Page:Sketches of the life and character of Patrick Henry.djvu/295

 auxiliaries, opposed to him stood a phalanx, most formi- dable both for talents and weight of character; and of several of whom it might be said, with truth, that each was " in himself a host;" for at the head of the opposing ranks stood Mr. Pendleton — Mr. Wythe — Mr. Madison —Mr. Marshall— Mr. Nicholas— Mr. Randolph— Mr. Innis — Mr. Heniy Lee — and Mr. Corbin. Fearful odds! and such as called upon him for the most sti^enuous exertion of all his faculties. Nor did he sink below the occasion. For twenty days, during which this great discussion continued without intermission, his efforts were sustained, not only with undiminished strength, but with powers which seemed to gather new force from every exertion. All the faculties useful for debate were found united in him, with a degree of perfection, in which they are rarely seen to exist, even separately, in different individuals: irony, ridicule, the purest wit, the most comic humour, exclamations that made the soul start, the most affecting pathos, and the most sublime apostrophes, lent their aid to enforce his reasoning, and to put to flight the arguments of his adversaries.

The objection that the constitution substituted a con- solidated in lieu of a confederated government, and that this new consolidated government threatened the total annihilation of the state sovereignties, was pressed by him with most masterly power: he said there was no necessity for a change of government, so entire and fundamental — and no inducement to it, unless it was to be found in this splendid government, which we were told was to make us a great and mighty people. " We have no detaiV^ said he, " of those great considerations, which, in my opinion, ought to have abounded, before we should recur to a government of this kind, tlere

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