New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-03-15
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
A NOBLE BIOGRAPHY.

PATRICK HENRY: Life Core pondenCe aud speeches.
by william Writ Henry Volume III eVo' PIP
673. New-York: Charles scribners sons.
The closing volume Of this handsomely printed and
comprehensive biography Of Patrick Henry contains
the text o. two OF his most important puoc speeches
and the bulk Of his public and private correspondence
The letters are addressed to Washington, Hancock,
Franklin Jefferson, Lafayette. Harrison. JAY Lee,
Madison Randolph, Laurens, Wythe. and other leaders
of the American Revolution and are written In the
stately and ceremOnious style which was characteristic
Of the period. That was q serious time when 1t was
considered beneath the dignity Of educated man TO
write even 10 personal friend in playful spirit or
to discuss commonplace business transaction WIN
any degree Of hexibility. As the letters to which
reply made by the great war Governor OF 'sr
eina published for the sake Of furnishing the con
text. this volume contains y characteristic study OF
private spOndence IN colonial and Revolutionary
days As the pages are turned and the cour'y
phrases and carefully measured sentences are reau
the stately figures and serious faces OF the men OF tha'
time rise before the imagination and the reader seems
to he breathing the very atmosphere OF bysohe
America The worthless OF that heroic time wrote TO
one another very much they danced the minuet-
with slow. deliberate courtesy. with hghseppns'
graudiloquent phrases and with elaborate balancing
OF statement and argument. Henry and washington
were shrexd investors, and had correspondence WIFI
each other respecting purchases Of real estate Out
they exchanged with much earnestness OF
comparing notes for Joint h0mlIy upon ue "h
mortality of the soul.
This budget Of colonial correspondence offers many
opportunities for reflection upon the changes which
have been wrought In the weight OF nations and the
balances Of commercial intercourse since the enamel
patton of the thirteen States single Illustration can
be drawn from the letter OF the Governor OF Virginia
70 the Governor OF Cuba, thanking him for speclh
iavors shown by spain, in allowing greatly needed
shipments OF supplies to he landed in New-Orleins
for the use of the Colonies. We are well acquainted
SIR" Henry writes with the honor, spirit and gener-
osity OF the spanish nation and should therefore glory
I'm IN intimate connection with IT, For l suppose
need not inform your EXceency that these States are
now free and independent capable of forming alliances
and OF making treaties think the connection might be
mutually beneficial; for Independent OF the beef pork
live stock -four. slaves. shingles, and several other
articles with which could supply your Islands,
we lave vast quantities Il skins fur, hemp ana max,
which We could by easy inland navigation bring
down the Mississippi to New-Orleans from our back
country In exchange for your wOoens, linens. wines
and military stores and were you once restored TO
your possessions I'm the Floridas, (which sincerely
wish to see and which make no doubt these States
would cheeriuy contribute to accomplish the al
vantage to both in commercial view would be
greatly increased" The Governor of Virginia could
not then anticipate the revolt of the Spanish Empire
in the New-World against the mother State as the
direct result Of the successful revolution OF the
thirteen colonies: the occupation of Florida. the
purchase OF Louisiana and the settlement OF the Far
West to the Pacific Coast nor the decline OF spanish
commercial ascendency until Cuba should remain
the last stronghold the conversion OF all the
West Indian islands into economic dependencies of
the American market
The speeches, which contained In this volume.
are the celebrated arguments made by Henry In the
Virginia Convention OF 1888. against the Constitution
and in the British Debt The work Is sup
plemented by an admirable index which opens the
three volumes for purposes o: ready reference. As
the edition Is limited to 100 copies printed from
type, these volumes Will pass at into the
possession OF libraries and book-collectors valu
able literary treasure.