Evening star., 1945-08-28
Letters to The Star
Patrick Henry Praised Anew for
Services to Nation


Services to Nation
To the Editor OF The Star:
Patrick Henry was born in the county
OF Hanover, Va. When q boy he
spent hours ON the banks of tidewater
streams, angling for specimens of the
f1nny tribe. At the age OF Is he realized
the consequence OF idleness. His busi-
ness career, however, was brief. He
failed as 4 merchant, also at tilling the
soil; then he dedicated his efforts to
the practice Of law. winning the cele-
brated Parsons trial" brought him re-
nown. The case was tried in Hanover
Courthouse: the judge, Henry's father,
had decided in favor of the clergy, a
jury was to fix the amount due them.
Men packed the room to hear the great
est jury advocate of his time denounce
the clergy laws as an encroachment on
the rights of Virginia freemen. The
award to the claimant was one penny.
Soon thereafter, Henry was elected to
the House Of Burgesses; he had been
In his seat only few days when copies
of the Stamp Act Of 1765 arrived. Henry
argued that to tax freemen without
their consent violated Magma Charta
Caesar had his Brutus, Charles the
First his Cromwell. and George the
Third may profit by their example. !"
The cry of Treason, treason" was
heard. IF this be treason, make the
most of it."
Unanimity was needed, so the Con-
tinentai Congress was called to meet
at Philadelphia in l774. Patrick Henry
opened the convention, beseeching the
delegates to forget that they repre-
sented sections and to vote as patriots:
Il am not Virginian, but an Amer
ican."
In March, TITS, the Virginia Assem-
bly, met in st. Johns Church, in Rich
mond, Va. Many of Virginia's eminent
sons were there, yet some hesitated to
act. Patrick Henry rose to defend
resolution and effectively delivered the
often quoted speech, Give me liberty
or give me DEATH" Our country is evi-
dence OF the persuasive appeal.
After seven years OF cruel war peace
was declared. Henry continued his fight
for States rights and individual liberty.
To him, to Jefferson and others, there
was gaping hole in the Constitution.
The people had no check on arbitrary
centralized government.
On that subject Henry aroused pub
lie opinion and was instrumental in
obtaining the first 10 amendments 10
the Constitution, known as the Bill of
Rights. He now wished to retire to Red
Hill. Another great man had retired to
family life at Mount Vernon, but he
was disturbed; his country seemed torn
with disunion. Champions of States
rights contended that a State has the
power to nullify acts OF the Federal
Government An election was to be
held. AS Patrick Henry went, so went
Virginia. He was Virginia's first Gov
ernor and at recurring elections re-
ceived the honor several times. Gen.
Washington penned an urgent appeal
to Henry requesting that he again enter
the political arena. He responded, and
once more stood before an assembled
people. He warned, mo State has the
right to pass upon the validity of Fed
eral laws, no part can be greater than
the whole" Henry was elected but be-
fore the Assembly sat again his lips
were sealed in death.
If one were called upon to name
the three greatest contributions of Vir-
ginia to the cause of freedom he would
respond, the sword of Washington. the
pen Of Jefferson and the golden voice
Of Patrick Henry"
WALTER I. PRIEST.