1 00:00:05,920 --> 00:00:08,600 Speaker 1: On this episode in each world. The lives of these 2 00:00:08,640 --> 00:00:11,920 Speaker 1: men are essential to understand the American form of government 3 00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:15,560 Speaker 1: and our ideals of liberty. The Founding Fathers all played 4 00:00:15,640 --> 00:00:19,480 Speaker 1: key roles in securing American independence from Great Britain and 5 00:00:19,520 --> 00:00:21,520 Speaker 1: in the creation of the government of the United States 6 00:00:21,560 --> 00:00:35,800 Speaker 1: of America. And now the life of Thomas Paine. As 7 00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:38,760 Speaker 1: a young person, Patrick Henry accompanied his mother to sermons 8 00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:45,120 Speaker 1: given by evangelical Presbyterian Samuel Davies, whose oratorical skills had 9 00:00:45,120 --> 00:00:48,360 Speaker 1: a strong influence on him. Remember this was during the 10 00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:53,120 Speaker 1: Great Awakening, a period of enormous Protestant Revivalism which had 11 00:00:53,159 --> 00:00:56,160 Speaker 1: a deep impact. Grew in part out of the work 12 00:00:56,480 --> 00:00:59,080 Speaker 1: of the Wesley Brothers, the founding of the Methodist Church, 13 00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:04,280 Speaker 1: and the whole notion of individuals approaching God outside of 14 00:01:04,280 --> 00:01:08,720 Speaker 1: the established religions, whether Anglican or Catholic, became enormously deep 15 00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:12,440 Speaker 1: emotional power, both in Britain and in the United States. 16 00:01:12,760 --> 00:01:16,760 Speaker 1: And Patrick Henry was influenced by Samuel Davies, both in 17 00:01:16,800 --> 00:01:20,840 Speaker 1: his religion but also in rhetorical skills, in the ability 18 00:01:21,319 --> 00:01:25,120 Speaker 1: to weave words so that they had a magic effect. 19 00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:28,640 Speaker 1: He was the second son of John Henry, a Scottish 20 00:01:28,680 --> 00:01:33,039 Speaker 1: born planter, and Sarah Winston Sign, a young widow from 21 00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:36,160 Speaker 1: a prominent family. He was born on May twenty ninth, 22 00:01:36,520 --> 00:01:41,120 Speaker 1: seventeen thirty six in Hanover County, Virginia. Back then, Hanover 23 00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:43,760 Speaker 1: County is pretty close to the frontier. We tend to 24 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:47,520 Speaker 1: forget because we're used to a continent wide America that 25 00:01:47,640 --> 00:01:51,360 Speaker 1: in the early phases, the American colonies were really a 26 00:01:51,480 --> 00:01:55,200 Speaker 1: thin layer along the coast, and as you went towards 27 00:01:55,280 --> 00:01:57,840 Speaker 1: the Blue Ridge Mountains, you were beginning to get into 28 00:01:57,880 --> 00:01:59,920 Speaker 1: Indian country, and you were beginning to get into a 29 00:02:00,320 --> 00:02:03,160 Speaker 1: very different wilderness area. So that a lot of these 30 00:02:03,160 --> 00:02:07,120 Speaker 1: folks who grow up grow up not exactly on the frontier, 31 00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:10,120 Speaker 1: but near enough to the frontier to be vividly aware 32 00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:13,160 Speaker 1: of it. Up until the age of ten, Patrick Henry 33 00:02:13,200 --> 00:02:16,519 Speaker 1: was sent to a neighborhood school. Then his father opened 34 00:02:16,520 --> 00:02:19,560 Speaker 1: a grammar school in his own house, and Henry started 35 00:02:19,600 --> 00:02:22,839 Speaker 1: to attend and learn under his father. At the age 36 00:02:22,880 --> 00:02:25,680 Speaker 1: of fifteen, Henry began working as a clerk for a 37 00:02:25,680 --> 00:02:27,840 Speaker 1: local merchant. And let me say, by the way, I 38 00:02:27,880 --> 00:02:30,120 Speaker 1: think we'd be a lot better off to have a 39 00:02:30,160 --> 00:02:32,200 Speaker 1: lot of young people who are sitting around or standing 40 00:02:32,200 --> 00:02:35,960 Speaker 1: around on street corners actually having a job. I think 41 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:39,640 Speaker 1: that in many ways our effort to avoid children working 42 00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:41,800 Speaker 1: too early has meant that all too many children don't 43 