The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-06-28
patrick Henry.

II
:, .a;,,, man. and we are not surprised t %
his diary has dash Of the marvellous ABOUT
e From It the present age learns 'nas
uv ,sy,ssros swore aud PATRICK henry was
tim,d man, Whether WAsHtSeroS s"ofe
~ not = n question we:have before heard
raised. Beyond question, he was o''en
greatly tried, and as some Of the best OF nen
will do at such times-as we ali Rno"-7o'u
doubtless swear. He Is said TO have sworn
at CHARLES LEE at the battle OF Monmouth
and may have sworn On other trying occa'
sions: but It was habit so contrary 10 us
dignity and studied decorum that We neeu
not at this late day be at much trouole 70 oe-
We've Mr.. ApAMss gossip that would snow
him TO have been guilty Of habit inconsls-
tent with his worldwide reputation tor SELL
control aud prudent speech.
JOHN TAYLOR, Of Caroline, is given as au'
thority for the statement that PATRICK HEN
ny In the 9th year after the declaration OF
INDEPENDENCE proposed that Virginia snonio
submit to Great Brtain-that she should De
the first of the colonies TO surrender IN order
to get the best terms. The same authority
IL given for the further statement that Inc
proposition vas received with overwhelming
disapprobation, and that PATRICK HENRY
changed his position and sustained the war
to the end. It is remarkable that aitnougn
JOHN TAYLOR, of Caroline. lived his lie 10
Virginia, and had bis numerous friends ana
correspondents with whom he held inter-
course, and with many Of whom he main-
tanned confidential relations, no man mas
ever reported him as making such state'
ment about PATRICK Henry. It would DE
passing strange, if PATRICK HENRY ever dio
this thing. that some contemporary OF MS
enemy if not friend, for he had enemies'
among them JOHN TAYLOR, of Caroline
should never have mentioned 1t. In the
convention to frame the Constitution there
were more than two personal assaults made
upon his character; but no one alluded To
ANYTHING like faishessness or even want Of
consistency in the cause he had done so much
to set in motion. Such a statement
has never before been publicly heard
of in Virginia. 1t is impossible thai
lit can be believed now upon suct
authority as Mr.. ADAMs's diary that the In
trepid hero who rushed into the House o.
Burgesses and raised the voice of rebellion
in his flaming eIoquence; that he who incur
red the peril of his life in urging Virgins
to lead the way to resistance should nave
proved a traitor to the cause he had led, II
hurryipg her to submit. =..s
No one who is unprejudiced can believe
this gossip. All the parties are dead, ant
upon such testimony the world cannot per
NIT the fame of PATRICK HENRY to suffer. L
is too clearly established, too solidly found
ed. to be impaired by the more than doubt
full story of the inVeterate old diarlst. Either
his memory equiyocates or his authority il
fearfully at fault.
AS to the matter of PATRICK HENRY
courage we never heard it brought into ques
ton. Most people will think that mar
who could stand up in the House of Bur
gesses aud utter the speech that provoked
the CRY of "treason" and defy it, had
fair amount of bravery. We never hearG
that an ADAMS thus bearded the lion in hi:
den, and yet we never heard the ADAMsE'
impugned for timidity. An ADAMS who
never did this should not assist to cast {
stigma upon the wel!-earned fame OF one
| who did. But. after all, it is only Jons
QUINCY ADAMs's diary: the diary of mai
whose misdrected humanities filled hin
with prejudices aud resentments.