Bloomsburg democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1867-1869, 1867-08-07

ties he had taken on those loans. About
this time, however, he became sensible that
bis deficit to the public was become 50 enor-
nous as that discovery must soon take
place, for as yet the public had no suspicion
Of it. He devised, therefore, with his
friends in the Assembly plan for public
loan office to certain amount, from which
monies might be lent on public count, and
on good landed security, to individuals. This
was accordingly brought forward in the
House Of Burgesses, and, had it succeeded,
the debts due to Robinson on these loans
would have been transferred to the public,
and his deficit thus completely covered.
This state Of things, however, was not yet
known but Mr.. Henry attacked Che scheme
on other general grounds in that style Of
bold, grand and overwhelming eloqucnce
for which he became SO justly celebrated
afterwards. He carried with him all tho
members Of tho upper counties, and left a
minority, composed mainly Of the aristoc-
racy Of the country. From this time his
popularity swellcd apace, and, - dying
about 4 years after, his deficit was brought
to light, and discovered the truo object OF
the proposition.
The next great occasion on which he sig
nalized himself was that which may be con-
sidcrcd as the dawn of the Revoln. in
March, l774. The British Parliament had
passed resolns preparatory to the levyh,g a
revenue on the colonies by a stamp tax The
Virginia Assembly, at their next session,
prepared and sent to England very elaborate
representations, addressed, in separate FORMS
to the King, Lords and Commons, against
the right to impose such taxes. The famous
Stamp Act was, however, passed in Jan,
lT65, and in the session of the Virginia
Assembly Of May following Mr.. Henry in
troduced the celebrated resolutions Of that
date. These were drawn by George John
sou, lawyer Of the Northern Neck, very
able, logical and correct speakers. Mr..
Henry moved aud Johnston seconded these
resolutions succcssively. They we're opposed
by Randolph, Pend!eton, Nicholas Wythe
and all the old members whose influence in
the House had till then been unbroken.
They did it, not from any question Of our
rights, but on the ground that the same sen.
timcnts had been, at their preceding session,
expressed in more conciliatory form, to
which the answers were not yet received.
But torrents Of sublime eloquence from Mr..
Henry, backed by the solid reasoning of
Johnston, prevailed. The last, however,
and strongest resolution was carried but by
a single vote. The debate ON it was most
bloody. l was then but student and was
listening at thedoor of the lobby (for as yet
there was no gallery when Peyton Randolph
after the vote, came out Of the House and
s.id, as he entered the lobby: "By God l
would have given five hundred guineas for
single vote" For as this would have d.
vided the House, the vote Of the Speaker
would have rejected the resolution. Mr..
Henry left town that evening, and the next
morning before the meeting of the House !
saw Peter Randolph, then of the Council,
but who had formerly been Clerk to the
House, for an Lour or two at the Clerks
table searching the old journals for pre-
cedent while he was clerk Of a resolution Of
the House erased from the journals by
subsequent order of the House. Whether
he found it or not ! do not remember; but
when the House met a motion was made
and carried to erase that resolution; and
there being at that day but one printer and
he entirely under the control of the Cover
nor, l do not know that this resolution ever
appeared in print l write this from men,
ory, but the impression made on me at the
time was such as to fix the facts indelibly in
my mind.
came into the Legislature as a burgess
for Albemarie in the winter Of 1859, on
the accession of Id Botetourt to the gov
and about nine years after Mr..
Henry had entered on the stage of public
life. The exact conformity Of our political
opinions strengthened our friendship, and,
indeed, the old leaders Of the House being
firm we had not after this any
differences Of opinion in the H. Of 3. on
matters Of principle, though sometimes on
matters Of form. We were dissolved by
Id. Botetourt at our first session, but all
we're reelected. There being no divisions
among us, occasions became very rare for
The display Of Mr.. HIS eloquence. In ordi.
nary business he was very inefficient mem-
Der. He could not draw a bill on the most
simple subject which would bear legal criti-
,ism, or even the ordinary criticism which |
ooks to the correctness Of style and idea;
for, indeed, there was no accuracy Of idea
IN his head. His imagination was copious,
poetical, sublime, but vague also. He said
lhe strongest things in the finest language,
but without logic, without arrangement,
lesultorily. This appeared eminently and
IN mortifying degree in the first session Of
.he first Congress, which met in September,
IVA. Mr.. Henry and Richard Henry Lee |
;ook at. once the lead in that assembly, and
BY the high style Of their eloquence were,
% the first days of the session, looked up to |