00:02:41,800 --> 00:02:45,600 Speaker 1: work at all. But people like Patrick Henry, or for 44 00:02:45,639 --> 00:02:49,720 Speaker 1: that matter, Benjamin Franklin, started young, grew and learned, and 45 00:02:49,760 --> 00:02:53,320 Speaker 1: became important people. A year later, in seventeen fifty two, 46 00:02:53,680 --> 00:02:56,680 Speaker 1: Henry and his older brother opened their own shop. However, 47 00:02:56,720 --> 00:03:00,000 Speaker 1: it failed, but nonetheless noticed that at sixteen years of age, 48 00:03:00,440 --> 00:03:03,600 Speaker 1: he's out there as an entrepreneur. At the age of eighteen, 49 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:08,160 Speaker 1: Henry married sixteen year old Sarah Shelton, whose dowry included 50 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:11,720 Speaker 1: a six hundred acre farm, not a bad deal. His 51 00:03:11,760 --> 00:03:15,000 Speaker 1: first attempt as a planner ended when a fire destroyed 52 00:03:15,040 --> 00:03:18,720 Speaker 1: his house. In seventeen fifty seven, he attempted open a 53 00:03:18,760 --> 00:03:22,120 Speaker 1: store for a second time, and it was again unsuccessful. 54 00:03:22,880 --> 00:03:25,639 Speaker 1: Sometimes to some of our greatest leaders, when people who 55 00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:29,520 Speaker 1: weren't exactly have their greatest strengths in running a store. 56 00:03:29,520 --> 00:03:32,160 Speaker 1: I remember that Lincoln ends up with a partner and 57 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:34,840 Speaker 1: goes broke as a young man and spends years paying 58 00:03:34,880 --> 00:03:39,280 Speaker 1: off the debt. By seventeen sixty, near Patrick Henry's twenty 59 00:03:39,280 --> 00:03:42,680 Speaker 1: fourth birthday. After all his previous attempts at making a 60 00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:46,960 Speaker 1: living failed, Henry decided to become a lawyer. I won't 61 00:03:46,960 --> 00:03:49,600 Speaker 1: go into my own biases here that once you felt 62 00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:52,280 Speaker 1: everything else, you could become a lawyer, but nonetheless that's 63 00:03:52,280 --> 00:03:55,680 Speaker 1: what he did. Henry was barely prepared, but managed to 64 00:03:55,720 --> 00:03:58,800 Speaker 1: persuade the panel of Virginia attorneys that he was smart 65 00:03:58,880 --> 00:04:01,920 Speaker 1: enough to obtain admission to the bar. Remember, back then, 66 00:04:02,240 --> 00:04:05,560 Speaker 1: you didn't have the formal educational structure and the formal 67 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:08,280 Speaker 1: test that you had to pass in order to become 68 00:04:08,320 --> 00:04:12,040 Speaker 1: a lawyer. You usually read under other lawyers, learned from them, 69 00:04:12,360 --> 00:04:14,840 Speaker 1: and then at some point were judged to be capable 70 00:04:14,880 --> 00:04:17,800 Speaker 1: of representing the law on your own. Within a few 71 00:04:17,880 --> 00:04:20,159 Speaker 1: years after his admission to the bar, he had a 72 00:04:20,240 --> 00:04:23,360 Speaker 1: large and profitable clientele. I think part of that was 73 00:04:23,400 --> 00:04:26,719 Speaker 1: because he really was articulate, and he really could weave 74 00:04:26,800 --> 00:04:30,320 Speaker 1: words for a jury, and he liked people. Just had 75 00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:33,640 Speaker 1: a natural proclivity for talking to people, and so folks 76 00:04:33,720 --> 00:04:36,520 Speaker 1: knew that he was approachable, they could take their problem 77 00:04:36,560 --> 00:04:39,560 Speaker 1: to him, and he tended to win the cases. One 78 00:04:39,600 --> 00:04:42,599 Speaker 1: of the most famous cases Henry argument was the Parsons 79 00:04:42,680 --> 00:04:45,960 Speaker 1: Cause case. The Anglican Church in Virginia at the time 80 00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:50,240 Speaker 1: was funded through public revenues and clergymen were paid in tobacco. 