Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1872-02-29
miscellaneous &eadiua.
NEW SCRAPS ABOUT PATRICK HENRY.

60 2 y
NEW SCRAPS ABOUT PATRICK HENRY.
Rev. Edward Fontaine, of Louisiana, recent
ly read highly interesting paper before the
Long Island Historical Society on Patrick
Henry, the great Virginia orator Of the Revo
luton. Mr.. Fontaine is descendant Of the
distinguished man of whom he spoke, the
facts being compiled from unpublished family
documents, and correct many errors to be
found in the biographies which have already
appeared.
Rev. Mr.. Fontaine said that ever since he
was seventeen years of age, he had kept 6
journal, and all the anecdotes told him o.
Patrick Henry by the eldest Of his grandson'
and three of his daughters, had been carefully
written down. From that source he should
draw the material for his lecture, and at the
same time endeavor to correct many mistakes
in what had been said ofhim. The biography
written of him by William Worth, in 1857
had passed throug gh fifteen editions, but il
abounded in mistakes, and some Of them NJ
hoped to be able to correct.
THE FATHER OF PATRICK HENRY
was Colonel John Henry, of Aberdeen, in Scot
land, who came to this country in the yeal
1880, and settled in Virginia. He become 6
justice of the peace, magistrate, and wa
also colonel in the colonial forces. He mar
ried Mrs. Sim, the widow of Colonel Sim, O.
Winchester. She was formerly Miss Winston
and descended from the celebrated Welsh fam
lily of that name. Patrick Henry inherited
the prudence of his Scotch father, and the frt
of bis Welsh mother, and they combined te
make him an orator who spoke as Homer
wrote. Although Patrick Henry filled al
most every position of honor and trust which
it was in the power of his fellow-citizens ir
Virginia to bestow upon him.
HE WAS POOR MAN
when elected Governor for the fourth time
He declined the honor on account Of his pow
erty. The times, however, have changed ir
that respect, for now men take their seats
without being worth a cent, and retire from
Office worth millions of dollars, But the ides
never seemed to occur to him, while the swore
and the purse of Virginia were at his disposal
that he could amass wealth by judiciou'
use of his patronage. Although he never
attended college he received an excellent elias
steal education from his uncle, and was alst
taught those principles which made Virgins
80 great State He was taught "to be tru'
and just in all my dealings, to bear no malice
or hatred in my leart, to keep my hand
from picking and stealing, and to do my duty
in that state of life which it shall please Coz
to call me-" An error had been committed
in regard to the statement put forth Of tn
apparent want of preparation Of his speeches
and from what Mr.. Worth had said it might
be supposed that there was nothing of tn
"smell of the lamp" about them. He was
however, another illustration Of the saying
that "a poet is born, but an orator is made.
He had poetical abilities Of very high order
but his speeches were all carefully prepared.
HIS PERSONAL APPEARANCE
was exceedingly striking; he was six feet il
height, had dark curly hair, and yer.
commanding countenance. But his mos
remarkable feature was his eyes, which wer
deeply set, and of a hazel hue; his organ o
speech was perfect, and its tones were lik'
that of some grand wind instrument, ant
always under perfect control. He had 1
poetic temperament, and althoug III born
poet he made himself a great orator, and il
In his speech on free trade he said, "Fette
not commerce Let her be free as air, ant
she will return upon the four winds Of Heav
en-, to bless the land with plenty" Thos'
were words which could not have been utter
ed by any man unless he had been
APoET.
In preparing for his work he spent on
hour every day in prayer, practice which
is now very seldom observed, except by min
listers of the gospel and old-fashoned men ant
women. In 1889 he retired from public lif'
very poor, and the next nine years he spen
in securing a competency for bis family. Du
ring that period he laid up an ample fortune
for each one of his thirteen children, and then
in 1895, finding that his family was in easy
circumstances, he retired from the practice
of his professor, but with constitution badly
shattered by complication of diseases, no
one, however, of which had been brough
on by vice or excess ofany kind. Mr.. Worth
had asserted that although he was sincere
Christian, it was after form Of his own, bu
it was mistake to say that he was never at
tached to any religious society, for he livec
and died and was at all times an exemplary
member of the Presbyterian Church. The
characteristics OF Patrick Henry as an ora
tor, patriot, Christian and statesman wer'
then spoken of at great length, and then Mr.
Fontaine said his last speech was made II
April, 1899, only three months before hi
death. He was then candidate for legisla
tive honors, having been induced to return
to political life in order that he might U.s.
his influence to prevent the secession Of Virgin
ia, which she had reserved the right to do, du
ring that year.
HIS PROPHETIC UTTERANCEs
in regard to the dangers which were likely tx
beset the country when the Federal Govern
ment should have unlimited power to levy tax
es in the different States were then spoken of
and the corruption which would follow the ap
pointment Of an army oftax.gathers, collector
and inspectors, was set in forth Patrick Hen
rvs speeches, and also in his private conver
sations, during which he said that when sucE
things happened, then the country would fal
under the heel ola usurper, and the Republic
would be no more. When he made his las
speech, John Randolph appeared at the SAM
place, Charlotte County Court House, in tn
heart of Virginia, and made his first politica
speech, and on that occasion Patrick Henr.
recognized the young mans talents, and ex
horted his fellow-citizens to cherish him a
one who would do them good service Tn
passage which has so often been quoted, IL
peace so sweet, or life so dear, as to be pur
chased as the price of chains and slavery
God forbid it. I know not what course 9th
ers may take, but as for me, give me libert.
or give me DEATH" had already exerted vas
influence on the fate of mankind, and it wa
still ringing through the world, and welding
power which nothing could withstand. l!
conclusion, Mr.. Fortaine said that Patricl
Henry was greater orator than any other
either in ancient or modern times. Neithe