The eastern clarion. [volume] (Paulding, Miss.) 1837-1863, 1859-01-01
Patrick Henry.

Very little is known respecting the per-
sonal characteristics of the most Eloquent
orator of our Revolutionary history, one
who derived all his power from original
genius, and the study Of nature and men,
and had little acquaintance with books
The following sketch of his character
and habits is contained in letter from
Mr. jefferson to Mr. Webster, and is pub
li.hed with the correspondence of the
latter, recently issued from the press:
Patrick Henry was originally bar
keeper. He was married very Young,
and going 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 to 20 to col
lege at Williamsburg. ! stopped q few
days at a friends in the county of Louisa.
There first saw and became acquainted
with Patrick Henry. Having spent the
Christmas holidays there, proceeded to
VIII amsburg. Some questions arose
about my admission, as my preparatory
studies had not been pursued at the school
corrected with that institution. This de
laSf 81 ny admission about . fortnight, al
which time Henry appeared in Williams
burg. md applied for a license to practice
law, having commenced the study of it
at, or subsequently to. the time of meet
| ing him in Louisa. There were four ex-
aminers-Wythe, Pendleton, Peyton Ran
dolph and John Randolph. Wythe and
Pendleton at once rejected his applica-
ton. The two Randolphs, by his impor-
| tunity were prevailed upon to sign the
license; and having obtained their
| signatures, he applied again to Pendle-
ton, and, after much entreaty and many
promises of future study, succeeded in
! obtaining his. He then turned out for a
| practiGng lawyer. The first case which
| brought him into notice was a contested
| election, in which he appeared as counsel
| before Committee of the House of Bur
| gessesS His second was the Parson case,
| already well known. These and similar
efforts soon obtaiued for him so much
| reputation that he was elected q member
| of the legislature. He was as well suited
| to the times as any man ever.was, and il
is not now easy TO say what weshould have
| done without Patrick Henry. He wa,
far before all in maintaining the spirit OF
the Revolution. His influence was most
| extensive with the members from the up
| per counties, and his boldness and Their
votes overawed and controlled the more
cool or the more timid aristocratic gentle
men of the lower part of the State. Hi:
elOquence was peculiar, if, indeed. il
should be called eloquence: for it wa.
Impressive and sublime beyond what can
be imagined. Although it was difficult
when he had spoken, to tell what he.haC
said, yet while he was speaking il Away.
seemed directly TO the point When ht
had spoken in opposition to my opinion
had produced great effect. and ! mvsel
been delighted and moved-I have asked
myself, when he ceased: What has h,
said " lnevcr could answer the inquiry
His person was of full size, and his man
nor and voice free and manly; his utter
ance neither very fast nor very slow hi
! speeches generally short-from quarte
to half al hour; his pronunciation wa
vulgar and vicious, but il was forgotten
while speaking.
"He was man Of very little knowl
edge OF any sort: read nothing. and hal
no books. Returning one Novembe
from Albemarle Court, he borrowed Of M
fumes Essays, in two volumes. saying h,
should have leisure in the winter for read
ing. In the spring he returned them, anC
declared he had not been able to go far
Their than twenty or thirty pages in tn,
first volume. He wrote almost nothing
he could not write. The resolutions 0
70, which have been ascribed to him
have by many been supposed to have beer
written by Mr.. johnson, who acted as hi
second on hat occasion but if they wer
written by Henry himself, they We're no
such as to prove any power of composition
Neither IN polOtics nor in his profession
was he man of business: he was a man 70
debate only. His biographer says that h
read Plutarch evry year. doubt wheth
er he ever read a volume of it in his life
lis temper was excellent. and he geneI
ally observed decorum in debate. On on
or two occasions | have seen him angry
and his anger was terrible: those who in
Cured 1t We're not disposed to rouse
again. In his opinions he was yieldin
and practicable, and not disposed to ditfe
from ms friends. In private conversation
he was agreeable and facetious, and Will
IN genteel society appeared to understan,
all the decencies and prophecies of it
, but, IN his heart he preferred low society
7 and sought it as often as possible. ii
would hunt in the pine woods of Flu
wanna with oyerseers, and people of tina
description, living in camp for q fortnight a
a time without change of raiment.
have often been astonished at is comman
OF proper language; how he attained
knowledge of it | never could find out, a
he read so little, and conversed little wit
) educated men.
After all, 1t must be allowed that h
: was our leader in the measure of the Rev
oluuon IN Virginia. In that respect NOR
was due him than any other person.
! we had not had him, we should prob
ably have got on pretty well, as you did
! by number Of men of nearly equal Ia
! ents; but he left us all far behind. Hi
, biographer sent the sheets of his work I
me as they We've printed, and at the en-
asked me for my opinion. / told him
+ would be question hereafter whethe
: his work should be PLACED. on shelf {
: history or of panegyric. 1t a poor bool
written in bad taste. and gives so impe,
iect an idea Of Patrick Henry, that
: seems intended to show off the write
, more than the subject of the work"
r DotBEAR's COMMERCIAL AcADEMY.--W
call the attention of our readers to the az
: vertisement of the above long establishe
5 and useful institution. The aim of tn
4 proprietor is to fityoung men for bus
5 ness pursuits and certainly his programn
il presents every facility for the attainment