81 00:04:50,440 --> 00:04:53,880 Speaker 1: When a severe drought caused shortages, the price of tobacco 82 00:04:53,920 --> 00:04:57,039 Speaker 1: went up from two cents per pound to six cents 83 00:04:57,040 --> 00:05:00,839 Speaker 1: per pound. In response, the Virginia Ledge Wis Lecture passed 84 00:05:00,839 --> 00:05:03,800 Speaker 1: the two Penny Act in seventeen fifty eight, which set 85 00:05:03,839 --> 00:05:06,800 Speaker 1: the value of the contracts that the clergyman got paid 86 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:10,040 Speaker 1: to be the normal market price before the price of 87 00:05:10,120 --> 00:05:12,919 Speaker 1: tobacco went up. Well. That of course led to the 88 00:05:12,920 --> 00:05:16,479 Speaker 1: clergyman's salaries being pretty dramatically reduced. They thought they were 89 00:05:16,480 --> 00:05:18,400 Speaker 1: going to get six cents a pound. Now they were 90 00:05:18,440 --> 00:05:20,599 Speaker 1: told they're going to get two cents a pound. The 91 00:05:20,680 --> 00:05:24,320 Speaker 1: clergy appealed to authorities in England, who then overturned the 92 00:05:24,400 --> 00:05:27,480 Speaker 1: law and encouraged the ministers to sue for back pay. 93 00:05:28,440 --> 00:05:32,360 Speaker 1: In Hanover County, the Reverend James Morey sued his parish 94 00:05:32,480 --> 00:05:37,680 Speaker 1: vestry for back pay in December seventeen sixty three. A 95 00:05:37,839 --> 00:05:41,120 Speaker 1: young Patrick Henry argued on behalf of the vestry that 96 00:05:41,240 --> 00:05:45,120 Speaker 1: England changing the law was an overreach of British authority. 97 00:05:45,920 --> 00:05:47,760 Speaker 1: Now think about this in the context of how it's 98 00:05:47,800 --> 00:05:50,600 Speaker 1: going to evolve from here. Here he is in seventeen 99 00:05:50,680 --> 00:05:54,920 Speaker 1: sixty three arguing the following quote, the Act of seventeen 100 00:05:55,040 --> 00:05:58,359 Speaker 1: fifty eight had every characteristic give a good law and 101 00:05:58,480 --> 00:06:03,080 Speaker 1: a king by annulling or disallowing acts of so solitary 102 00:06:03,120 --> 00:06:06,680 Speaker 1: a nature from being father of his people, degenerated into 103 00:06:06,720 --> 00:06:10,240 Speaker 1: a tyrant and forfeits all rights to his subjects obedience. 104 00:06:10,760 --> 00:06:13,520 Speaker 1: Now think about this language, and by the way, in 105 00:06:13,560 --> 00:06:15,960 Speaker 1: the British system at that time, this could have counted 106 00:06:15,960 --> 00:06:20,920 Speaker 1: as treason. He says, degenerated into a tyrant. Remember he's 107 00:06:20,920 --> 00:06:24,400 Speaker 1: referring specifically to the King of England, forfeits all rights 108 00:06:24,440 --> 00:06:27,520 Speaker 1: to his subjects obedience. And this is over a simple 109 00:06:27,640 --> 00:06:32,000 Speaker 1: law involving the payment to clergy of tobacco. Henry persuaded 110 00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:35,640 Speaker 1: the jury to award May a minimum compensation of one penny. 111 00:06:36,040 --> 00:06:39,080 Speaker 1: Henry's role in the case helped launch his political career. 112 00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:43,880 Speaker 1: In seventeen sixty four, Henry moved to Louisa County, where 113 00:06:43,880 --> 00:06:46,760 Speaker 1: he was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses. He 114 00:06:46,880 --> 00:06:50,839 Speaker 1: was sworn into office on May twentieth, seventeen sixty five. 115 00:06:51,600 --> 00:06:54,000 Speaker 1: And this is a very very key time in American 116 00:06:54,080 --> 00:06:59,320 Speaker 1: history because later that month, that is May seventeen sixty five, 117 00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:04,280 Speaker 1: Arliament passes the Stamp Act. Now what was happening was 118 00:07:04,320 --> 00:07:07,080 Speaker 1: the British had spent a huge amount of money winning 119 00:07:07,160 --> 00:07:09,400 Speaker 1: the French and Indian War, or the Seven Years War 120 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:11,680 Speaker 1: was called in Britain, and in the French Indian War 121 00:07:11,720 --> 00:07:15,800 Speaker 1: they had conquered Canada, so that had eliminated the primary 122 00:07:16,240 --> 00:07:20,080 Speaker 1: threat of Indians. To the colonists. The British attitude was, 123 00:07:20,520 --> 00:07:23,960 Speaker 1: since we've now liberated you from this threat, we should 124 00:07:23,960 --> 00:07:26,040 Speaker 1: have your help in paying off the debts we ran 125 00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:29,240 Speaker 1: up during the war. The American colonist, of course, who 126 00:07:29,240 --> 00:07:32,480 Speaker 1: as Paul Johnson once said, probably had the lowest tax 127 00:07:32,560 --> 00:07:36,000 Speaker 1: rate of any people in civilized history, and resented every 128 00:07:36,080 --> 00:07:39,160 Speaker 1: penny of it. The colonists were not particularly grateful. They 129 00:07:39,160 --> 00:07:41,160 Speaker 1: figured the British king had won because that was to 130 00:07:41,200 --> 