Smyrna times., 1877-10-10
The Thomas Paine Controversy.


recanted his atheistical views at his death,
and offered a wager of $1,000 that the
O5S.rrcr could not prove its assertions
The challenge has created big controversy.
The New York Irib,oc says Of it:
We have already alluded to the offer
made by Colonel Robert G. Ingersoll to
submit the matter Of Paine's death bed
troubles to Court of Arbitration-this offer
being occasioned by the structures Of the
New York O6scrrtr. Nothing, it appears
to US, could be less likely to be followed by
amy desirable and determined result. The
testimony, already Of record, respecting
the squalor and degradation of Paino's last
years IS ample; we meet with it in many
places, and it may be said that it is as
authentic as any fact recorded in history
The men who saw Paine, and who had
ample opportunities of observing his habits
ali concur III representing him as deplor-
ably intcmperatc. Grant Thorburn, whose
information upon this point is particularly
full, was certainly in no sense preiudiced
witness, but, on the other hand, he was a
specially conscientious ScOtchman, and
quite incapable Of recording a falsehood.
The traditions at New Rochelle, where
Paine died and was buried, all confirm
the stories Of his unfortunate habits of in
toXication. The story told in his diary by
Stephen Grellet. the eminent Quaker
preacher, is to the same purport. If any
question can be considered settled, it IS
that OF Panc's personal habits.
The second subject OF controversy is that
OF Paine 5 ante-mortcm rcmorse, and of a
change i'll his religious feelings at or near
his final hour. Considering that for a long
time before his departure he was hardly
ever sober, and lived almost entirely upon
a mixture Of rum and milk, perhaps too
much Importance may be attached to anv
expressions either blasphcmOus or convcn-
tIonally peniteutial, which fell from his
lips. One thing is certain-whether he
died Atheist, Deist, or like one almost per-
suadcd to believe while incapable of be-
llcvlng, his closing days were singularly un-
happy. lie had been in his time a man Of
some Importance, and had acted a con
siderable part in the affairs Of three great
States. lie had achieved the honor of
beng prosecuted by an English Ministry.
lie had been member, and by no means
an ohsurc one, Of the National Convention
OF France He had been a confidential
officer OF the American Congress. He had
been patrOnizcd by Washington, and treat.
ed with marked consideration bv Jefferson.
His political writings had done much to
forward the Declaration Of Independence,
and TO prepare the public mind for its
favorable reception. But his habits had
worn out the patience of all his distinguish.
ed and Respectable associates and now i'm
a country village, almost alone, and with a
constitution entirely ruined by his excuses,
he was slowly dying. What man saws
under such circumstances must depend
greatly upon his momentary humor. TO
some OF those visitors who were brought bv
pity or charity, to his bedside Paine spoke
very harshly of Christianity and of Chris.
tlans; with others he seems to have been
more moderate in his language. Mary
Roscoe, young Quakeress, told Grcllet
that Paine spoke of his athcistcal friends
as miserable comforters :; and what Mary
Roscoe SAID to Grellet may he accepted as
the truth, as we'll as Grelet's report of it,
She says that she repeatedly heard him
utteung cries of "Oh, Lord !" and that he
confessed to her that Satan alone could
have prompted him to write the Gage of
Reason"
What he meant by this is uncertain. lie
may have regretted the publication as in.
furious to his temporal fortunes, since un.
doubtedly it had been so. lie NAV have
felt that he had thrown away great chances
TOR the sake Of gratifying his natural love
OF diSputation. lie may even have been
haunted 10y a suspicion that his book was a
mistake, thco!ogically considered. For
some reason, ut any rate, an alIusion to it
made by the religious woman who had
come to minister to his wants, gave him
little pleasure. His memory may have
gone back to the days Of his bOyhood, when
he was led by his mother in the decent and
orderly ways OF the Society of Friends, and
he might naturally have contrastcd his
happiness then with his present miserable
condition. How far he felt that he had
been wrong in his religious speculations it
IS impossible to say. His mind had been
very much weakened by his habits: and
we cannot be sure that when his mind was
at its hest. he heartily accepted the
opinions for which he was willing publicly
to stand sponsor. He was never a very
hearty disbeliever. He accepted Supreme
Beng, and he distinctly avowed his belief
IN happiness beyond this life" He
thought that " religious duties consisted in
dong justice, in loving mercy and in en-
deavorlng to make our fellow creatures
happy" This was his theory, whatever
may have been his practice; and so far,
upon his death-bed, he had no anti-Chris-
tan sentiments to recant.
The public has all the testimony which
1t IS likely to have concerning this mans
ultimate opinions, and a court of arbitra.
ton would not, probably, throw much light
upon them. There will always be those
who, honestly influenced by their dearest
opinions, will attribute the wreck of Paine's
life to his want Of religious PRINCIPLES.
There will always be others who will refer
IT to accident, and to the ingratitude of
those whom he had faithfully served. But
nobody can deny that it was a wreck. All
the arbitrations in the world will not alter
that fact; and as the American public. re-
memberlng the services when thew were
really OF great value, is disposed to forget
ms errors OF conduct and of opinion.
Colonel lngersoll clearly does no friendly
ofhce to his memory by his somewhat
6osterous patronage. Geographic character
IS not to be settled by the offer of wapers.
however large; and mankind, in eases Of
disputed reputation, can make up its mind
without erecting a special tribunal for the
purpose OF determining the merits or de-
merits of man so we'll known as Thomas
Paine.
" This may seem q work of superero.
gation," he remarked, as he toddled
down to the front gate, and commenced