Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-01-18
by being permitted TO withdraw his resolutions


rect it. His was that comprehensive view, that
unerrng prescicnce, that perfect command O.
yer the actions of men, that qualified him. not
merely to guide, but almost to create the des-
TIMES OF nations.
lie rose, at this time, with a majesty unusual
to him, in an exordiuni, and with all that self
possession by which he was soiavariaby distin-
guishcd. No inan," he said, g thought more
highly than he did of the patriotism, as well as
abilities, of tie very worthy gentlemen who
had Just addressed the house. put different
men often saw the same subject in different
lights and, therefore, he hoped il would not
be thought disrespecttul to those gentlemen, if
entertaining, ashe did, opinions Ola character
very opposite 10 theirs, nc should speak his SEN
tinents, freely and without reserve. This, he
said, WIRE no time for ceremony. The question
before TIE house was one of awful moment to
TINS country. For his own part, he considered
IL as nV >hin,. less than question OF freedom or
slavery and in proportion 10 the magnitude Of
me subject, oughtt0 he the freedom of the de-
pate. 1t was only in this way that they could
nope 20 arrive at truth, and iului the grSattes-
possibility which they held TO God aud their
country. Should he keep back his opinions, at
such a time, through fear OF giving offence, he
should consider hinselfas guilty of treason TO-
wards his country, and of an act OF dislo!alty
towards the Majestyof heaven, winch he rcyer-
ed before all earthly kings"
Mr.. President said he, " il IL natural to
man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We
are apt TO shut our eyes against a painful
truth, and listen TO the song OF that syrcn, till
she transforms us into beasts. Was ths, he
asked the part wise men, engaged in Il great
and arduous Struggle Tor ibertyf Were we
disposed TO be of the number of those who ha-
wing eyes, see not, and, having ears, hear not,
the things which so nearly concern their tenn
porai salvation For his part, whatever an
guIsh of spIritt might cost, he was willing to
know the whole truth-to know the worst, and
to provide for it,"
He had,' he said, &C but one lamp, by which
= -.
experience. He knew ofno way of Judging
the future, but by the past aud Judging by
the past, he wished to know what there had
been in the conductof the British ministry for
the last ten years, TO Justify those hopes with
which gentlemen had been pleased to s0ace
themselves and the house. is it that insidious
smile with which our petition has been lately
received Trust il not sir, it will prove snare
To your feet.--Suiier not yourselves to be be-
trayed with 4 kiss. Ask Yourselves how this
gracious reception of our petition COMFORTS
with those w:,rlike preparations, which cover
our waters, ana darken our land Are fleets
and armies necessary to work OF love and
reconciliation Have we shewn ourselves SO
unwilling to be reconciled, that force must be
called III, TO win back Ourlove? Let us not de-
ceiNe ourselves, sir. These are the implements
OF war and subjugatiOn-the last arguments to
which kings resort. ask gentlemen, sir, what
means taiS martial array, if its purposes he not
to force us tosubmission! Can gentlemen as
sign any other possible motive for it Has G.
Britain any enemy, III this quarter of the world,
TO cali for all this accumulation of navics and
armiese No, sir >: she has none. They are
meant tor us: they can be meant for no other.
They are sent over, to bind and rivet upon us
those Chains, which the British ministry have
been SO long forging. And what have we to
oppose to ihem' Shall we try argument -
Sir, we have been trying that for the last ten
years. Have we any thing new to offer upon
the subject? Nothing. We have held the sub
lect upIn every light of which it is capable
butt has been all in vain. Shallw resort to
entfeaty aud humble supplication? What
terms shall we find, which have not beer al
ready exhausted Let MS not, I beseech you,
sir, deceive ourselves longer. Sir we have
done every thing that could be done, to avert
the storm which is now coming on. We have
pehtlOned-we have remonstrated--we have
suppilcated-we have Frustrated ourselves be-
tore the throne, and have implOred its interpo-
SItion. 20 arrest the tyrannical hands Of the
ministry and parliament. Our petitions have
Dcen slighted--our remonstrances have produ-
ced additional violence and insult-our suppl
cations have been disregarded. and we have
been spurned with contempt from the foot of
tile throne. In vain, after these things, may
we indulge the fond hope of peace and recon
citation. There Is no longer any room for
hope. If we wish TO be free-if we mean to
preserve inviolate those iDestimable privileges,
Tor which we have been so long csntending--if
we mean not basciy to abandon The noble
struggle, in which we have been 80 long engag-
to abandon, until the glorious object of our
contest shall be obtained-We MUST FIGHT! l
repeat it, sir, WE MUST FIGHT - An appeal to
arms, and TO the God of Hosts is all that's left
us"
Imagine to yourself says my correspon-
dent, " this sentence, delivered with all the
calm dignity of Cato, of Utica-inaginc TO
yourself the Roman Senate, assembled in the
capitol, when it was entered by the prefane
Gauls, who, at first, were awedb by their pre-
Sence, as If they had entered an assembly of
t!le Gods !-imagnc that YOU heard tlr,t Cato
addressing such a SeGate-imagiue that yon
saw the handwriting on the wall of Belshaz-
gar palace-mdginc yOuhad heard voice,
as from heaven, utiering the words " Vehanst
feH. DIS the doom offate, and you may have
some idea of thespeaker, theassembly towhom
he addressed himself, and the auditory, Of
which was one"
"They tell us, Sir" continued Mr. Henry,
= that VIC are wcak-unabie TO cope with so
Formidable an adversary.-But when shall we
bestronger! Will it be the next week or the
next year? VIII IL be when weare totally dis
armed, and whena British guard shall be sta
toned in everyhouse9 Shall we gather strength
by irresolutlon and iuaction? Shall we acquire
the means ofetiectual resistance, by living SUI
pIneiy on oar backs, and hugging the deiusiYe
phantom OF hope, until orr enemies shall have
bound us hand and foot? Sir, we are not weak,
If we make proper use Of those means which
The God otnature hath placed in onr power
Three millions of people, armed in the holy
cause of liberty. and in such a country as that
which we possess, areinyiucible by any force
which our enemycan send againStus. Besides,
sir, we shall tfightour battles alone. There is
a inst God, who presides over the destinies
OF nations, and who will raise up friends
TO fight our battles for us. The battle,
sir, IS not to the strong alone il is to the
vigilant, the active, the brave. Besides sir,
we hayeno election. five were base enough