Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-06-11

4
Randolph. evidently an eyewitness. He \
says:
A resolution was passed for Immediate !
" putting the Colony into posture of de |
renee and for preparing plan of embody- /
ing and disciplinlng such a number of men 4
as might be sufficient for that purpose. |
Henry moved and Richard Henry Lee Sc 1
conded 1t. The fangs of European criti- !
clsm might be challenged 90 spread them /
selves against the eloquence of that awful /
cay. IL was n proud one 10 a Virginian |
Keeling and acting with his country. De- /
mosthenes invigoTated the timid and 1
Cicero charmed the backward. The /
multitude, many of whom had travelled TO 4
the convention from a distance. could not /
suppress their emotion. Henry was his 1
pure self. Those who had toiled in the /
articles of scholastic rhetoric were invol- |
unfairly driven to an inquiry within them |
selves whether rules and forms and nice I
ties Of elocution would not have choked /
ms native fire. II blazed so as TO warm
the coolest heart. In the sacred place Of !
meeting. the church, the Imagination had
| no difficulty TO conceive, when he launched
! 1orth IN solemn tones var Gus causes OF
scruples against oppressors. that the
/ british King was lying PROSTATE from the
thunder of Heaven.
REsEMBLED ST. PAUL.
Henry was thought in his attitude to
resemble ST. Paul while preaching az
| Athens and % speak as man was never
known 20 speak before. After every illu-
sion vanished aprodigy yet remained. II
was Patrick Henry, born in obscurity,
| poor, and without the advantages of litera-
! ture, rOuslng the genius OF his country
| aad binding band of patriots together to
hurl defiance at tie tyranny of SO formi-
dable nation as Great Britain. This en-
] chantment was spontaneous obedience TO
the workings OF the soul. When he uttered
what commanded respect for himself be
solicited no admiring look from those who
surrounded him. He paused, but he
| paused tull of some rising eruption of elO-
! quence. When he sat down his sounds
vibrated 80 loudly, if not in the ears, at
least in the memory of his audience, that
no other member, not even his friend who
| was 10 second him. was yet adventurous
| enough TO interfere with that voice which
bad so recently subdued and captlyated.
After few minutes Richard Henry Lee
| famed and refreshed with a gale of plea
/ sure, but the vessel of Revolution was stlll
under the impulse of the tempest which
! Henry had created. Artificial oratory fell
IN cOpiOus streams from the mouth of Lee
| and rules Of persuasion accomplished
| everything which rules could effect If
elegance had been personitied the person
of Lee would have been chosen. But
| lltuI1 lIduDltu upon Iulfo an ftL III
umphed at this time perhaps beyond his
own expectation.
JEFFERSON NOT SILENT.
Jefferson was not silent. He argued
| closely, profoundly, and warmly on the
same side. The post in this Revolutionary
debate belonging 10 him was that at
which the theories of republicanism were
deposited. Washington was prominent
though silent. His looks bespoke mind
absorbed in meditation on his country's
fate; but positive concert between him
and henry could not more effectually have
exhibited him 20 view than when Henry,
with indignation, ridculed the idea OF
peace when there was no peace and
enlarged on the duty OF preparing TOR
war.
" The generous and undetermined
Thomas Nelson. who now for the first time
took q more than common part in great
discussion. convulsed the moderate by an
ardent exclamation, in which he called
God 10 witness that if any British troops
should be landed within the country OF
which he was the lieutenant, he would wait
for no orders and would obey none which
should forbid him TO sCmmon his militia
and repel the invaders at the water-edge.
| His temper though 10 was sangunc and
had been manifested IN less scenes of OPP
position, seemed to be more than ordina-
rily excited. His example told those who
were happy in ease and wealth that 10
shrink was 10 be dlshonored."
LAID DOWN THR GAUNTLET OF WAR.
The motion of Mr. Henry was adopted,
! and thus Virginia threw down the gaunt-
let Of war in the face of Great Britain, and
by determining 70 arm for the conflict
made 10 inevitable, unless England receded
from her position toward the Colonies.
The committee appointed under the re-
solution were Patrick Henry, Richard
Bland, Thomas Jefferson, Robert Carter
Nicholas, and Edmund PeudletOn.
The convention then entered upon Sc
RES of war measures putting the Colouym
a state of defence, not only by raising an
army. but by establishing manufactures
The wisdom of Mr.. Henry's motion was
demonstrated by events which had already
happened in England but which were un-
known in America.
The Virginia Convention assembled
again on July II, IT'S in this church, and
at this session the organization OF the Nlr-
ginia troops was completed by tho election
of officers and further war measures were
adopted. All men by this time saw the
wisdom Of arming the Colony. as the war
had actually commenced and Washington
had been placed at the head OF the Amerl-
con army.
In justification Of its actionin arming the
Colony and entering upon war with Great
1
which is one Of the ablest of the State pa
pers Of that period. Itpreceded the Decla-
ration of Independence year. In II the
causes of the difficulties of the mother
country are calmly and clearly set forth,
and the Colony is fully justified to the
world for entering upon war with the
mother country. In the spirit of plety
which animated our forefathers of the Re
yolutiOn and which was so appropriately
| exhibited in this sacred Cdlticc, this memo
rable paper concludes with these words
cit remains a bounden duty on US 10 COM
nit our cause to the justice OF that SUI
preme Being who Tuleth and ordereth all
human events with unerrlng wisdom, most
humbly besecching Him 10 take this Colo
nv and the whole continent under HIS
fatherly and divine protection, andtha lie
will be graciously pleased 70 soften the
hearts of all who mediate evil against our
land, and inspire them with the purest
sentiments of justice, moderation, and
brotherly affection" =.
Ii thus happened that this church - Ill
rectlv connected with the first decisive
step in Virginia in the Revolutionary war;
and the fact that within its walls sat the
men who debated the great question OF
| armlnp the Colony and determined on
taking the decisive step, trusting their all
TO the God Of Battles, has made 1t an OBJ
. ject of the deepest interest to every pa
triOt.
ARSoLD's INVASION.
The speaker next drew a picture of the
scene not quite six years later when, on
the 9th of January 1884, Benedict Arnold:
the traitor. entered the city at the head OF
900 British troops. That night part OF his
troops were qdartered in this building,
thus Decorating as far a. in their power
the sacred edifice. On the next day Arnold
| retired 20 his ships at Westoyer.. annoyed
on his retreat by the militia, which were
gathering in force from every quarter. Inc
traitor, despsed by his own troops as wen
as by those ne had BETRAYED, was soon re-
, called from Virginia. CORVALLIS with Ms
shattered army from the Carolinas not
long afterwards joined the British force IN
Virginia. and was met by men smartlng
{ under the disgrace Of the capture OF tneir
| capital. The rayages in the State and the
/ Dissertation of this church were, fully
! avenged in a few months, however, by the
capture Of the entire British force at YORK
{ town, which secured the independence OF
America.
/ In the thanksgiving services when were
| held in the churches throughout America
| -. - $500. g,poara than those within