which he regularly procured from a grocer every Saturday. This gentleman also saw a certificate, signed by John Lovett, keeper of the city hotel New-York, with whom Mr. Paine had lodged as a boarder, testifying to his sober habits. This had been procured at the request of a number of gentlemen of Boston, who were desirous to obtain correct information in regard to the charges preferred against him in this respect. The fact is, Mr. Paine was not a fashionable man of the world, his recluse mode of life disqualified him for convivial parties, and when induced by his friends, to join in them, he could not keep pace in drinking with those more used to such meetings, without being disguised by it, which was sometimes the case. The very circumstance, therefore, of his abstemions habits rendering him unable to hear but a small quantity of spirituous liquor, without feeling its effects, appears to have given rise to the slanders which have been promulgated against him. The acuteness and strength of mind which he possessed to the close of life is a proof of the correctness of this opinion. Few, if any, of those who accused him of injuring his faculties by hard drinking could cope with him in the field of argument, even in the most advanced stage of his life. They had reason to wish that he had been such as they represented him to be. In that case, he would have been a far less formidable antagonist, and besides kept many of his accusers in countenance; for it is not unusual for the advocates of royalty, after drinking one or two bottles, to curse Thomas Paine for a drunkard. If what was said by his enemies had become notorious, as they pretend, he would hardly venture to speak of himself in the manner he has, in his letter to Samuel Adams; which he caused to be published in the National Intelligencer, a paper printed at Washington City, and is as follows: I have yet, I believe, some years in store, for I have a good state of health and a happy mind; I take care of both, by nourishing the first with temperance, and the latter with abundance. This, I believe, you will allow to be the true philosophy of life." Finally, from all I can learu, Mr. Paine never drank any spirituous liquors before dinner. He was always bright in the morning, and able to wield his pen with effect, and when it is considered, that he was without family, in a manner isolated from society, and bitterly attacked on all sides by the enemies of civil and religious liberty, if he occasionally indulged a little to dissipate the chagrin arising from these causes, some grains of allowance ought to be made, at least, by his friends: from his enemies none are expected, I cannot relinquish the subject without taking notice of one of the most vile and wicked stories that was ever engendered in the fruitful imagination of depraved mortals. It was fabricated by a woman, named Mary Hinsdale, and published by one Charles Collins, at New-York, or rather, it is probable that this work was the joint production of Collins and some other fanatics, and that they induced this stupid, ignorant woman to stand sponsor for it. It states, in substance; that Thomas l'aine, in his last illness, was in the most pitiable condition for want of the mere necessaries of life; and that the neighbours out of sheer compassion, contributed their aid to supply him with sustenance; that he had become converted to superstition*, and lamented that all his religious works had not been burned: that Mrs. Bonneville was in the utmost distress for having abandoned her religion, as she (M. H.) said for that of Mr. Paine, which he now told her would not answer the purpose, &c. In all this rhodomontade there is not a single, solitary ray of truth to give it a colourable pretext. It is humiliat I make use of the word supers'ition, and not Christianity, because Mr. Paine was strictly a Christian in the proper sense of the term, which, as before obserobserved, is pure deism. ing to be under the necessity of exposing such contemptible nonsense. Collins, if he was not the author, was assured of its falsity: But being full of the spirit of fanaticism and intolerance, and believing, no doubt, that the end sanctified the means, he continued to circulate the pious fraud, and the clergy exultingly retailed it from the pulpit. Nothing but religious frenzy could have induced Collins, after being warned of the crime he was committing, to persist in publishing this abominable trash t. He had the hardihood even to apply to William Cobbett for the purpose of inducing him to insert it in the life of Thomas Paine, which Mr. Cobbet then contemplated to write. For which he received due Chastisement from the. pen of