The Ordway new era., 1913-08-01
lnstaIIment 8

He was but twenty-nine years old.
but he had spent all his life in learn
ing how the world went, and by what
manner Of speech 1t was moved and
governed. He had roamed the woods
with NO thought but 70: sport. orl q
in The shape OF the trees. He had
kept country store. and let gossip
and talk Of affairs of colony and coun-
try side take precedence of business
Finally he had turned with a per-
manent relish to the law. and had set
himself to plead causes for his neigh
bors in way that made judges stare
and juries surrender at discretion. In
everything he had seemed to read the
passions of men. Books no less than
men, the chance company of an old
author no less than the constant talk
of the neighborly land he lived in.
seemed to fill him with the quick prin-
ciples of the people and polity to which
evitably every living phrase in which
to utter them.
His Power Over Men.
The universal sympathy and insight
which made his pleasantly 80 engag-
ing to r,en Of every stamp rendered
his power no less than terrible when
he turned to play upon their passions.
He was not conscious OF any audacity
when he sprang to his feet upon the
instant he saw the house resolved In
to committee to consider the Stamp
A1t ID ~ IN IN
to speak when conviction moved him
strongly. without thought of propriety
or precedence; and it was like him
to stand there absorbed. reading his
resolutions from a fy-leaf torn from
an old law-book.
IT ,eemed no doubt precious piece
of audacity in the eyes of the pre-
scrtptive leaders of the house to hear
this almost unknown man propose his
high recital of Virginia's liberties and
his express defiance of parliament
in tones which rang no less clear and
confident upon the clause which de-
clared his majesty's liege people" Of
the colony in no way bound to yield
obedience. than in the utterance Of
the accepted matter of his premises.
. ABtounoe the OIo Leaders.
Debate famed up at once. hot, even
passionate. The astounding. moving
elouquence Of the young advocate. his
instant hold upon the house. the di.
rectness with which he purposed and
executed action In 80 grave a matter,
stirred the pulses Of his opponents
and his followers with an equal power.
and reused those who would have
checked him to a vehemence as great
as his own.
The old leaders of the house. with
whom he now stood face to face In
this critical business. were the more
formidable because Of the strong rea-
son Of their position. No one could
justly doubt that they wished to see
the Old Dominion keep and vindicate
her liberty, but they deemed 1t folly
to be thus intemperately beforehand
with the issue. Almost to man they
were sprung of families who had come
to Virginia with the great migration
that had brought the Washingtons, in
the evil day when SO many were fee
ing England to be quit of the Puritan
tyranny-royalists all, and touched to
the quick with the sentiment of 10y
atty. ..ug t
Twas now a long long time since
Cromwell's day, indeed: generations
had passed. and a deep passion for
Virginia had been added to that old
reverence for the wearer Of the crown
in England. But these men prided
themselves still upon their loyalty;
made 1t a point Of honor to show
themselves no agitators. but constitu-
tional statesmen.
1t made them grave and deeply apx-
ious to see the privileges that were
most dear to them thus violated and
denied. but 1t did not make them hasty
to quarrel with the parliament of the
realm. They had intended opposition.
but they feared to throw their cause
away by defiance. Twas as little wise
as dignified. to fiout thus at the sover-
exhausted to win 1t to. .forbearance.
The Speaker Of the House.
It was not the least part Of the dim
Guilty to face the veterans speaker, John
Robinson, SO old in affairs, SO stately
In his age. SO gravely courteous, and
yet with such a threat of good man
ners against those who should make
breach of the decorous traditions of
the place. But the men chiefly to be
feared were on the floor.
There was Richard Bland. wary,
old, experienced" with something Of
the look" a Virginian wit said. "of old
musty parchments, which he handleth
and studieth much" author Of
N,,o
water.baptism; with none of the gifts
of an orator. but veritable antiquar-
ian in law and the precedents of pub
lie business, very formidable man In
! counsel. Quiet men trusted him, and
thought his prudence very wise.
George Wythe was no less learneds