Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1884-01-30
THOMAS PAINE.
Tho one Hundred and r,rty seventh Ami
yersary OF nls HIrth

Yesterday was tho tA7th anniversary OF
tho birth OF Thomas Paine, tho famous in.
idel and ono of tho most distinguished
men of tho last ccutury--a writer on liter
AIRY, scientific political aud religious sub
jects, whose influence was felt moro
deeply, perhaps, than that of any one of
his contemporaries, patriot who was
loved and trusted by Washington, Frank.
lin, Jefferson and the other great men of
tho Revolution aud statesman
whose famo is 10 enduring as
the great republic no did 80
much to establish Hc was born of
Quaker pareutage In the county of Nor.
folk, England. Aftor somewhat chcquer.
cd and, on tho whole, an unsuccessful
business career, ho met Benjamin Frank
lin, thon in London, aud by tho advice of
that great philosopher he cauo to- America
in i774 Tho troubles between England
and tho American colonies were then at
their height, and Paino warmly espousod
tho cause of tho colonies. la tho following
year no began tho publication of his
pamphlets entitled " Common Sense"
which arc said to havO "sovored the last
link that bound tho colonies to
the mother country" Ho was tho
first writcr in America to advocate tho
establishment of a republic of free and
independent states. Great Britain having
prohibited the expectation OF gunpOwdcr
TO tho colonies, Paino studied chemistry,
discovered au expeditions way of making
saltpetrc and organized society whose
object was to supply gratuitously tho
| national magazines with gunpowdcr.
When tho Declaration of Independence
was proclaimed Paine was among tho
| first to Join the army. Whom tho hearts
of patriots were almost dospairing Paino
wrote his pamphlet "rhe Crisis" COM
mencing with the immortal words, "Theso
are the times that try mems souls "Thc
Crisis " was read az the head of overy
regiment, aud SIX days later was fought
and won tho battle of Trenton. In the
winter of l777 he formed plan to burn
tho British fleet in the Delaware, and
volunteered to be ono of four or five men
that would execute II. In 1850 he rcsolv
cd to return to England, circulate his
republican principles and create n panic
there that would inurC TO tho interest of
America. He was with dinioulty dissua
dcd from his purpose by Con. Grcoue,
who knew no would forfeit his
liCo by tho venture. Ia juno of
the same year Gen. Washington
addressed letter to the Pennsylvania
Assembly stating that he feared tho dis
tresscs OF the sOldiCgs, whose pay was
greatly in arrears, would cause discomfort
aud mutiny. Paine, who was clerk of the
Assembly a. tho time and knew that the
state had mother money nor credit, aud
that voluntary aid alone would save the
cause Cl Independence from collapse,
, wrote q letter to prominent Philadelphia
. merchant, and enclosed in 1t 5000, the
, amount OF salary due him Gs clerk, as his
, contribution to relief iuad Ills scxamplc
acted like magic, and IN short time
, nearly Sl,j0O, 900 IN Pennsylvania cur
rency was collected and bank estab-
y lshed for the use Of the army. During
. tho following year hC accompanied Col.
' | Laurons to France, negotiated loan of
$4,000, 600 in silver, which was placed AZ
-, the disposal of Washington, and enabled
= him to move south and capture the army
y, of Lord COrnwallis at Yorktown ard end
, tho war.
The FOREGOING is but meagre sketch OF
tho services OF Thomas Pane during the
revolution, and in recognition Of his
services distiugulsh,d d honOrs were show.
i cred upon him frOm ali Qusrtnrs. l. 1877
= he went to Franco, Was received with
. great distinct , ard took leading part
, among the rench Republicans. He
wrote his Rights OF Man in 1901 9.
-. and his Age of Reason in 1893 8, AS
o. bitterly as his political works were de
~ noupccd by the monarchists and tories, his
~ "Ago OF Reason Was denounced by all
u scc,s Of Christians. Il vas cCndcmncd rs
80 atbcisticll and yet in it Paine uses these
=, words : - believe 10 ono God and no
" more, and | hope for happiness beyond
Vi VI this Hlo." 10 1902 Pdiho returned to the
4. United States, wa welcomed by Jefferson,
II II wiuCd and diued by tho patriots of Phila
u. delphia and New York, though his
~ enemies thought that be and jefferson
~ should dIngle from the samG gallows
~ Paine spent some time in the city OI
III lancaster during tho Revolutionary war
and boarded at Michael's hotel, which
then occupied tho site now occupied By
c Jacob Loeb's building. Here he wrote
IN one or more of his patriotic pamphlets,
and hero in tho winter OF 1888, in con
x, versatiOn with William Henry, a noteC
ia mechanic no made tho first proposition
IN ever put forth in America for tho applicI
Id ton of steam to navigation. 1t was moi
nc until 30 years afterwards that RObCy
ce Fulton perfected what Paine had sug
ne gestod.
ltG 1t was not inapproprlat3, therefore, tha
90 several admirers Of Thomas Paine met las
III evening in tho parlorB OF Mr. Loeb, recalled
ed and commented on some of the more i'm
portant events in his lifo and drank
toast or two TO his memory. Paine
his works occupied place on the contro table
Try and on tho wall hung banner bearing
ad tho inscription Anniversary of tho II
for lnstTious Thomas Paine, Fearless, Cham
d, pion of Social and Mental Freedom"