The Washington herald., 1909-06-13
TOM PAINE, PATRIOT
Press Agent of the American Revolution.

.
New Rochelle. y. Y. refused 20 permit
the burial OF HIS body IN the chErchyard,
declaring thar he was hereto He was
buried on the old farm given him BY
/ Congress. and afterWard the body was
stolen and carried to England. At New
Rochelle recently a monument 10 the
memory OF Paine was dedicated with ap-
propriate ceremony. and Il was recalled
that the man 10 whose memory the shaft
was erected contributed much 20 the
cause OF American independence. With
his rnusket on his shoulder he marched
and fought in Washington's army. endur-
/ ing ali the privations Of the common sol
diers who were his companions, while
by the light OF the camp FIRE ne wrote
with forceful pen. stirring the hearts Of
the discouraged. Hl-clad. and half-starved
patriots IN arms and kindling the fire OF
enthusiasm IN the breasts OF those who
performed equally great duties n the field
OF politics and craftsmanship. writes
Henry Barrett Chamberlain. IN the Chi
/ cago Record Herald
In the dark days preceding the battle
OF Trenton there was born Of his wonder
ful brain that appeal 10 patriotism which
1 Is to-day one OF the treasures Of world
I literature. Here is the first paragraph:
These are the times that try mems
/ souls. The summer soldier and the sun
shine patriot viii IN this crisis shrink
from the service OF his country. but he
that stands e now deserves the love and
thanks OF man and woman. Tyranny. Ike
/ he'll. is not easily conquered; yet we have
this consolation with Us. that the harder
the conflict the more glorious the triumph.
/ What We obtain too cheap We esteem
too lightly; It's dearness only that gives
everything its value. Heaven knows how
20 put a proper price upon its goods. and
Il would be strange indeed II 50 celestial
an article as freedom should not be high
~ rated Britain. with an army 20 en-
force her tyranny, has declared that she
has right not only 70 tax. but 10 bind
Us in all cases whatsoever and II being
bound in that manner IS not slavery. then
there Is no such thing as slavery upon
earth Even the expression IS impious.
for so unlimited a power can belong only
70 God"
Whether or not the man 70 whom the
cause OF American independence owed
some OF its earliest and most potent in
spirations would have had a different
reputation in the opinion OF the present
generation had he not written The
Rights OF Man and ''rhe Age OF Reason"
is stiIl a mooted question In his "GOuver-
neur Norris" the late President OF the
United States. Theodore Roosevelt. in de-
picting those turbulent days in France
when Morris was minister, says.
''One man had q very narrow escape
This was Thomas Paine. the Englishman
who had at one period rendered such 4
striking service 20 the cause Of American
independence. while the rest OF his life
had been as ignoble as fl was varied. He
had been elected 10 the convention. and.
having sided with the Gironde, was
thrown into prison by the Jacobins. He
al once asked Morris 10 demand him. as
an American citizen. a title 10 which he.
OF course. had no claim Morris refused
10 interfere too actively, judging rightly
that Paine would be saved by his own
iustgnihcance, and would serve his Ovyn
interests best by keeping stil. So the
filthy little atheist had 70 stay in prison,
where he amused himself with publish
I ing a pamphlet against Jesus Christ
I There are infdels and inhdels, Paine be-
/ longed 10 the variety-whereOf America
/ possesses al present one or Two shining
exampIes-that apparently esteems a
I bladder Of dirty water as the proper
weapon with which 70 assan Christianity
II IS not type that appeals 70 the sym
I pathy OF an onlOoker. be said onlOOker re
I ligiOus OF otherwise"
I Harsh words these. but no more bitter
than those of many other writer's who
I have had occasion 10 denOunce The man
/ as drunkard and a Hbeler. the man 20
I whom George Washington wrote on Sep
/ tenber 10. 17S3, these words
/ 7 have learned since I have been At
/ this place (Rocky HID that you are at
/ Bordentown. Whether Tor the sake OF
retirement or economy. I know not Be
/ II for either, or both, or whatever II may.
I II you viii come TO this place and par
/ take with me shall be exceedingly hap
py 20 see YOU at IT, Your presence may
| remind Congress OF your past services
! 20 this country; and Il It is in my power
/ 70 impress them. command my best ex-
| ertions with freedom, as they win be rem
| dered cheerfully by one who entertains
[ a lively sense Of the Importance OF your
I works. and who with much pleasure sub
/ scribes himself your sincere friend"
/ As 10 the atheism OF Paine there IS dis
! agreement. but these expressions from his
writings give cause for reflection before
[ CHASING him as such.
7 believe in the equality OF man, and
believe that religious duties consist in do
/ ing justice. loving mercy, and endeavOr-
I ing 10 make our feIoW-creatures happy
''The work OF God is the creation which
we behold"
MY own opinion is that those whose
lines have been spent in doing good and
/ tendeavoring 70 make their fellOw-mOrtals
happy win be happy hereafter"
The intellectual part OF religion is q
private affair between every man and his
/ Maker, and IN which(no third party has
any right 20 interfere The practical part
! consists in doing good TO each other"
! Il believe in one God and no more. and
hope for happiness beyond this life" 3"
My religion. and the whole OF Il. IS
/ the fear and love OF the Deity and uni
versaI philanthropy.
II is. perhaps, unfortunate that Paine's
name has been so persistently exploited
as that Of a man whose claim 10 fame
rests upon the mistaken notion that he
was merely a ribald sc0ffer against re-
/ vealed religion. Had he never meddled
with religious controversy he wOud have
/ been remembered as one OF the founders
OF the nation. He had high reputation
when he crossed the Atlantic 20 stir Up
/ the people Of the Old World against mon
arcfy and aTistOcracy. taking as his mot
/ 20. Where liberty Is not, there is my
/ country.
! To his book, written in the second year
I OF the French republic. and published in
Paris IN 1894 by Barrois. entitled The
/ Age Of Reason. Being an Investigation OF
True and Fabulous Theology IS credited
I the action Of a large number Of the peo-
pie Of this country in denouncing him