Page 43 - JM Book 9/2020

Sunday, June 23, 1776
In the early afternoon, Jefferson decided to take a walk along the narrow streets of Philadelphia. When he was at Monticello – his mountaintop home – he took long walks every day.
As he walked up one street and down another, his thoughts were on Martha as well as the upcoming debate on the Virginia Resolution.
When he turned the corner onto Fourth Street in front of St. Mary’s Church, he saw a familiar looking man approaching from the other direction. As he got closer he saw that it was Thomas Paine. They greeted each other with a handshake. They had first met a few weeks ago on the sidewalk outside of the Pennsylvania State House.
Thomas Paine’s name was well known throughout the colonies. He wrote Common Sense, a pamphlet that passionately supported American independence from Great Britain. Paine’s arguments helped to convince a great number of Americans that complete independence was the only option in their struggle with the British government. Common Sense swept through the colonies like a wild fire; it became an immediate bestseller. By July 4, more than 150,000 copies would be sold, which was unprecedented.
Born in England in 1737, Paine moved to America in 1774 with the help of Benjamin Franklin. Paine had met Franklin by happenstance while the American diplomat was in London representing Pennsylvania. Franklin helped Paine immigrate to Philadelphia and find work writing for the Pennsylvania Magazine.
Before moving to America, Paine had a hard time finding his place in England. He had been a stay maker – making ladies’ corsets and men’s vests – a cobbler, weaver and tax collector, all without much success. He decided to leave England after his marriage failed.
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