The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1857-01-14
3HlGrellallru1s.
JEFFERsON's OPINION OF HEN.
Nv

RY.
The following sketch Of Patrick Henry
by his cotempornry. Mr.. Jefferson, will be
found interesting. 1t is taken from the
advance. sheets Of a work soon to be issu.
ed by Boston publisher, containing the
private correspondence Of Daniel Webster.
In 1924 Mr.. Webster visited Jefferson at
his home at Monticello, and afterwards
wrote ont the following opinion Of Henry,
expressed by Mr.. Jefferson at the time
Patrick Henry was originaliy..a barkeap.
er. lie was married very yoang, and 90
ing into some business, on his own account,
was bankrupt before the year was out.
When l was about :he age OF fifteen, left
the school here, to 60 to The college at
Williamsburg. | stopped few days at
friends i'll tire county Of louisiana
There first saw and become acquainted
with Patrick Henry. Having spent the
Christmas holidays there, proceeded to
Williamsburg. Some questions arose
about my admission, as my preparatory
studies hadnot been pursued at the school
connected with that institution. This de-
layed my admission about fortnight at
which time Henry appeared at Williams.
burg, and applied for license to practice
law, having commenced the study of it at
or subsequent to the time Of my meeting
him at Louisa. There were four examin-
ers-Nlxt Pendle;on, Peyton Ran
dolph and John Randolph. Wy,he and
Pendleton at once rejected bis application.
The two RandSTphs,'by his importantly,
were prevailed Lpou to sign the license !;
and having obtained their signatures, he
applied again to Pendleton, after much
en,reaty and many promises Of study sue
cee'ed in obtaining his. The first case
e5ssE sssGa% % Ii When nS nOse tic wss con
counsel before committee of Burgesses.
His second was the Parsons cause, alrea
dy well known. These and similar ef
forts soon obtained for him so much rep
utaliou, that he was elected member Of
! tho Legislature. lie was as well suited
| 20 the times as any man ever was, and it il
not easy to say what we should have done
without Patrick Henry. He was far be-
fore all in maintaining the spirit OF the
Revolution. HIS influence was most ex-
tensive with the moers from the upper
counties, and his boldness and their votes
! oyerawed and controlled the more cool or
the more tlinid arlsiocratic gentlemen OF
the lower part Of the State. lis elo.
| quence was peculiar. if indeed it should be
called eloquence for it was impressive
and sublime, beyond what can be imacin-
! ed. Although it WAS difficult when he h ad
said, yet,whle he was speaking, it always
seemed directly to the point. When he
had spoken in opposition TO my opinion,
had produced great effect, and | myself
been highly delighted and moved, have
asked myself when he had ceased What
the devil has he said Z" could never an
swer the inquiry. His person was full size
and ais manner and voice free and manly
His utierance neither very fast nor very
slow. His speeches very short, from a
quarter to half an hour. Ills pronunci
alton was vulgar and vicious, but il was
forgotten while he WAS speaking.
| lie was man OF very little knowledge
ofany sort; he read nothing, and had no
books. Returning one November from
Abemarle court, lie borrowed Of me
Humes Essays in two volumes, saying he
should have leisure in the Winter for read.
ing. In the spring he returned them ;.and
declared he had not been able to 90 fur.
! iher than twenty pages in the first vol.
ume. lie wrote almost nothing-he could
not write. The resolutions Of Is which
have been ascribed 10 him, have by many
/ supposed TO have been written by Mr..
johnson, who acted as his-seeond on that
occasion ;but ifthey were written by him
sell, they are not such as TO prove any
power OF composition. Neither in politics
nor in his profession was lie a man of bust.
ness; be was,a.man. for debate only. His
tiographer says that he read Plutarch eve
| ry year. doubt whether he ever read
volume Oft in his life. His temper was
excellent, and he generally observed de-
corum in debate. On one or two occa.
sions ] have seen him angry, and his an
| ger was terrible those who witnessed il
were not disposed to rouse it again. In
his opinions he was-yielding and practica-
ble and not disposed to differ from bis
friends. In private conversation be was
agreeable and facelioas and while in gen.
teel society, appeared to understand all
the decencies and propristies Of it but, in
his heart, he preferred low society, and
sought il as often as possible. He would
hunt in the pine woods OF FIuvanna with
oversee's, and people Of that description,
living in camp for fortnight at time
without change Of rs:ment. have Of.
ten been astouishcd at his command Of
proper language; how he attained a
knowledge OF Il | never could find out As
he read SO little and conversed little with
educated men. After all, il mus, be al.
lowed that he was our leader in the mea
sufes of the RArniufion In Virninia IL