The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1854-11-07
MiJrRAauRnlls.
Eloquence and Humour of Patrick
Henry.

Henry y -.
Patrick Henry was distinguished orator
and patriot of Virginia, who lent his pnwerfal
influence to the cause Of The Revolution.
Hook was Scochnan, man of wealth, and
suspected of being .unfrendf. to the American
cause During the distfesses OF the American
army, consequent on the Joint INVASION of
Cornwallis aud Philips, in l7Sl, II Mr. Fena
bic, an army :commissary: had taken two Of
Hooks steers fprsthe use of the troops. The
act had not been strictly legal;, and, on the
establishment Of peace, llooh, on the advice
of Mr. Cowan, a gentleman of>some distinc-
ton in the law, thought proper to bring an ac,
ton of trespass against Mr. Venablc, in the
District Court of New London. 49,, g
- Mr.. Henry appeared for the defendant, aud
is said to have dsported himself in this, cause
to the infinite enjoyment of his hearers the
unfortunate Hook always excepted After Mr..
Henry became animated in the cause, says a
correspondent he appeared to have complete
control over the passions of his audience; at
,one time he excited their indignation against
Hook, vengeance was visible in every counte.
nance; again, when he chose to relax, and
.ridicule him, the whole audience was in roar
Of laughter.
He painted the dstresses Of the American
army exUosed, almost naked, to the iigors of
winters sky, and marking frozen ground over
which they trod, with the blood of their un-
shod feet. Where is the man." he said, "who
has an American heart in his bosom, who would
not have thrown open his fields, his barns, his
cellars, the doors of his house, the portals of
his breast, to have received, with open arms,
the meanest soldier in that little band Of fam.
ished patriots? Where is the man9 There
he stands-but whether theheart of an Amer
can beats in his bosom, you, gentlemen, are to
judge" -,
He then carried the jury, by the power of
his Imagination, to the plains around New.
York. the surrender of which had followed
shortly after the act complained of; he depict
ed the surrender in most glowing and noble
colors of his eloquence; the audience saw be
fore their eyes the humiliation and detection Of
the British, as they marched out of their
trenches; they saw the triumph which lighted
!. f,p every patriot face, and heard the shouts OF
victory, and the cry of a." Washington and Lib
erty" as it rung and echoed through the Amer
lean ranks, and was reverberateI from the
hills and shores Of the neighboring river. But
bark what notes of discord are those which
disturb the general Joy, and silence the acca
nation of victory? They are the notes Of
John Hook, hoarsely bawlng through the
American camp, Beef! beef! beef!
The whole audience wero convulsed; apar-
ticular r!incident will give better idea of the
effect than any general description. The clerk
Of the Court, unable to command himself, 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 violent
paroxysm of ughter. -
Here he was rolling, when Hook, with very
different feelings, came out for relief iSto the
ward also. Jenny Steptoe,' said he to the
Clerk, swhat the devil ails ye, mon!' Mr..
Steptoe was only able to say that he could not
help it. Never mind ye, said Hook, wait
till Billy Cowau gets up; he'll show him the
laww
Mr.. Cowan, however, was so completely
overwhelmed by the torrent which bore upon
his client that when he rose to reply to Mr..
Henry, he was scarcely able to make an intel
ligent or audible remark The cause was de.
cided almost by acclamation. The jury re.
tired for FORMS sake, and instantly returned
with verdict for the defendant
Nor did the effect Of Mr.. Henry's speech
stop here. The people were so higly excited
by the Tory audacity of such suit, that Hook
began to hear all around him cry more terri.
ble than that Of beef; it was the cry of tar
and feathers; from the application Of which it
is said, nothing saved him but a precipitate
flight and the speed of his horse.
IT.
STEALING CHIcKENs-As gentleman was
walking with friend near the central depot a
few DAYS since, he suddenly exclaimed:
There comes T.. shall have some
fun with him. See how he tries to shun u.s.
sWhy,' said the other, what has he been do.
ing to be ashamedP
20. you'll soon know. Wait till he comes
M. Here is his house, and he must pass US to
The subject nf their conversation seemed to
be quite uneasy at first, but at soon as he saw
there was no way of escape, he came boldly
forward. "
T-,begau the first speaker. 4 owe you