that distinguished writer, in a number of his register. I am told that Mr. Cobbett subsequently, having taken great pains to investigate the falsity of this story, exposed and refuted it in the most ample manner, in his Evening Post. This I have not seen, nor is the Register containing the article alluded to, before me. Mrs. Bonneville was absent in France at the time of its first appearance in NewYork, and when shown to her on her return to America, although her feelings were highly agitated at the baseness of the fabrication, she would not permit her name to appear in print in competition with that of Mary Hinsdale. No notice therefore has been taken of it, excepting by Mr. Cobbett. Indeed it was considered by the friends of Mr. Paine generally to be too contemptible to controvert. But as many pious people continue to believe, or pretend to believe in this stupid story, it was thought proper to say a few words upon it in this publication. The facts are as follow:-Mary Hindsdale was hired at service in the family of Mr. Willet Hicks, residing at Greenwich Village, in the neighbourhood of Mr. Paine, who occasionally sent some little dellecacies to him in the time of his sickness, as every good neighbour would do; and this woman was the bearer. Here is the whole foundation upon which the distorted imgination of Mary Hinsdale, or some one for her, has raised this diabolical fiction. Mr. Hicks, was in the habit of seeing Mr. Paine frequently, and must have known if such a wonderful revolution had taken place in his mind, as is stated, and he does not hesitate to say, that the whole account is a pious fraud. Mr. Hicks is a respectable merchant at New York, and any one there, who has any doubts on the subject, by calling on him will be satisfied. Even James Cheetham, the libeller of Mr. Paine, acknowledges that he died in the religious faith which he had inculcated in his writings. Which is also attested by his physician, Dr. Manley, and all those who visited him in his last illness. But to put this matter beyond all cavil, I shall add the certificate of two old and highly respectable citizens. Thomas Nixon of New-York, and Capt. Daniel Pelton of New Rochelle. It was addressed to William Cobbett, under an expectation that he was about to write the life of Thomas Paine, and left with a friend to be handed to him; but, as the undertaking was relinquished, it was never delivered, and is now in my possession, in the hand writing of the signers; and is as follows: TO MR. WILLIAM COBBETT, SIR-Having been informed, that you have a design to write a history of the life and writings of Thomas Paine, if you have been furnished with materials in respect to his religious opinions, or rather of recantation of his former opinions before his death, all you may have heard of his recanting is false. Being aware that such reports would be raised after his death by fanatics which infested his house at the time it was expected he would die, we, the subscribers, intimate acquaintances of Thomas Paine, since the year 1776, went to his house-he was sitting up in a chair, and apparently in the full vigor and use of all his mental faculties. We interrogated him on his religious opinions, and if he had changed his mind or repented of any thing he had said or wrote on that subject. He answered "not at all" and appeared rather offended at our supposition that any change shonld take place in + Since writing, the above, it has been suggested to me, by a gentlemen who knows him, that this base act of Collins is attributable more to his actual stupidity than either his fanaticism or malice. That he is too weak to be aware of the sin of slander; and has no doubt, in this case, been made use of, as a mere puppet, by others behind the scene, more knowing and more wicked than himself. if this be the fact, it is charity to state it to the public, as his case will tend to excite pity, and depreciate, in some measure, the enormity of his guilt in this transactions. his mind. We took down in writing the questions put to him, and his answers thereto, before a number of persons then in his room, amongst which was his Doctor, Mrs. Bonneville, &c. This paper is mislaid and cannot be found at present, but the above is the substance, which can be attested by many living witnesses. THOMAS NIXON. DANIEL FELTON. New-York, April 24, 1818. The questions and answers, alluded to in this certificate, are wanting to render it complete, but the intention of it is forcibly conveyed, that is, that no change had taken place in the mind of Mr. Paine. And the world may rest assured that he died as he had lived, like a philosopher, in the belief of ONE GOD and in the hope