Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1856-12-04
Jefferson's Account of Patrick Henry.

| Patrick Henry was originally bar-keep-
er. He was married very young, and gong
into some business, on his own account,
was bankrupt before the year was out
When was about the age of fifteen | left
the school here, 10 60 TO the college at Will
liamSburg. / stopped a few days ut q
friends in the county of Louisa. There |
first saw and became acquainted with Pat
rick Henry. Having spent the Christmas
holidays there proceeded to Williamsburg.
Some question arose about my admission, as
my preparatory studies had not been pur-
sued at the school connected with that in
stitution. This delayed my admission about
fortnight, at which time Henry appeared
at Williamsburg, and applied for license
10 practice law, having commenced the stu
dy of il at VI subsequently TO the time of
my meeting him in Louisa. There were
fonr examiners Wythe, Pendleton, Peytun
Randolph and John Randolph. Wythe
and Pcndeon at once rejected his npplica-
ton. The two Randophs. by his importu-
nifty, were prevailed upon 10 sign the Ii
eense; and having obtained their signatures,
he applied again TO Pendleton, and after
much en,rea,y and many promises of future
study, succeeded in obtaining his. He then
turned out for a practicing lawyer. The
first case which brought him into notice
was contested election, in which he APP.
peared as counsel before the committee OF
the House Of Burgesses. His second was
the Parsons cause, already well known
I These and similar efforts soon obtained for
\ him so much reputation, that he was cleo
ted member Of the Legislature. He was
as well suited 10 the times as any man ever
was, and il is not now easy TO say what we
should have done without Patrick Henry.
He was far before all in maintaining the
spirit of the Revolution. His influence was
most extensive with the the members from
the upper counties, and his bodness and
their votes overawed and controlled the
more cool or the more tinid aristocratic
gentlemen Of the lower part OF the State
!, His eloquence was peculiar, if indeed il
should be called eloquence, for il was i'm.
pressive and sublime, beyond what can be
imagined. Although it was difficult, when
he had spoken, to tell what he had said yet,
while he was speaking, it always seemed
directly to the point. When he had spoken
in opposition to my opinion--had produced
, a great effect, and myself been highly de-
/ lighted and moved, l have asked myself
when he ceased: "What the devil has he
said?" could never answer the inquiry.
His person was of full size, and his manner
and voice free and manly. His utterance
neither very fast nor very slow. His
speeches generally shurt--from quarter TO
n half an hour. His pronunciation was
vulgar and vicious, but it was forgotten
f while he was speaking.
II gas q man Of very little knowledge Of
any Tort; lie read nothing ard had no books
Returning one November from Albermare
court, he borrowed Of me Hume's Essays in
4 two volumes, saying he should have leisure
I in the winter for reading. In the spring
u, he returned them, and declared he had moi
been able TO go further than twenty OF
: thirty pages in The first volume. He wrote
almost nothing-he could not write. The
resolutions Of rs, which have been ascrib.
: ed to him, have by many supposed to have
= been written by Mr.. Johnson. who acted as
: his second on that occasion; but il they
$ were written by Henry himself, they ART
e not such as 10 prove any power Of compo.
t sition. Neither in politics nor in his pro
= iession was he man Of business; he was {
), man for debate only. His biographer say.
= that he read Piuidrch every year. doub
n whether he ever read volume Of it in hi.
$ life. His temper was excellent, and hi
h generally observed decnrum III debate. Or
one or two occasions Ihavc seen him angry
and his anger was terrible; those who wit
e messed it were not disposed TO rouse i
n again. In his opinion he was yielding ant
: practicable and not disposed TO differ from
e his friends. In private conversation he wa
3. agreeable and facetlous, and, while in gen
e feel society, appeared to understand all tn,
e decencies and prophecies of il; but, in hi
I heart, he preferred low society, and sough
n 1t as often as possible. He would hunt il
the pine woods Of Fluvanna, with overseers
r and people OF that description, living in
4 camp fortnight at time without chang
OF raiment. have often been astnnished q
:, his command Of proper language; how h
e attained knowledge Of it never could flint
= out, as he read so little and conversed it'll
/ with educated men. After ALL it must b
allowed that lie was our leader in the meas
e ures of the Revolution, in Virginia. Il
6 that respect more was due TO him than an,
: other person. II we had not had him W
should probably have got on pretty well, n
! you did, by number OF men of nearly equa
0 talents, but he left us all far behind. Hi
Liographer sent the sheets of his work I
n me as they were printed, and at the EN-
? asked tor my opinion. told him it woul
, be question hereafter, whether his worI
i should be placed on the shelf of HISTORY o
}, of panegyrio. 1t is a poor book, written il
: a bad taste, and gives so imperfect an ide
: Of Patrick Henry, that II seems intended 4
show off the writer more than the subjec
G OF the work. .Hra.r
fThe wolf trap patented by Fredericl
i. Reuthe, Of Hartford, c., is curious affair
The inventor has taken it to Canada to tr,