The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-11-29
The Story Of a Great Orator Told by
His Grandson.
TRIBUNE, GOVERNOR And SAGE.
Mr.. Horny Presents the Life Of Ills Grand.
father and the Character OF His Times.
Great Contribution.

writing the life of his celebrated grandfather.
The only mystery about tho matter is that TO
those who do not know tie author personally
| II may seem strange that busy lawyer could
find time to do such scholarly work. He has
very naturally made hero OF his grandfather,
Patrick Henry. but Henry had many of the
qualities which go 10 make up the hero. lie
was seli-Tehant. he understood human ma
| ture. no was earnest of purpose, he
WAS above aud beyond oil else
honest in thought. word and
deed. Late in life he wrote 30 a young friend
what every one who knows the world under
stands 10 be the sentiment OF true man
that adversely toughens manhood, and the
character istic Of the good or the great Den -
not that he has been exempted from the evils
Of life, but that ne has suTmOunted them"
/ This IS the language vi gentleman ana OF
| hero.
This was the language OF Henry's mature
manhood, but il showed what ire and dash
there must have been in him as q youth
especially when we recOllect with wife and
family 10 support be had the b0ldness 10
read Coke upon Litteton," and Digest
| OF the Virginia Acts OF Assembly" for six
weeks and then take out license 70 practice
law. Is there man IN tho Commonwealth
who would dare DO i now:
Whether Mr. Wirts glowing account OF the
result Of the examination for the license is cor
rect OF not. II IS certain that tho man who
was armed with such tremendous self-relIanco
was no common man. lie did not look for
ward with a sinking heart 10 the sitting life
OF briefess barrister. nor did he ever expect
TO hear the m urniul music OF the echolng
footsteps OF other lawyers clients passing his
door. The man who began with the spur OF
necessity driven into him as he did could not
stop short of the highest position 10 be won
at the bar UD TO that time he had missed
his calling. but such pluck IS be exhibited
showed that he had found IL ut last. and like
Erskine it was from that time impossible TO
close 10 him the door Of the temple Of lame
lie got his license IN 40 and Immediately
began practice. Every lawyer knows that
not even Napoleon BOuaparte with lis spen-
did intellect could have understood in that
briei space of time even part OF the prin-
cples OF that seamless garment oYerhang-
Ing the world which we call law
it was then even more impossible than It ~
at present for Blackstone did not complete
the publication Of his Commentaries until
1869 and tins young lawyer had never even
heard of Blackstone.
ia the course of two years great question
came up for decision. The hand Of the Eng
lish Government was on the side OF the clergy
against tho people OF the colony OF Virginia.
| The clergy had their salaries paid by levy
on the several parishes. which was satisfied
by certain number of pounds of tobacco-
that being the currency OF that day. The
number Of pounds was fixed by law There
came several bad tobacco seasons, and tho
weed rose greatly in price
The Colonial Assembly met and passed
law providing that the salaries should be not
| a fixed numbe Of pounds but such quantity
Of tobacco as would bring the amount Ok
! salary received before the tremendous rise IN
prices This act Affected al contracts, as
we'll as those of the clergy, and 1t was I'M
mediately approved by the Governor. This
l 4 fI, Ia c1r been
| submitted 20 King George III. for his ap-
proval before il went into operation.
Join Cemm. powerful and vigorous
pamphleteer. the spiritual representative ot
| the House OF Peers in America. being Com
! missary" of William and Mary College. was
| the head OF tho Established Church nj the
time of the passage OF the act which made
! such o serious inrOad into the revenues Of the
! clergy. lie at once saw the legal objection
10 the act aud began an acrimonious war upon
| the people who upheld 1t. Colonel Bland and
! Colonel Carter were It's champions The logic
! OF CaInm's attacks was irresistible. but his
| side of the question was very unpopular. The
| spirit of liberty was abroad IN the land and
! the reverend gentleman had 10 90 10 Mary
| land TO get the last publication printed. II
! bore the startling title OF Tho CoIonels Dis
mounted"
Some idea Of the heat of the controversy cnn
begathered even from the title Many very good
people other than the Rev. John Camm were
| loyal 10 the King, and it is curious that as
| late rs July 24th. 1866. he wrote 10 friend IN
/ England that "One of our most active lam
/ ing and appiauded Sons of Liberty Colonel
! Richard Henry Lee. who burnt poor Mercer
IN eficy raised mob on Archy kltchle. "&c.,
! &c. a., 30 has been lately blown up 10 the
| public prints. 10 is SAID by Alr. James Mer-
t cer T. appears that Lee pFeVl@As 70
! lis patriotism had made interest 10 De made
/ stamp-Iuasrer himself from letters II seems
/ trtf no pf '1fDHnl MNTrnT
that Lee will find it difficult hereafter 10 de-
/ ceiye ANYBODY INTO On opinion OF his patriot
/ ism" The paper war eliminated Ia SUIT
! brought 40 the instance of Rev. John Camm
| in Hanover county by Mr. Maury for the re-
! covery of the value of the tobacco he would
have been entitled TO receive had 1t
not been for the irregular repeal
of the old law. The court
notwithst standing popular clamor held the re-
! peal 70 lie null and then the question came
| before q jury on u writ OF enquiry or dam
| ages Ii was in the power OF the Jury TO say
/ how much damages had been sustained. and
the true measure technically was tie differ
ence made by the number o. pounds be
/ tween the old law and its repeal INSANE
toned by the King. 1t was test case The
| dignifed'old lawyers retired from the case
and Patrick Henry appeared Tor the deien-
| dants-in fact the people. lie hesltated and
| falteredin the start. then the magnitude o. tue
| question took possession OF him and he fairy
| electrified the Jury and bystanders. The Jury
| retired and brought Ia verdict of ono penny
| damages IL was a great victory without 1t
the embattled farmers would most probably
never have stood at Concord
and fred the shot heard round the world"
The case was appealed. and the contest
carried on with great energy but 1t was
! finally dismissed on tecnnicaity Dy CONN.,
| vance Oi the British Government. Canln was
| legally and logically night. but the resistless
| longing for liberty and the uncontrolaole de-
! sire for local sef-gOyernnent, the handspring
not only of Americas greatness. but OF That or
all the nations OF the earth, was too powerful
10 be stemmed and the whole world now
sustains the verdict of the Hanover Jury.
| Henry was made and marked man, ard i
was prepostreous any longer to call him an
| obscure attorney"
| II was the beginning OF Government OF
| the people. for the people by the people.
| The account given by Mr.. Writ Henry Is
the best on record of this cause celeDre.
In speaking Of the first real opposition TO
! the Stamp act the author says that tue
passage by the Virginia House o. Bursesses Of
Patrick Henrys resolutions OF MAY 70, 1885,
| formed the first opposition u the Stamp net
after its passage. and by their popular effect
! the great point Of resistance TO British taxa
| tion was universally established in the col
! oules. and the Revolutionary war was thus
brought on All that had been done con-
| ceruing the Stamp act before their passage
| had been by way of protest against an act
| nroposel. what these resolutions accom-
/ y an, of Ifl.