Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-11-18

rit than Mr.. Henry. He was ushered will.
g'edl sIale ana ceremony into the room OF the
commutee' whose chairman was Col. Bland
| MIR. Henry was dressed in very coarse appa.
rel-no one knew any thing of him, andscarce-
! W was he treated with desreut tespe,r-l,y any
o"e except inc chairman, who could not do So
lnnch violence 10 his feelings md principles as
10 depart on any occasion, from tie deli,acV Of
the gentleman. But the general couteinpt
was soon changed into a. general ,da,iration
lor ar. Henry distinguished himself bv copi-
Gus and brilliant display on the great subject
OF 'he rights OF suffrage, superior 10 any inuly
that had been heard Before within thos,, walls
Such burst Of eloquence from man So VERY
pm ana ordinary IN his appearance struck
Tue SOrinsittee with amazenient: so thar a oeeo
anuperfe CT silence took place during The speech
-and moi souud but from his lips, was to be
heard in the ROOM"
But new and splendid theatre was now
preparing Tor TINS great Diau. who as mas
been happily said, " certainly gave the fi,st
lmnulse 10 the bail of the revolution" In
March, 1884, the British Parliament had PASS
ca resolutions preparatory to the levyinga re
venue ON the colonies by stamp tax, and in
MAY l165, Mr. Henry was elected member
OF Tue House OF BuFgesses from the county of
Louisa, with express reference TO an OPPOSITE
on TO their measures. After waitin.r IN vain
Tor Son'e one TO take the lead, in rearing the
standard OF colonial liberty, until within three
qaSs OF the expected close of the Session MIR.
Henry rose and Introduced his celebrated re-
solutions on tue stamp Act.
" l wiilnot," says,NIr. Writ" withhold from
the reader note of this transaction from the
| pen of Mr.. Henry himself 1t lisa curiosity
anu highly worthy of preservation. After his
| death. there was found among mis- napers on,
sealed, and iaus endorsed (: - Inclosed are the
resolutions OF the Virginia assembly in j765
concerning tie stamp act, Let my executors
| open this paper" Within was found The fol
lowing copy of the resolutions in MIR. HENRY,
hand wiitngl:
" Resolved, That the first adventnrers &, set.
TIERS OF ms ms msJeSty's colony and dominion,
| Drought with them, and transmitted to their
pOst9rity, aud all other his majestys snbjerts
since ihhablting in this, his maiestys said colo,
ny, ali the privileges, franchises, and inmuni.
ties, that have at any time been held, euioved
ana possessed, by the people or Great Bri.
" Resolved, That by two royaI charters
granted by King James the first, the colonists'
aforesaid, are declared entitled to all the pri
Vheges, liberties, and immunities, of denizens
and natural born subjects, to ali intents auJ
purposes, as if they had been abiding and
born within the realm of England
Resolved, That the taxation of the people
by themselves, orby persons chosen by them
serves TO represent them, who can only know
what taxes The people are able to bear and the
easiest mode or raising them, and are equally
affected by such taxes themselves, is the dis
ungulshng characteristic OF British freedom
and without which the ancient constitution
cannot subsst.
Resolved, That his msjesty's iege peopIe
OF inns most ancient colony, have uniIitcrruut
governed /
ny their own assembly in the article of their
taxes and internal policy, and that the same
hath never been forfeited, or any other vav
given up, but hath been constantly recognized
by the King and people of Great Britain
Resolved, therefore, That the general as
semDiH OF TINS colony have the sole right and
power TO lay taxes and impositions upon this
colony and th=t every attempt TO vest such
power IN any other person or persons whatSo-
ever, other than the general assembly afore
SAID, has a manifest tendency to destroy Bri-
tisi as wei as American freedom"
va the back OF the paper containing those
resolutions, Is the following endorsement
whch - also IN the hand writing of Mr. Henry
himself he within resolutions passed the
house ofburgesseS in May. 1905 TteVforInpI
ile hrsi opposition 10 the stamp act, aud the
scheme OF taxing America by the British pariia
meht. All the colonies, either through fear
az want OF opportunity 20 form au opposition
on from ininence of some Kind or other had
renamed silent. had been for the first ti,nS
eiected a burgess, few DAYS before was
Young, ineXper .enced, undcquainted with tho
forms of the house, and the members that com
posed II. Finding the men of weight averse to
opposition, ana the commencement of the tax
al hand, and that 10 person was likely to step
iorth, determined to ventnre, ana alone mn
ADVISED, ana unassisted oha blank leafof an
Oh law book wrote the within. UDon offer
ing them 10 the house, violent debates ensued
Many threats were uttered, and much abuse
cast on me, by the party for submissions At
Ter a long and warm contest the resolutions
passed by very small majority, perhans of one
or two only. The alarm spread thrauSh Anne
rica with astonishing quicknesS and the minis
teflil party were overwhelmed. The rreat
point of resistance to British taxation was H.
Universally established i'll the colonies. This
brought on the war, which finally separated
the Two countries and gave Independence TO
ours Whether this will prove a blessing or a
curse, VIII depend upon the use our people
make of the blessings which a FRACTIONS
,I.l nam bestowed on MS fthey are wise,
they VIII be great and happy If they are of
a contrary character they will be miserab HE =
righteousness alone can exalt them as ma
ton.
ReHderl whoever thou art, rememberthis
ana IN thy sphere, practise virtue thyseIf and
encourase it in Otlers.-P. HENRY"
Such is the short, plain aud modest ac
cohht which Mr.. Henry has left OF this transac.
uou' but other interesting particulars have
Deeu handed down by tradition, and live still
IN The recollection OF one at least now in life
as tie reader will presently see by his own
statement"
It's, Continues our author) was the meas.
uTe winch raised Mr.. Henry TO the zenith of his
glory. RE had never before had a subject
winch entirely matched his genius, and was ca
pdble of drawing out all tile powers of his mind
II was remarked OF him, throughout his life,
that ms talents never failed to rise with the oc
CASTOR, and in proportion with the resistance
which hehad 10 encounter. The nicely of the
vote on his last resolution, proves that this was
nOt time 10 hold IN reserve, any part of his |
$3.50 II "dNJ ihueeu, dU alpine passage, an |
uer circumstances even more unprOpitions than |
those OF Hannibal; for he had not oniyt TO FIGHT. |
hand to hand, the powerful parsy who were al. |
ready in possession of the heights, but at the |
same instant, to cheer and aniaIate the tinld |
band OF followers, that were trembling. and |
fdinting, and drawing back below him. II |
was an occasion that called upon him to pat |
forth all his strength, and he did put forth in
sucil manner, az man never did before. The |
cord> OF argument. with which his adversaries |
frequently hattered themselves that they had |
bound him fast, became pack threads IN his |
hands. He burst them. with as much ease. as |
ihe linshorn Sampson did the baifds of the |
PhIllstlnes. lie seiZel ihe nillars of liz tn,,,