Reminiscences of Patrick Henry [pp. 366-368]

366 Reminisce~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~e of Patrick Htnr~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~. (JUKR,~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Remniniscence of Patrick Henry.
We copy the following highly interesting paper from
the Princeton Magazine. It is from the pen of the venerable Rev. Dr. Archibald Alexander, a man variously distinguished as a scholar, a writer and a divine. One of our
friends of the newspaper press, Mr. Carrington of the6
Richmond Times. in recurring to a well-remembered sentiment of John Q. Adams, has fitly designated these delightful recollections as "Sibylline Leaves." They are indeed
rendered doubly precious by the fact that many eloquent
memorials of the past history of our Commonwealth have
been destroyed, and others suffered to perish for want of
a proper depository wherein to enshrine them. Of the
contemporaries of the "giants" of" those days" how few
survive! Let us hope that Dr. Alexander may yet live
long to record other of his charming reminiscences of an
age that has passed away.-Ed. Sou. Lit. Mess.
From my earliest childhood I had been accustomed to hear of the eloquence of Patrick Henry.
On this subject there existed but one opinion in
the country. The power of his eloquence was
felt equally by the learned and unlearned. No
man who ever heard him speak, on any important occasion, could fail to admit his uncommon
power over the minds of his hearers. The occasions on which he made his greatest efforts
have been recorded by Mr. Wirt in his Life of
Henry. What I propose in this brief article is
to mention only what I observed myself more
than half a century ago.
Being then a young man just entering on a
profession in which good speaking was very important, it-was natural for me to observe the oratory of celebrated men. I was anxious to ascertain the true secret of their power; or what
it was which enabled them to sway the minds
of their hearers, almost at their will.
In executing a mission from the Synod of Virginia, in the year 1794, I had to pass through
the county of Prince Edward, where Mr. Henry
resided. Understanding that he was to appear
before the Circuit Court which met in that county,
in defence of three men charged with murder, I
determined to seize the opportunity of observing
for myself the eloquence of this extraordinary
orator.
It was with some difficulty I obtained a seat
in front of the bar, where I could have a full view
of the speaker, as well as hear him distinctly.
But I had to suhmit to a severe pentiance in gratifying my curiosity, for the whole day was occupied with the examination of witnesses, in which
Mr. Henry was aided by two other lawyers.
In person, Mr. Henry was lean rather than
fleshy. He was rather above than below the
common height, but had a stoop in his shoulders
which prevented him from appearing as tall as
he really was. In his moments-of animnation he
had the habit of straightening his frame, and adding to his apparent stature. He wore a brown
wig, which exhibited no indication of great care
in the dressing. Over his shoulders he wore a
brown camlet cloak. Under this his clothing
was black; something the worse for wear. The
expression of his countenance was that of solemnity and deep earnestness. His mind appeared to be always absorbed in what, for the
time, occupied his attention. His forehead was
high and spacious, and the skin of his face more
than usually wrinkled for a man of fifty. His
eyes were small and deeply set in his head, but
were of a bright blue color, and twinkled much
in their sockets. In short, Mr. Henry's appearance had nothing very remarkable as he sat at
rest. You might readily have taken him for a
common planter, who cared very little about his
personal appearance. In his manners he was
uniformly respectful and courteous.
Candles were brought into the court house,
when the examination of the witnesses closed;
and the judges put it to the option of the bar,
whether they would go on with the argument that
night, or adjourn until the next day. Paul Carrington, Jr., the attorney for the State, a man of
large size, and uncommon dignity of person and
manner, as also an accomplished lawyer, professed his willingness to proceed immediately,
whilst the testimony was fresh in the minds of
all. Now for the first time I heard Mr. Henry
make anything of a speech; and though it was
short, it satisfied me of one thing, which I had
particularly desired to have decided; namely,
whether like a player he merely assumed the appearauce of feeling. His manner of addressing
the court was profoundly respectful. He would
be willing to proceed with the trial, but said he,
" My heart is so oppressed with the weight of
responsibility which rests upon me, having the
lives of three fellow-citizeus depending, probably, on the exertion which I may be able to make
in their behalf, (here he turned to the prisoners
behind him) that I do not feel able to proceed tonight. I hope the court will indulge me, and
postpone the trial till morning." The impression made by these few words was such as I assure myself 1no one can ever conceive, by seeing
them in print. In the countenance, action, and
intonation of the speaker, there was expressed
such an intensity of feeling, that all my doubts
were dispelled; never again did I question whether Henry felt, or only acted a feeling. Indeed
I experienced an instantaneous sympathy with
him in the emotions which he expressed; and I
have no doubt the same sympathy was felt by
every hearer.
As a matter of course the proceedings were
deferred till the next morning. I w'as early at
3m
Reminiscence o Patrick Henry.
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