Patrick Henry
Patrick Henry (
May 29,
1736 –
June 6,
1799) was a prominent figure in the
American Revolution, known and remembered primarily for his stirring
oratory. Along with
Samuel Adams and
Thomas Paine, he was one of the most influential (and radical) advocates of the American Revolution and
republicanism, especially in his denunciations of corruption in government officials and his defense of historic rights.
The picture of Henry by Peter F. Rothermel shows Henry throwing down his almighty power in hand or glove, which is a traditional sign for a fight. Trained as an attorney, and noted for his heated oratorical skills, this
Virginian first made a name for himself in a case dubbed the "
Parson's Cause" (1763) which was an argument on whether the price of tobacco paid to clergy for their services should be set by the colonial government or by the Crown. Henry technically lost the case
[1] [2], but damages were set at such a nominally low level that the result was widely perceived to be a victory for the independence movement.Perhaps in part because of his success in this venture, Henry was elected to the
House of Burgesses (the legislative body of the Virginia colony) in 1765. That same year, he proposed the
Virginia Stamp Act Resolutions. The freshman representative waited for an opportunity where the mostly conservative members of the House were away (only 24% was considered sufficient for a quorum). In this atmosphere, he succeeded, through much debate and persuasion, in getting his proposal passed. It was possibly the most anti-British (many called it "treasonous") American political action to that point, and some credit the Resolutions with being one of the main catalysts of the Revolution. The proposals were based on principles that were well established British rights, such as the right to be taxed by one's own representatives. They went further, however, to assert that the colonial assemblies had the exclusive right to impose taxes on the colonies and could not assign that right. The imputation of treason is due to his inflammatory words, "Caesar had his Brutus; Charles the First his Cromwell; and George the Third—" [Cries of "Treason! Treason!"] "George the Third may profit by their example. If this be treason, make the most of it."
 |
Patrick Henry's "Treason" speech before the House of Burgesses in an 1851 painting by Peter F. Rothermel |
According to biographer Richard Beeman, the legend of this speech grew more dramatic over the years. Henry probably did not say the famous last line of the above quote, i.e. "If this be treason, make the most of it." The only account of the speech written down at the time by an eyewitness (which came to light many years later) records that Henry actually apologized after being accused of uttering treasonable words, assuring the House that he was still loyal to the king. Nevertheless, Henry's passionate, radical speech caused quite a stir at the time, even if we cannot be certain of his exact words.
Henry is perhaps best known for the speech he made in the House of Burgesses on
March 23,
1775, urging that legislature to take military action against the encroaching British military force. The House was deeply divided, but was very much leaning toward not committing troops. As Henry stood in
Saint John's Church in
Richmond, Virginia, he ended his speech with his most famous words;
Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!The crowd jumped up and shouted "To Arms! To Arms!". This speech is credited by some with single-handedly delivering the Virginia troops to the
Revolutionary War. Problematically, the text of this speech did not appear in print until 1817, in the biography
Life and Character of Patrick Henry by
William Wirt. Although Wirt assembled his book from recollections by persons close to the events, some historians have since speculated that the speech, or at least the form with which we are familiar, was essentially written by Wirt decades after the fact.
Early in the
Revolutionary War, Henry led militia against Royal Governor
Lord Dunmore in defense of some disputed gunpowder, an event known as the
Gunpowder Incident. During the war, he served as the first post-colonial
Governor of Virginia, from 1776-79, an office he held again from 1784-86.
After the Revolution, Henry was an outspoken critic of the
United States Constitution and urged against its adoption, arguing it gave the federal government too much power. As a leading
Antifederalist, he was instrumental in forcing the adoption of the
Bill of Rights to amend the new Constitution. He became a strong opponent of
James Madison. By the late 1790s he was a prominent Federalist in support of Washington and Adams. The irony is that most of his followers became Republicans who supported Jefferson's party. President George Washington offered him the post of Secretary of State in 1795, which he declined. In 1798 President
John Adams nominated him special emissary to France, which he had to decline because of failing health. He strongly supported
John Marshall and at the urging of Washington stood for the House of Delegates in 1799 as a staunch Federalist. He especially denounced the
Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions, which had been secretly written by Jefferson and Madison, and approved by the legislatures of those two states. He warned that civil war was threatened because Virginia, "had quitted the sphere in which she had been placed by the Constitution, and, in daring to pronounce upon the validity of federal laws, had gone out of her jurisdiction in a manner not warranted by any authority, and in the highest degree alarming to every considerate man; that such opposition, on the part of Virginia, to the acts of the general government, must beget their enforcement by military power; that this would probably produce civil war, civil war foreign alliances, and that foreign alliances must necessarily end in subjugation to the powers called in." He was elected but died three months later before taking his seat. [Tyler, 413-20] He died at Red Hill Plantation, Virginia, in 1799 at the age of 63. His second wife was a granddaugther of Va Governor
Alexander Spotswood and was related to
Martha Washington.
*His home and gravesite has been designated
Red Hill Patrick Henry National Memorial.
*The
United States Navy submarine USS Patrick Henry (SSBN-599) and the
CSS Patrick Henry of the
Confederate Navy were named in his honor, as was the first
WWII Liberty ship, the
SS Patrick Henry.
*Emory & Henry College in Emory, Va., Patrick Henry High School in Ashland, Virginia and
Patrick Henry College in Purcellville, VA are also named in his honor.
*Henry helped to establish the
Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia. It is the 10th oldest institution of higher education in the United States. Six of Patrick Henry's sons graduated from Hampden-Sydney. Future United States president William Henry Harrison also graduated from the College in 1791. Other places named in honor of Patrick Henry include:
*
Henry County, Virginia*
Henry County, Kentucky*
Patrick County, Virginia*
Henry County, Georgia*
Henry County, Ohio*
Henry County, Tennessee*
Henry County, Alabama*
Henry County, Illinois*
Henry County, Missouri after an 1841 name change
Emory & Henry College in Emory, Va., Patrick Henry High School in Ashland, Virginia, Patrick Henry College in Purcellville, VA and also Patrick Henry Mall in Newport News are also named in his honor
*Beeman, Richard R.
Patrick Henry: A Biography. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1974. ISBN 0070042802.
* Bernard Mayo;
Myths and Men: Patrick Henry, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson (1959)
* Moses Coit Tyler.
Patrick Henry 1898.
*
Liberalism*
Contributions to liberal theory*
Patrick Henry League*
Free ebook of Patrick Henry at
Project Gutenberg*
Quotations by Patrick Henry at Liberty-Tree.ca
* Hanover County, Virginia,[
3] birthplace of Patrick Henry and location of the Hanover Tavern,[
4] where Henry lived and worked early in his life, and Hanover Courthouse, where the Parson's Cause case was argued in 1763.
*Scotchtown Plantation, Henry family home from 1771 - 1778 [
5], [
6]
*St. John's Church (Richmond, Virginia), where Henry delivered "Liberty or death" speech in 1775 [
7]
*
Text of 1775 "Liberty or death" speech*Red Hill Plantation (Charlotte County, Virginia), Henry's final home and burial place [
8]
*
Address opposing US Constitution
