Orangeburg times. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1872-1875, 1872-11-20

tcHCcs VI Ills oPceCu, WIFI iiitcLil'S tohSuc,
as usual, and giving little promise of the
strains that were to follow. But it was
the nature of this great genius, rs of all
genius, to rise to the occasion. Soon
Jefferson saw him stand erect, and swing
ing free of all impediments, Launch into
the tide of his Grafton. every eye capti-
vated by the large and sweeping grace of
bis gesticnIations; every car charmed
with the swelling music of his voice; every
mind thrilled or stung by the vivid cpl
grams into' which he condensed his opin-
ions. He never had listener SO formed
I to be held captive by him as the student
at the lobby door, who, as u boy, had
found the oratory Of an Indian chief SO
Impressive, and could not now resist
slurring translation of Ossian's majestic
phrases. After the lapse of fifty-nine
years, he still spoke ofthe great day with
enthusiasm, and described anew the clos
ing moment Of Henry's speech, when the
orator, Interrupted by cries of treason,
uttered the we'll known words of defiance
"Ir this be treason, make the most of it,
The debate which followed Mr.. Hcnry's
opening speech was, as Jefferson has re-
corded, "most bloody" 1t is impossible
for q reader of this generation to conceive
the mixture of fondnc<s, pride, and ven
Grafton with which these colonists regard
cd the mother country. its Parliament
and king, its church and its literature,
and al the glorious names and events of
its history. Wing as Jefferson was by
nature and conviction, he could not give
l'up England as long as there was any
hope of a just union with her. What,
then, must have been the feelings of the
Tories Of The hous-Torics by nature
and by party upon hearing this ycoman
from the west speak of the natural rights
Of man in the spirit cf Sidney, and use
language in reference to the king which
sounded to them like the prelude to all
assass;n's stab? They had to make a
sand, too, for thcirrosition as leaders of
the house, unquestioned Tor q century.
To matter of the resolutions no one OBJ
icctcd. All that Wythc, Pc ndleton,
Bland and Peyton Randolph could urge
against them was, that they were unbe-
coming and unnecessary. The house had
already demonstrated without effect, and
it became loyal people to submit. Tor
rents OF sublime elolucnce" from Patrick
TJn,ry ~ frn,s,,,, Is. or,,os e,,o,,, ,,,.,,
their arguments, and tile resolutions were
carried. the last one, howev,r, by, only a
single voice. Standing in the doorway,
The student watched the taking of the
vote on the last resolution, upon which
the contest had been hottest. When the
result had been declared, Peyton Ran
dolph, the kings attorney general. brush
cd past him, saying, as he entered the
lobby, "By Cd, l would have given FIVE
hundred guineas for a single vote"
Doubtless, the young gentleman went
home cxulting. Patrick Henry. unused
to the artifccs Of legislation, and always
inpatient Of detail, supposing now that
the work for wiicl, lie had come to Will
liamsburg' was done, mounted that very
evening and rode aw;.y Jefferson, per-
haps, was not sure Of shi3; ff.T the next
morning. some time before the hour of
meeting, he was again at the capitol, and
in the Burgesscs' chamber. His uncle,
Colonel Peter Randolph, one of the Tory
members came in, and sitting down at
the clerks table, began to turn over the
journals Of the house. He had q dim
recollection, he said, of resolution many
years ago. having been cxpunged! He
was trying to End the record of the trans
action. He wanted n precedent. The
student of law lookedo over his shoulder,
as he turned the leaves; group of mem
bers standing near, i'll trepdation Mt the
thought of yesterdays doings. The house
bell rang, the house convened; the student
resumed his stand i'll the doorway. A
motion WAS made to expunge the last res
4 4.