Norwich bulletin., 1921-04-11

tie of Trenton there was born of his wonderful brain that appeal to patriot ism, which is today one of the trea- sures of the worlds literature, The Crisis" in which ooetir those soul-stir- ring lines: These are the times that try mems souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will in this crisis shrink from the service of his country, but he that stands 1t now ,de- serves the thanks and love of man anu and woman"
 An extraordinary career was that or Paine. He was the son of quaker stayInaker, and was born at Norfolk Enkland, in 1736 Efratic in disposi- tion he earned living as a marine an excisernan, teacher of English | and considerable fame as a debatoF He was ss years old when he came to America, bringing letters of introduc- ton from Benjamin Franklin to the leaders of the Revolution.
 Paines opportunity to be of service to the country in large way came when the leaders were dispirited and i disposed to effect a compromise with | Great Britain. He set the colonists aflame with panfhlet entitled Com mon Sense" telling array of argu-
 ments for separation and for the es-
 tabIishment of the Republic, convey
 ed in strong, direct, unqualified lan- guage, ... ...
 It is gennrally admitted to this day
 that Paine's pamphlet was turning
 point in the struggle, that it aroused and consolidated public feeling. and
 swept the tinaid ones along with the tide. The New York Assembly ap-
 pointed committee to answer 1t. but |, the committee adjourned after decid-
 ing that it was unanswerable.
 Paine's literary efforts were re-
 warded by his appointment in the first Congress to be secretary of the com | mittee on foreign affairs. When in ! dependence was established he return
 ed to England to open the eyes of tht { people to the madness and stupidit! l of the Government.
 It was Paine's pamphlet Common
 Sense" that enabled Washington t'
 force the evacuation of Boston, ant was born the announcement of tn e that furnished the courage out of whicl " Glorious Fourth. It was in thi . same pamphlet that Paine urged tn
 Americans to resolve then and ther r to be free. Reconciliation, he toll 'f them was hopeless. It was their plac = among the nations of the world, and t
 pledge them all to the earring oAt c t. their resolutions.
 if We are uniformed that it was diff if cult for the printers, with the clums n presses of the time to bring out copie
 Of Petne's message fast enough to mee ,. the demand for it. More than 1o0,e ,ee 'd copies were speedily sold, and it car " ried conviction where ever it went. A Y fear and irresolution vanished and th
 patriot heart was fired with the deter
 imitation that, six months later wa
 to result in the event which was
 make the Fourth of July forever fs " nous in the annals of the human rae mi As citizens of the great Republi ", and as sharers in its glory and renoW 10 we cannot be too grateful to the al 1e thor of Common Sense. It did us 1s service the importance of which V Iy cannot very we'll overestimate. F, 1s the service of writing this pamphl It. the Legislature of Pennsylvania vot,
 Paine $2,5po, the University of Peni
 sylvania made him an N. 4. and u i'll American Philosophical Society cleo he ed him member.
 -s. After the Revolution Paine went lie England: he was outlawed by u k- Kings Bench, escaped to France, VI of elected to the National Conventio al expelled, imprisoned for eleven month
 released, six years later came to f
 United States and died in New Yo
 on June s, 1908.
 - (Tomorrow-The First Prayer in Co in gress)