The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1830-02-18

BoOn as he Is ndiDeo, OUT OI WHICH 10 one
can give an adequate description. They
can only say il struck upon The ear and up.
ON the heart in a manner which language
cannot tell. And TO all these, his wonder
working fancy, and the peculiar phraseol
ogy in which hc clothed images; for he
painted to the heart with force that al
most petri6ed it. In the language ofthosc
who heard him on this occasion, he made
their blood run cold, and their hair to rise
on end"
Some perhaps may be at loss TO con.
ceive what there was in simple enquiry
of damages that afforded sGch scope TO the
powers Of Henry; but it viii readily be
understood from the fact, that regardless
OF the laws straight jacket, he kicked the
demurrer, the interlocutory judgment, and
the rules of practice, out Of court, and as
sailed dierctly the root of the evl--the
royai veto. This gave him an opportun.
ty ofindulging his republican bias. lie
descanted warmly upon the reciprocal du-
ty Of king and subject, and entered into
that boundless field Of argument tho
Rights OF man. The audience hung for.
ward from the seats and windows in breath.
less silence, as if ready to tumble upon
him. BY one indignant invcctvc, he drove
the clergy from the bench; tears flowed
from the eyes ofhis cnraptuied parent; and
when the jury, completely bcwildered by
his eloqncnce, returned verdict of one
penny damages, the people in defiance Of
his own resistance and cries OF "order!"
from the Sheriff, tore him from his scat
and carried him in triumph on thsir shoul.
dors! After this, 1t is needless TO add, he
rose like the morning sun in clear aud
cloudlcss sky, burning brighter and bright
cras he progressed towards his meridian
glory.
Such was the gifted mortal. who after
conqnering the accomplished civilians OF
Virginia at the bar and in the Legislature,
and setting the whole continent in fer.
ment entered this Hall with Geo. Wash
ington and other distinguished statesmen
as a Delegate to the first Congress. They
met, il may so speak, with tho point Of
The bnyonct at their breast, or rather with
the halter dangling over their heads, for
The whole machinery oftho colonial govern
ment wa not yet in regular operotion--tle
kings governor, commanders nnd soldiers
being IN full possession ofthe strong holds,
and, from what had passed, highly cXaspe.
rated against the colonists.
mo wonder, them" says Mr.. Writ, de
scrbing this interesting scene, "at tho
long aud deep silence which is said to
have followed upon their organization; a,
the anxiety with which the members looked
round upon each other; and the reluctance
which every individual felt 10 open bu.
siness 40 fearfully momentons. In the
midst Of this deep and denlhlikc silence,
and just when il was beginning to become
painfully embarrassing, Mr. Henry arose
slowly. as if borne down by the weight OF
his subject. After ialtering according TO
his habit, through Il most impressive cNor-
dium, in which he merely echoed back the
consciousness of every other heart in de
plorin:I his inability to do justice to the
occasion, he launched, gradually in to the
recital Of the colonial wrongs. Rising az
ho advanced, with the grandeur ofhis sub
jcct, and glowing at length with all the
majesty and expectation of the occasion
his speech seemed more than that of NOR.
tai man. Even those who had heard him
in all HE glory in the House Of Burgesscs
Of Virginia wore astonshed nj the manner
in which his talents seemed to swell and
expand To hll the vastcr theatre in which
he was now placed There was no rant.
NO rhapsody no labor Of the understanding.
no slraining Of the voice, no confusion Of
the ut,erunco. His countcnance was erect,
his eyes steady, his action noble, his enun.
citation clear and firm, his mind poised on
its centre, his views of the subject compre.
henSive and great, and his INA gina,ion cor
ruscating with a magnihccnce and variety
which struck even that assembly with a
mazemcnt and awe. lie sat down amidst
mnrinurs Of as,onlshmcnt and applause, &
us he had been before proclaimed the
greatest orator of Virginia he was now, on
every hand, admitted to be the first orator
OF America"
We will close with single extract from
one OF nv. lIenry's speeches, in l775.-
After declaiming against tho doctrine of
those who were still for trying concila,ory
measures, he broke forth, ut the close Of
his argument with the following splendid
peroration:
at is in vain sir, to extenuate The mat
ter. Gentlemen may cry peace, peace
but there is no peace. The war has already
begun! The next gale that sweeps from
the North will bring to our ears the clash
of resounding arms. Our brethren are al.
ready in the field Why stand we here idle?
What is it that gentlemen wish? What
would they have? Is life so dear, or peace
80 sweet, as TO be purchased at the price
Of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Al
mighty God know not what course 9th
ers may take; but, as for me-" he cried,
with his arms extended alofi. his brows
knit, every feature marked with the reso.
lutte purpose of his soul, aud voice swclcd
10 lis boldest note Of cxclumatiou-"give
M, lhnLtr or nir., no Lnnlh %,