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

But while, (he sdds) witt, reference
to his own fame and the lasting benefits
which he might have Concerted on the
world. we lament his want OF literary
discipline, il is not impossible that, Tor
the times in which he lived. ard fr the
more immediate purpose csthe American
revolution, the popular opinian may oe
correct. The people seem t" have al
mirsd him the mo Tor his want Of disoi-
pine. His genius" they say. IS was
unbroken, and too Full o: fire TO bear the
curb Of composition. he delighted t"
swim the flood, to breast the torrent, anu
to scale the mountain: and Supported as
he was, in all public bodies, By masters
Of the pen, they insist, that II was even
fortunate for the revolution. that his &C.
Mus was lett at large, to revel IN all the
witness and holiness Of nature; that Il
enabled him to infuse, more successfully
his own intrepid spirit into the measures
Of the resolution that it rendered his
courage more contagious, and enabled
him to achieve. BY Kind Of happy rash
ness, what perhaps, had been lost by
better regulated mind"
Congress having risen and Mr.. IL re-
turned to his native county, (HanoveF)
to which ne bad come back some time pre-.
vious from Louisa, we find him on the
Goth of March l775, a member tr"m that
county in the second convention ol dele
gates of Virginia, which now met in the
old church in the town OF Richmond
Soon after the convention was organized,
he moved several strong and manly reso-
TUTORS, the substance Of which was, that
to secure our rights and liberties from
the further violations with which they
are threatened, the colony should be I'M
mediately placed in a state OF defence
By embed ying. aiming and d:sclP!lnlDg
the militia. This proposition brought on
a violent debate between the moderate
party and those who, like Mr.. Henry,
were for at once going all lengths. A
most interesting account is given Of it by
our author, with a sketch OF the speeches
on both sides. As TO those Of Mr.. Hen
ry's opponents, they ave possibly not ge-
nuine, but resortcd TO by him to embel-
li.h his history, by giviss US a view OF
the sentiments Of different parties. This
practice of putting speeches on great oc-
oasions into tn" mouths of their chief per-
sonages. was frequent one with the an
Gent writers but has been laid aside by
the modcrns, we think, without any COED
reason ard we are glad TO see cur au-
thor resort to it. The speech Of MIR.
Henry, however, or rather this skeleton
of his speech, is undoubtedly genuine,
for it exhibits stronger marks OF the cha
racter Of his elo4uence than any other
contaied in the work. 1T is i deed 4
sublime appeal to tie reason and passions
If his auditors, and bears the strongest
impress OF his extraordinary genius
We regret that we cannot give 1t entire
to our readers, and that We are obliged TO
content ourselves with extracting he two
last paragraphs:
"They tell us, SIR" Confined Mr..
Henry, " that we are weak-unable TO
cope with so formidable an adversary -
But when shall we be stronger !. Will
it he the next week or the next year !?
Wilt be when we are totally dissrmed !;
and when British guard shall be sta
toned in every housel Shall we ca.
Their strength by irreso!ution and mac
tion Shall We acquire The means oil Ell
fectual resistance, by lying supinelS on
our backs, and hugsiDg the de!usiYe phan-
tom of hope, until our enemies shall nave
bound US, hand and foot ? Sir, We are
not weak, if we make proper use Of
those means which the God Of nature
hath placed in eur power. Three mil
lions II people. armed in the holy cause
Of liberty, and in such country as that
which we possess, are invincible by any
force which our enemy can send against
US. Besides, sir, We shall not fight our
battles alone. There is just God who
presides over the destinies Of nations ;
and who will raise up fiends to fight our
BATTLES for us. The battle, sir, is Lot TO
the strong alon. il is 10 the vigilant, The
active. the brave. Besides, sir, we have
no election. II we were base enough 70
desire il, il is now too late TO retire from
the contest There is no retreat, bu, in
submission and slavery Our chains are
forged. Their ciaukiug may be heard on
the plains Of boston /! he war is ineyl.
tab!e-and let it come !! ! repeat it,
sir, let il GENE !!
"Itis in vain. si:, toextenuate the MAJ
ter. Gentlemen may cry, peace, peace
bur there is no peace. The war Is ac-
tualy begun Phe next gale that sweeps