The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1892-12-08
Ingersoll and Paine.

1ngersOu and Paine.
Some time ago an article appeared in
THE MIRROR, written by one of it's con7
tributors, that touches upon the life of
Mr.. Paine, exhuming his virtues, etc.a
and l have just finished reading another
article written by Mr.. Ingersoll, who is
also endeavoring to aid writer's of his
tory in eXhuming Mr.. Paine's virtues
and apologies and denies his vices. 1t
is said that mems vices are buried with
them in their graves, and virtues live
after them. According to these distin7
guished gentlemen, America is indebted
to Mr.. Paine for the revolt from British
authority and it's success, and that
many of the reforms that have been
adopted originated with Paine. We will
now let Mr.. Ingersoll speak for himself.
"In 1774 he came to America, and in
1775 wrote the first article on American
Slavery, five days afterwards the Ameri-
can Anti-Slavery Society was fOrmeds
The next article was in opposition to
the practice of dueling. May, 1775, he
wrote another article protesting against
cruelty to animals. In August plea
for the rights of women, and the first to
write the words United States of Ameri-
ca, and the pamphlet known as Com
mon Sense During the war he wrote
what was called The Crisis The war
ended, Paine concluded to educate the
English people, hoping to hasten the
day of their freedom he wrote the
Rights of Man. This book stirred
UP the people, SO to avoid arrest, he
left for England and crossed over to
France. The first thing he did was to
form a Republican Society,", and the
next to write it's manifesto, which
started the French Revolution. Soon
after, France arrested and imprisoned
this champion of liberty. He was re-
leased through the efforts of James
Monroe. After his release he returned
to America expecting the laudatiOn and
gratitude of a generous people. On
reaching America he found the sense
of gratitude had been effaced The
Age of Reason was his crime says
Ingersoll. "He was neglected by Morris
and Washington. Thomas Paine pass
ed the legendary limit of life. One by
one most of his old friends and acquaint-
ances had deserted him. On the 9Th
day of June, 1909 death came. Death,
almost his only friend. At his funeral
no pOmp, no pageantry, no civic pro-
cesSion, no military display. In car
riage, a woman and her son who had
lived on his bounty; on horseback, a
Quaker, and on foot, two negroes, COM
posed the funeral cOrtage of Thomas
Paine"
MIR. IngersOll does not give any ac-
count of the death-bed scene of Paine.
The following is an authenticated his
tory of Paine'S death: Stephen Grel-
let, the son of French nObleman who
was prescribed by the French revolu-
ZIONIST, made his home in America. He
was led by writings Of VIM. Penn, from
infdelity and became Quaker preach
er and missionary. The spOtless purity
of his life, the exalted nobility of his
Christian character, make it impossible
for him to be charged with misrepre-
sentatiOn or misstatement. He says in
his biography, II may not omit here
the recording of the death of Thomas
Paine. On hearing that he was i'll and
in very destitute condition, / went to
see him, found him in Wretched state,
and fOrsaken and neglected by his pre-
tended friends. A nurse was provided
for him and some needful comforts
supplied. And [ sent valuable
friend, Mary Roscoe, who was residing
in my family, to go and take him some
refreshments suitable for an invalid,
furnished by neighbor. Once when
she was there, three of his deistical as
sociates came to the door, and said in a
loud and unfeeling manner, Tom
Paine, it is said you are turning Christ
ian but we hope you Will die as you