00:07:43,800 Speaker 1: his advantage, and they had no interest in helping him 131 00:07:43,800 --> 00:07:46,640 Speaker 1: pay off the debt. So the Parliament passes the Stamp 132 00:07:46,680 --> 00:07:49,400 Speaker 1: Act in order to try to get money out of 133 00:07:49,400 --> 00:07:52,000 Speaker 1: the colonies to pay off the debt that had grown 134 00:07:52,080 --> 00:07:56,200 Speaker 1: up during the seven years war. Henry authors the Virginia 135 00:07:56,400 --> 00:08:00,440 Speaker 1: Stamp Act Resolutions in response to the Stamp Actice seventeen 136 00:08:00,480 --> 00:08:04,320 Speaker 1: sixty five. During heated debates in the House of Burgesses, 137 00:08:04,840 --> 00:08:08,200 Speaker 1: Henry compared King George the Third to both Julius Caesar 138 00:08:08,520 --> 00:08:11,800 Speaker 1: and Charles the First. Charles the Frost, remember, is the 139 00:08:11,880 --> 00:08:15,840 Speaker 1: English king who in the Civil War is beheaded, noting 140 00:08:15,880 --> 00:08:19,560 Speaker 1: that George might quote prophet by their example. Now what's 141 00:08:19,560 --> 00:08:22,840 Speaker 1: he saying saying? Well, Caesar, who of course is assassinated 142 00:08:23,160 --> 00:08:25,520 Speaker 1: by people who feared he was going to become a dictator, 143 00:08:25,960 --> 00:08:27,880 Speaker 1: and Charles the First, who literally had his head cut 144 00:08:27,920 --> 00:08:30,840 Speaker 1: off by his subjects. When you say somebody might profit 145 00:08:30,880 --> 00:08:34,400 Speaker 1: by their example, is kind of indirectly suggesting that the 146 00:08:34,480 --> 00:08:37,720 Speaker 1: king might in fact lose his head and his life 147 00:08:38,080 --> 00:08:42,319 Speaker 1: if he continues down this road. Henry introduced seven resolutions. 148 00:08:42,880 --> 00:08:45,640 Speaker 1: Five of those resolutions he introduced during the debate. The 149 00:08:45,679 --> 00:08:48,360 Speaker 1: fifth one was adopted by a marginal one vote, but 150 00:08:48,440 --> 00:08:51,600 Speaker 1: the next day, under pressure from the Governor, the House 151 00:08:51,640 --> 00:08:55,240 Speaker 1: of Burgesses rescinded the resolution and headed a race from 152 00:08:55,240 --> 00:08:59,600 Speaker 1: the official record. His fifth resolution read, and to think 153 00:08:59,600 --> 00:09:02,840 Speaker 1: about the because this is the very beginnings of the 154 00:09:02,840 --> 00:09:08,760 Speaker 1: movement towards independence. Quote resolved therefore, that the General Assembly 155 00:09:08,760 --> 00:09:11,560 Speaker 1: of this Colony, with the consent of His Majesty or 156 00:09:11,559 --> 00:09:15,200 Speaker 1: his substitute, have the sole riding authority to lay taxes 157 00:09:15,440 --> 00:09:20,240 Speaker 1: and impositions upon its inhabitants, and that every attempt to 158 00:09:20,360 --> 00:09:24,359 Speaker 1: vest such authority in any other person or persons whatsoever, 159 00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:29,959 Speaker 1: has a manifest tendency to destroy American freedom. Now, the 160 00:09:30,080 --> 00:09:32,560 Speaker 1: two things are important about this. The first is this 161 00:09:32,679 --> 00:09:36,720 Speaker 1: is an assertion that only the colonies can tax themselves, 162 00:09:36,840 --> 00:09:40,960 Speaker 1: that London cannot tax them. Second, notice, the word he 163 00:09:41,040 --> 00:09:46,440 Speaker 1: uses doesn't talk about Virginia to destroy American freedom, and 164 00:09:46,480 --> 00:09:49,079 Speaker 1: it's one of the earliest references that this is about 165 00:09:49,120 --> 00:09:53,000 Speaker 1: to become an American revolution, not just a colonial revolution 166 00:09:53,080 --> 00:09:58,160 Speaker 1: of individual colonies. Virginia's royal governor, Francis Fauquet, prevented the 167 00:09:58,160 --> 00:10:02,280 Speaker 1: publications of all seven of Henry's resolutions, including the one 168 00:10:02,400 --> 00:10:04,840 Speaker 1: that was struck from the record, from being published in 169 00:10:04,880 --> 00:10:09,479 Speaker 1: the Virginia Gazette. Despite the governor's attempts to suppress this information, 170 00:10:09,920 --> 00:10:13,400 Speaker 1: within a few weeks, Henry's resolutions were published in other colonies, 171 00:10:13,400 --> 00:10:17,960 Speaker 1: including Maryland, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts. He's beginning to get 172 00:10:18,240 --> 00:10:21,280 Speaker 1: a national audience for what he's saying and how he's 173 00:10:21,320 --> 00:10:24,280 Speaker 1: doing it. Henry continued to serve in the House of 174 00:10:24,280 --> 00:10:27,480 Speaker 1: Burgesses throughout the seventeen sixties. In the early seventeen seventies, 175 00:10:27,920 --> 00:10:31,559 Speaker 1: in September seventeen seventy four, Henry and six other Virginia 176 00:10:31,600 --> 00:10:36,040 Speaker 1: delegates traveled to the First Continental Congress. In all, fifty 177 00:10:36,080 --> 00:10:40,480 Speaker 1: six delegates from twelve colonies came to Philadelphia. Henry believed 178 00:10:40,480 --> 00:10:44,040 Speaker 1: the colonies were on the path to war and declared, quote, 179 00:10:44,640 --> 00:10:49,800 Speaker 1: distinctions between Virginians, Pennsylvanians, New Yorkers, and New Englanders are 180 00:10:49,880 --> 00:10:53,479 Speaker 1: no more. I am not a Virginian but an American. 181 00:10:54,400 --> 00:10:57,480 Speaker 1: Now this is a revolutionary statement. You'll notice that when 182 00:10:57,520 --> 00:11:01,080 Speaker 1: you get to the American Civil War some seventy years 183 00:11:01,080 --> 00:11:03,640 Speaker 1: eighty years later. At that point you have people say, well, 184 00:11:03,679 --> 00:11:06,680 Speaker 1: I can't. ROBERTI leaves a good example. He breaks his 185 00:11:06,760 --> 00:11:10,040 Speaker 1: oath as a West Point graduate to side with Virginia. 186 00:11:10,600 --> 00:11:13,160 Speaker 1: So he didn't quite get what Patrick Henry was getting at, 187 00:11:13,200 --> 00:11:17,080 Speaker 1: which is that Henry was an American. Now he saw 188 00:11:17,120 --> 00:11:21,720 Speaker 1: the future as all the colonies working together, not as 189 00:11:21,760 --> 00:11:43,559 Speaker 1: a Virginia rebellion, but an American rebellion. During their session 190 00:11:43,559 --> 00:11:46,360 Speaker 1: in Philadelphia. In this First Continental of Congress, the group 191 00:11:46,440 --> 00:11:49,480 Speaker 1: agreed to boycott British goods within the colonies as a 192 00:11:49,520 --> 00:11:52,199 Speaker 1: sign of protest. They also called for an end to 193 00:11:52,240 --> 00:11:55,679 Speaker 1: exports degree Britain the following year if the intolerable acts 194 00:11:55,679 --> 00:11:58,240 Speaker 1: were not repealed by the way, as a great example 195 00:11:58,280 --> 00:12:02,360 Speaker 1: of good word use. The act were intolerable, Now, who's 196 00:12:02,400 --> 00:12:05,439 Speaker 1: going to be for an intolerable act? While he attended 197 00:12:05,440 --> 00:12:09,439 Speaker 1: the First Continental Congress, Henry cared for his sick wife, Sarah. 198 00:12:09,480 --> 00:12:12,520 Speaker 1: Henry became depressed and violent after the birth of their 199 00:12:12,600 --> 00:12:16,080 Speaker 1: sixth and last child in seventeen seventy one. Rather than 200 00:12:16,120 --> 00:12:18,920 Speaker 1: moving his wife to an institution, Henry kept her at 201 00:12:18,920 --> 00:12:21,680 Speaker 1: home and she was carried by an enslaved servant. She 202 00:12:21,880 --> 00:12:26,079 Speaker 1: died in early seventeen seventy five. On March twenty third, 203 00:12:26,160 --> 00:12:30,360 Speaker 1: seventeen seventy five, at Saint John's Church in Richmond, Henry 204 00:12:30,400 --> 00:12:34,199 Speaker 1: spoke at the Second Virginia Convention in response to interference 205 00:12:34,200 --> 00:12:37,360 Speaker 1: of the Royal Navy brought in from the King's appointed governor, 206 00:12:37,640 --> 00:12:41,199 Speaker 1: Lord Dunmore. Henry had discussed the need to formed armed 207 00:12:41,200 --> 00:12:44,680 Speaker 1: militias in Virginia in case British troops attempted to control 208 00:12:44,720 --> 00:12:47,040 Speaker 1: the area. And this is an important note about the 209 00:12:47,040 --> 00:12:51,920 Speaker 1: American Revolution. It is the existence of armed militias which 210 00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:55,080 Speaker 1: enables the Americans to stand up to the British. If 211 00:12:55,160 --> 00:12:57,640 Speaker 1: they had not had armed militias, the British would have 212 00:12:57,679 --> 00:13:00,240 Speaker 1: crushed them easily. And that's why they wrote in the 213 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:03,320 Speaker 1: Second Amendment on the right to bear arms, because they 214 00:13:03,360 --> 00:13:07,880 Speaker 1: understood the difference between an armed citizenry and a disarmed citizenry. 