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Show The Story of Thomas Paine As the country pays tribute to George Washington during this year marking the 200th anniversary anniver-sary of his birth, the United States George Washington Bicentennial Bicen-tennial Commission reminds us that it is well to mark with some thought the anniversaries of other patriots without whose loyal heir; George Washington might never have been able to achieve what he did. One of these is Thomas Pame, who was born on January 29, one hundred and ninety-five years ago. This remarkable man was the son of a Quaker who lived in Tnitford, England, a stay-makei by trade. Like all sturdy English yoemen, the father expected his son to follow the family calling, but young Thomas soon tired of making stays and became an exciseman. ex-ciseman. After a turn at this, he tried teaching in London. But already he had shown evidences of an intelligence for out of the ordinary, and had gained the acquaintance ac-quaintance of Benjamin Franklin, then living in England. In 1774, Paine emigrated to America, bearing a letter of recommendation rec-ommendation from Franklin, and soon obtained the editorship ol The Pennsylvania Magazine, published pub-lished in Philadelphia. Even then the American air was full of the spirit of independence, and paine not merely swung into tha movement but rapidly forged to a place of leadership. It appeared that his genius was waiting lor just such an opportunity, and, using his magazine as a means of expression, Paine launched the first of those writings that soon inflamed the country with enthusiasm enthu-siasm for freedom. This was his "Common Sense," afterward issued in pamphlet form and circulated all over the Colonies. It blew away every distinction between king and commoner, boldly urged Americans to assert their own national sovereignty, sov-ereignty, and so stirred public opinion to the highest pitch. In a publication of all Paine's writings and letters, the late Mon-cure Mon-cure D. Conway presents this remarkable re-markable writer as playing a mighty part in the shaping of the future United States. It is Conway's belief that Paine, Ly his clarion writings, laid the foundation for the Declaration of Independence and even some articles ar-ticles in the Constitution. We knew that Washington was one of his eager readers, and that he deeply respected Paine for the tremendous influence this writer exerted in maintaining public morale during the darkest moments mo-ments of the Revolution. Indeed Paine's famous broadside, beginning begin-ning "These are the times that try men's souls," was written, it is said, on the head of a drum when Paine was a soldier under Washington's Wash-ington's command and when the discouragements of the retreat across the Jerseys had dashed public support of the war to its lowest depths. Ir. the fall of 1775 Paine enlisted en-listed as a volunteer in the Continental Con-tinental Army and became aide-de-camp to General Greene. But military duties, far from stopping his pen, only gave him a more intimate in-timate insight with which to write and during this period with the army Paine began that series of 16 pamplilets which he assembled under the general title of "ThJ Crisis." These maintained hij PllllO reputation as one of the leading influences of the Revolution. But writing far from exhausted all of Paine's abilities. In 1717 he The was made secretary of the newlj Philo : formed Committee of Foreign Af- academ fairs established by Congress. Hal semblv served one year as clerk of the The pr Pennsylvania Assembly. standir In 1782 Washington got him a ruary grant of $800 from Congress to directic continue his writings. In 1784 Miss J New York gave him a tract of i Swain 277 acres of land in New Rochelle; The f( Pennsylvania gave him 500 pounds! sented: and, in 1785, Congress awarded I Cane him $3,000 to keep him from want.! ground With independence won in &nd Pi America, Paine was next attracted' Ethel to the struggle for liberty in Edgar Prance, and played a prominent WiJJ)a! part in the French Revolution, at Robert one time being thrown into prison zllrt' . and narrowly escaping the gull- bert' . lctine, for arguing in behalf of the invent deposed king. He continued a stateh prisoner until James Monroe, the trtateh new American minister to France, violin finally obtained his release. But nade, during his months in prison, Paine lost favor with many of his D&ir former idolators by writing his much-misunderstood book, "The Age of Reason," and argument for deism which many . took to be The atheistic. This work long cast a Mond shadow over an otherwise doughty buildi patriot and lover of liberty. Now lows: his fame is emerging from under les; i this shadow, and his truly re- Jones markable genius and achievement i Thorr begin to shine for what they were- Fowlt writer, philosepber, soldier and as K champion of liberty. Jorda |