Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1817-12-10

serton, that before one drop OF Blood
was shed in our contest with u. Bri-
tain, be was at Col. Samuel Overton's,
in company with Mr.. Henry, Colonel
Morris, John Hawkins, and Col. Sa-
muel 0verton, when the last mentions
ed gentleman asked Mr.. Henry whe-
Their he supposed Great Britain ~on'd
drive her colonies to extremitios =
And if she shoald, what he thought
would be the issue of the warp When
Mr.. Henry, after looking round TO
see who we're present, expressed HIM
self confidentially to the company in
the following manner She 1c,h
drive us tn extremitics-no accommo-
dation 4rN take placc-hostilities will
soon ommence-and desperate and
bloody touch it will be- But said
Col. Samuel Overton, 'do you think,
Mr.. Henry, that an infant nation, as
we arc, without discipline, arms, am
munition, ships of war, or money to
procure them-do You think it posi-
bic, thus circumstanced, to oppose sue
cessfully the fleets and armies OF CIR.
Britaini' Il will be candid with you.'
replied Mr.. Henry. Il doubt whether
we shall be able, alone, to cope with
so powerful nation. But continued
he, (rising from his chair with great
animation) 'whcre is France! Where
is Spain ! Where is HOiland2 the
natural enemies of Great Britain
Where will they be all this while p
Do you suppose they will stand by
idle and Indifferent spectators OF the
contest2 Will Louis the XVI. be a.
sleep all this timer Believe ne. no :!
When Louis the XVI. shall be salts
fed by our serious opposition, and
our Declaration Of independence, that
all prospect of reconciliation is gone.
then, and not till then, will he furnish
rs with arms, ammunition and cloth
ing; and not with these only, but
he will send his fleets and armies to
fight our battles for us; he will form
with us treaty offensive and defen-
sive against our unnatural mother
Spain and Holland will join the con-
federation! Our independence will
be established! and we shall take our
stand among the naiions of the earth!'
Here he ceased; and col. John Over
ton says, he shall never forget the
voice and prophetic manner with
which these predictions were uttered,
and which have been since so literally
verified. Colonel Overton says, at
the word independence the company
appeared to be startled; for they had
never heard any thing of the kind be-
fore even suggested"
The next is to be found in p. lis
of the work before us.
When Mr.. Henry returned from the
first Congress, he was as was natural
surrounded by his neighbors, who were
esger to hear not only what had beer
done, but what kind Of men had composed
that iIlustrious body. He answered thei
enquiries with all his wonted kindness
| and candor; and having been asked BY
| one OF them, whom he thought th'
grea est man in Congress-" he replied
" If you speak of eloguence, MIR. Rut
| ledge of South Carolina, is by far tht
greatest orator but il you speak OF sole
Information and sound judgment, COlone
Washington, is uuqaestionably the great
est man ON that floor"
Another instance OF his prescience oc
ours in speech Of his just after the clos,
of the war, in which he uses these ex
pressions:--
Encourage the husbandmen, the me
chauics, the merchants of the old worlt
to come and settle in this land OF pro
mise-make it the home of the skilful, III
industrious, the fortunate and happy, 2
well as the asylum OF the distressed-h
up the measure Of your population a
speedily as YOU can, by the means who
Heaven hath placed In your power--an
venture to prophecy there are those no'
| living, who will see this favored land
monsst the most powerful on earth---abl'
sir, to take care of herself, without re
sorting to that policy, which is always S
dangerous, though sometimes unaVoida
BILE, Of calling in foreign aid. Yes, ST
they viii see her great in arts and i
arms--her golden harvests waving owe
fields Of Unreasonable extent-her con
meree penetrating the most distant sea-
and her cannon siLencing the vaia boas