Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-02-24
Patrick Henry rs an Orator.

|
| Patrick Henry rs an Orator.
| But il is when viewed as an orator and
mouthpiece of the revolution that we find
the chief secret of Patrick Henry's power,
and his strongest claim upon the remem-
brance of history. Patriot and statesman
he was, but other men of the revolution
| were as patriotic rs he, and other names
stand above his in the ranks OF statesman
ship. But as an orator he stands supreme,
and towers above all others. Here he
plays no secondary part. 1 know there
were other great orators and speakers in
| that struggle who richly deserve TO rank
with the best and greatest ever produced in
any land or age. There at its opening was
James Otis, whose speech In 1851 against
the writs of assistance was pronounced q
| fiame of fire; there, from New England,
also, was John Adams, the great deSater
and colossus of the declaration on the
floor of the Congress OF 1I76; there
was the silver-tongued Richard Henry
Lee, from his own Virginia, who was not
inaptly or unworthily called the Cicero of
| America; and there were Rutledge and
Pendleton and Mason, and a score Of ora
tors from all sections of the country 10
make up the great array. But so I'M
mensely did Patrick Henry surpass them
all that their fame has been overhadowed
and dwaried by his colossal reputation,
and he seems TO stand out alone on the
historic page. -.a-..s.
We cannot analyze and criticise the
parts and powers of such an orator Ms he
was. No lines or rules OF school or art
are adequate to bound or measure him
Lesser orators can be largely made by
study, and c&n be judged by the rules and
standards of their art. But the truly
great orator is God-created and sent, and
is above all rules and criticism ; he sweeps
all criticism away in great rush and
food Of nature, and men can only look
up wonderingly toadmire and adore.
SO it was pre-eminently with Patrick
Henry. He was great prodigy of natu-
raj elOquence. He knew absolutely moth
ing of eloquence as an art; il is probable
that he never looked at a single rule of
rhetoric in his life. What Daniel Web
ster has so well and wisely said OF true
eloguence was peculiarly true of him.
His eloquence did indeed come from the
man and the occasion, and was like the
outbreaking of fountain from the earth,
or the bursting forth of volcanic fires with
spontaneous, original, native force" 1t
did not come from far. Neither labor
nor learning had toiled for it, and its
conceptions swiftly outran all the deduc-
tons of logic. 1t was a great and sub
lime force, heaven-sen for the good OF
men. Nor is this any wild exaggeratlon
of speech or panegyric. Happily we are
not left here 10 any vague tradition, for,
besides the concurrent testimony of many
others, Jefferson, a most competent au-
thority, who heard him often, has said
that al he spoke as Homer wrote" and
that his eloquence was sublime beyond
description" John Randolph, too, the
keen and eloquent Nirginian of the sue
ceeding generation, who must have heard
him frequently in his youth, has left the
striking and epigrammatic eulogy lie
was Shakespeare and Garrick combined"
What more is needed on this point when
such judges exalt his genius 10 the height
of Homer and Shakespeare
Coming closer to his style and method,
we see that 1t was distinguished for a
bold and rapid generalization and vivid
imagery; Selling upon the strsng and sa-
lient points OF the subject with IN iron
logic and grasp, and illuminating it with
the splendid light of his imagination. His
1
ence could long endure such rapt and
terrible tension. His personal presence
was In full keeping with the peculiar
character of his eloquence. The tall,
spare form, the nervous lines CT his face,
the stern knit brows, the fiery and soul
penetrating eyes and the striking and ma.
iestic altitude all these we'll comported
with the thrilling, awe-inspiring and sub
lime effect of his speeches. But this
stern, severe man, SO full Of lofty serious
ness and passionate fire, had in his com
position vein of richest humor and could
relax into passages OF such infinite droll.
cry and ridicule as would set his audience
In roar. A notable instance of this was
the ott-quoted speech TO jury, after the
revolution where he SO etfectually laughed
John Hook, the "beef" claimant, out OF
court. His voice, too, had an indescriba.
BILE charm and power, and fingered and
| haunted the memory long after its won
derful cadences had died away upon
the ear. ........... -. ..
But he needed contact with his audience
to fire his genius and give this grace and
majesty 10 his person. Demosthenes, In
the calm Of his study, could light his
mind within, but Henry needed the great
debate ard the high war of words to wake
up his faculties 10 their fullest play; just
as many great commanders have needed
the roar and thunder OF battle 10 bring out
their genius. So, too, he was fired by the
danger of the conflict. The true orator Is
always brave as well as honest, and no
genuine eloquence ever yet came from the
lips of a coward or demagogue. Patrick
Henry was AS courageous and as real a
hero Of the revolution as Israel Putnam
or Anthony Wayne.--Fy0m a Recent Zen
tcanra, 4ddress, by Charles s. May, al
Kalamazoo, Mich ...
A COMPANY is about starting great