of IMMORTALITY in another life. As to his pecuniary circumstances, he was possessed at his death of a farm, which had been sold by him some years before for $10,000. but the purchaser dying, his family induced Mr. P. to receive it back. He had $1,500 in cash on hand, or in convertible insurance stock; and had been paying $30 a week for several weeks before his death, for the board and accommodation of himself, Mrs. Bonneville, and a nurse; which was regularly paid at the end of each week. This does not look like being in want of the means of subsistence. In regard to what took place respecting his burial, as it has been incorrectly stated, it may not be amiss to remark; that not long before his death, he observed to Mr. Willet Hicks, that as his family belonged to the society of Quakers, and as he had been educated in that persuasion himself, and knew that its members possessed less superstition than other sectarians, he should prefer being interred in their burying ground; bur added, as he had been so long separated from them, perhaps there might be objections on their part; and, if so, it was of no consequence. Mr. Hicks accordingly made the proposal to the society, which, in reply, suggested the probability that Mr. P.'s friends might wish to raise a monument to his memory, which being contrary to their rules, would render it inconvenient to them. On this being communicated to Mr. P. he received it with indifference, and here the matter ended. I take the liberty of again referring to Mr. Hicks for the truth of this statement. It has been falsely said, that a difference of religious opinions was the ground of objection made to Mr. P.'s proposition; which, if true, would be a reproach to the Quaker society, It is well known, that or to any other religious denomination, in. like case. in bigotted catholic countries, no deist, or protestant (heretic, as the catholics would call him) would be permitted to be buried in any consecrated church ground. But it is to be hoped that no protestant of any denomination would wish to see his sect retrograde so for into religious barbarism as to refuse decent burial to a fellow-mortal on account of his religious faith. No such objection has ever been made in New-York; and the vestry of trinity church are obliged by law to permit, without regard, all strangers, as well as those who are not members of any particular church or congregation, to be interred in their burying-ground, on pain, in case of refusal of forfeiting their charter. Attempts have been made to injure the character of Mr. Paine, by impugning that of Mrs. Bonneville. James Cheetham for this offence, after a long and rigid investigation in a court of justice, was mulet in the sum of £100, and obliged to expunge the obnoxious passage from his infamous book. As the connection of Mr. P. with the Bonneville family is not generally known, it is proper to observe, that he resided with Mr. B. at Paris, as his friend and guest for the space of six years. Bonneville was the editor of a public paper dur ing the revolution of France, and on the elevation of Bonaparte to power, refused to approbate the measure, and wrote against it. In this he was probably aided and advised by Mr. P. The consequence was, that Bonaparte suppressed his paper, which was the cause of great embarrassments to him; and Paine, on going to America, invited Bonneville to follow him with his family, promising to do every thing in his power to aid him. Accordingly, some time after his departure, Bonneville sent his wife and three children, remaining in France himselt to settle his affairs. They were received by Mr. Paine with the utmost kindness, and provided for; and at his death he left by his will to Bonneville and his children, the greatest portion of his property; thereby paying a debt of gratitude with interest. I have not copied your memoir, it is unnecessary so to do. Where this is read in conjunction it will refute; where it is not so read it will instruct, and where it does not reach your calumnies, it will not extend them. But, in a second letter, I shall quote, contrast and comment. For the present, I have to tell you, that, if character were to go with it, I would not exchange Dorchester Castle for Blaise Castle, nor, for the name and fortune of John S. Harford, Esq. part with that of RICHARD CARLILE. A GOD! A JEW! A JEW! A GOD! A JEWISH GOD! A GODDISH JEW! AND A GOD FOR A SHILLING! WHO'LL BUY, WHO'LL BUY, A GOD FOR A SHILLING! Who'll buy, who'll buy? A God for a shilling! A God for a shilling! TO MR. RICHARD CARLILE, DORCHESTER GAOL. DEAR SIR, London, Saturday, October 29, 1825. ABOUT half past eleven or twelve o'Clock, a person, apparently