The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1873-07-18
Tom Paine.

Tom Paine,
Mr.. James Parton's paper on ''The
Presidential election of I8OO,'' in the
Atlantic Monthly for July, contains the
following picture Of Thomas Paine and
his abode in Paris after the American
war g Mr.. Jefferson's letter found him
the occupant of a little dirty room,
containing a small wooden table and
two chairs An old English friend,
who visited him not long after he re-
ceived it, describes Paine's abode,
which he had much trouble to find, as
being the dirtiest apartment he ever
sat down in. 'The chimney hearth was
heap of dirt, he adds there was
! Three shelves were filed with paste.
board boxes, each labeled after the
manner of a minister of foreign affairs,
" Correspondence Britannique, Fran
caise," etc. In one corner of the room
stood several huge bars of iron, curiOusly
shaped, and two large trunks opposite
the fireplace, a board covered with
pamphlets and journals, having more the
appearance Of a dresser in a scullery
than a sideboard. ''The occupant OF
this dolefuI room, then sixty-five years
of age, soon came down stairs dressed
in long flannel gown, and wearing in
his haggard face an expression of the
deepest melancholy. His conversation
showed that he was in full sympathy
with the little band of Frenchmen
whom Bonaparte had not dazzled out
of their senses. He had dared even to
translate and print Jefferson's inaugeral
address, by way of contrast, as he
said, with the government of the first
consul But he had lost all hope of
France. 'This is not a country he
said, for an honest man to live in
they do not understand anything at all
of the principles of free government,
and the best way is to leave them to
themselves. You see, they have con-
quered all Europe only to make it more
miserable than it was before. Repub-
lie! Do you call this a republic
Why, they are worse off than the slaves
at COnstantinopIe for there they ex-
pect to be bashaws in heaven by submit
ting to be slaves here below. But here
they believe neither in heaven nor hell,
and yet are slaves to choice l know
of no. republic in the world except
America, which is the only country for
such men as you and me. I have done
with Europe and its sla7ish politics. ,
He gave his visitor Mr.. JeffersOn's let
ter to read, and said he meant soon to
avail himself of its offer. It would
be a curious circumstance he added,
laughing, if I should hereafter be sent
as secretary of legation to the English
court which Out1awed me. What a
hubbub it would create at the kings
levee to see Tom Paine presented by the
American ambassador All the bish-
ops and women would faint away. His
guest frankly told him that the course
of events had caused him to change his
principles. Paine's answer was, You
certainly have the right to do 80 but
you cannot after the nature of things
The French have alarmed all honest
men; but still, truth is truth Poor
Paine! His errors were, for the most
part, those of his age, and they were
aggravated by his circumstances, his de-
fective education and the ardor of his
temperament. But his merits, which
were real and not small, were peculiarly
his own. He loved the truth for its
own sake: and he stood by what he
conceived to be the truth when all the
the world around him reviled it. That
hastv pamphlet of his which he named
The Age of Reason, written to alleviate
the tedium of his Paris prison, differs
from other deistical works only in being
bolder and hOnester. It contains not a
position which Franklin, John Adams,
Jefferson and Theodore Parker would
have dissented from and, doubtless,
he spoke the truth when he declared
his main purpose in writing it was to
inspire mankind with more exalted
| idea of the supreme architect of the
universe think his judgment must
have been inspired before he could have
consented to publish 50 inadequate a
performance. In a remarkably convi-
vial age, he sang a very good song, and
often favored a iovial company, after
dinner, with ditties of his own compost
ton. This ever-welcome talent joined
to the vivacity of mind which naturally
expands itself in agreeable conversation,
made him IN his best days the delight
of his circle, and lured him, perhaps,
into habits that prevented his ripening
into happiness and wisdom ; for no mar
can attain welfare who does not obey
the physical laws of its being. It be
comes US, however, to deal charitably
with the faults of a benefactor, whC
wrote The Crisis and Common Sense
who conceived the planning machine anc
the iron bridge. A glorious monumen
in his honor swells aloft in many of on
great towns. The principle of his arcl
now sustains the marvellous railroad de
pots that half abolish the distinction
] between indoors and out.