The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-08-07

&c REATS ORATOR @ACI SALLA ooass
THAT AaERICAk SHOULD SUBMIT TO
GREAT BRIT hIsrs&~.-- 10 ---Ss"@
To The Editor Of. The Ne,o York Herald:
lily attention has been called to arevtew.,
Of the " Memoirs of John Quincy Adams,
which appeared ID your issue OF me Iotn u
June last, in which an extract from mr,
Adams's diary is given, containing sla,e-
meut nude by John Taylor in reference 10
Patrick Henry SO entirely ne" ano 80 &c
markable that the reviewer very properly lh'
yites historical inquiry in reference 10 u.
Colonel Taylor Is reported Dy ms. Auatns
AZ saving on the 21st of March, 1874, tna'
in the campaign of 1871 Henry actnaiiy pro.
posed, in secret session OF Inc LeSisia.uleo'
Virginia, that she should De the nfss 10 sup.
NIT to Great Britain, In oroer tnac sne
might obtain the most favorable TERMS. vi:
Adams further notes in bis DIARY, as derived
from the same source, that ayior was
himself member Of the Legislature, anu
heard him move to go into secret session,
then make the proposition ana support ny
an eloquent speech. II met Win sucn lmihe'
date Indignant and universal oppos'uon that
when the debate closed he bad changed MS
aide AMI was among the most ardent ana
most saueuine for perseverance IN the war.
TAYLOR thinks there is great exaggeretion
in the papegyric upon Henry ny DIR. Wit,
and saws that Henry bad much less efficient
agpncy in the Revolution than many others"
At the time of this conversation Colopei Lay.
ior. famlllarly known 10 Virginia as "John
TAYLOR, Of Caroline" was at least seventy
two wears old, and Mr.. Adams represents him
"a "low in health and feeble" He under
took. however, to give an 10 cident 10 the life
of Patrick Henry which he SAL occurred
forty.three years before, and which has never
been related BY any other person, so far as
the world knows, though there were many
witnesses, and which is utterly inconsistent
With the character of Dir. Henry. .--7
As is pIainly indicated in the latter part OF
the quotation above. Colonel Taylor was
not an admirer of Patrick Henry. Indeed,
il may be said that his life was one OF con.
tlnuai political hostility toward him. Colonel
TAYLOR was the. county man and profe3e OF
Edmund PcndIeton, who was the leader OF
the aristocratic party In Virginia, and the
constant opponent OF the advanced ana
popular party of which Patrick Henry was
the acknowledged head. 1t will be remem-
bcrcd that it was the conduct OF Mr.. Pendle-
ton while member Of the Committee Oh
5 ilety that caused Patrick Henry to resign
his commission as colonel Of the Virginia
troops. After the close Of the war Colonel
Tay or and Mr.. Henry found themselves tur'
tbcr apart in politics than ever. Mr.. Henry
opposed the adoption OF the Federal Constl'
tution in its unamcnded form, but after its
adoption faithfully performed his promise TO
support it rs the government chosen by the
people. Colonel Taylor took .=.
4 VERY DIFFERENT VIEW
of his obligations. As early as the spring OF
179S he was an avowed disunionist, as we
learn from letter of Thomas Jefferson TO
him. dated June I, 119S. In the fall session
of the Virginia Legislature Of that year he
moved tue famous resolutions known as the
Resolutions of '9S and '99. The passage Of
these resolutions alarmed MIR. Henry so much
for the future Of the Union that he deter
mined again to enter public life IN order to
cnmba, what be considered their dangerous
doctrines. He was too much enfeebled by
disease, however, for the coUflict, and death
prevented him from taking his seat in the
Lesi>la ure of his State. When it was a>cer-
tanned that Mr.. Henry was striving for seat
in the Legislature in order to oppose the
doctrines advanced in these resolutions, be
WIS assailed with q raucor and bitterness
which have been seldom witnessed 10
the history of politics. Because he had
opposed The adoption Of the Federal Con.
stitution it was claimed that he ought TO
have supported the view Of that instrument
mt forth by John Taylor and his psrly.
Enraocd because he refused to deny to the
Federal Government the powers that be
warned them it possessed when be opposed
its adoption, they denounced him as an apos-
tate. sought TO attribute to him mercenary
motives. and followed to the grave with every
species Of detracLion him whom they had
once acknowledged as the leading spirit 10
the cause of liberty. Even the sapctIty OF
the grave failed to protect him, and long
after his spirit had passed beyond their reach
they delighted TO wage war upon his MEM
DRY.
Prominent in this party was John Taylor,
OF Caroline, conspicuous no less for his IN.
tellect than for his bitter party spirit. Such,
then, was the man whose statement we are
now to examine.
THE SESSION OF 1871,
referred to, was that held ia the month OF
June, as the surrender Of Corn wallis had
taken place before the fall session was COM
menccd. The earlier session was held during
Arnold's invasion Of Virginia, and was j
very short one. baye examined closely the
journal of the House of which Sir. Henry
was q member, and lind no trace what
ever Of the motions which Colonel Taylor
attributed to him. No motion to go into Sc
cret session is noted, and certainly it
should have been, az it is said such a motion
was made and carried. The discussions upon
the state Of the Commonwealth seem to have
been in Committee Of the Whole: but when
motions were made 10 go into committee the
particular subject or proposition to be dis
cussed was almost always given in the mo.
ton; and when not SO given the report OF
the committee to the House upon rising gave
the matter discussed and conclusions arrived
at. so far from any sign Of faltering, the
journal shows the most determined spirit of
resistance in the measures proposed and
adopted, and
MR.. HENRY APPEARS FOREMOST
In them all, by either bringing in the bills
himself or belonging to the committees re-
porting them, with hardly an exception.
From the time that Patrick Henry moved
the resolutions against the stamp act, which
brought on the Revolution, to the day of bis
death, he bad political opponents and per.
sonal enemies who spared no pains TO under.
mine and destroy the great influence he ex-
erted in Virginia. Had he committed the
great blunders I may say crimes-cbarged
on him by Colonel Taylor, it would have
been used against him continually after
ward. In the Convention of 1888, in which
be led the opposition to the Federal Consti-
tuition, it became all important to break
down his influence. General Henry Lee
msde sharp assault on him, and Gov.
ernor Edward Randolph INDUCED in bitter
personalities toward him. Both of these
speakers were we'll informed as to the
history of the Revolution, not only having