While reading Thomas Jefferson: A Life, I realized a desire to read about Jefferson’s nemesis: Patrick Henry. Thomas Jefferson, the Revolution’s greatest writer, is a fascinating contrast with its greatest orator, Patrick Henry. Nemesis may be a bit strong, but I’ve read of no one else who could both astound and confound Thomas Jefferson, a man not easily affected in either extreme.
In contrast to Jefferson, the Tidewater aristocrat, Patrick Henry was a backwoods frontiersman – though classically educated. And in contrast to the ever deliberate and composed Jefferson, Patrick Henry let his passions blaze, though still quite deliberately and with amazing effect.
He was responsible for making the risks and hardships of the revolution popular with the common man, perhaps more so than any other individual.
First learning the art of persuasion as a criminal lawyer, Unger writes of Henry…
He left courtroom spectators stunned, breathless, helpless – in effect, captives.
He is best known for the famous line…” Give me liberty or give me death,” when addressing the Virginia convention in 1775.
But I found his most brilliant speech was ten years earlier, as a 29-year-old member of the Virginia House of Burgesses. He railed against the tyrannical Stamp Act. In summation, he declared…
Caesar had his Brutus, Charles the First his Cromwell, and George the Third…
***Dramatic pause for effect***
Met by cries of “Treason” by the Senior Burgesses before Henry continued, I must imagine with a mischievous sparkle in his eye…
George the Third,” he boomed in defiance, “may profit by their example! If this be treason, make the most of it!”
Thomas Jefferson would describe the moment…
I attended the debate…and heard the splendid display of Mr. Henry’s talents as a popular orator. They were great indeed; such as I have never heard from any other man…
George Mason would say of Henry…
He is by far the most powerful speaker I have ever heard.
Every word he says not only engages but commands the attention; and your passions are no longer your own when he addresses them. But his eloquence is the smallest part of his merit. He is in my opinion the first man upon this continent, as well in abilities and public virtues, and had he lived in Rome…Mr. Henry’s talents must have put him at the head of that glorious commonwealth.
At one point, in the debate over the Constitution, Henry’s oratory became a nearly supernatural legend; while expressing his most vehement passions in warning against the Constitution, the skies broke, and thunderclaps seemed to accentuate his every pause and point. Again, I imagine a sly grin as he made nature’s fury his own.
History has been a bit unkind to Patrick Henry for his opposition to the Constitution. He was a firm Anti-Federalist and envisioned a loose confederation of independent states. He feared the Constitution gave Congress tyrannical powers. He was also adamant that it sorely lacked a “Bill of Rights.” He proved insightful on that point, and I am not convinced his fears of almighty federal over-reach are not similarly justified.
During his day, and apart from George Washington, Patrick Henry was probably the nation’s most beloved founding father. He would likely have been the third president had he not declined the many calls for him to run. Despite his public declination, he finished fourth behind Jefferson, Adams, and Thomas Pinckney.
He was a devoted husband and father, with 15 children from 2 marriages. He kept a strict moral code, avoiding alcohol and gambling. He was a student of the Bible, saying…
This book is worth all the books that ever were printed.
Harlow Giles Unger’s work is a concise and compelling narrative. Concise, likely of necessity. In yet another contrast to Jefferson, Patrick Henry left few written records. Much of what is known of him is gleaned from the writings and memories of other founding fathers. And while he is neither perfect saint nor sinner, I now have a better understanding of and greater respect for the Lion of Liberty.
I’m going to claim lineage tracing to Patrick Henry. His daughter, Martha, married John Fontaine, a descendent of Huguenots, the de la Fontaines. Most of my clan have accepted further Anglicization to Fountain, but yeah…I’m apparently the great-great-great-great grandson or something like that of Patrick Henry
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First of all, this is one of those books that makes me want to drop everything and read this instead. Of course, I'm adding it to my wishlist -- certainly will check to see if my library has it. I admire Henry so much, I almost considered Patrick for my son's name (along w/ Nathan, as in Hale) bc Henry had been such a patriot for liberty, but I didn't think it went well with Lopez. I will definitely read this. Second -- about your lineage...WOW! That's awesome! Patrick Henry was the quintessential American patriot, something Americans have lost connection to. We could use a Patrick Henry today.
ReplyDeleteAmen!
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