215 00:13:08,640 --> 00:13:11,160 Speaker 1: It's not exactly known what Henry said during the meeting, 216 00:13:11,559 --> 00:13:16,320 Speaker 1: but years later biographer William Wirt in eighteen seventeen reconstructed 217 00:13:16,320 --> 00:13:20,120 Speaker 1: the speech based on recollections of Thomas Jefferson and others 218 00:13:20,120 --> 00:13:23,720 Speaker 1: in attendance. The end of Ritz's recollection ended with the 219 00:13:23,760 --> 00:13:27,920 Speaker 1: famous give me liberty or give me deathline. It's actually 220 00:13:27,960 --> 00:13:31,040 Speaker 1: unknown if Henry actually said it, and that's pretty much 221 00:13:31,120 --> 00:13:36,319 Speaker 1: drawing a line. Rit's recollection of speech is this quote, 222 00:13:36,920 --> 00:13:39,000 Speaker 1: no man thinks more highly than I do of the 223 00:13:39,000 --> 00:13:43,319 Speaker 1: patriotism as well as abilities of the very worthy gentlemen 224 00:13:43,559 --> 00:13:46,640 Speaker 1: who have just addressed the house. But different men often 225 00:13:46,679 --> 00:13:49,520 Speaker 1: see the same subject in different nights, and therefore I 226 00:13:49,559 --> 00:13:52,120 Speaker 1: hope it will not be thought disrespectful to those gentlemen. 227 00:13:52,559 --> 00:13:55,520 Speaker 1: If entertaining as I do, opinions of a character are 228 00:13:55,559 --> 00:13:58,680 Speaker 1: very opposite to theirs, I shall speak forth my sentiments 229 00:13:58,720 --> 00:14:03,000 Speaker 1: freely and without reserve. This is no time for ceremony. 230 00:14:03,480 --> 00:14:06,079 Speaker 1: The question before the House is one of awful moment 231 00:14:06,120 --> 00:14:09,560 Speaker 1: to this country. For my own part, I consider as 232 00:14:09,600 --> 00:14:12,280 Speaker 1: nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery, and, 233 00:14:12,360 --> 00:14:14,920 Speaker 1: in proportion to the magnitude of the subject, ought to 234 00:14:14,960 --> 00:14:17,520 Speaker 1: be the freedom of the debate. It is only in 235 00:14:17,520 --> 00:14:19,520 Speaker 1: this way that we can hope to arrive at truth 236 00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:23,640 Speaker 1: and fulfill the great responsibility which we hold to God 237 00:14:23,960 --> 00:14:26,880 Speaker 1: in our country. Shall I keep back my opinions at 238 00:14:26,920 --> 00:14:29,960 Speaker 1: such a time through fear of giving offense? I should 239 00:14:29,960 --> 00:14:33,200 Speaker 1: consider myself as guilty of treason towards my country, of 240 00:14:33,240 --> 00:14:36,680 Speaker 1: an act of disloyalty towards the majesty of Heaven, which 241 00:14:36,720 --> 00:14:41,320 Speaker 1: I revere above all earthly kings. Mister President, it is 242 00:14:41,480 --> 00:14:44,720 Speaker 1: natural to a man to indulge in the illusions of hope. 243 00:14:45,240 --> 00:14:47,280 Speaker 1: We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful 244 00:14:47,320 --> 00:14:50,720 Speaker 1: truth and listen to the song of that siren child 245 00:14:50,760 --> 00:14:54,000 Speaker 1: he transforms us into beasts. Is this the part of 246 00:14:54,040 --> 00:14:57,520 Speaker 1: wise men engage in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? 247 00:14:58,080 --> 00:15:00,280 Speaker 1: Are we disposed to be of the number of those who, 248 00:15:00,640 --> 00:15:04,600 Speaker 1: having eyes see not, and having ears hear not the 249 00:15:04,680 --> 00:15:09,040 Speaker 1: things which so nearly concern their temporal salvation? For my part, 250 00:15:09,480 --> 00:15:12,760 Speaker 1: whatever anguish or spirit it may cost, I am willing 251 00:15:12,800 --> 00:15:15,360 Speaker 1: to know the whole truth, to know the worst, and 252 00:15:15,440 --> 00:15:18,840 Speaker 1: to provide for it. I have but one lamp by 253 00:15:18,840 --> 00:15:21,360 Speaker 1: which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp 254 00:15:21,400 --> 00:15:24,480 Speaker 1: of experience. I know of no way of judging of 255 00:15:24,520 --> 00:15:27,760 Speaker 1: the future but by the past, and judging by the past. 256 00:15:28,520 --> 00:15:30,040 Speaker 1: I wish to know what there has been in the 257 00:15:30,080 --> 00:15:32,440 Speaker 1: conduct of the British ministry for the last ten years 258 00:15:32,960 --> 00:15:35,840 Speaker 1: to justify those hopes with which gentlemen have been pleased 259 00:15:35,880 --> 00:15:39,600 Speaker 1: to solace themselves in the house. Is it that insidious 260 00:15:39,640 --> 00:15:43,520 Speaker 1: smile with which our petition has been lately received? Trust 261 00:15:43,560 --> 00:15:46,040 Speaker 1: it not, sir, It will prove a snare to your feet. 262 00:15:46,760 --> 00:15:50,080 Speaker 1: Suffer not yourselves to be betrayed with a kiss. Ask 263 00:15:50,120 --> 00:15:54,320 Speaker 1: yourselves how this gracious reception of our petition comports with 264 00:15:54,440 --> 00:15:57,960 Speaker 1: those warlike preparations which cover our waters in darken our lamp, 265 00:15:59,440 --> 00:16:03,280 Speaker 1: our fleets, armies necessary to a work of love and reconciliation. 