Thomas Paine served as the first Secretary of State for Pennsylvania, and I’m not seeing many statues of him as I meander around Philadelphia. Though perhaps there are too many of Benjamin Franklin. When delving into this matter, I found a website, www.virtualtourist.com that mentioned the Thomas Paine Plaza, and this is what is written: “Right across City Hall in Penn Square, you’ll find Thomas Paine Plaza. Named after the author of “Common Sense.” There are two sculptures as part of the Thomas Paine Plaza – one is of Benjamin Franklin the craftsman, the other a tribute to the US Bicentennial in 1976.” The lack tells its own story.
I continued searching and found an article in Namaste magazine Vol.9 Issue 3, www.namastepublishing.co.uk,
I learned about his commitment “In the establishment of a free government.” And that he “Coined the title ‘United States of America.” That he wrote Common Sense and Age of Reason. And he was “First to call for independence from England and provided the tone and content for the Declaration of Independence.” He was “First to advocate the abolition of slavery and write the first law regarding emancipation (1775).” And “First to publicly call for complete equality for women.” He “Organized the first bank in America to fund the Revolution and took the lead in funding the Revolution, organized supplies and donated all proceeds of Common Sense to the cause.” He was “First to call for a constitutional convention in 1778 for the Articles of Confederation.” And was “Instrumental in the first victory of the Revolution at Trenton when, with the first of his Crisis Papers, he inspired the troops. He wrote, ” ‘These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country, but he that stands it now deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.’ ” – something he never received. Yet, “Robert Inglesol (1833-1899), wrote of Thomas Paine, ‘With his name left out, the history of liberty cannot be written.”
I continued reading, “Thomas Paine was nothing in England. He belonged to the lower classes,” as did Benjamin Franklin. “There was no avenue open for him so he left England at the age of thirty-seven for America.” I find this sad, and, as usual when reading this about our history, immensely informative. Truthfully, I’m ashamed for not attempting to learn about this brilliant individual called Thomas Paine until now.
At The Philosophical Society at 105 South Fifth Street in Philadelphia his manuscript collection, letters he wrote, letters written to him, documents, and a poem of his can be viewed and homage paid to a man who “was one of the foremost political philosophers of the 18th century” and whose “ideas influenced the courses of both the American Revolution and the French Revolution and are still of significance today.”
Imagine, Thomas Paine (1737-1809) was accorded no recognition, given no thanks, and died in dire straits, in total poverty. I’ll say a silent thank you to him as I think it’s never too late to say thank you.
“My country is the world and my religion is to do good.” – Thomas Paine (1737 – 1809) – one of the great polemicists in American history