Volume II Part 26 (1/2)
About this time Paine published an essay on ”The cause of the Yellow Fever, and theit in places not yet infected with it Addressed to the Board of Health in America” The treatise, which he dates June 27th, is noticed by Dr Francis as timely Paine points out that the epidemic which almost annually afflicted New York, had been unknown to the Indians; that it began around the wharves, and did not reach the higher parts of the city He does not believe the disease certainly imported from the West Indies, since it is not carried from New York to other places He thinks that similar filthy conditions of the wharves and the water about theenerate the miasma alike in the West Indies and in New York It would probably be escaped if the wharves were built on stone or iron arches, per the tides to cleanse the shore and carry away the accu around every shi+p and dock He particularly proposes the use of arches for wharves about to be constructed at Corlder's Hook and on the North River
Dr Francis justly res were usually suggested by some occasion Besides this instance of the essay on the yellow fever, he itation in New York concerning that fraternity
But this essay---in which Paine, with ingenuity and learning, traces Freey also identified with Christianhis life It was published by Mada Christianity oinal manuscript was obtained, however, and published with an extended preface, criticizing Paine's theory, the preface being in turn criticized by Paine's editor The preface was probably written by Colonel Fellows, author of a large work on Freemasonry
CHAPTER XVIII A NEW YORK PROMETHEUS
When Paine left Bordentown, on March 1st 1803, driving past placards of the devil flying aith him, and hooted by a pious mob at Trenton, it ith hope of a happy reunion with old friends in htened New York Col Few, foria, his friend of many years, married Paine's correspondent, Kitty Nicholson, to ritten the beautiful letter fro man in New York, and his hohest social distinction Paine's arrival at Lovett's Hotel ell known, but not one of those former friends caious,” says Henry Adams, ”and their relations with Paine after his return to America in 1802 were those of compassion only, for his intemperate and offensive habits, and intimacy was impossible” But Mr Adams will vainly search his materials for any intimation at that time of the intemperate or offensive habits
”Life of Albert Gallatin” Gallatin continued to risk Paine 360
The ”co sacrifice of friendshi+p, loyalty, and intelligence What a an fro enerations In that brain were stored lishmen who acted in the revolutionary dramas, and of whom he loved to talk What would a diary of intervieith Paine, written by his friend Kitty Few, be noorth? To intolerance, the least pardonable fornorance, must be credited the failure of those former friends, who supposed themselves educated, to e of Unreason
But the ostracism of Paine by the society which, as Henry Adaenius of his day,”
was not due ious viehich were those of various statesering dislike and distrust of the common people Deism had been rather aristocratic From the scholastic study, where heresies once written only in Latin were daintily wrapped up in -rooms where cynical smiles went round at Methodism, and other forms of ”Christianity in earnest,” Paine carried heresy to the people
And he brought it as a religion,--as fire from the fervid heaven that orthodoxy had , the revivalistic earnestness of his protest against dogmas coar bigots were binding hi his vitals, most of the educated, the social leaders, were too prudent to manifest any sympathy they may have felt
When Paine first reached New York, 1803, he was (March 5th) entertained at supper by John Crauford For being present Eliakira Ford, a Baptist elder, was furiously denounced, as were others of the co Presbyterian, John Mason, who lived to denounce Channing as ”the devil's disciple”
Grant Thorbura was psaler in this Scotch preacher's church Curiosity to see the lion led Thorburn to visit Paine, for which he was ”suspended” Thorburn afterwardsCheetham's slanders of Paine after Cheetham had become too infamous to quote
It were unjust to suppose that Painebut abuse and maltreatment from ministers of serious orthodoxy in New York They had warmly opposed his views, even denounced them, but the controversy seeanda of Elihu Pal to Col Fellows (July 31st) shows Paine lad that Palreatly help the cause on I enclose a letter I received a few days since from Groton, in Connecticut The letter is ritten, and with a good deal of sincere enthusiasood, but there is an i a man's name to a private letter You may show the letter to Palmer and Foster Remember me to my much respected friend Carver and tell him I am sure we shall succeed if we hold on We have already silenced the clamor of the priests They act now as if they would say, let us alone and ill let you alone You do not tell oes on As Carver ant pay he may have it from me, and pay when it suits him; but I expect he will take a ride up some Saturday, and then he can chuse for himself”
The result of this was that Paine passed the winter in New York, where he threw himself warmly into the theistic movement, and no doubt occasionally spoke froathered around Elihu Palmer in New York were called the ”Columbian Illuminati” The pompous epithet looks like an effort to connect them with the Columbian Order (Tammany) which was supposed to represent Jacobinisenerally Their nu to fashi+onable society Their lecturer, Elihu Palhest character A native of Canterbury, Connecticut, (born 1754) he had graduated at Dartmouth He was married by the Rev Mr Watt to a , Mary Powell, in New York (1803), at the ti in the Teests that he had not broken with the clergy altogether Somewhat later he lectured at the Union Hotel, Williaainst the creeds as taught him for their support
”I have more than once [says Dr Francis] listened to Palmer; none could be weary within the sound of his voice; his diction was classical; and y attractive by variety of illustration
But admiration of him sank into despondency at his assus most holy His boldest phillippic was his discourse on the title-page of the Bible, in which, with the double shi+eld of jacobinisainst confidence in a book authorised by the land Palmer delivered his sermons in the Union Hotel in William Street”
Dr Francis does not appear to have known Paine personally, but had seen him Palmer's chief friends in New York were, he says, John Fellows; Rose, an unfortunate lawyer; Taylor, a philanthropist; and Charles Christian Of Rev John Foster, another rationalist lecturer, Dr
Francis says he had a noble presence and great eloquence Foster's exordium was an invocation to the Goddess of Liberty He and Palmer called each other Brother No doubt Paine completed the Triad
Col John Fellows, always the devoted friend of Paine, was an auctioneer, but in later life was a constable in the city courts He has left three volumes which show considerable literary ability, and industrious research; but these were unfortunately bestowed on such extinct subjects as Free General Putnaretted that Colonel Fellows should not have left a volu Paine, ho his last years
Other friends of Paine were Thoe Hertell, a uished member of the State assembly Fulton also was much in New York, and often called on Paine Paine was induced to board at the house of Williarievousthat he reland, he (Carver) being a young farrier there He made loud professions of deism, and of devotion to Paine The farrier of Lewes had become a veterinary practitioner and shopkeeper in New York
Paine supposed that he would be cared for in the house of this active rationalist, but the ar
His sojourn at Carver's probably shortened Paine's life Carver, to anticipate the narrative a little, turned out to be a bad-hearted man and a traitor
Paine had accuious subjects, and had begun publishi+ng them in a journal started in 1804 by Elihu Palmer,--_The Prospect; or View of the Moral World_ This succeeded the paper called _The Temple of Reason_ One of Paine's objects was to help the new journal, which attracted a good deal of attention His first communication (February 18, 1804), was on a serentleraphs: