Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1870-09-02
ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE
AND VIRGINIA DVERTI ER
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"DoUBTs CONCERNING PATRICK HENRY
1t the monthly periodical called the Galaxy
had an editor possessing tolerable acquaint-
aDce with American history, it could not have
published such tissue OF laundering state
ments and stupid speculation as appears in its
September number under the title we have
copied. The article is display of splenetio
and almost spitetul detraction by writer who
has exhibited his fecundity in that vein in re-
Mr.. Edward A. Pollard, author of ''The
Lost Cause Regained' and other vitupera,ive
works. Mr.. Pollard undertakes to show, in
the September Galaxy, that Patrick Henry,
''the forest born Demosthenes" las Byron call.
ed him), was no orator but only vulgar stump
speaker, who had been fattered and over
valued by country audiences, but was shamed
into silence when be had opportunities to speak
before trained judges and able men. Mr.. Pol
lard says that this orators greatest triumphs
were won in comparatively obscure places -
that '.they were mostly affairs of the county
meeting and local gatherings and that ahere
is no reason why the estimate OF the people of
Charlotte should be accepted by mankind"
We will COPY what Mr.. Pollard regards as one
OF his strongest arguments:
The most important fact in his lie which
touches this question is one but little known
to readers, or that has been slightly estimated
BY bis partial biographer. 1t is that this man,
Tor. HON so much has been claimed as an ora
tor, sat for two years in the Continental Con.
gress, when the early questions OF the Revou
ton were being debated, when the most in
spring themes were appealing to mind aud
heart-sat for these Two whole years Wit hout
ever ventur,ng to speak once to on assembly so
we'll qualified to hear him, If be had indeed
been great orator, and so we'll disposed to
entertain him, if indeed great reputation had
preceded him. If the delegate from Virginia
was really the Incompatible orator that had
inf4med the House OF Burgesses at Williams
burg. how Could be have remained for TWO
years this fturebead in Congress, and that
when questions calculated TO stir mems hearts
to their depths required him TO speak 1t is
the quality OF true eloquence that it cannot
contain itself, that it dares al! assemblies, that
it rec0gn zes the Variety and numbers OF its
audiences only to draw inspiration from them.
Was Patrick Henry afraid Of the reputation hr
had made on obsurer occasions in Virginia
DID he fear to risk it before an assembly which
Lord Chatham declared to exceed intellectual
ly ally parsment III Europe Was be anoth
er iustsDce OF that phenomenon which We see
50 hatitually 10 our me- amer Congress OF to-day;
men cnmiug there With great local reputatIuns,
aud with great expectations OF their consu
tuents, ard never being heard of afterwards?
We will not pursue these painful, yet obvious
ard unavoidable surmlses yet certain 1t seems
if Patrick Henry had been the orator repre-
sented by his bioerapher, he would not, could
not, have been the silent, undistinRulshed, ln
fact, extinguished man he was in Congress.
"Parick Henry had sat in Congress from
RI no6 O .aia air
with George Washington who had been equal.
ly ''sieDtl' member Of this high assembly
but for Washington there was OF course, the
excuse that he made 10 pretenslonS to e!e
oauence.
1t Mr.. Pollard and the Galaxy will permit
Us, there are two slight circumstances which
somewhat impair the force of this argument.
The first is that Patrick Henry, instead OF Sit
ting two years 10 the Continental Congress, sat
in it less than two months, or, to be exact
from the 4th of September to the 26th OF DC
tober l774. The other circumstance Is that,
instead of never venturi1g to open his mouth
in such presence, he made the very hrs, aud
altogether the most impressive and electrltylng
speech delivered 10 that body. Bishop WhlIe,
then young clergyman, listened to 1t, and al
forwards gave graphic description OF the ap
pearance of the orator and the marvellous ell
tect of the speech.
We copy another display Of Mr.. Polards
ignorance:
None of the utterances OF an orator so famous
and so modern survive we have not one OF bis
actual speeches; there are no literary remains
OF the man none of the words really and truly
spoken by him have come down to us, if We
may except few detached sentences, OF which
the authenticity, as of literal report is not
clearly avowed, or it so, is essentially doubtful.
1t is altogether an exceptional case ln Amerl-
can history"
Now it so happens that whole volume Of
"Elot's Debates" is occupied with the discus
sion of the Federal Constitution in the Virginia
Convention; and that Patrick Henry, who led
the opposition, and spoke often and iopR: IS as
fully reported as Mr.. Madison,the leader OF the
other side, or Mason. Marshall, Randolph
Pendleton, the Lees, or any OF that constella
ton OF gifted men and skilIful debaters. The
great part which Patrick Henry played In that
remarkable assembly shows how ridiculous is
Mr. Poard's notion that he never dared to
test his eloquence before competent JudRes.-.-
Chief Justice Marshall, who knew him well,
and had prapped with him 10 debate, descrlo
cd him as "a gentleman of eminent talents,
grea, influence, and commanding eoQur nce
John Adams, who had witnessed his splendid
display at the opening of the Continental Con
gress, and had followed bis subsequent career
with close attention, said, IL have always con
sidered him ss gentleman of deep reflection,
keen sagscity, clear foresight, daring enter
prise, lLtex'be lntrepidity. and uustained In
tegrlty.' JetteIsou, who had known him from
youth aid had heard him Otto U, said that he
had never listened to such an orator. that "he
spoke as Homer wrote" He described ''the
poetic fancy OF MIR. Henry, his sublime imagi-
nation bis lofty and overwhelming diction."
Similar testimonies could be murlplIed, but
thy are not needed uotIl Patrics Reory's great
fame as an orator is assalleu by a more compe.
tent critic than the blunderiua gpo, amus
who ve'"s his detraction In the Galaxy IN
T. World
HOSIERY DEPARTMENT.