Page:Sketches of the life and character of Patrick Henry.djvu/260

 2S6 SKETCHES OF THE

goddess, Liberty, stretch forth her fair hand towards the people of the old world — tell them to come, and hid them welcome — and you will see them pouring in from the north — from the south — from the east, and from the west — ^your wildernesses will be cleared and settled — ^your deserts will smile — your ranks will be filled — and you will soon be in a condition to defy the powers of any adversary.

" But gentlemen object to any accession from Great Britain — and particularly to the return of the British refugees. Sir, I feel no objection to the return of those deluded people — they have to be sure, mistaken their own interests most wofuUy, and most wofully have they suffered the punishment due to their offences. But the relations which we bear to them and to their native country, are now changed — their king hath acknow- ledged our independence — the quarrel is over — peace hath returned, and found us a free people. Let us have the magnanimity, sir, to lay aside our antipa- thies and prejudices, and consider the subject in a pohtical light — those are an enterprising monied people — they will be serviceable in taking off the surplus pro- duce of our lands, and supplying us with necessaries, during the infant state of our manufactures. Even if they be inimical to us in point of feeling and principle, I can see no objection, in a political view, in making them tributary to our advantage. And as I have no prejudices to prevent my making this use of them, so sir, I have no fear of any mischief that they can do us. Afraid of them! — what, sir, (said he, rising to one of his loftiest attitudes, and assuming a look of the most indig- nant and sovereign contempt,) shall ive, who have laid the proud British lion at our feet, now be afraid of his ivhelpsV^

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