Page:Sketches of the life and character of Patrick Henry.djvu/90

 66 SKETCHES OF THE

This was the only expression of defiance which escaped him during the debate. He was, throughout life, one of the most perfectly and uniformly decorous speakers, that ever took the floor of the house. He was respectful even to humility; and the provocation must be gross indeed, which would induce him to notice it. Yet when he did notice it, better were it for the man never to have been born, than to fall into the hands of such an adversary. One lash from his scourge was in- famy for life; his look of anger or contempt, was almost death.

After this debate, there was no longer a question, among the body of the people, as to Mr. Henry^s being the first statesman and orator in Virginia. Those, in- deed, whose ranks he had scattered, and whom he had thrown into the shade, still tried to brand him with the names of declaimer and demagogue. But this was ob- viously the effect of envy and mortified pride. A mere declaimer and demagogue, could never have gained, much less have kept for more than thirty years, that ground which Mr. Henry held; with a people, too, so cool, judicious, firm, and virtuous, as those who achieved the American revolution.

From the period of which we have been speaking, Mr. Henry became the idol of the people of Virginia; nor was his name confined to his native state. His light and heat were seen and felt throughout the continent; and he was every where regarded as the great cham- pion of colonial liberty.

The impulse thus given by Virginia, was caught by the other colonies. Her resolutions were eveiy where adopted, with progressive variations. The spirit of re- sistance became bolder and bolder, until the whole con- tinent was in aflame; and by the first of November,

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