Page:Sketches of the life and character of Patrick Henry.djvu/84

 60 SKETCHES OF THE

monstrance and argument But at the time when Mr. Heniy offered his resolutions, the stamp act had passed; and the resolutions were intended for the people of the colonies. It will, also, be observed that the fifth resolu- tion, as given by Mr. Henry, contains the bold assertion, that every attempt to vest the power of taxation over the colonies, in any person or persons whatsoever, other than the General Assembly, had a manifest tendency to desti'oy British, as well as American freedom; which was asserting in effect, that the act which had passed, was an encroachment on the rights and liberties of the people, and amounted to a direct charge of tyranny and despotism, against the British king, lords and commons.

It is not wonderful that even the friends of colonial rights, who knew the feeble and defenceless situation of this country, should be startled at a step so bold and daring. That effect was produced; and the resolutions were resisted not only by the aristocracy of the house, but by many of those who were afterwards, distin- guished among the brightest champions of American liberty.

The following is Mr. Jefferson's account of this transaction.

'^ Mr. Henry moved and Mr. Johnston seconded these resolutions successively. They were opposed by Messrs. Randolph, Bland, Pendleton, Wythe, and all the old members whose influence in the house had, till then, been unbroken. They did it, not from any question of our rights, but on the ground that the same sentiments had been, at their preceding session, expressed in a more conciliatory fonn, to which the answers were not yet received. But torrents of sublime eloquence from Henry, backed by the solid reasoning of Johnston, pre-

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