The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1857-05-14
BIOGRAPHY or pArRtoK HsNkx ~ ssr-
fENAON


lrs was married very young, aud going into
sotno business OH his own account, wns n
bankrupt before the year was out. When
I was about tho ago Of fifteen, left the
school hero, TO so to the college at Williams
burg. stopped few days Mt " friends
in tile county Of Louisa. There 1 first saw
and became acquainted with Patrick Hen.
ry. Having spent the Christmas holidays
there, proceeded to Williamsburg. Some
question arose about my admission, rs my
preparatory studies had not been pursued
Mt the school connected with that insttu-
ton. This delayed my admission about
fortnight, at which time Henry appeared
in Williamsburg, and applied for license
to practice law, having commenced the
study of it at or subsequently to the time
of my meeting him in Louisa. There were
four examiners, Wythe, Pendlcton, Peyton
Randolph, and John Randolph, Wythe ard
Pendeton at once rejected his application.
The two Iandolphs, by his importantly,
were prevailed upon to sign the license ::
and having obtained their signatures, he
applied again to Pen'leton, and after much
entreaty and many promises Of future study,
succeeded in obtaining his license. lie
then turned out for a practising lawyer
The first case which brought him into no
tice was contested election, in which he
appeared as counsel bcfo' committee of
the House Of Burgesscs. His second was
the Parsons cause, already known. These
and similar efforts soon obtained for him
so much reputation, that lie was elected Il
member Of the Legislature. lie was as
we'll suited to the times rs any man ever
was, and it is not now easy to say what we
should have done without Patrick Henry.
lie was far before all in maintaining the
Spirit Of the Revolution. His influence
was most extensive with the members from
the upper countries, and his bolIncss and
their votes ovcrawed and controlled the
more cool or more timid aristocratic gentle.
men Of the lower part of the State. His
eloquence was peculiar, if indeed it should
be called eloIuence; for it was impressive
and sublime, beyond what can be imagined
Although it was difficult when lie had spo-
ken to tell what he had said, yet, while he
was speaking, it always seemed direct to
the point. When he had spoken in oppo-
sition to my opinion, it had produced a
great effect, and myself been highly de-
lighted and moved, have asked myself,
when he ceased, "What the devil has lie
said 2" could never answer tile inquiry.
Ills person was Of full size, and his manner
and voice free and manly. Ills utterance
neither very fast nor very slow. Ills
speeches generally short, from quarter 10
half an hour. His pronunciation was
vulgar and vicious, but it was forgotten
while lie was speaking. lie was man
of very little knowled &c Of any sort: he
read nothing, and had no books. Return
ing ono November from Albcmarle court
lie borrowed Of me Humc's Essays, in two
volumes, saying he should have leisure i'll
the Winter for reading. In the Spring lie
returned them, and declared he had not
been able to 60 further than twenty or
thirty pages in the first volume. lie wrote
almost notbing-he could not write The
resolutions Of l775, which have been
ascribed to him, have by many supposed
to have been written by Mr.. johnson, who
acted as lis second on that occasion but
if they were written by Henry himself, they
are not such as to prove any power Of COM
position. Neither in politics or in profes-
sion was lie man of business; lie was a
man for debate only. His biographer says
that he read Plutarcli every year. doubt
whether he ever read volume of it in his
life. His temper was excellent, and lie
generally observed docorum in debate On
one or two occasions have seer him angry,
and his anger was terrible; those who wi.
messed it were not disposed to rouse it again.
In his opinion he was yielding and practica-
ble, and not disposed to differ from his
friends. In private conversation he was
agreeable and facetious, and, while in gen-
teel society, appeared to uadarstaaslsah the
dscsasias r.. and proPtities OF IL; but, in his
heart lie preferred low society, and sought
it as often as possible. lie would hunt in
the pine woods, of Fluvania, with ovcrseers,
and people Of that description, living in a
{ camp for fortnight at time without a
change of fraimept I have often heen aston.
: ished at his command Of proper language
how lie attained knowledge Of it never
could find out, as he read so little and con.
versed little with educated men. After all
it must be allowed that he was our leader
in the measure Of the Revolution in Vir
ginia. In that respect more was due &c
him than to any otherperson. If we lai
not had him, we should probably have go
on very we'll, as yoa did, by number o
men Of nearly equal talentsss aabut he left us