Smyrna times., 1932-01-27
STORY OF THOMAS PAINE
LOYAL HELPER WASHINGTON
WRITER, PHILOSOPHER, SOLD
Ter, CHAMPION OF LIBERTY
Moncure ID. ConWay's Belief That
Paine Laid Foundation for Dec
laration of Independence

Ao Lue COuulIy pays tribute TO
George Washington during this
year, marking the 20Oth annivers-
airy of his birth, the United States
George Washington Bicentennial
Commission reminds US that it is
well to mark with some thought
the anniversaries of other patriots
without whose loyal help George
Washington might never have been
able to achieve what he did. One
| of these is Thomas Paine, who was
born on January 20, one hundred
and ninety-five years ago. This
remarkable man was the son of a
Quaker who lived in Thetford,
England, a stay-maker by trade.
Like all sturdy English yeomen,
the father expected his son to fol-
low the family calling, but young
Thomas soon tired of making stays
and became an exciseman. After
a turn at this, he tried teaching in
London. But already he had shown
evidences of an intelligence far out
of the ordinary, and had gained
the acquaintance of Benjamin
Franklin, then living in England.
In 1774, Paine emigrated to Amer
lea, bearing letter of recommend
alton from Franklin, and soon OBJ
tanned the editorship of The Penn
sylvania Magazine, published in
Philadelphia. Even then the Amer
lean air was full of the spirit of
independence, and Paine not mere
ly swung into the movement but
rapidly forged to a place of lead
ership. 1t appeared that his gen
ius was waiting for just such an
opportunity, and, using his maya
zine as means of expression, Paine
launched the first of those writ
ings that soon infiamed the coun-
try with enthusiasm for freedom.
This was his Common Sense" af-
terward issued in pamphlet form
and circulated all over the Colon
les. It blew away every distinc-
ton between king and commoner,
boldly urged Americans to assert
their own national sovereignty,
and so stirred public opinion to the
highest pitch. In publication of
all Paine's writings and letters, the
late Moncure D. Conway presents
this remarkable writer as playing a
mighty part in the shaping of the
future United States. It is Con-
ways belief that Paine, by his
clarion writings, laid the founda-
ton for the Declaration of indie
pendence and even some articles
in the Constitution. Ke know that
Washington was one of his eager
readers, and that he deeply re-
spected Paine for the tremendous
influence this writer exerted in
maintaining public morale during
the darkest moments of the Revo-
luton. Indeed Paine's famous
broadside, beginning These are
the times that try mems souls.
was written, it is said, on the head
of a drum when Paine was a sold
Ter under Washington's command
and when the discouragements of
the retreat across the Jerseys had
dashed public support of the war
to its lowest depths. In the fall of
1776 Paine enlisted as volunteer
in the Continental Army and be-
came aide-de-camp to General
Greene. But military duties, far
from stopping his pen, only gave
him more intimate insight with
which to write, and during this
period with the army Paine began
that series of 16 pamphlets which
he assembled under the general
title of THE Crisis" These main
tanned his reputation as one of the
leading influences of the Revolu-
ton. But writing far from ex-
hausted all of Paine's abilities. In
1777 he was made secretary of the
newly formed Committee of For
eign Affairs established by Con-
gress. He served one year as clerk
of the Pennsylvania Assembly. In
1882 Washington got him grant
of $500. from Congress to continue
his writings. In 1884 New York
gave him a tract of 277 acres of
land in New Rochelle; Pennsyl-
vania gave him 500 pounds, and,
in 1875, Congress awarded him
$4,000, to keep him from want.
With independence won in Ameri-
ca, Paine was next attracted to
the struggle for liberty in France,
and played a prominent part in
the French Revolution, at one time
being thrown into prison and mar
rowly escaping the guillotine, for
arguing in behalf of the deposed
king. He continued a prisoner I'm
til James Monroe, the new Amer
lean minister to France, finally
obtained his release. But dur
ing his months in prison, Paine
lost favor with many of his form
er idolators by writing his much
misunderstood book, 1.-THE Age of
Reason" and argument for deism
which MANY took TO be atheiStic