about fifty years of age and of genteel appearance, very like a Portuguese Jew, made his appearance in the shop, and very mildly requested me to take the horrid Jew and Christian God out of the window. He observed, that he had not the least objection to persons arguing the subject of the existence or non-existence of a Deity; but he really thought that such a picture was calculated to do a serious injury to the morals of the ignorant classes, who were hourly surrounding the window. Being rather busy at the time, I treated him cavalierly. On this, he left the shop, began to harangue the persons about the door, thrust his umberella through the window and tore the God therefrom. I, immediately ran out, seized the gentleman and demanded payment, for the window and God. He objected to pay. I sent the boy for an officer, had the fellow taken before Aldermen Thompson, the sitting Magistrate at Guildhall, and charged him with feloniously breaking your window, and stealing your property therefrom. Mr. H., a person whose name is known to you, happened at the time to be in the shop and went forward as a witness. The following singular but gross perversion of Justice took place : Alderman to me, (upon being sworn) What do you want here? J. C. I have a charge of felony against this man. Ald. What is your name? J. C. John Christopher. Ald. What is your business? J. C. Conductor of Mr. Carlile's business. Ald. What is your charge? J. C. This man thrust his umberella through the window and stole a picture of God therefrom. Ald. Did you see him do so? J. C. I did. Ald. What is the meaning of this? (Looking at the God.) It is a horrible looking thing, (shaking his frame as if horror struck.) J. C. It explains itself—it is a correct scriptural representation. Read the explanation at the sides. * This demonstration is one of our modes of argument and a very powerful argumeut it proves as was evinced by the holy zeal of this Jew. R. C. Ald. I cannot read it-it is so mutilated. J. C. On application at Fleet Street, you may procure a clean copy. Ald. To the witness-who corroborated my statement. The Alderman desired the prisoner to state what he had to say in his defence. The prisoner began a long oration about the heinous sin of exhibiting so blasphe mous a print, which he represented to be as false as hell. It roused his indignation to such a pitch, that he could not restrain himself, and in the warmth of his feeling, he certainly broke the window; but as certainly not with the intention of committing a robbery. He admitted, that he tore the print and a second which he stole from Mr. Hanger. The Magistrate said he did not think the man meant to rob me; but admitted he had committed an illegal act, by taking the law into his own hands, and that he must make restitution by paying the amount of damage done. I appealed to the magistrate, and asked, if a man came into his house and took his property and maintained possession of it unti⚫ he was arrested, whether he would consider the person a thief or not? He got out of this scrape (as I was not particularly desirous of pressing the charge) by saying, the best proof that the man had no intention of committing a robbery was his waiting quietly the arrival of an officer. The man paid the expences, was discharged, and called into the inside of the bar, to the desk, where he was informed, that instead of breaking the window, he ought to have come there, have made his complaint and he would then have had satisfaction. His address was requested, which he gave-Moses Elias Levi, 178, Sloane Street, Chelsea; no profession. The Alderman then said I must come forward; for he had not done with me, and asked if I was not under a recognizance to keep the peace. I told him if he wished to know he must ret. He said the exposure of (God) the print was an attempt to bring the Christian religion into contempt, and very wrong. I did not chuse to enter into a confab with him; but wished to know if he had any thing to keep me there for. He said not at present; and I was almost forced out by the officers, leaving the Jew thief vehind. Yours, respectfully," JOHN CHRISTOPHER. TO MOSES ELIAS LEVI, A JEW, 78, SLOANE STREET, CHELSEA. Dorchester Gaol, Oct. 31, 1825, of a God that was unsuccessfully sought to be palmed upon the Jews. To meet the man who can You break my pane Adieu, adieu, You silly Jew! You have paid for your God, As well as earned my rod. Again, adieu, Poor silly Jew. I've sold a God, You've bought a rud, Which you'll feel for a while, RICHARD CARLILE Printed and Published by R. CARLILE, 135, Fleet Street.-All Correspordences for "The Republican" to be left at the place of publication. |