The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-11-18

Hanover aroused, when he quitely arose to
dictate the course of action to be pursued
by the barons. There was everything IN
his appearance and social status to provoke
displeasure. He was clad in an old, faded,
peech- blossom coat, rude in fabric as in
fashion his knee breeches, instead OF fine
cloth or velvet, consisted of dressed leather !;
his head was covered with an old rusty tie.
wig, innocent of powder, ard utterly insig-
nifcant beside the flowing PerukeS OF the
nabobs," as they were then called. There
was nothing in the bearing of this stability
dressed figure to redeem its coarse appear
ance. Tie shoulder stopped, it moved stiffly
and awkwardly when the compressed lips
opened to speak, the words which came forth
were pronounced in way to CRATE painfully
upon the cultivated ears of the listeners.
Earth was called 'yarth,' learning, larnan',
and NATURAL MATERIAL The effect was as
disagreeable as that produced to-day upon
an American by the pronunciation of for
eigner. This alone threw gulfbetween the
rustic youth and the Oxford educated gen.
! tlemen.
I But all personal objections sank into in
significance beside the audacity of the prop
osition offered by coarsely dressed young
man. His assumption of friendship would
at any time have been regarded by the old
barons as presumptuous, but he did more.
He placed himself in determined hostility to
each and all-for his celebrated resolutions
were the gauntlets of defiance, thrown down
to all the prejudices of the past-the old
world theories-in their very essence and
foundation. They fell like thunderbolt.
They distinctly denied the right of Parli-
ment to legislate upon matters concerning
the American colonies-hence their right to
lay imk osts-hence the constitutionalty OF
the Stamp Act. The reading of the resolu-
tions was the signal for storm. The light
ming was succeeded by the roar ofthe oppo-
sition thunder. The advocates of further
petition, protest aad memorial fought with
all the passions, virulence and animosity OF
| men who are outraged in the political con-
victions, their personal vanity, and their
views Of social pcopriety.
Henry says that storm of abuse was
visited upon him; and Jefferson, then a
youth and listener from the lobby, declares
that "the debate was most bloody" 1t was
in the midst of his speech that Henry, with
arms extended aloft and flashing eyes, thun-
dered out his celebrated words, Caesar
had his Brutus! Charles the First his Crom'
well and George the Third -" His
voice was drowned in violent and indignant
cries of Treason Treason !" rolling up
ward from every part of the house, and from
the lips of the Speaker. 1t was a moment
which tries manhood and tests the fibre Of
the soul; Henrys bore the strain. His
figure rose aloft with a prouder defiance
his eyes flashed with fires more naughty and
determined. Confronting his opponents
with the scornful wrath of an aroused giant
his voice rupg out clear and stormy. "And
George the Third" he repeated, " may
profit by their example, Ii this is treason
make the most of it! !" The resolution was
carried Driven through, over all opposi
tion and in spite of the most tremendous
attacks, they were adopted-the last by 6
bare majority. Peyton Randolph, in pass
ing through the lobby, was heard to ex-
claim, with bitter oath, that he would have
given {" five hundred guineas for single
vote.' One vote would have silenced the
alarm bell, and five hundred guineas was
not much to offer for it.
The action of the great House of Bur
gesses, of Virginia, sent a thrill through thu
whole land, from North to South and The
ten years war Of constitutional struggle
which would terminate in seven years
war of revolutionary combat began on that
day when Patrick Henry fought his resolve
through the Assembly of Virginia, and pub
licly defed the power of Pariment.-N Y
CenturY.