The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1899-08-03

and stately splendor. when in
! fly and deeply shaded grove writes
Seneca IN one Of his epistles) filled with
venerable trees whose interlacing boughs
shut out the face Of Heaven. the grand
eur Of the wood, the silence OF the
place, the shade 20 dense and uniform,
lnfuse into the breast the notion OF
Divinity
Amid such environments Mr.. Henry
studied the open volume Of nature and
thereby expanded his faculties and
nOurished his genius. The power Of his
elCquence was due not only 10 his ardent
love of nature. but to those strong
emotions and delicate sensibilities with.
out which no man can be an orator. To
these were added a majestic presence
and those indispensable accompani-
ments Of manner, voice, intonation, ct.
titude, pause and gesture. He suited
the action to the word the word to the
action. When he rose TO speak his very
soul seemed to be in arms, and his
whole countenance was aflame, but In
the torrent, tempest, whirlwind OK his
passion he acquired and begot temp
erance that gave IL smoothness. A great
orator has said When public bodies
are to be addressed on momentous occa-
sions, when great interests are at stake
and strong passions excited, nothing Is
valuable in speech farther than 1t 10
connected with high intellectual and
moral endowments. Olearnee, force
and earnestness are the qualities which
produce conviction. True eloquence
indeed does not consist in speech. Ii
cannot be brought from far. Labor and
learning may toll for IL, but they will
toll in vain. Words and phrases may
be mershalled in every way, but they
cannot compass it. It must exist in the
man, in the subject and in the ocoa-
sion Affected passion, intense ex.
preston. the pomp of declaration, all
may aspire after. they cannot reach
it. 1t comes, if it come at all
| like the outbreaking Of fountain from
the earth or the bursting forth Of vol
canic fires with spontaneous, original,
native force. The graces taught in the
schools, the costly ornaments and
studied contrivances of speech shock
and disgust men when their own lives
and the fate of their wives, their child
rem and their cOuntr' hang on the
decision Of the hour. Then words have
lost their power, rhetoric is sain and
ali elaborate oratOry contemplate. Even
genius itself then feels rebuked and
subdued as in the presence Of higher
qualities. Then patriotism is eloquent
then self devotion is eloquent The
clear conception outrunning the deduc-
tions of logic, the high purpose, the
firm resolve, the dauntles5 spirit speak
ing on the tongue. beaming from the
eye, informing every feature and urging
the whole man onward, right onward
TO his object. this is eloquence or rather
it is something greater and higher than
elOquence, il is action, noble, sublime
godlike action. With this definition
Of true eloquence we can understand
how Patrick Henry carried captive the
hearts Of the people. We can under
stand that picturesque and soul-stiiring
scene as depicted by Mr.. Writ at Han
over Court House on the 1st Of Decem-
Der. 1863 when the forest born Demos
themes. at that time unknown 20 fame,
appeared in the trial Of the Parsons
cause. We can understand how his
aged father who sat upon the bench AZ
one Of the Magistrates was so filed
with rapture that tears streamed down
his cheeks. We can understand how the
people stood in deathlike silence, their
features fixed in amazement and awe, all
their senses listening and riveted upon
the speaker as if to catch the last strain
of some heavenly visitant and how when
the verdict was rendered they carried
him amid acclamations Of triumph upon
their shoulders out of the cou.t room
and around the court green. We can
understand how the members Of the
Virginia Convention as they sat
listening to his irresistible eloquenee
while with thoughts that breathed
and words that burned" he portrayed
the wrongs Of the Colonies, arose as
one man and cried out Ito arms. to
arms" just as his great prototype had
moved the Athenians to exclaim Let
US march against Philip let US conquer
him or die. "
In conclusion, beg leave TO congrat.
rulate you that thus far you have fail
fully observed the requirements OF the
2ud Article of your Constitution.
You have cultivated and advanced the
Science of Jurisprudence, you have
promoted reform in the law and in
judicial procedure, you have facilitated
the administration of justice in this
State and you have upheld the standard
of honor, integrity and courtesy In the
legal profession.
While this Association has reason to
be pround of its past achievements and
Of the service Already rendered to the
State, beg its members to remember
that much yet remains 20 be done. AS
NAPOLEON Bonaparte said TO his army
in Italy, there are other marches
to be made, there are other battles to
be fought, there are other yitcories TO be
won. Let us resolve that we will de-
dicate ourselves with renewed enthus.
iasm and with redoubled energy to the
service Of our beloved Commonwealth.
Her future prosperity and glory win
depend in no small degree upon the
efforts of the 81 ate Bar Association. But
whatever may be said Of her future. we
have the proud satisfaction of knowing
that her past at least is secure. The
unfading civic wreath has by the uni
versal verdict of all mankind been
pla ed upon her venerable brow and the
fame Of her gr' ct names viii endure 70
long a. her beautiful blue mountains
shall lift their SUBMITS towards tne
skv and as long as her mhgnificent
"a -. =, ,.t.u ali ON fo the Sea . y .E 2 y.