Thomas Paine and George Washington
Should the Writer of Common Sense be Honored as a Founding Father?
There is no doubt that this founding patriot's mighty pen was wielded as a sword of freedom in America. Was it enough to enshrine him in the national pantheon of fathers?
Paine Rallies the American People
"Common Sense" was especially valuable as a tool that promoted Unity of purpose among the colonists. Specifically, it helped to turn the tide of public opinion away from merely blaming Parliament for the problems with Great Britain and to focus more on the Tyranny of King George, himself. He gave many religiously inspired people who had a deep conviction that they owed respect to the King as God's appointed ruler, a reason and a method to clear their consciences in order to embrace Independence. This may have been Tom Paine's greatest contribution to the United States.
Summer Soldiers?
It has been easily debated that without Common Sense, the tide of public opinion that gave the Continental Congress the liberty to declare Independence would never have shifted. If Independence had not been declared prior to the disastrous New York/New Jersey Campaign in the fall, there very likely would not have been any Summer Soldiers or Sunshine Patriots for Paine to scold on that cold December morning when he began to write "The American Crisis". In fact, it may have been very possible that if Thomas had found some rather weaker way to express his distaste for King George that he may have been literally "hung out to dry" before the summer’s sun of 1776 had ever dipped into the southern horizon.
French National Assemblyman
As to his other works, after "The Crisis" his impact began to fall off sharply. He was truly a radical and a gifted writer but he may have begun to be more enchanted with the scratch of his pen when scratching his head in thought a little more would have been beneficial for him AND the rest of the world. It can be questioned whether the only reason he had the opportunity to became a member of the French National Assembly was because of his patronage by Lafayette. It became painfully clear (a very large pain in the neck for many a French man and woman) that his ideas no longer had the ability to inspire people to anything greater than themselves.
Founding Father?
In 1795, Tom Paine made his way back to America, saving his own neck in the process, but he was never to feel quite at home again. His radical views caused him to disagree sharply with the Federalists. He railed against almost any form of power vested in a central government. It seems sad to some when they notice that he even seemed to turn a critical eye toward his once heroic idol, General Washington. He accused Washington, among other things, of sleeping away his “time in the field, till the finances of the country were completely exhausted, and” having “but little share in the glory of the final event.” Some have still continued to place him in the pantheon of Founding Fathers. Those who disagree must, at least grudgingly, give him the status of Founding Uncle or at least, Founding Cousin!
Source
Thomas Paine Papers, September 20, 1795 letter to George Washington, Col. Richard Gimbel Collection, American Philosophical Society
