Page:Sketches of the life and character of Patrick Henry.djvu/252

 22S SKETCHES OF THE

is his only by adoption, that to those who know the character of Virginians, it would be unnecessary to add, that this generous resolution passed unanimously. The committee appointed to communicate it to the general, were Mr. Heniy, Mr. Richard H. Lee, Mr. Zane, and general Nelson. We may be assured, that a committee, chosen with so much judgment,* discharged their duty in a manner the most grateful to the wounded feelings of the general; and on the next day Mr. Henry re- ported the following answer, which was spread upon the journal:

" Richraond, December 28th, 1780.

'' Sir,

" I shall ever remember, with the utmost gratitude, the high honour this day done me, by the honourable the house of delegates of Virginia. When engaged in the noble cause of freedom and the United States, I devoted myself entirely to the service of obtaining the great end of their union. That I have been once un- fortunate, is my great mortification: but, let the event of my future services be what they may, they will, as they always have been, be directed by the most faithful integrity, and animated by the truest zeal for the honour and interest of the United States.

" Horatio Gates.^'

The spring and summer of the next year presented a period of even deeper darkness, than the autumn of

nour, as the first republican governor of Virginia, and was the most consider- able man in the commonwealth; Mr. Lee was a member of the congress, whose vote we have just mentioned; Mr. Zane represented the county in which general Gates lived; and general Nelson was the most popular mili- tary character in the state.
 * Mr. Ueiiry the mover, had recently closed his administration with ho-

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