The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1935-03-22

a ians gathered in old st. Johns church
"a in Richmond. They were delegates
m to a convention which in the future
would be known as the second rev.
l dictionary convention of Virginia"
and they were assembled there In
spite of the objections of Lord Dun
more, royal governor of the colony,
to consider ways and means of safeguarding
their liberties British subjects.
Five months before, the First Continental con-
gress, meeting in Philadelphia after having sug-
gested all possible methods of averting with
the mother country, had issued this solemn dec
laratiOn to the people of the colonies 1--WE think
ourselves bound in duty to observe to you that
the schemes agitated against these colonies have
been so conducted as to render it prudent that
you should extend your views to mournful events,
and be in all respects prepared for every emer-
gency." So, when the Virginia delegates assem-
bled there were three days of preliminary discus
sion. Then the inevitable subject of military
preparations came up and Thursday March
%, Patrick Henry, young lawyer from Hanover
county, offered this resolution:
Resolved. That well-regulated militia, com.
posed of gentlemen and yeomen. is the natural
strength and only security of free government;
that such militia in this colony would forever
render 1t unnecessary for the mother country
TO keep among us for the purpose of our defence
any standing army of mercenary forces always
subversive of the quiet and dangerous to the lib
critics of the people and would obviate the pre-
text of taxing us for their support.
Resolved, That the establishment Of such a
militia is at this time peculiarly necessary, by
the state If our laws for the protection and de-
Tense of the country, some of which have already
expired, and others will shortly do so and that
the known remissness of government In calling
us together in a legislative capacity, renders it
too insecure, in this time of danger and distress,
to rely that opportunity will be given of renew
ing them in general assembly. making any
provision to secure our inestimable rights and
liberties from those further violations with which
they are threatened
"Resoved, therefore. That this colony be imme-
diately put into a posture of defense and that
. be committee to prepare a plan for the
embodying arming and disciplining such num-
Der of men as may be sufficient for that pur-
pose"
Henry then moved the adoption of his resolu-
ton and supported his motion with a brief
speech the text of which has not been preserved.
"This" says st. George Tucker. eyewitness of
the scene that historic day, produced an ami
mated debate, in which Colonel Richard Bland,
Mr. Nicholas, the treasurer, and think Colonel
Harrison. of Berkeley, and Mr.. Pendleton were
opposed to the resolution, as conceiving it to be
premature" In opposing the resolution as pre-
mature" these men. patriots though they were
and devoted to the cause of liberty, giving
a convenient excuse for their opposition but one
which probably not the real reason.
Their deeper motive was rooted in two factors.
One of them the fact that they were the
more conservative type of statesmen then guild
ing the destinies of Virginia and some of Them
at least considered Patrick Henry, what con-
servatives of today would call, dangerous rad
ical"
Ten years before. he had been elected to the
house of Burgesses at Williamsburg and had
gathered about him group of younger men and
men from the discontinued frontier counties of
the colony In May. 1865. he had presented
series of resolutions condemning the Stamp tax