Page:Sketches of the life and character of Patrick Henry.djvu/118

 94 SKETCHES OF THE

with great animation,) ^ where is France? Where is Spain? WTiere is Holland ? the natural enemies of Great Britain — Where will they be, all this while? Do you suppose they will stand by, idle and indifferent spec- tators of the contest? Will Louis the XVI. be asleep all this time? Beheve me, 7io! Wlien Louis the XVL shall be satisfied by our serious opposition, and our De- claration of Independence, that all prospect of reconci- liation is gone, then, and not till then, will he furnish us with arms, ammunition, and clothing; and not with these only, but he will send his fleets and armies to fight our battles for us; he will form with us a treaty offen- sive and defensive, against our unnatural mother. Spain and Holland will join the confederation! Our inde- pendence will be established! and we shall take our stand among the nations of the earth !^ Here he ceased; and col. John Overton says, he shall never forget the voice and prophetic manner with which these predic- tions were uttered, and which have been since so hte- rally verified. Col. Overton says, at the word inde- pendence, the company appeared to be startled; for they had never heard any thing of the kind before even sug- gested.^^

It was anticipated, that the establishment of corre- sponding committees would lead eventually to a congi^ess of the colonies, and that measure was brought about by the following circumstances.

The people of Boston having thrown into the sea a vessel load of tea, which was attempted to be forced upon them, were punished by an act of parliament, which shut up their port from and after the first day of June, 1 774. The house of burgesses of Virginia being in session when this act arrived, passed an order, which stands upon their journal in the following terms:

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