The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1853-09-20
ANHoDorE OF PATRICK HENRY.

Hook was aScotchmaD, man OF very great
wealth, and suspected of being very unfriendly
to the American cause. During the distresses
of the American army consequent on the joint
invasion of Cornwalls and Philips, in 1871, a
Mr.. Venable, an army commssary, had taken
two of the Hooks steers for the use of the
troops The act had not been strictly legal;
and on the establishment of the peace, Hook,
on the advice of Mr.. Copan, of some distinction
in the law, thought proper TO bring an action
of trespass against Mr.. Venable, in the District
Court in New London. Mr.. Henry appeared
for the defendant, and is said to havo reported
himself in this cause to the infinile enjoyment
of his hearers, the unfortunate Hook always
accepted. After Mr. Henry became animated
in the cause; says correspondent, no appear
cd to have a complete control over the passions
of the audience; at ono time he excited their
indignation against Hook; vengence was visi-
Bile in every face; again, when ho chose to re-
lax and ridicule him, the whole audience was in
a roar oflaughter. He painted the distresses
of tho American army, exposed, almost naked
to tho rigors of a wintor's sky, and marking the
frozen ground over which they trod, with the
blood of their unshod feet. Where was the
man, no said Who had All American heart in
his bosom, who would not have thrown open
his fields, his barns, his cellars, tho doors of
his house, tho portals of his breast to have re-
ceived with open arms tho meanest soldier in
that famish:hg bahd Of patriots? Where is the
man? There no stands-but whetbor the
heart of an American beats in his bosom, you,
gentlemen arc yet to Judge. He then carried
the jury by the power of his Imagination, to tho
plains of York, the surrender ofwhich had fol-
lowed shortly aftor the act complained of; he
depicted tho surrender in the most glowing
and noble colors ofhis eloquenco-tho audi
enco saw before their eyes the humiliation and
detection Of tie British as they marched out of
their treDches-they saw the triumph which
lighted up every patriot face, and heard the
shouts of victory, and the cry of Washington
and liberty as il rung and echoed through the
American ranks, and was reverberated from
the hills and shores of the neighboring river
but bark. what notes Of discord arc those which
disin1b tho aanaral joy. and silence the accla
nation or viciOry-thoy arc The notes of John
Hook, hoarsely bawlins in the American camp,
"bcef! beef !" beef! !"
The whole audience was convulsed: and a
particular incident will give.a "A better idea of
the effect than a general description. The
clerk of the court unablod to command him
self, and unwilling TO commit any breach of
decorum in his place. rushed out of the court
house, and threw himself on the grass in the
most violont paroxysm of laughter, where he
was rolling, when Hook. with very different
feelings, came out for relief into the yard also.
Jenny Steptoe, said he 10 the clo'k, what tho
devil alcs ye. mani Mr.. Steptoc was only a.
bic TO say that he could not help it, Never
mind yc. said Hook. wait till Billy Cowan gets
up; he'll show him the law! Mr. Cowan, how
ever. was completely overwhelmed by tho
torrent which boro upon its client, that, when
he rose to make an ineligible or undible re-
mark. The cause was decided almost by ac-
clamaton. The Jury retired for frm's sake,
and instantly returned with verdict for the de-
fcndont. Nor did tho ctf, ct OF M-. Henry's
speech stop her. The people were highly ex-
cited by the andacity of such tory suit. that
Hook began 10 hear cry more Terrible then
"becf:' it was the cry of star and faathers;'
from the application Of which it is said that
nothing saved him but prccpitatc fight and
the speed of his horse