Page:Sketches of the life and character of Patrick Henry.djvu/65

 perfect silence took place during the speech, and not a sound but from his lips was to be heard in the room." So far, judge Tyler. Judge Winston, relating the same incident, says, "Some time after, a member of the house, speaking to me of this occurrence, said, he had, for a day or two, observed an ill-dressed young man sauntering in the lobby; that he seemed to be a stranger to every body, and he had not the curiosity to enquire his name; but, that attending when the case of the contested election came on, he was surprised to find this same person counsel for one of the parties; and and still more so, when he delivered an argument superior to any thing he had ever heard." The case, according to the report of the committee of privileges and elections, is not one which seems to present much scope for a very interesting discussion: but Mr. Henry's was one of those minds which impart interest to every subject they touch.

This same year 1764, is memorable for the origination of that great question which led finally to the independence of the United States. It has been said by a gentleman, at least as well qualified to judge as any other now alive, that " Mr. Henry certainly gave the first impulse to the ball of the revolution." In order to show the correctness of this position, it is proper to ascertain the precise point to which the controversy with Great Britain had advanced, when Mr. Henry first presented himself in the character of a statesman.

In March, 1764, the British parliament had passed resolutions, preparatory to the levying a revenue on the colonies by a stamp tax. Those resolutions were conmmunicated to the house of burgesses of Virginia, through