 proudly we hail from New York City where the American stage begins here is another program with a cast of outstanding players public service time has been made available by this station for your army and your Air Force to bring you this story as proudly we hail freedom they concerns Thomas Payne a true story of one of America's greatest exponents of freedom our first act curtain will rise in just a moment but first today your rapidly expanding United States Army needs intelligent young men with ability and ambition men intelligent enough to recognize the vital need for a strong armed force men with ability enough to be trained in a necessary job men with ambition enough to secure the future for themselves and their loved ones does this description fit you can you qualify for full information on how you can fit in with the finest check with your nearest United States Army and United States Air Force recruiting station now and now your army and your Air Force present the proudly we hail production Thomas Payne this is the story about a man named Payne Tom Payne it's a story about our country to about its birth it's page one in the book of our heritage a page no American will ever forget Tom Payne's name isn't remembered as well as many of the names on that page but what he did and believed had a lot to do with its writing fact is some people feel without him that page might not have been written at all this is our story the month was November the year 1774 when Tom Payne first set foot on the soil of America he came from England arriving in Philadelphia sick and nearly penniless man with him he had a letter of introduction from Ben Franklin aside from that he had little else but the clothes on his back now he stepped into a land that was trembling with a revolt fed up with domination and tyranny Tom Payne looked at what he saw listened to what he heard placed his fingers on the pulse of a rumbling America and knew its beat he was an uncommon man who could talk to common men could listen to their words with understanding in Tom Payne burned the hope of America I speak plain and I'm a fear of no man on land or sea I say just time we were rid of the lobster back time we sailed our own ship and done with the hellsmen who don't know part from stopping the captain speaks true and I say the captain's a spouting fool dandy before I scuttle you just where would you ungrateful dogs be were it not for the grace and kindness of his majesty I'd say we'd be right where we are now and for a happier about I know you not sir and I like not your words know your ugly face I face as God's work my words are my own and I speak them as I please and as for knowing me there would be no benefit in it for you that's the kind of talk I like a drink for this finger you will not find such talk so enlightening in a king's jail or dangling from a jibbit the king has many jails and many gibbets I and one day you murderous dogs will grace them you before I break your jaw take your fine talk elsewhere I'll hear no more of it go tell the king is royal subjects are tired of his ways you've not heard the last of this only the beginning my friend only the beginning but shake your hand I will I'm captain Josiah Clark of the Sea Witch out of Austin how do you do captain I'm Thomas Payne late of England good day mr. Aitken I'm Payne Tom Payne so I gather sit down sir I read the letter you brought for Mr. Franklin you found him where I trust I found him so good and now what service can I beat you I suppose you want to borrow money no mr. Aitken I wish to borrow nothing I well I heard that you were starting a magazine I should like to write for it you don't tell me and just what has been your profession I'm a staymaker by trade I've also been a tinker sailor tax collector carpenter teacher writer of sorts and general failure nor do you lack frankness no nor do I lack Frank well it's true I'm going to publish a magazine the Pennsylvania magazine to be exact is that some of your writing you brought with you yes it is I'll leave it with me and come in tomorrow mr. Payne we shall discuss this further thank you sir and good day good day mr. Payne no Tom Payne didn't like Frankness nor ability he became the first editor of Robert Aitken's Pennsylvania magazine and in a very short time made it the most widely read publication not just in Pennsylvania but in all the colonies then five short months after his arrival the seething volcano of growing discontent toward the mother country erupted the date April 1917 75 it was five days later that a rider from the north galloped into Philadelphia he pulled up before the city tavern and began shouting the news it started it started it's war what are you talking about man a war I said they fought it conquered and then at Lexington and drove the bloody lobster backs plumb back into Boston get the man a brick and maybe he'll make some sense Lexington conquered with that in Massachusetts you blame digit who drove the lobster backs into Boston who the farmers that's who they licked him fair it's war brother so gentlemen at last it's come I knew it must sooner what concerns Massachusetts does not concern Pennsylvania what concerns Massachusetts Mr. Aitken not only concerns us it concerns the whole world come Payne of course we want our differences with England straightened out but bloodshed this wild talk of independence is serious it can't be rushed into it must be considered and you Mr. Johnson are a fool to talk to was more than a spark setting off a bonfire that happened at Lexington and Concord that spark must not be allowed to die it must become an inferno Lexington was not just an act of man I believe it an act of God and it is a sacred duty of all of us to join this struggle consider it you say I say there is nothing left to consider let us act upon it now Union and independence at this time are out of the question perhaps for you gentlemen but as for me you will please accept my resignation I have more important work to do so Tom Payne left the Pennsylvania magazine and with a few shillings in his pocket set out on his important work to write the case of America against tyranny it was his practice during those first unsettled and confused months to stroll out from the city along the country roads in this scene of peace and quiet he'd go over in his mind just what this armed