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ADDRESS OF F. HASSAUREK, ESQ.

MR. PRESIDENT

A LITTLE flock of snow begins to roll from the top of the mountain; rolling, it augments and waxes greater and greater, till it becomes that formidable mass, which precipitates itself into the dale, sweeping along with it the animals of the forest and the shepherd of the Alps, breaking off the heaven-kissing oak and the mighty rock, burying finally the cottages at the foot of the mountain, and carrying death to the unfortunate peasant, who was not aware of the danger, which rapidly hastened to his ruin. And yet this tremendous, irresistibly destroying mass was, in its beginning, a little flock of

snow.

Such is the course of Truth. centuries in the minds of a few. aroused against it. A hundred times it may be put down by the brutal force of despotism or succomb to the slanders, calumnies, and persecutions of ignorance and bigotry. Unfortunate will be the fate of those who dare to proclaim it to a benighted world. But, sir, like that little flock of snow, it waxes and waxes-it gains one inch of ground after the other, it enlightens the heads and electrifies the hearts of men, till it becomes an irresistible power, sweeping every thing before it, and annihilating the impotent knaves who undertake to resist it. Lies may triumph a thousand times-it is not forevertruth will and must prevail. The chariot of history is forward bound, and forward it goes in spite of all delays, crushing the holy or unholy hands of those who try to take hold of its spokes.

Solitary and alone, it may live for
The prejudices of the masses are

We are assembled here to-night, to witness the mighty progress of truth. There was a time, not long ago, when the name of THOMAS PAINE was only heard, if some priestly bigot used it in a sermon, to cover it with cursing, slander, and abuse. There was a time, when the friends of THOMAS PAINE had to go to a private room and to close the doors behind them, if they intended to celebrate his birth-day. There was a time, when it was considered an evidence of the utmost depravity, to sympathize with his views and principles. There was a time, when in a city like Cincinnati, you would not have found a dozen, or perhaps not half a dozen of men, who had the moral courage to avow that they were PAINE men. But, sir, I say it with a rejoicing heart, this time has passed away. Amidst the night of superstition we see the morning dawn of the "Age of Reason."

The times have changed. We now see the birth-day of THOMAS PAINE celebrated by a vast and respectable concourse of people. We hear the roaring of the cannon, echoing a national salute on that solemn occasion. We see thinking men of all classes, willing to do justice to the memory of a man, to whom this republic is indebted more than to any other for its liberty. We see many who do warmly sympathize with the principles of that noble Apostle of Freedom, whose motto it has been, "the world is my country, to do good my religion."

Sir, it is with feelings of gratitude, that every friend of this country should remember the name of THOMAS PAINE. You all know that even in the year 1775, but a few men in the colonies thought of independence, and even those few did not dare to speak out their sentiments. The people in general did yet adhere to the crown, notwithstanding the wrongs they had suffered from it; they were proud to be citizens of Great Britain, and only to maintain their rights as such, they had taken up arms against the mother country. But still they tried every means to bring about a reconciliation. Still they relied on the fairness of the king and did not dream of dissolution. But, sir, when the last petition of Congress was even refused an answer by the crown; when a foreign legion was enlisted to force the colonists to an unconditional surrender; then a general terror pervaded their minds-nobody knew what steps to take, what course to pursue. Amidst this general confusion and helplessness, a little pamphlet appeared, which, like a sudden lightning, flashed up in the minds of the people, and at once pointed out

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the only way on which they had to resolve for the maintenance of their safety, the preservation of liberty, and the acquisition of happiness and grandeur. Till now they were Britons-this pamphlet with the irresistible power of truth, taught them to be Americans. This immortal pamphlet was the “Common Sense" of THOMAS PAINE. Its consequence was the Declaration of American Independence.

And, Sir, when at the end of the year 1776, the American army was defeated at Long Island; when General Washington was forced to retreat to New York, leaving Fort Washington and Fort Lee in the hands of the enemy; when even the most courageous began to falter, when company after company disbanded, and the people were about to give up all hopes of final success; at that dark hour of trial a little tract appeared headed "The Crisis,” signed "Common Sense," and beginning with those memorable words: "These are the times that try men's souls." And so wonderful was the effect of that tract, that the old enthusiasm was instantly revived. The deserting soldiers hastened back to their colors, the disbanded legislators of New York assembled again, and a new strength of resistance pervaded the people. The effect of that tract was the defeat of the British army. And whenever the battle's fortune changed, whenever the soldiers began to flinch, THOMAS PAINE wrote another number of the "Crisis," thus inflaming the patriots to new deeds of heroism. So we can justly say,

Without the pen of THOMAS PAINE,
WASHINGTON'S sword had fought in vain.

