Thomas Paine, the Apostle of Liberty An Address Delivered in Chicago, January 29, 1916; Including the Testimony of Five Hundred Witnesses

In January 1916 a fervent tribute was delivered in Chicago, where a speaker gathered a diverse audience to restore the reputation of Thomas Paine, the oft‑maligned champion of liberty. Drawing on the testimony of five hundred witnesses, the address confronts the lingering prejudice fueled by religious and political forces, arguing that defending a dead man’s honor is a duty of the living. The orator likens his own resolve to ancient protectors, pledging to keep Paine’s voice alive against the “vultures” of falsehood.

In the first part of the talk, Paine’s modest beginnings are sketched—from a Quaker childhood in England to service in the Royal Navy, teaching, and mercantile work. His meeting with Benjamin Franklin and subsequent journey to the American colonies in 1774 set the stage for his keen observation of a people under monarchic oppression. The speech credits Paine’s 1776 pamphlet “Common Sense” with igniting the revolutionary fervor that turned rebellion into a full‑blown quest for independence, planting the banner of a new republic.