uprising was all about what caused it what could be gained by it was on such a stroll that he first met Sarah Rumpel what right has any man but but if the calls beat I beg your pardon aren't you the one having a terrible argument all by yourself yes madam I suppose I was I had thought I was alone out here oh no I saw you from the house I've seen you walking by before and it's such a hot scorcher of a day I thought you might like a glass of buttermilk well you're very kind miss it is a hot day and I certainly would like a cool glass of buttermilk my name is Sarah Womper that's my past farm right there oh my name is Thomas Payne Payne you're the one who writes all those things in that magazine well of power it's certainly want to meet you well mr. Aiken Tom we've been friends since that first day you walked in here now I've read this this common sense of yours and I cannot I shall not take the responsibility of printing but mr. Aiken you can speak treason and expect me to be a part of it no Tom I'm sorry I am not the man for you well mr. Rush a very rebellious piece of writing mr. Payne and one I shall not jeopardize myself in printing I cannot help but admit I admire what you've done but won't take the chance treasonous can't afford the risk no no why don't you try the Scott Robert Bell Robert Bell Robert Bell mr. Payne I've read your wee book is a brave piece of scribbling how much of a royalty would you be expecting if I were to undertake the job I want no money I did not write it for money mr. Bell print my book print it and I shall have reward enough hi mr. Payne that I will that I will in January of 1776 without fanfare or introduction there appeared the booklet entitled common sense written by an Englishman it's shot like a ray of sunlight through a dark overcast it was printed and reprinted throughout the 13 colonies 300,000 copies one third of the entire population owned it and no one can say how many more read it just what did Tom Payne say what did he say to inspire men toward the distant goal of independence the Sun never shown on a cause of greater worth it is not the affair of a city a county a province or a kingdom but of a continent of at least one eighth part of the habitable globe oh yee that love mankind yee that dare oppose not only tyranny but the tyrant stand forth every spot of the old world is overrun with oppression freedom have been hunted around the globe Asia and Africa have long expelled her Europe regards her like a stranger and England has given her warning to the pot all receive the fugitive and prepare in time in asylum for mankind overnight the name of Tom Payne in his book swept through the slowly awakening colonies Tom Payne had struck the heart of the people he had given them the will the reasons in the ultimate result of their bid for freedom he wrote in words they all understood he could have accepted a position in the government but instead he chose to fight for what he believed but before he left he went to say goodbye to you come to say goodbye yes yes that's right you're going away to the fighting yes I must I knew your order so maybe someday I'll come back maybe you will you always be welcome here and in my heart will you give me good luck you are listening to the proudly we hail production of Thomas Payne we'll return to our story in just a moment young man let's talk about your future and America's future they're important to each other you know today your United States Army is charged with a vital responsibility you need only to glance at your local newspaper to realize how vital and to meet this responsibility the Army is rapidly expanding its forces they have a job for you a job that must be done by men of courage you can get full details of how you may best serve your future and your country's future by a visit to your nearest United States Army and United States Air Force recruiting station today you are listening to proudly we hail and now we present the second act of Thomas Payne Tom Payne found the Army what was left of it at Fort Lee across from the island of Manhattan there it lay licking its wounds after being cut to pieces and thrown off of Long Island battered at Harlem and again at Westchester losing Fort Washington from 20,000 men it had shrunk to 12,000 and the number growing less daily as many deserted the cause they had so bravely taken up Mr. Payne General Washington will see you now go right in thank you well Mr. Payne we meet again and a pleasure sir I assure you you do not come upon us at a happy hour how can I serve you it is I who have come to ask that question of you you have come to join us then good I thought you would I have need of your common sense and badly the men are angry bitter discouraged they've no nothing but defeat we are new to this kind of life and we're learning painfully what kind of position would you choose in my army general Washington I am not a soldier and therefore I want no position of rank let me go among the men and talk to them let me be one of them let me be Tom Payne volunteer no more I don't know whether your words will be listened to here but you have permission to try you have not picked an easy task I for one welcome you in any capacity and so Tom Payne went amongst the men and as Washington had said they were in no mood to hear words did you expect to win your freedom easily in a few battles did you expect to buy it cheap I've had a belly full of your mouth pain common sense or no now you can have a belly full of my face if you want my fists as well as my words you're welcome to them I say any man who deserts his cause now is no man at all but a gutless craven car and where were you Tom Payne at Long Island I was not there but I'm here now and I'll be here as long as there's breath in me well I'll save mine and go home then go and may your soul shrivel inside your worthless caucus no man can speak to me like I'll call you every foul name I can think of and all of them too good for you get up out of the mud Mr. Payne and I'll knock you down again I know fear and when you're through go home go home to your wife wait I've done will you I cannot fight with you I can knock this sense out of you but you'd be only knocking common sense into me enough I say let him speak his piece pork Lee captured on retreat begins despite Tom's words desertion more desertion down through