Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1876-05-17
"Tox PAINE"
Amono tho centennial events there

Among tho CcutSulAAoA CvOAUO SHSA0
;s one that should not be forgotten,
vet will not gladly be remembered,
because it is associated with name
which is as generally distasteful as
any in our history. In the winter of
a hundred years ago was published
the famous pamphlet, Common
Sense" which crystalized into fixed
purposes the wishes and hopes for
independence, which filled the coli
ouial mind. The author was Thomas
Paine-a very conspicuous figure in
his time, but generally known to US
rs Tom Paine the infidel. One little
boy whom the easy Chair" well
knew heard his name first upon
raw wintry day in a New England
town, when his attention was attract
ed by the firing Of guns, and he
askc what they were for. The re-
ply was in substance that some dis
reputable people were celebrating
Tom Paine's birthday. The tone i'm
piled that he was a dreadful repro
bate. But surely Tom Paine had
done some good service. He wrote
Common Sense" and published it
in the dark hour of the revolution.
1t was a wholly unselfish service, for
he took ont no copyright; and even
in those days, among a colonial pop
ulation of three millions only, poor
and in the midst of exhausting war,
there were hundred thousand copies
of the pamphlet sold. Washington,
Franklin, Adams, and Jefferson,
hailed him as public benefactor.
But among later Americans his name
was always mentioned with horror
and disdain. 1t is agreed that nc
single cause was more effective in
producing the Declaration of indie
pendence, than his Common Sense"
Yet, sixteen years ago, when a por-
trait of Paine was offered to the
city of Philadelphia, to be hung in
the hall where the Declaration was
adopted and signed, it was declined.
A likeness of Tom Paine, the infidel,
must not hang among the august
shades of the fathers. Yet the re-
ligious views of 'Tom Paine" were
essentially those of ''Tom Jefferson"
whose name viii be saluted as among
the most illustrious of this iilustrious
year.
The feeling about Paine in the be-
ginning of the century, was largely
political. When jefferson was Pres
ident he invited Paine to come to
this country from France, where he
had narrowly escaped the guillotine,
and he arrived in October, 1902.
His friends gave him public dinners.
His opponents said that Tom Paine
and Tom Jefferson ought to dangle
from the same gallows. For even in
that golden age Of the republic, to
which so many siShiug imaginations
revert from the corruption of this
age of brass and iron upon which
we have fallen, there was some
warmth of party feeling and express
sion. When Paine came to New
York he stopped at the old City
Hotel, on Broadway, just north of
Trinity church. And inquisitive
little Laurie Todd, or Grant Thor
burn, heard one day that the great
sinner was standing at the door of
the hotel, and he ran out with some
friends to see him. But Mr.. Paine
had gone to his room. The Scotch
man was not to be foiled, and he
asked a servant who was sweeping
the hall if Mr.. Paine was at home.
Hearing that he was, Thorburn
pushed on, and was shown into a
large room where the table was set
for breakfast. One gentleman was
writing. anotherreading newspaper,
and at the farther end of the room
stood a long, lank, coarse-looking
figure, warming his headquarters
before the fire. The intruder asked
for Nj. Paine. The figure by the
IRE replied that his name was Paine.
Ihorturn put out his hand, which
Pane took, and the little Scotchman
SAID that he had called from mere
curio'lty. Mr.. Paine replied that
he was very glad to satisfy it. Upon
Whlct Thorburn made a bow 'like
Sooseducking his head under water"
Walked out and shut the door, while
all tie gentlemen in the room burst
Into laugh, which he heard all the
way 10 the door. He did not care
ne hld seen the great man. But he
LAO % pay for the pleasure. The
EreG city WAS n small tnun thnn n,nd