Page:Sketches of the life and character of Patrick Henry.djvu/175

 deliberate and barbarous treachery, which was at once traced to lord Dunmore, was farther aggravated by a discovery that several barrels of powder had been biiri- ed in the magazine, with the purpose, it was reasonably conjectured, of being used as a mine, and thus produc- ing still more fatal destruction, when the occasion should offer. Early on the next morning, lord Dun- more with his family, including captain Foy, fled from the palace to return to it no more, and took shelter on board the Fowey, from the vengeance which he knew he so justly deserved. No commotion, however, had en- sued to justify his retreat. The people, indeed, were highly indignant, but they were silent and quiet. The suggestions of his lordship^s conscience, had alone pro- duced his flight. He left behind him a message to the speaker and house of burgesses, in which he ascribed this movement to apprehensions for his personal safety; stated that he should fix his residence on board the Fowey; that no interruption should be given to the sitting of the assembly; that he should make the access to him easy and safe; and thought it would be more agreeable to the house to send to him from time to time, one or more of their members as occasion might re- quire, than to put the whole body to the trouble of mov- ing to be near him.

On receiving this message, the house immediately resolved itself into a committee of the whole, and pre- pared an answer, in which they expressed their deep concern at the step which he had taken — assuring him that his apprehensions of personal danger were entirely unfounded; regretting that he had not expressed them to the house previous to his departure, since from their zeal and attachment to the preservation of order and good government, they should have judged it theii* in-

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