But, Sir, not only with the pen did he render services to the country of his choice, to liberty and to mankind; he also took the musket on his shoulder, enlisted himself into the army and fought the battles of freedom. And not only his life did he offer on the altar of American Independence, not only the emanations of his genius did he extend to the people, for he never took payment for any of his writings; yea, his money also, if he had some, was ready whenever material aid was needed. At the height of financial distress, when it was remarked in the Legislature of Pennsylvania by one of the members, that it would be best to give up the war, if

there was no money to carry it on; THOMAS PAINE, he then being Clerk of that body, opened a subscription, which he headed himself by subscribing his entire salary. This generous example was followed, and $300,000 were realized, by which a bank could be created and the exigencies of the moment defrayed. Such were the merits of THOMAS PAINE. Such was his character. Such deeds, Sir, should entitle him to a high place in the hearts of all, that are true to freedom.

Why is it then, that the name of such a man is cursed with villainous abuse and slander? Why is he treated with such an ingratitude? Why do even historians, affecting impartiality, ignore his name as much as they absolutely can? Why are there no processions, invitations, and illuminations on his birth-day? Why are his merits unknown to a people on whom he bestowed but infinite blessings?

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It is because he has written the "Age of Reason." And what is the Age of Reason? Why, it is the truth! But, Sir, how can the truth be welcome to those, who feed on lies? If men should follow their own reason and stand on their own feet, instead of using mental and moral crutches, what would become of authorities?

By his "Age of Reason," THOMAS PAINE has offended a class of men, to whom nothing is so dangerous as reason, who fear nothing but the truth. And, Sir, because they could not refute the arguments of his work, they blackened the character of the author, they soiled his honor with calumny and invented lies, to disgrace his memory.

This is the old policy of priestcraft. They slander those whom they can not refute. If you prove them an undeniable truth, they will call you a thief. If you show them an undisputable historical fact, bearing testimony against their ambitious and avaricious aims, they will charge you with having committed a forgery. If you expose their contradictions and the absurdity of their teachings, they will call you a murderer. They will never go into your arguments; no, Sir, they will try to kill you off morally, and to soil the most unimpeachable character, by the spots of calumniation.

These are the tactics of the Church in its warfare against its

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enemies. For this reason, the struggle against error, superstition, and bigotry is so hard a one, because the Church uses every means, be it as dark as it may be, to discourage those who engage in it. The Church will not be satisfied to ruin your reputation; no, Sir, your business must be injured, your earnings impaired, and, if possible, your fortune destroyed. These are the tactics of those who pretend to be followers of the man, who, dying on the cross, tendered forgiveness to his enemies.

And now, Sir, I ask you whether, instead of cursing the infidel, you ought not to esteem the man, that has the moral courage to face those persecutions, and in spite of them to persevere in what he believes to be right? Oh! if I would go to Church, notwithstanding my infidelity, if I would wring the hands, elevate the eyes and cry: "0, Lord! what a sinner I am!" then all would be right. Then the Church would have no objection against me. But because I say what I think, because I do not conceal my sentiments, I must be exposed to abuse and persecution. What is the gist of that? The gist of it is, that, not true men are wanted, but hypocrites. Whether you believe or not, no body cares for, if you only affect to believe. You may think what you please, but you must not tell it. You may entertain what ideas you choose, but you must not damage the holy trade of the Church, by expressing them.

Can such a state of things last forever?

No, Sir, it can not.

Let some fifty or hundred years be elapsed, and posterity will laugh at our follies. For in the more enlightened centuries which will come, mankind will smile at our delusions, as we smile at the mythological fables of the ancient Egyptians, Romans, or Greeks. Posterity will be astonished at the idea that men, living in the age of the telegraph and of steam, could have believed that God needed six days to make the world out of nothing, and that he rested on the seventh. That he, the all-merciful, condemned a whole, yet unborn race, because their grand-ancestor had eaten an apple; that he, the most benevolent, gave the first man a command, whose violation he, who knows every thing, must have foreseen; that he, the Almighty, had no other means to redeem mankind from the con

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