The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-11-13
Of Herbert. d Newton and Of other English

| clcus forming within the nobulous mass o
| dcstical speculatons. Paine recognized
deity only in the astronomic laws and in
| telligible ordor OF the universe. ana in the cor
| responding reason and moral nature OF man
| like Kant he was filed with awe Ivy tn,
| starry heavens and mans sense Of right. r,
| the atheist hc said We did not mako our
selves: wo did not make the principles O
science which we discover and apply. but can
| not alter"
II was in September. 1902. that Paine ler
France for the United States. lIo expected I
| cordial welcome in America. for his friont
Jefferson was President. and tho party which
had syrrrthizcd with the French revolution
was now dominant. 1t is true that in Virginia
| and tho South tho Ago OF Reason was iairl,
| discussed. its influence being so great thai
| Patrick Henry wrote q reply which he subse
Gnentiy burned. In Virginia dcism. though
! prevailing largely, had not prevented its
| adhcr"nts from supporting the Church as ar
| institution. II had bocome their habit to talk
| OF such topics only in private. Jefferson
| had not Neutured to express his views In
| public. end WAS troubled at finding himself
| mixed up with the heresics Of Paine. The
| fedcraist press used Painn's inildelity to be-
! labor tho President and tho author had to
write defensive letters from tho moment OF
ministration. Paine published lcttor in which
he sail that he should not ask or accept any
Office. and IRE -ontly no left Washington for
Pordentown, which had M one time been his
homo. Here, AMI in his subsequent journey
through Now Jersey. l"mo: with great deal of
III treatment Bordenown was rlacurlcd with
rirtnrcs Of tho dsNil lying away with Paine.
and the pulpts set ura chorus Of Ni:urcration
Whom he drove with his ola friend COL Kirk
bride to Trenton. 30 furious was th" rions
mob that he was refused seat in the Trenton
stage. Whom starting for Rrunswicl; they
were hootci and II gang OF towdics played tho
Rogue March" These SAYS Mr.. Con.
wav. were tho people for whose librrtios
Paine had marched over that same road on
foot with musket in hand. At Trenton insults
were heaped upon tho man who by camp fires
had written tho Crisis which animated tho
conuuerOrs of tho ficssians Mt that place in
the times that tried mems souls. These peo-
pie he had helped to mako free-free to cry
Cruelty"
At New York Paine found both tho religion
and the political parties sharply divided over
him. Many of his old friends. however. re-
fused to visit him. and he was gradually de-
serted oven by most Of tho Jeitersonians. His
last years were passed partly on his farm in
New Rochelle and partly in lodgings in New
w n. hi'ci u llbptlihS hc bicu III -
house in Grove street on June q. 1909. Shortly
before his death two clergymen had invaded
his room. and as soon as they spoke about his
opinions Pains said Let me- alone: good
morning" Nine. Bonneville. the French lady
in whose house he died. asked IL he was salts
fed with the treatment he had received at her
hands. and no said. "Oh. yes" These. and
not the utterances which have been falsely
nscribed to him. were the asst words OF
Thomas Paine His body was accompanied to
the grave beyond New Rochelle by two ne
eroes, n Quaker preacher named Willett
Hicks. and by tho Nine. Bonneville Just men
toned and her children. who were Catholics.
Nine. bonneville placed her son BENJAMIN.
nttcrward a General in the United States
army. at ono end OF the grave and. standing
herself Mt tho other end. cried as tho earth
fell on the coffin: "Oh. Mr.. Paine. mr. son
stands here as the testimony of the gratitude
OF America, and l for France"
v.
In chapter headed Personal Traits" Mr..
Conway examines and refutes some Of tho
charges which have been brought against
Taine's personal character. He shows that
Paine's relations to Nine. Bonneville were OF
the most eXcm rlary and admirable character.
After perusinG some thousands OF documents
concerning iaiue. Nt. ! onWly is convinced
that no charge OF sensuality could be brought
against him by any one acquainted with tho
facts, except out OF malice. The present bioE-
rapher disclhims disposition to suppress
anything. and declares that had Paine held. or
practscd. any latitudinarun theory OF sexual
liberty it would he recorded In this book. Tho
truth IS that during Paine's life no 1mputa-
ton OF sexual immortality was heard Of
II Is certain that no never told or listened to
Indecent anecdotes. and that he had the
strongest aversion to profanity.
ProdiEal OF SNUFF. Paine. used tohaccoin no
other form. Not until some years after his re-
turn to America could slovenliness in re-
spect of dress be observed In him. and tho
contrary was often remarked IN former times.
After he had come to Now York and was
neglected by the Indies ar! gentlemen with
whom he had once associated no bccnme
careless of his rers nal apu"arance. Let
those dress who need it." he said to n friend.
VIII ro,,rd 10 the CHARGES Of .ycossjve drink.
~ m adj a. RI