Page:History of the United States of America, Spencer, v1.djvu/343

] opposition to the claims of Parliament prevailed, and elected deputies, who were readily received into Congress. The powers, too, with which the representatives of the several colonies were invested, were not only variously expressed but of various extent.

The venerable Peyton Randolph, of Virginia, was elected president, and Charles Thomson, of Philadelphia, secretary. A delicate question immediately arose as to the mode of proceeding to be adopted by Congress, as to how the members should vote, etc. After some discussion it was determined, with great discretion, that each colony should have only one vote, whatever number of delegates might be present. Congress then proceeded to business.

"The most eminent men of the various colonies," says Mr. Wirt, writing from traditionary information, "were now, for the first time, brought together.They were known to each other by fame; but they were personally strangers. The meeting was awfully solemn. The object which had called them together was of incalculable magnitude. The liberties of no less than three millions of people, with that of all their posterity, was staked on the wisdom and energy of their counsels. No wonder, then, at the long and deep silence which is said to have followed upon their organization; at the anxiety with which the members looked around upon each other; and the reluctance which every individual felt to open a business so fearfully momentous. In tie midst of this deep and death-like silence, and just when it was beginning to become painfully embarrassing, Mr. Henry arose slowly, as if borne down by the weight of the subject. After faltering, according to his habit, through a most impressive exordium, in which he merely echoed back the consciousness of every other heart, in deploring his inability to do justice to the occasion, he launched gradually into a recital of the colonial wrongs. Rising, as he advanced, with the grandeur of his subject, and glowing, at length, with all the majesty and expectation of the occasion, his speech seemed more than that of mortal man He sat down amidst murmurs of astonishment and applause; and, as he had before been proclaimed the greatest orator of Virginia, he was now, on every hand, admitted to be the first orator of America." Henry was followed by Richard Henry Lee, in a speech scarcely less powerful, and still more replete with classic eloquence. One spirit of ardent love of liberty pervaded every breast, and produced a unanimity as advantageous to the cause they advocated as it was unexpected and appalling to their adversaries. But it was only in debate that these great orators seemed to surpass their fellow members: when matters requiring clear solid sense, discretion, and judgment, were before Congress, Henry and Lee found their equals and superiors.

To give proper dignity and solemnity to the proceedings of Congress, a motion was made on the following morning, that each day's session should be opened with prayer. Samuel