The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1859-11-25
From tho Now York Century
Early Years Of Patrick Henry.

good for naught." lIu was idle indolcnt.
and careless lie shamblod in his guit, and
slouchod in tho carriage of his person.
Every moment which ho could steal from
his forced occupations, was spent in hunt.
ing, angling or ounging, 1t would have
required moro than mortal foresight to dis
crrn in the awkward and lazy youth, tho
great prophet of Revolution, and the mou,-
der Of ono of the grandest epochs in tho
history of the world
Such was Patrick Horny in his earlier
days. The contrast between this figure aud
that Of tho inpassioned tribune of the pco.
pie. tho gigantic leader of rebellion is suf.
hcicntIy striking,
Tho courts of law wcro not to be tho .
scunc of llenrys greatest trumphs. His
genius was TO carry him onward into another !
and moro august arena, The impending
struggle with England claimod its great
prophet and leader, L'ko most young
lawyers in Virginia who havo secured the !
popular voice and applause, he ran for tho
House, aud was duly elected. He took his
seat in tho spring of l7G5. On tho 22d of
March, tho Stamp Act had received tho
royal sanction; and in May soon after tho
meeting of the Burgosscs, it crmo up for
! tho action of that body.
! The hour and tho man had both como.-
Tho storm long gathering had piled up its
backcst clouds the muttcring of tho thun.
der began to be heard ere long tho light.
ming was to fall like fire from heaven. But
all the clements Of Revolution were not vet
combined. Many of tho greatest leaders
and most patriotic statesmen hcsitated and
doubted. Blund to England by u hundred
| ties OF affection, admiration and habit, they
rccOilcd from a contest to which their most
cherished feelings wero opposed. aud advo-
Gated still tho old neutrality-suspicious. pro.
tests and memorials 10 Parliament and tho
| King. Such WAS tho state of public feeling
when in tho midst OF tho richly clad and
imposing asscmblagc of wealthy and ursto-
cratic planters, appeared tho shabbily
dressed and unknown young lawyer from
Hanover Let us glance at tho body, and
then ut the personal appearance of the in
truder. Wo cntor the town of Williams
burg, aud proceed up Gloucester street to
the old capitol. Passing through the ycs
tibulc. and tho covered way leading to tho
building in tho rear, wo find ourselves in
the hall of tho worshipfui House of Bur-
gcssos of the Colony aud Dominion of Nlr-
ginin. The speaker is seated beneath n rod
canopy, held aott by golden rods. Beneath
him, tho clcik is writing at his desk, the
mace lying upon tho tablo, to signify that
the House is in full session. 1t consists oi
. tho richest planters of the seaboard, men
who own thousands of acres and hundreds
, of servants, and who reign supreme on thor
great estates. like feudal batons surrounded
by their serfs of tho globe. As becomes
their rank, aud social advantages. thoy arc
, elegantly clad. They wear rich cloth and
: velvet, their coats and waistcoats are splen
did with embroidery. and the long flaxor
5 pcrukcs arc covered with snowy hail
5 powder. Thcy arc wealthy aristocrats, wit!
u hundred noble aud generous trai of mnt
and heart, with bravo loya! souls, magnani
nous natures, liberal hands and kind,
feoingS-but also with n jealous attachmon
10 degrees in II state" with prido of lineage
o pride of postiOn-as little of democrats
n in sentiment or conviction as it is possible
S to conceive They arc in thsir own opin
!, ion the authoritative guardians of tho STATE
g not simply by legal election of tho free
. holders but by birth, rank and position
~, Not unkind or ovorbearng. they yot lool
y down from m immense height upon tn
s common pcopIc-yromen. factors ant
e tradrsmcn-and calmly assume, rs the
e veIiy believe themselves entitled to. tn
s place of patricians and constitutions
q rulorS.
= astonishmont, Indignation and bitter oppo
;. sition, which tho coarso!y clad youth fror
), Hanover aroused, when ho quietly arose {
dictate tho course of action TO bo pursue
s. by tho barons. There was everything i
= his appearance and social status to provok
is displcssurc. IIe was clad in an old, fadot
is peach. blossom coat. rudo in fabric as
Of fashion his knee brcechcs, instead of fin
n cloth or velvet, consisted of dressed leather
, his head was covered with an old rusty ii,
wig. innocent Of powder, and utterly insi!
:" nitcant beside tho flowing porukes of tn
n "nabobs." as thcy wore then called. Ther
e, was nothing in tho bearing of this shabbil
)n dressed figure TO redeem its coarse appear
ance. Tho shoulders stopped. it move
I'd stlflly andawkwardly when the c0mpressc
of lips opened TO speak, the words which cam
&c forth we're pronounced in a way to graf
~ painfully upon tho cultivated ears of I'll
i listeners. Earth was called 'ydIth. lear,
" ing. hraW' and natural. ndtirni. Tho @
or feet was us disagreeablo as that produced I
ITS day upon an American by tho pronunCiati0
sc of u foreigner. This alone threw q gulf bt
l. tween the rustic youth aud tho Oxfor
nj educated gentlemen. But all personal Ol
~ jcctions sank into insIgnifcance beside tn
audacty Of the propositions otfored by I'll
NC coarseiy apparelled young man. Ills n
m sumption of leadership would at any tin
is have been regarded by tho old barons
he presumptuous but ho did moro He plac,
cE himself in determined hostility TO each al
nj. aIl-for his celebrated resolutions wore Il
g, gauntlet of defiance, thrown down to all Il
a prejudices oE the past-the old world the
~ rios-in their very essence and foundation
m' They fell like a thunderbOIt. Thoy di
ll, tnctly denied the right of Parliament
oi logislate upon matters concerning Il
re- American. .colores--honce their right to Il
lat iinpnsts-honce the consttutiOnality of Il
I'm Stamp Act. Tho reading of tho resolution
acc WAS tho signal for n storm. The lghtnr
"a was succeeded by the roar of the opposite
~ thundor. The advocates of further potitio
ue protest and memorial fought with all Il
nal passion. viruonco and animosity of men wi
arc outraged in their political conviction
,ar their personal vanity. and thoir viows
me social propriety. Henry says that stor
M. of abuse was visited upon him, and Jefforso
,ro then youth and listener from tho lobh
~ declares that "the debate was most bloody
MS 1t was in tho midst of his speech that Henr
NJ with arms extended aloft aud flashing eye
WI thnndnrod nuf hia ooInhrof fad Uorda NCnne