The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1859-03-17
Patrick Henry.


derived all his power from original genius,
and the study OF nature aid OF men, and had
no Acquaintance with books. The following |
sketch of his character and habits, Mr..
Webster received from Mr. Jefferson, and
is found in the recently published volumes
Of Mr.. Webster's correspondence:
Patrick Henry was originally barber
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 go to college at Williamsburg.
stopped afew days at friends in the coun-
ty of Louisa. There first saw and became
acquainted with Patrick Henry. Having
spent the Christmas holidays there, l pro.
ceeded to Williamsburg. Some question
arose about my admission, as my preparatory
studies had not been pursued at the school
connected with the institution. This delay
ed my admission about fortnight, ut which
time Henry appeared nt Williamsburg, and
applied for license to prdctice law, having
commenced the study of it at or subsequent
ly to the time Of meeting him at Louisa
There were four examiners'-Wythe, Pen
dleton, Peyton Randolph and john Ran.
dolph. Wythe and Pendleton at once re-
jected his application. The two Rundolphs,
by his importantly, were prevailed upon TO
sign the license and having obtained their
) signatures, he again applied to Pendleton,
, and after much entreaty, and many promises
of future study, succeeded in obtaining his.
He turned out for practical lawyer. The
first case which brought him into notice was
contested election, in which he appeared
as counsel in the House Of Burgesses. His
second was the Parsons case, already we'll
known. These and similar efforts soon OBJ.
tanned for him 80 much reputation, that he
q was elected member of the Legislature
' He was as we'll suited to the times as any
e man ever was, and it is not easy now to say
what we should have done without Patrick
b Henry. He was far before all others in
maintaining the spirit of the reVolution.--
r. His influence was mc5t extensive etnong the
members from the Upper counties, and his
S boldness and their votes overawed and con-
troled the more cool, or the more timid ar.
= stocratc gentlemen OF the lower part of the
d state. His eloquence was peculiar, if =, ii.
d deed it could be called eloquence, for it was
impressive and sublime beyond what can be
g imagined. Although it was difficult when
d he had spoken to tell what he had said, yet,
:, while he was speaking, it always seemed di.
l. rectly to the point. When he had spoken
is in opposition to my opnion-had produced
ID great effect, and I, myself, had been de-
is lighted and moved, have asked myselfwh
!. he had ceased "What has he said o.
n could never answer the inquiry. His person
7, was of full size, and his manner and voice
e free and rarly. His utterance neither fast
}; nor slow. His speeches generally short
's from a quarter to Ealf On hour. His pro-
ID nunciation was vulgar and yicious, bit was
ID forgotten while speaking.
He was man Of very little knowledge o
in any sort; lie read nothing, and had no books
lie Returning one November from Albemarle
j. couft he borrowed of ME, Hume's Essays
of in two VOLUMES, saying in the winter he
I'd should have time for reading. In tho spring
in he returned them, declaring he had not beer
5, able to go further than twenty or thirty pa.
ID ges in the first volume. He wrote almos
I'd nothing--he could not write. The resou
lg tons of rs which have been ascriBed to him
IN have by many been supposed to have beer
e, written by Mr.. Johnson, who acted as hi
to second on that occasion but if they wer'
cd written by Henry himself, they were no
ne such as to prove any power Of composition
Neither in politics nor his profession was h
~ a man Of business he was man of debat
vo only. His biographer says he read Plutarc
se every year. doubt whether he ever read
a volume of it in his life. His temper wa
'r- excellent, and he generally observed decorur
W. in debate. On one or two occasions hav
co seen him angry and his anger was terrible
ID, those who witnessed it were not disposed tt
rouse it again. In his opinions he wa
ID yielding and practicable, and not disposed t.
he differ from his friends. In private conver
nd sation he was agreeable and facetious, an
al while in gentee society, appeared to under
TO- stand all the decencies and proprieties of it
ad but in bis heart he preferred low society
ls- and sought it as often as possible. H
he would hunt in the pine woods of Fluvann
ice with ovetseers; and people Of that descrip
ly, ton, living in camp for fortnight at
o's time, without change of raim'ent. hav
nd often been astoTished at his command q
lin proper language how he obtained knowl
i'm edge of it, never could find out, as he rea
lin so little and conysrsed so little with educat
led ed men.
he After all, it mtst be allowed that he wa
ed our leader in the measures of the Revolutio
up in Virginia. In that respect more was du
to to him than any other person. If we ha
'sh not had him, we should probably have g
on pretty we'll, as you did. by numbt
try of men of nearly equal talents but he LEI
to. Lhs all far behind. His biographer sent tn
,ut sheets of his work to me as they were prn
u =. -.