The Republican journal., 1896-01-30

fore the Unity Club. Belfast, ,Jan>l9, 1896
ana published by request
These are times that try mem S
souls. The summer soldier and the sun
shine patriot will, in this crisis. shrink
IRON the service Of his country, but he
that stands it now deserves the love and
thanks Of men and women. Tyranny.
like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we
have this COZ ISOLATION with as. that the
harder the conflict the more glorious the
triumph; what we obtain too cheaply we
esteem too lightly; It's DEAFNESS only that
gives everything its value Heaven knows
how to put proper price upon its goods
and it would be strange indeed, if so
celestial an article as freedom should not
be highly rated
These are the opening words of Thomas
Paine's first Crisis And they reveal
the quality of his patriotism. These
are the Tunes that try mems souls. - Not
their wits, that they may compromise
with wrong, and compound with tyranny
nor their lntellects only that they may de-
wise cunning schemes for deceiving and
worstlng their enemies: but their souls,
their deepest convictions OF justice. and
honor and right: their wisdom of mind,
consecrated to their count1y's noblest
ideals OF liberty, and devoted to the cause
OF humanity. The higher patriotism is
always born in the travail of the soul. It's
watchword is not MY country. right OF
wrong, but My country must stand for
right and never for wrong The true
patriot is not actuated by national selfish
ness. lie does not aim to see his country
asSfandlZed at the cost of another nation
HIS regard for his country is founded ON
ethical principles. The higher patriotism
must be lntertused Though and through
With the ethical sentiment. 1t cannot be
merely the love and defense of one S
country because it chances to be ones
birthplace and home, and to hold the
graves OF one foretathers: but it should
be ap aspiration and pun osc to make a
country which shall be morally worthy of
the love and defense of noble minded citi-
ztns. Not What our country is but what
Ii can and ought to be. is the central
pivot OF the higher patlotsm
No appropriated miud can study the
character and writings of Thomas Paine
without being convinced hat his patriot
ism was of this highest quality With
MN 4 he cause of America WAS the cause
of humanity. Her lights were the rights of
manklhd, irrespective Of rank, station.
color, or ANY other artificial condition. In
tie long list pi paTriot> who have devoted
then lives to their country. there is no
man whose patriotism shows deeper soul.
qualities than his. He saw America not
only oppressed 10y the tyranny of England,
but threatened by her own moral cisol-
ders. The tluest patriot is he who is most
deeply humanitarian. Paine was a man
OF mighty intellect, but of greater soul.
HIS mind cOmprehended at once the crisis
IN the affairs OF the colonies, and his soul
at the same time eSpoused the cause of
human liberty and equal rights of all He
saw that the struggle for independence
was imminent, but he would have that in
dependence achieved and founded upon
ethical principles. The Declaration of In
dependence, which was adopted July i.
Ii46 embodied every principle lie had so
ably insisted upon-eXcept one In the
original draft of that Declaration was an
antl-slavely clause which was but an
elaboration OF Paine anti-slavery ESSAY.
published less than four months after his
ARRIVAL III America. This clause was with
draWn on the objection of Georgia and
south Carolina, which wanted slaves, and
OF Northernels interested in the profits of
the slave trade. The language of that anti
slavery clause is as follows: ''He king
George has waeed cruel war against HUI
man nature itself, violating its most sacred
rights of life and liberty in the persons of
distant people who never offended him.
captivating and carrying them into slavery
IN another hemisphere, or to incur miser-
able death in their transportation thither
ms plratlcal warfare, the opprobrium of
lnhdel powers, is the warfare of the Chris
uan hing of Great Britain. Determined
10 keep an open market where men should
be bought and sold, he has prostituted his
negative Tor suppressing every legislative
attempt to prohibit or restrain this execra-
able commerce. And that this assemblage
OF horrors might want no fact of distin-
gushing die, he is now exciting those
very people to rise in arms among us. and
to purchase that liberty of which he has
deprived them by numbering the people
on whom he has obtruded them, thus pay
ing on folmer crimes committed against
The liberties OF one people with crimes
which he urges them to commit against
the lives of another.''
Thomas Paine's patriotism was not of
that quality which contends that one S
county can do no wrong. He foresaw
with deepest fear the evils and internal
dlssenslons which would result from the
rejection of this chief corner stone of in
dependence. If the patriotic wisdom of
this man had prevailed, the disorders of
more than three quarters of a century,
and their eliminating horror of civil strife
would have been precluded from the his
tory of our beloved land.
There is not a principle in the Declare
ton which was not first promulgated by
Paine and may be found constantly reiter-
ated in his writings. William Cobbett,
the philanthropst, said that whoever may
have written the Declaration Paine was it's
author, and lie was right.
Paine's part in the Revolutionary strltg-
gle confirms the old proverb-"The pen is
mghtier than the sword" "The cause
OF America made me an author he said
Paine served two short terms of enlist
ment in the Continental army. He shared
its great plivations; was aware of it's in
adequate equipment; had heard the MUIR
murs of discomfort which insufficient foo6
and clothing wrung from the troops. He
foresaw that their patriotism must be con
stantly stimulated that the hope of ulti-
mate victory must not be suffered to grow
faint in their breasts. He saw the i'm
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