Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-04-27
The spark before the explosion" h,

uuNG IOuSSd-pAoy SNlAOA SOAuV |
new overt act of Dunmore's that should
be spark to powder. But he lies low.
And it must come from us. You were
right when you said that last fall at
Winchester. Boston is trodden on, but
she lies quiet. The colonies look to us.
1t is the voice of the south, of Virginia,
that is wanting"
He stopped. Jefferson was hasting
toward them. He bowed to Anne.
"Have you heard the buzz from Lon
DOM" he asked Henry hurriedly. "'Tis
all among the delegates. 'Tis declared
that our petitions to the king are graz
ciously received, that oil the acts will
be repealed save the admiralty and de-
claratory and that North and Dart
mouth will be replaced"
"Aye," burst Henry fiercely. "An-
other Tory tale! And they will WAIVER
again. Tom, Tom, it must be now or
never!"
He stopped abruptly and strobe across
the churchyard over the matted ivy
on the shrunken mounds and, threading
his way between the old slate tomb
stones, upright like black lichened cot
fin lids, entered the edifice.
From her seat in the west gallery,
whittier Jefferson had taken her, Anne
surveyed the scene below.
The first proceedings interested her
little = the reading of Jamaica's late
memorial to the king-and her gaze
wandered Through the open windows
she could hear the hum of the great
crowd about the building and catch a
glimmer of the foaming James. The
space below her was packed and full
of strange intentness.
Here and there she could see faces
which she knew. The ladies of Rich
mond were scattered through both gal-
leries. Freneau and young st. George
Tucker were leaning over the rail op-
posite. Jefferson and Colonel Benja-
| min Harrison of Berkeley sat together
Just below Peyton Randolph, the pres
ident.
Colonel Washington sat far back,
hands on knees, quiet and meditating,
and just below her Mr.. Thomas Nelson
shifted nervously in his seat, turning
his eyes now there, now here.
Well to the front sat Richard Henry
Lee Of Chantilly, "the gentleman of
1 the silver hand" The black bandage
She had heard it said he wore 1t to
hide wound he got swan shooting on
the Potomac.
Her attention came back with start
us she heard the resolution in answer
to Jamaica that "it is the most ardent
wish of this colony, and we are per
suaded of the whole continent of North
America, to see speedy return to those
halcyon days when we lived free and
happy people," AS she looked down al
Henry, Anne saw that he was scrib.
bling on scrap of paper.
There was hush as he arose and q
buzz of expectancy as he mounted the
rostrum. He held in his hand the pa.
per upon which he had been scribbling
| Anne felt a touch of disappointment
ut the cold, measured quality of his
tone. With that Pickering half smile
which meant dissent he moved mn
amendment to the Jamaica resolutions
He read without a gesture, in pronun.
citation as plain as homespun. His voice
moved evenly, almost carelessly, over
the periods.
But as he progressed the assembly
awoke with shock, and Anne saw q
certain ripple almost Of alarm surge
over it. Henry had spoken the phrase
"our inestimable rights and liberties"
At that moment the speaker raised
his voice, and the last words came
challenge-like, the snap Of whip. 1--WE
do resolve, therefore, that this colony
be put in a state of defense and that
there be committee to prepare plar
for embodying, arming and disciplin
ing such number of men as may BIZ
sufficient for that purpose"
Anne looked at Henry in the blacl
! clothes and tie wig which set off hi:
face and drew a breath. The humility
the difidence, the modesty of address!
were gone, and in their place was stern
. ness. Even his voice had grown harsh
us though in menace, and on the con
vention, uncertain and wavering, thos,
lovers Of the "halcyon days." the men
ace fell. 1t was the plunge from hest
tation to resolve, from expostulation Il
powder. The fire had fallen!
Henry knew his men. All these year
he had been learning them, drawing
them out, questioning, story telling
, watching effects, experimenting in thei
emotions.
; His eye held every man within thos'
, walls. He turned it upon Richard Hen
ry Lee, and he, his polished oratory for
got, hurled blunt second at the chair
Mr.. Pendleton, Colonel Harrison
limping from the govt, and Colone
Richard Bland got upon their feet will
arched frowns, barking that such &C
: ton was premature" and ut the wore
Anne saw n pale scorn burn Henry
, face. These, who had so lately sat ii
the Continental congress, prated o
"dignified patience" ''flial respect ant
discretion" "the relenting of the SOY
ersigR," "the nakedness of the col
onies."
Anne had afterward no certain recol
lection of how Henry began in answer
All impression was swallowed up II
that thrill which held every hearer. l
: has been said that he spoke as Home
: wrote.
"Shall we shut our eyes-we wis
men struggling for liberty-and listel
to the song Of the siren till she trans
forms us to beasts?" he cried. "Shal
we, having eyes, see not, and, having
ears, hear not the tidings Of our TEN
poral salvation? For my part will
know the worst, and will provide 70
1t. 1 cannot judge the future but b.
the past, and by the past how shal
you solace yourselves? What is Their
in the conduct of the British ministrie
Of the past ten years to justify hope?"
AS he went on passion crept over hi
face like the wind that precedes
storm; his lean neck was scarlet ant
corded with white lines, and his eye
glared hollowly.
"Do you regard the insidious smile