Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Mass.) 1828-1830, 1828-10-07
PATRICK HENRY

The versatility Of talent for which Pat
rick Henry, the American orator and pa
trlot, was distinguished, was happily illus
trated in trial which took place soon
after the war of independence. During
the distress of the Republican army, con-
sequent on the invasion of CORVALLIS and
Phillips, in 1881, Mr.. Venable, an army
commissary, took two steers for the use of
the troops, from Mr.. Hook, Scotchman,
and man of wealth, who was suspected
of being unfriendly to the American
cause. The act had not been strictly le-
gal ; and on the establishment of peace,
Hook, under the advice of Cowan. a GEN
tleman of some distinction in the law.
thought proper to bring an action of tres
pass against Mr.. Venable, in the District
Court of New-London. Mr.. Henry ap-
peared for the defendant, and is said to
have conducted himself in manner much
to the enjoyment of his hearers, the un-
fortunate Hook always excepted. After
Mr.. Henry became animated in the cause,
he appeared to have complete controul
over the passions of his audience at one
time he excited their indignation against
Hook vengeance was visible in every
countenance again, when he chose to
relax and ridicule him, the whole audience
was in roar of laughter. He painted
the distress of the American army, expos
ed, almost naked, to the rigour of a win
ter's sky +; and marking the frozen ground
over which they marched, with the blood
of their unshod feet. Where was the
man." he said, "who had an American
heart in his bosom, who would not have
thrown open his fields, his barns, his Gel
lars, the doors Of his house, the portals of
his breast, to have received with open
arms the meanest soldier in that little band
of famished patriots? Where is the man &?
There he stands; but whether the heart
of an American beats in his bosom, you
gentlemen are to Judge" He then carri-
ed the jury, by the power of his magma
ton, to the plains around York, the sur
render of which had followed shortly af.
ter the act complained of He depicted
the surrender in the most glowing and
noble colours of his eloquence the audi
ence saw before their eyes the humiliation
and detection of the British, as they march
ed out of their trenches they saw the
triumph which lighted up every patriot
face they heard the shouts of victory,
the cry of Washington and liberty, as it
rung and echoed through the American
ranks, and was reverberated from the hills
and shores of the neighbouring river ;
'but bark p continued Henry, "what
notes of discord are those which disturb
the general joy, and silence the acclama-
tions of victory? They are the notes of
John Hook, hoarsely bawling through the
American camp, beef! beef! beef!'"
The Court was convulsed with laugh
ter; when Hook, turning to the Clerk
said, "Never mind you mon wait till Billy
Cowan gets up, and he'll show him the
la" But Mr.. Cowan was so completely
overwhelmed by the torrent which bore
upon his client, that when he rose to re-
ply to Mr.. Henry, he was scarcely able to
make an ineligible or audible remark.
The cause was decided almost by accla.
nation. The jury retired for form sake,
and instantly returned with verdict fol
the defendant.