hostile New Jersey they march the English snarling at their heels retreat retreat no need to shout this man is ill give us a hand put his arm around your neck retreat retreat I must we always retreat let me lie down let me lie down Sam Sam hi Tom see if they can be found a room in one of the wagons for Jacob hi he's done in I shall go no further I'll make an end of retreating here now and I'll let go easy molly I'm afraid he's about done only there were a dry place for me Tom I I didn't leave you Tom he stayed I know Jacob but I gotta leave you now nonsense Jake when the son comes out you'll be fine again the son the warm son what I wouldn't give her look at it you know Tom the sun is like Liberty bright like gold now nothing but rain cold cold the sun went out no Jacob no it's hiding behind a cloud that's all I I must lie he's fainted Tom pain look look there I see the son there yonder he's gone he's gone Jacob Haskell was gone and many others with him many not so bravely walking off in the night alone or in groups and those that remain continue to retreat slowly painfully winter upon it wasn't difficult for the English to follow with bloody footprints marking their way Tom I sent for you because I need you as I never have our plate is desperate we number little more than 2,000 men I fear we shall have to retreat west into the mountains unless something is done soon we need food we need ammunition we need men the colonies must be made fully aware of our circumstances you must write another common sense write and tell them Tom Congress must know the people must know do what you can even bed we even Tom they sit here and you won't be freezing your bones so fast what are the general want up later Sam bad can I use your drum hi that you can't come you're gonna play as a jig I'm going to write you one God willing hey Tom Paine's gonna write us a gig there in the flickering firelight with a cold winter wind flipping about him a drum between his knees with its head for a table he wrote them a jig that was a symptom he wrote them immortal words that shall live in time as a beacon light for all freedom loving people these are the times the prime and souls the sunshine soldier in the summer Patriot will in this crisis shrink from the service of his country but he that stands it now deserves the love and thanks of man and woman tyranny like hell is not easily conquered yet we have Tom left the army shortly after the first of the year to take the job of secretary of the congressional committee of foreign affairs he continued to write more crisis papers what he wrote not only inspired it made sense to even the simplest mind he stayed on at this job until the Battle of Brandywine Creek in September 1777 it was a disastrous battle for the American cause Philadelphia now lay open to the English the city was gripped with fear and pain pain wrote another crisis paper and stayed on exhorting pleading with those who left the strongest for an army can have as a city every street can be a death trap for the enemy we can hold this city and we must vanish the fear from your hearts I say it is not too late stand here with me now only a few listen not enough Tories tried to assassinate him and finally at the last minute with the Hessians entering the city he went to seek out the army he was with the army at Germantown Tom was with him at Fort Mifflin to Fort Mercer he was there through the hard autumn of defeat doing what he could while Lord Howe enjoyed the comforts of Philadelphia the men at Valley Forge knew no comfort only bitter cold suffering Tom you can do no good here only one more to feed only another man suffering and God knows there are already too many go find the Congress Tom go find them wherever they are tell them I must have help if I'm to go on the same story if anything worse now than the winter before I sometimes wonder how we've endured so long he found the Congress at York and they welcomed him he stayed on with them they bring through the winter day and night writing more crisis papers wrangling shipments of food for the army tireless and unceasing in his efforts another spring and the 4,000 survivors of the long winter at Valley Forge were joined by 8,000 new recruits again the armies took the field at Monmouth in the colony of New Jersey they met at Monmouth the cause of America freedom was the cause of all mankind this time we don't run it stood and it held for the first time in nearly three years put to flight its proud enemy or didn't end there at Monmouth it took another five bitter years of fighting to do that but a lot of folks feel that Monmouth was the turning point but through it all to the very end Tom Payne continued to labor with his pen his mind his voice his energy and faith were tireless and finally the day for which he had so long labor did come and he was able to write the times that tried men's souls are over and the greatest and completest revolution the world ever knew gloriously and happily accomplished that's not the whole story of Tom Payne's life but it's the part that most directly affects us between that time and this much has happened but the basic belief for which men fought and died in those days are the same beliefs we uphold today we owe so much to those gallant men and it's often been said if George Washington was the sword of the American Revolution Tom Payne was the pen these are the times that try men's the sunshine soldier and the summer patriot will in this crisis shrink from his duty but he who stands at now here's a special message for the young men of our country the United States Army the senior service of our armed forces is expanding rapidly and needs your help by enlisting in the United States Army you'll not only get the finest training in the world but you'll have the special pride that goes with wearing a United States Army uniform why not get full details today visit your local United States Army and United States Air Force recruiting station and list now this has been another program on proudly we hail presented transcribed in cooperation with this station proudly we hail is produced by the Recruiting Publicity Bureau for the United States Army and United States Air Force Recruiting Service this is Kenneth Banghart speaking and inviting you to tune in this same station next week for another interesting story on proudly we hail