Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1881-10-27
JEFFERSON AND HENRY.

Inc following SKetcn OF fatrlcK I1enry ny
his cotemporary, Mr.. Jefferson, will be found
interesting. 1t is taken from work issued
by Boston publisher, containing the private
correspondence of Daniel Webster In 1872
Mr.. Webster visited Jefferson at his home at
Monticello, and afterwards wrote out the fol-
lowing opinion of Henry, expressed by Mr..
Jefferson at the time.
Patrick Henry was originally bar-keeper.
He WAS married very young, and going into
some business, on his own account, was q
bankrupt before the year was out: When l
was about the age of fifteen, I left the school
here, to 60 to the college at Williamsburg.
stopped few days at friends in the
county of Louisa. There first saw and
become acquainted with Patrick Henry.
Having spent the Christmas holidays there,
1 proceeded to Williamsburg. Some ques'
tions arose about my admission, as my pre-
paratory studies had not been pursued at the
school connected with that institution. This
delayed my admission about fortnight, at
which time Henry appeared at Williams.
burg and applied for a license to practice
law, having commenced the study of it at,
or subsequent to, the time Of my meeting him
at Louisa. There were four examiners
Wythe, Pendleton, Peyton Randolph and
John Randolph. Wythe and Pendleton at
once rejected his application. The two Ran.
dolphs, by his importantly, were prevailed
upon to sign the license and having obtain.
ed their signatures, heapplied again to Pendle'
ton, and after much entreaty and many prom
ises of study succeeded in obtaining his. The
first case which brought him into notice, was
contested election, in which he appeared as
counsel before a committee of Burgesses.
His second was the parsons cause, already
well known. These and similar efforts soon
obtained for him so much reputation, that he
was elected member Of the Legislature.
He was as we'll suited to the times as any man
ever was, and it is not easy to say what we
should have done without Patrick Henry.
He was far before all in maintaining the
spirit of the Revolution. His influence was
most extensive with the members from the
upper counties, and his boldness and their
votes overawed and controlled the more cool
or the more timid aristocratic gentlemen Of
the lower part of the State. His eloquence
was peculiar, if indeed it should be called elo-
quence for it was impressive and sublime,
beyond what can be imagined. Although
it was difficult to know what he had said, yet,
while he was speaking, it always seemed d.
rectly to the point. When he had spoken in
opposition to my opinion, and produced a
great effect, and myself had been highly de.
lighted and moved, have asked myself when
he had ceased "What the devil has he said ?"
l could never answer the inquiry. His per-
son was full size and his manner and voice free
and manly. His utterance was neither very
fast nor very slow. His speeches very short,
from quarter to half an hour. His pro-
nunciation was vulgar and vicious, but it was
forgotten while he was speaking.
He was man of very little knowledge Of
any sort +; he read nothing, and had no books.
Returning one November from Albemarle
court, he borrowed Of me Humes Essay in
two volumes, saying he should have leisure
in the winter for reading. In the spring he
returned them, and declared he had not been
able to go further than twenty pages in the
first volume. He wrote almost nothing-be
could not write. The resolutions of 1775,
which have been ascrbed to him, have by
many supposed to have been written by MIR.
johnson, who acted as bis second on that oc.
casion but if they were written by himself,
they are not such as to prove any power OF
composition. Neither in politics nor in his
profession was he man of business he
was man for debate only. His biographer
says that he read Plutarch every year. |
doubt whether he ever read volume Of it
in his life. His temper was excellent, and
he generally observed decorum in debate
On one or two occasions I have seen him
angry, and his anger was terrible. Those
who witnessed it we're not disposed to rouse
it again. In his opinion he was yielding