Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1856-11-29


Of Burgcsses. His second vas the Parson
ease, already well known. These and sim
liar efforts soon obtained for him so mucl
reputation, that he Esas elected a Mcmbe
of the Legislature lie was as well sutet
to the times as any man ever was, and it i
not now easy to say what we should bay,
done without patsiek Henry He was fal
before all in maintaining the spirit of til,
Revolution. His influence was most ex-
tensive with the members from the upper
counties, and his boI(lness and their votes
overawed and controlled the more cool or
the more timid arislaoratic gentlemen of the
lower part Of the state. His eloquenec was
peculiar, if indeed feshouhs be called elo-
quence; for it was oppressive and sublime,
bey8nd what caa b. imagined. Although
it was difficult when he had spoken to tele-
what he had said, yet, while he was speak
ing, it always seemed directly to the point.
Whea be had spoken in opposition to my o.
pinion, had produced q great effect, and |
myself had been highly delighted and NOV
cd, | have asked myself when he ceased !;
"What TIE devil has he said 2 | could
never answer the inquiry. His person was
of full size, and his manner and voice free
and m&uly His utterance neither very fast
nor very slow. His speeches generall}
short, from quarter to a half an hour
His pronunciation was vulgar and vicious,
bet ii was forgotten while he was speaking.
lie wac :. l.5aa of very little knowledge of
any sort; he read nothing, and had 10 books
Returning one November from Albemarle
court, he borrowed of re Hune's Essays, iii
two volumes, saying he should have leisure
in the winter for reading. In the spring he
returned them, and declared he had not been
able to go further than twenty or thirty pa
gcs II the first volume He wrote almost
nothing-he could not write. The resolu-
tons of rs, which have been ascribed to
him, have by many been supposed to have
been written by Mr. Johnston, who acted as
his second ON that occasion but if they
were written by Henry himself, they are not
such as to prove any power Of composition.
Neither in politics or in his profession was
he a man of business he was man for
debate only. His biographer says that he
read Plutarch every year. doubt whether
he ever read q VOLUME of it in his life His
temper was excellent, and lie generally OBJ
served dccorum in debate. Oh ore or two
occasions | have seen him angry, aas, his
anger Nag terrible those who witnessed it
were not disposed to rouse it again In his
opinions he was yielding and practicable,
and not disposed to differ from his friends.
In private conversation he was agreeable
and faoetious, and, while in genteel soeie-
ty, he appeared to understand all the de-
eeneies and pfoprieties OF 1t b.,t, in his
heart he preferred low society, and sought
il as often rs possible. He would hunt in
the pines of Fluvana with overseers, and
people of that description, living in cold
camp fer fortnight al time without a
change Of raiment. have often been as
tonished ct his command of proper language:
how he attained knowledge of it | never
could find out, as h. read so little and con-
veraea little with educated men After all,
it must be allowed that he was Our leader in
the measures of the Revolution in Virginia
In that respect more was due 70 linn than to
any other person. Ii we had not had HIM,
we should have probably got on pretty well,
us you did, by a number of men of nearly
equal talents. but he left Us all far behind
His biographer sent the sheets of his work
to me as they were printed and at the end
asked for my opinion. told him it would
be a question hereafter, whether his work
should be placed on the shelf of history or
of psnegyric It is poor book written in
bad taste, and gives so imperfect an idea of
Patrick Henry, that it seems intended to
show off the writer more than the subject
of the work
Mr.. JEFFERsoN's Or1SloN OF ANDREW JACK
| feel much alarmed at the prospect of
seeing Gen. Jackson President He is one
of the most unfit men | know of for such
place lie has had very little respect for
laws or constitutions, and is, in fact, an able
military chief. His passions are terrible.
Whea I was President of the Senate he was
a Senator; and he never could speak on
account of the rashness of his feelings.
| lave seen him attempt it repeatedly, and
as often choke with rage. His passions are
no doubt cooler now; he has been much
tried since | knew him, but he IS danger
Gus man.