Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1851-12-10

- - =, s(,ss. 49,.
an Elder in President Dsvie. church.
These gentlemen had besn friends IN Han
over, but had not met for many years
On the retrospec. Of - many years
may be permitted to express my views oI
the extraordinary effects of Henry's elo-
queucc. The remark Is obvious, IN appII-
cation rot only to him but to all great
orators, that we can not ascribe these effects
merely u their intellectual conceptions, or
their cogent reasonings, however great;
these conceptions and reasons, when put
on paper, often fall dead 1t has indeed
been often said, both of Whitfield and OF
Henry, that their discourses, when reduced
to writing, show poorly by the side OF
men who are no orators. Gen. fosey was
a revolutionary officer, who was second IN
command, under Wayne, in the expedition
against the Indians; 4 man OF observation
and cool judgment IIewas in attendance
on the debates of that Convention, IN which
there were so many displays of dellberatlye
eloquence. He assured me, that after the
hearing of Patrick Ienry's most celebrated
speech in that body, he felt himself as
fully persuaded that the Constitution as
adopted would be our ruin, as OF hi. own
existence. Yet, subsequent reflection re-
stored his former Judgment, and his well
considered opinion resumed its place
The power of Henrys eloquence was
due, first, to the greatness of his emotion
and passion, accompanied with versatility
which enabled him to assume at once any
emotion or passion which was suited to his
ends. Not less Indispensable, secondly,
was matchless perfection Of the organs OF
expression, including the entire apparatus
Of voice, intonation, pause, gesture, attl-
tude, and indescribable play of counten-
auce. In no instance did he ever indulge
in an expression that was not recognized
as nature itself, yet some Of hi. penetrating
and subGuing tones were absolutely peculiar
and as inimitable as they were indescribable
These were felt by every hearer, in all
their force. His mightiest feelings were
sometimes indicated and communicated BY
long pause, aided by an eloquent aspect,
and some significant use of his finger.
Patrick Henry of course owed much t.
his singular insight into the feelings o
the common mind In great cases, h
scanned his jury, and formed his menta
estimate on this basis he founded hi
appeals to their predictions and charac
ter. 1t is what other advocates do in
lesser degree When he knew that ther
we're conscientious or religious men among
the Jury, he would most solemnly addres
himself to their sense a right, and woul'
adroitly bring in scriptural citations. l
this handle was not offered, be would Ia.
bare the sensibility Of patriotism. Thu
it was, when he succeeded in rescuing tn
man who had deliberately shot down
neighbor, who however lay under tn
odious suspicion of being a Tory, and VIII
was proved to have refused supplies to
brigade of the American army.
A learned and intelligent gcntlema
stated to me that he once heard MI
Henry's defence of man arraigned for
capital crime So clear and abundant wa
the evidence, that my informant was unabl
to conceive any grounds of defence, es
pecially after the law had been ably place'
before the jury by the Attorney for tn
Commonwealth. For long time afte
Henry began, he did not once advert t
the merits of the case, or the comments o
the prosecution, but went off into mos
deviating and discursive Grafton on genera
topics, expressing opinions in perfect ae
cordance with those Of his hearers, unit
having fully succeeded in obliteratin
every impression Of his opponents speech
he obliquely approached the subject, an
as occasion was offered, dealt forth stroke
which seemed to tel. upon the minds g
, the jury. In this case, it should be added
the cause of truth prevailed over the al
of the con.ummate orator. A. A.
.----~~-o----~----~~---~--