Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1875-03-04
A Word in Reply.


A Word in Reply.
Your correspondent, b. says: 1T is
quite evident that Mr.. G. bases his opinion
OF the character OF Thomas Paine on hear
say, aud not on any authentic history of
that di-tin. u,hed individual. therefore
recommend that he correct these false no
tons by reading Mr.. Paine's published
works" &c.
will say in reply. that, though have
never found enough that was new oi inter.
esting in his works To pay me for studying
them. still am quite familiar with cert IN
private correspondence between him aud
his landlord William Carver. which throws
much more light on his oharacter-il that
Is what Is desired-thau all his published
works The following letter speaks for
Itself
Mr.. Thomas Paine:-I received your letter
dated the "a ut, in answer 10 mine dated Nov
q, aud AMER minutely examining its contents
found that YOU had taken 10 the pitiful sub
terfuge Of iying for YOUR defence You saw that
you paid me four dollars week for your board
and lodging during the time YOU were with me-
pri"r To the first Of june last. " hich was the
day that went up by YOUR order TO bring you
Ia York from New Rochelle. II /. fortunate
that have n living violence that saw YOU give
me five guincas, and no more in nv shop. AT
YOUR departure At thst time; but you said YOU
would have given me more, but that you had
no more with You At present. You say also
that YOU found your own liquors during the
time that YOU boarded with me but YOU should
have .aid. i found only small part Of the IL
quor drank during nv STAY with you this
part purchased Of John Fellows. which was
demi-john II brandy. containing four gallons.
and this did not serve YOU three weeks This
can be- proved. and | mean not to -ay anv-
thing cannot prove. for hold truth a. 4 pre-
ciOu> jewel. Ii IL a wcll-knoxn fact that gu
drank one quart OF brandy per day At ms cx-
i"n>". during the different times YOU boarded
MN me. l, not ihis . supply - liquor Tor
Il have often wondered that French wo-
man and three children should leave France
and a!l their connections 10 follow Thomas
Paine TO America suppose ] were TO 20 10
my native country, England. aud take another
mans wife and three Of his children and leave
my wife and children in ihi. country what
would b. the natural conclusion In the mind. OF
the people. but that there was some criminal
connection between the woman and mY-elE"
The above letter was not from pei son
having any prejudice against Paine's rcli-
giou> views, for with them Carver fully
conceded, and as the letter was frequent
ly published during Faine's lite. and a. no
one was prosecuted for il, there eau be but
little doubt but that IT i. true. The letter
was repeatedly printed In the New York
newspapers, and given entire In the report
of the discussion between Or. Berg and
Mr.. Barker. published by ". :. Young,
Philadelphia, 1854. do not mean to inti-
mate that Spiritualists generally. or that
those who celebrate Paine's birthday.
mean to uphold any such conduct a, the
above letter indicates. | have no reason
to make any such charge against them !;
and only insert the letter 10 show that
have good reason TO believe that he was
DO such man as they thiuk he was. And
though do not say that his conduct was
necessarily the result OF his philosophy :;
still his belief did not have the effect TO
restrain him from such conduct.
IL does not seem 10 occur 10 Mr. Il that
soms of these resolutions were a direct
attack on Christianity, and that hence Il j.
neither Unfair nor unjIs. that they should
be criticised by any member of an evan
eelieal church or any professed Christian.
What do they mean by these stronghold.
OF delu.ion. superstition aud bigotry. un-
less 1t i these churches? Aud now, lest
II should be said that | misrepresent him. |
will give Paine. own language. Speaking
/ OF the New Testament, he proceeds to In
/ form Us 't.dtu is the .fILle u Jesus Christ.
( as told l.. ~. - T--t.'..,ti. md The triii
( AND visionary doctrine raised tkercon."
against which he contends.
Now when a body OF Uerscns assemble
/ In the capacity OF religious denomlna-
/ ton !; would be supposed that they assem-
/ blcl to celebrate religious opinions instead
I OF political opinions, aud il is the more ey.
/ ideDt in this case, from the fact that there
I is reference 10 the Age OF Reason" bat
I NO reference TO the lights OF Man" And
! even If it is admitted that Palue's political
( opiniou, were correct and valuable, il does
not follow that his religious opinions were
not pernicious. And a. he is So much
more noted for his opposition 10 Christian
/ lily than for his patriotic writings. GER
tainly can see no propriety in ass"ciating
his name of J.ifersou's. Nothing could
be more unlike. Paine Was very Jealous
In parading end circulating his religious
view. In = very euccrins aud rldiculiug
manner. while j ffer-on. although scepti-
cal himself, never made attack. on Chris
tianty, AMI even concealed his own.
tnd in one of his letters to Adams the fol-
lowing words: Say nothing Of my relig-
ion; 1t i, known 10 God aud my self
alone" | lind also that h.. made "A small
book bv cutting from the books OF the
erangelsts such passages ~ came directly
from the lips Of J-su,. Ia one Of bis let
tiers. speaking OF this little book. he saws:
"A more beautiful or precious morsel OF
, ethics have never seen. IL is document.
Ii is a document in proof that ain real
Christian that Is 10 say. u disciple OF the
doctrines of Jesus" RIG.
General News.