Blue-grass blade (Lexington, Ky.), January 27, 1907
Three Nations Put a Price Upon Paine’s Head
Bigoted Tories Did All in Their Power to Put His Memory to Scorn—Pulpit Mendacity Has Damned Religion Beyond the Pale of Honest Thought
Age of Reason the Bete Noir of Clergy for Ages to Come
BY JOHN F. CLARKE
The 29th of January being the anniversary of the birth of Thomas Paine, and the growing interest in the celebrations are bringing “to life” the memory of a scholar, when there was a dearth of learning; a patriot, when patriotism was essential to freedom of thought and action; a friend, when the struggling colonies were in dire need of aid; a statesman, when advice and wise counsel was in demand, a martyr, when self sacrifice was a stimulus to liberty.
The history of Paine reads like a romance of high order. Moncure D. Conway’s “Life of (Thos.) Paine” with authenticated letters, affidavits, extracts and public documents, show how, by blowing away of the cobwebs of calumny, and the disproof of malicious lying, a fine and lofty soul can rise from the ashes of extraneous perfidy. Without Thomas Paine and his efforts in America’s behalf it is extremely doubtful if the United States of America had ever been a reality. He made the ideal and his striving made the ideal real. Paine was a man of domestic sorrows. His wife did not sympathize with him in any one of his great anticipations nor achievements. She was under the prevailing influences of superstition and ignorance of her day and Paine was above them. They had no thoughts in common. Paine’s friendship was as true as steel and he proved that he could stand by his friends in many instances. His mechanical skill was marvelous. He had a master brain and everything that his brain applied itself to flourished. The profound respect with which his speech in criticism of the proposed constitution of France was listened to at the French convention, and the unanswerable argument he advanced shows that he was a parliamentary wonder.
Three nations acknowledge his greatness. England by setting a price upon his head, France by imprisoning him, and the United States by ignoring his services. The latter struck a few medals in his honor, and France voted him thanks. The Tories and bigots in America did all that they could to scorn his memory and succeeded so well that his name became a reproach among an ungrateful people for nigh a hundred years. But by untiring energy a few faithful and loyal friends have kept his laurels green and now he is becoming the recognized emancipator of the human mind. His fame was buried deep in a manufactured oblivion, but the deeper it went into obscurity the higher will it rebound until all men of all climes recognize his true worth, his bravery and his honesty.
Pulpit mendacity has hurled invectives enough at the name of Paine to damn religion beyond the pale of honest thought. Preachers have earned evanescent fame by piling infamy upon his name. But, today, Paine lives in the enduring sense of living and his name and fame are as immortal as the present systems of mortals. For every free breath of air we take into our lungs we owe Tom Paine, as he is lovingly called, a tribute. This is my little contribution to the occasion. I have tried to say something that the others will not say and therefore have not referred to books, but have drawn a general picture from generalities with a little comment.
Conway’s “Life of Paine” is so replete that all Paine admirers should avail themselves of it. Paine is dead, yet liveth. He lives wherever the spirit of progress is to be found. He lives in every inspiring effort of freedom. He lives wherever the soul of liberty finds judgment. Paine was an intellectual genius. With a modicum of schooling he became a leading literary light. His “Common Sense” is still common sense. His “Crisis” is a model of patriotic energy. His “Age of Reason” is the bete noir of the clergy of all ages to come. The scholars of all religions have been overcome by the simple logic and argument of a man of common school rudiments.
A miracle of mind force. Serried ranks of ecclesiastics have marched against the Age of Reason only to be overwhelmed by simple truth. Paine’s honesty has prevailed over giant hypocrisy. In conclusion allow me to subscribe myself a friend for life to the memory of Thomas Paine.