alifies. Paine was the ADLER writer of the
two. whether dealing in argument or abuse.
Carpenter, and lrishman, worsted al huth
weapons, resarled 10 one natural enough 10
son Of green Erin. He appealed to the
cu.!gel. aud made special VISIT 10 philadel-
phla in order TO try his shiiieIsh upon his
adversary. He called at Paine's lodgings
for that purpose. having frst announced 10
he public his intentions. Paine had little
stomach lor any warfare beyond that el The
pen. He had as little desire to be found
By his creditors. He occhpied an upper
room. from the windows " which he could
scan his visitors. lhe osier duur was al
ways kept religiously licked. Looking
out and seeing Carpenter and his club-It
was occasionally described as cowskin--
he called TO Carpenter 10 wait. But Car
penter waited in vain. Pain quietly went
back 20 his Isuieuil and continued his writ
ings Of The day. Carpenlef Knocked and
shocked again, but like kntckings ut Mac
beih's castle, nothing came of il /; and tired
out, the cuJgeiler retired put with bitter
curses and renewed threats. lie tuld his
story, and repeated his sidls always with
the same results. AtIenglhthe wags of The
town t.ok part in the aifaif; one set went
10 Paine, another 20 Carpenter. To Paine
they said: .It will never 40; il will rum
you forever, 10 be bullied 10 this manner By
such fellow. and one who il 50 LotoriousIy
: coward that IL you shake bulfush AZ him
be IL sure 10 run"
"A coward is he" said Paine. a little Gu
riously.
.Notsriously. He has been kicked re-
pealedly 10 Philadelphia. New York and
Charleston. and has yelled. and hnwled, and
cursed. and reyiied, but never struck blow
In his own defence. Now. Paine, IL will be
quite disgraceial joke sgsinst you, il Is
beginning 10 be 50 now, II The poor devil
whom everyday kicks can boast that be
kicks o. cudgels you"
.Neyer fear me-" said Paine; she viii;
never be able TO make such report"
"Bul he is even now doing SO. lie boa
sted only last night AIS coffee house
that he would starse Won to death. since the
lear of his cudgel has kept you from put
ling your nose out Of yuur dwelling. even
10 ret your dinner. Tor The last three DAYS"
Paine quietly pointed Ton copbaard where
he had bushel Of crarkefs and hall cheese.
to say nothing of certsin por,y bottles.
Then. With dignity. pointing 70 pile o.
manuscripts:
"There,r said he. "is what has kept me
in dnors, and not The dread IL Carpenters
cudgeI. My pamphlet is nov finished, or
will be finished tonight. ! shall be upon
the streets to.mofrow. | shall be prepar-
ell for Carpenters cudgel."
The party that visited Carpenter had
story Cor his ears Of different character.
"You are lucky. Carpenter. at your es-
cape. II ID well Ior you that you did not
meet Paine. He IL slow 70 move, u con-
stilulenally timid. and is now busy with
one Of his mpst scorching pamphlets and
says nothing. but
wait I'LL this be done'
To corner q timid man. even coward. IS
The most Dangerous of all experiments.
The deer in such cases becomes the bull
dog. Nav, you had not LEFT -----'s cui-
fee house ten minutes last night, when