Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1817-11-26

4
death. They became inpatient .. speech
their souls were on fire tor action, >
The resolutions were adnpteu."
After various other measures A.
dnptcd in this convention, Of which
! Mr.. Henry seems to hive been the
unrivallcd leader, it adinurncd-nnd
at this place closes oir author fourth
section.
His fifth is entirely taken up with
| relating an incident in the life of Mr..
Henry. as striking as any in it. and
one which places his character in a
point of view, entirely new to U.s.
Heretofore we have seen him the Or
nament of the bar, or the leader of a
popular Assembly-now he appears
before us the military commander Of
an armed force. The object Of the ex-
petition he headed was to oblige Lord
Dunmore to restore the twenty barrels
OF powder he had clandestinely Ia
ken on the night of the aOth April,
I775. from the Magazine at Will
liamsburg. or TO make compensation
for it in money. In this alternative
he completely succeeded. as will ap-
pear from the following curious re-
ceipt:
"Doncastle's Ordinary, New Kent,
May /, 1775, received from the hon.
Richard Corbin, esq. his Majesty's
receiver general, sSol. as a compen-
sation for the gun powder lately Ia
ken out ofthe public Magazine by the
governors order: which money pro-
mise to convey 10 the Virginia dele
gates at the general congress. to be,
under their direction, laid out in gun.
powder for the coiony's use, and to
be stored as they shall direct, until
the next colony, convention. or gene
raj assembly unless it shall be me-
cessary, in the mean time, TO use the
same in the defence ofthis colony. Ii is
agreed. that in case the next conyen-
ton shall determine that any part Of
the said money ought to be returned
to his maiesty's said receiver general,
that the same shall be done according
ly. PATRICK HENRY. Jun.
Z" Test. SAMUEL MEREDITH,
pARKE GooDaLL."
"Thus." says our author, "the
same man, whose genius had in the
year 1865. civ n the first political i'm
pulse to the revolution. had now the
additional honor of heading the first
military movement in Virginia, in
support of the same cause
70 the whole section, We beg leave
TO refer such ofour readers. rs desire
TO become well acquainted with The
spirit x temper Of the times, & With
the noble condrct of their gallant fore
fathers. 1t is in our opinion as per-
feet a narrative, as fine a piere Of
historical painting, as can be found
in any author, ancient or modern.-
if this had been the only production
of Mr.. Nirt's pen, it would have indu-
ced every good Judge of fire writing
to regret that he had devoted so little
of his time to composition; and now
it points him out as one of the few
men who are able to give to the pub
he that desidcratum in American LII.
terature,, good history of Virginia.
Take as an illustration Of these obser-
yations tic following paragraph. Sc
leCted at random from the section
"IR the mean time, the march Of
this gallant corps, III arms, headed by
a man of Mr.. Henry's distinction,
produced the most striking effects liz
every quarter. Correspondent COM
pahies started up on all sides, and
hasteped to throw themselves under
the banners Of Henry. II is believed
that five thousand men, at least, were
in arms, and were crossing :hc coun-
try to crowd around his standard. aud
supportit with their lives. The mar, II
WAS conducted in the most perfect IT,
der, and with the most scrupu!ous re-
spect to the country through (which tEcy
passed. The ranks of til" royali,ts
were FLIED with dismay. Lady Dun
more and her family retired to the
Fowey maj Of war. then lying of the
town Of Little York. Even the Pat
riots in Williamsburg were daunicd
| by the bo!dncss. and, as they deemed
ii. the rashuPSs of TIE cutprn,jsc,-