The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-03-07

the namo OF tho Prophet OF the Revolution"
Patrick Henry, born at Studley, In Hanover
county, In 1886. was the son Of John Henry, q
loyal magistrate OF Scottish origin. who early
conferred upon his son his own love OF books
and letters. The family was poor. and Horny
had his own way to make. Early In his career
as a lawyer he had startled the colony by q burst
OF stirring oratory in the " Parsons Cause de-
claring that the King, in vetoing the relief act
of the clergy OF 1888, {" from being the father Of
his people, degencrates into q tyrant and for
fcits all right to obedience" When, In 1765,
Henry appeared In Williamsburg as q burgess
newly elected from Louisa county, he was, at
20, tall, stoop-shouldcred, provincial In attire,
rusty as to wig, his blue eyes shining with the
light OF genius. When he arose to speak against
the Stamp Act, no carried the resolutions that
precipitated the independence Of Virginia writ
ten on II scrap OF paper torn from his pocket
book. The cries OF Treason" that greeted the
finish OF his splendid speech ELECTED from him
the rejoindcr: Caesar had his Brutus, Charles
the First his Cromwell. and George the Third
may profit by their example! II this be treason,
make the most of It."
We find u curious summing up Of his charac-
ter In an old letter describing the members OF
the First Congress from Virginia, quoted by
Bishop Meade: Henry Is q real half Quaker;
moderate and mild. and In religious matters q
saint; but the very devil In politics, o son Of
thunder. He will shake the Senate. Some years
ago he had liked to have talked treason into the
House Jefferson. more polished In phrase,
said that Henry spoke as Homer wrote"
A singular episode in Henry's political career
was the association Of his name with that Of IN
absolute dictatorship over his native State. I'm
December, l775,' says Jefferson, "our circum-
stances being much distressed, 1t was proposed
In the House Of Delegates to create q Dictator.
invested with every power-legislative, execu-
tive and Judiciary, civil and military-of life and
death over our persons and over our properties"
"The advocates Of this measure" ho goes on.
chad sought this precedent in the history Of
Rome" This extraordinary scheme was for .
time discussed In hot blood among the leaders Of
Virginia. Feuds. springing from 1t, separated
those who had previously fought side by side.
The name of Patrick Henry. become Governor
of Virginia before the talk ended. having been
most frequently mentioned as a suitable Diota-
tor. the Executive, who had actually no part In
the scheme, received from Archibald Cary, Prosi-
dent Of the Senate, Q hercely defiant message.
Meeting Henry's brother in tho lobby Of the
House, Col. Cary brusquely said:
"Sir! I am told that your brother desires to be
Dictator. Tell him from me that the day Of his
elevation shall be the day Of his death, for he
shall find my dagger In his heart before the sun
set Of that day"
Fortunately. no such opportunity arose for
Col. Cary to play the role of Brutus. This
version of the affair, variously reproduced by
historians Of Virginia, is given upon the au-
thority OF his descendant, Wilson Miles Cary of
Baltimore. who obtained IL from family records.
Col. Cary lived at Ampthill, about six miles
below Richmond, on the James River. After
Spotswood died, he was the chief promoter of
iron manufacture In the colony, and owned
al o-l t,x-oon. ~. EaIl.w rna.L N ,aa .
man OF severe exterior and indomitable will, but
kind. generous, and cultured. Gen. Nathaniel
Greene, returning from his Southern campaign
In 1881, speaks warmly Of the hospitalities OF
Ampthill enjoyed by him, and OF the owners
pressing request that he should stay on after the
time allotted for his visit had expired. He hints
that the Colonel's physique was too formidable
for him to venture to decline his invitation.
Archibald Cary OF Ampthill married Mary Ran
dolph of Curles, a lineal descendant OF Pow.
hatan and aunt of the famous John Randolph
OF Roanoke, and OF the learned and fearless
Bishop Meade, who, with the lady's husband,
certainly compose u group OF strong and indi'
vidual V.rginians. From Mrs. Bell. the sister
OF "Old Iron" OF Ampthill, whose daughter
Judith Bell, married Col. Gist lson OF the hardy
pioneer, Christopher Gist, familiar through
washington's diary OF his march to the Ohio, de,
scend the late Hon. Francis =. Blair and the
Hon. Montgomery Blair OF Washington. Anne
Gary. tho eldest daughter at Ampthill. was, al
has been said, the mother Of Jcfferson's son-in'
law. Thoiuas Mann Randolph OF Tuckahoe, and
among her numerous descendants is, therefore
Mr.. Jetterson's great-grandson. the Hon. Joffer
son Coolidge, lately Minister of the United statea
TO France.
Patrick Henry having, as Jefferson said
given the first impulse to the ball OF the Revo
luton, " was, from that date, the acknowledged
leader of the virginian friends Of liberty. He wa.
the first speaker in the General Congress In Phil
adelphia in l774, and in 1875 delivered befor,
the Virginia Convention his most famous ora
ton. ending in Give me liberty or give M,
DEATH" an effort OF oratory that not even tn,
halting efforts OF succeeding generations o
s>hoosboys to reproduce it have been able TO rol