266 00:16:04,200 --> 00:16:06,920 Speaker 1: Have we shown ourselves so unwilling to be reconciled that 267 00:16:07,120 --> 00:16:09,640 Speaker 1: force must be called in to win back our love? 268 00:16:10,480 --> 00:16:14,040 Speaker 1: Let us not deceive ourselves. These are the implements of 269 00:16:14,120 --> 00:16:18,000 Speaker 1: war and subjugation, the last arguments to which kings resort. 270 00:16:18,720 --> 00:16:22,560 Speaker 1: I asked, gentlemen, sir, what means this martial array? If 271 00:16:22,600 --> 00:16:25,840 Speaker 1: its purpose be not to force us into submission? Can 272 00:16:25,920 --> 00:16:29,440 Speaker 1: gentlemen assign any other possible motive? For it has Great 273 00:16:29,440 --> 00:16:31,960 Speaker 1: Britain any enemy in this quarter of the world to 274 00:16:32,080 --> 00:16:35,520 Speaker 1: call for all this accumulation of armies and navies, No, sir, 275 00:16:35,600 --> 00:16:38,880 Speaker 1: she has none. They are meant for us. They can 276 00:16:38,920 --> 00:16:41,600 Speaker 1: be meant for no other. They are sent over to 277 00:16:41,720 --> 00:16:45,040 Speaker 1: bind and rivet upon us those chains which the British 278 00:16:45,040 --> 00:16:48,000 Speaker 1: ministry have been so long forging. And what have we 279 00:16:48,000 --> 00:16:51,640 Speaker 1: to oppose them? Shall we try, argument, sir? We have 280 00:16:51,680 --> 00:16:54,600 Speaker 1: been trying that for the last ten years. Have we 281 00:16:54,640 --> 00:16:58,240 Speaker 1: anything new to offer upon the subject? Nothing? We've held 282 00:16:58,240 --> 00:17:00,400 Speaker 1: the subject up in every light of which it is capable, 283 00:17:01,000 --> 00:17:04,399 Speaker 1: but it has been all in vain. Shall we resort 284 00:17:04,440 --> 00:17:08,240 Speaker 1: to entreaty and humble supplication. What terms shall we find 285 00:17:08,480 --> 00:17:11,800 Speaker 1: which have not been already exhausted. Let us not, I 286 00:17:11,840 --> 00:17:15,760 Speaker 1: beseech you, sir, deceive ourselves. Sir, we have done everything 287 00:17:15,760 --> 00:17:17,520 Speaker 1: that can be done to avert the storm which is 288 00:17:17,560 --> 00:17:21,879 Speaker 1: now coming on. We have petitioned, we have remonstrated, we 289 00:17:21,920 --> 00:17:25,760 Speaker 1: have supplicated, We have prostated ourselves before the throne and 290 00:17:25,840 --> 00:17:29,359 Speaker 1: have implored its inner position to arrest the tyrannical hands 291 00:17:29,400 --> 00:17:32,880 Speaker 1: of the ministry in Parliament. Our petitions have been slighted, 292 00:17:33,280 --> 00:17:38,119 Speaker 1: Our remonstrances have produced additional violence and insult. Our supplications 293 00:17:38,119 --> 00:17:41,359 Speaker 1: have been disregarded, and we have been spurned with contempt 294 00:17:41,760 --> 00:17:45,440 Speaker 1: from the foot of the throne in vain. After these things, 295 00:17:45,720 --> 00:17:48,600 Speaker 1: may we indulge the fond hope of peace and reconciliation. 296 00:17:49,520 --> 00:17:52,600 Speaker 1: There is no longer any room for hope if we 297 00:17:52,640 --> 00:17:55,959 Speaker 1: wish to be free, if we mean to preserve inviolate 298 00:17:56,280 --> 00:17:59,520 Speaker 1: those inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contending, 299 00:18:00,119 --> 00:18:02,960 Speaker 1: if we mean not basely to abandon the noble struggle 300 00:18:03,280 --> 00:18:06,000 Speaker 1: in which we've been so long engaged, in which we 301 00:18:06,040 --> 00:18:10,520 Speaker 1: have pledged ourselves never to abandon until the glorious object 302 00:18:10,520 --> 00:18:14,000 Speaker 1: of our contest shall be obtained. We must fight. I 303 00:18:14,080 --> 00:18:17,919 Speaker 1: repeat it, sir, we must fight. An appeal to arms 304 00:18:18,200 --> 00:18:20,399 Speaker 1: and to the God of hosts is all that has 305 00:18:20,480 --> 00:18:23,840 Speaker 1: left us. They tell us, sir, that we're weak on 306 00:18:24,040 --> 00:18:27,120 Speaker 1: able to cope with so formidable an adversary. But when 307 00:18:27,119 --> 00:18:29,760 Speaker 1: shall we be stronger? Will it be the next week 308 00:18:30,040 --> 00:18:32,119 Speaker 1: or the next year? Will it be when we are 309 00:18:32,160 --> 00:18:35,040 Speaker 1: totally disarmed? And what a British guard should be stationed 310 00:18:35,080 --> 00:18:39,320 Speaker 1: in every house? Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction? 311 00:18:40,040 --> 00:18:43,520 Speaker 1: Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance by lying 312 00:18:43,560 --> 00:18:46,840 Speaker 1: supinely on our backs and hugging the delucy fandom of 313 00:18:46,880 --> 00:18:50,200 Speaker 1: hope until our enemies have bound us by hand and foot. Sir, 314 00:18:51,000 --> 00:18:53,440 Speaker 1: we are not weak if we make a proper use 315 00:18:53,480 --> 00:18:56,159 Speaker 1: of those means which the God of Nature hath placed 316 00:18:56,160 --> 00:18:59,359 Speaker 1: in our power. The millions of people armed in the 317 00:18:59,359 --> 00:19:01,920 Speaker 1: holy cause of liberty and in such a country as 318 00:19:01,920 --> 00:19:05,720 Speaker 1: that which we possess, are invincible by any force which 319 00:19:05,720 --> 00:19:09,200 Speaker 1: our enemy concend against us. Besides, we shall not fight 320 00:19:09,240 --> 00:19:12,960 Speaker 1: our battles alone. There is a just God who presides 321 00:19:13,000 --> 00:19:15,480 Speaker 1: over the destinies of nations, and who will raise up 322 00:19:15,520 --> 00:19:18,400 Speaker 1: friends to fight our battles for us. The battle, Sir, 323 00:19:18,840 --> 00:19:21,800 Speaker 1: is not to the strong alone. It is to the vigilant, 324 00:19:22,119 --> 00:19:25,800 Speaker 1: the active, the brave. Besides, Sir, we have no election. 325 00:19:26,400 --> 00:19:28,639 Speaker 1: If we were base enough to desire it, it is 326 00:19:28,720 --> 00:19:31,439 Speaker 1: now too late to retire from the contest. There is 327 00:19:31,480 --> 00:19:36,360 Speaker 1: no retreat but in submission and slavery. Our chains are forged. 328 00:19:37,040 --> 00:19:39,480 Speaker 1: Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston. 329 00:19:40,080 --> 00:19:44,080 Speaker 1: The war is inevitable. And let it come. I repeat it, sir, 330 00:19:44,760 --> 00:19:48,440 Speaker 1: Let it come. It is in vain, sir, to extenuate 331 00:19:48,480 --> 00:19:52,399 Speaker 1: the matter. Gentlemen may cry peace, peace, but there is 332 00:19:52,440 --> 00:19:55,880 Speaker 1: no peace. The war has actually begun. The next gale 333 00:19:55,920 --> 00:19:58,200 Speaker 1: that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears 334 00:19:58,200 --> 00:20:01,359 Speaker 1: the clash of resounding arms. Our brethren are already in 335 00:20:01,359 --> 00:20:04,879 Speaker 1: the field. Why stand we here idle? What is it 336 00:20:04,920 --> 00:20:08,879 Speaker 1: the gentleman wish? What would they have? His life so dear, 337 00:20:09,280 --> 00:20:12,040 Speaker 1: or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the 338 00:20:12,080 --> 00:20:16,840 Speaker 1: price of chains and slavery. Forbid it, Almighty God. I 339 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:20,439 Speaker 1: know not what course others may take, But as for me, 340 00:20:21,119 --> 00:20:25,359 Speaker 1: give me liberty or give me death. Now I'll tell you, 341 00:20:25,520 --> 00:20:29,240 Speaker 1: if you stand in that church, the very same church 342 00:20:29,280 --> 00:20:33,320 Speaker 1: he stood in. And you read that out loud, you 343 00:20:33,359 --> 00:20:37,560 Speaker 1: will have chills. You will realize what a historic but 344 00:20:37,720 --> 00:20:41,600 Speaker 1: amazing moment this was, and what an extraordinary leader and 345 00:20:41,760 --> 00:20:45,960 Speaker 1: great orator he was. The convention passed the resolution to 346 00:20:46,000 --> 00:20:49,879 Speaker 1: form militias to defend Virginia. Virginia's Royal Governor, John Murray, 347 00:20:50,200 --> 00:20:53,440 Speaker 1: dispatched a company of marines to seize the colonies munitions 348 00:20:53,760 --> 00:20:57,359 Speaker 1: days after British soldiers marched towards Lexington and conquered for 349 00:20:57,480 --> 00:21:02,080 Speaker 1: exactly the same purpose. The angered the Virginias, and Henry 350 00:21:02,119 --> 00:21:06,000 Speaker 1: led his militia company towards Williamsburg to demand compensation for 351 00:21:06,040 --> 00:21:10,560 Speaker 1: the stolen gunpowder. In response, Murray issued a proclamation of 352 00:21:10,640 --> 00:21:14,600 Speaker 1: May sixth, seventeen seventy five, denouncing quote a certain Patrick 353 00:21:14,640 --> 00:21:18,240 Speaker 1: Henry and a number of deluded followers who have taken 354 00:21:18,320 --> 00:21:21,040 Speaker 1: up arms and put themselves in the posture of war. 355 00:21:21,400 --> 00:21:25,560 Speaker 1: He also directed quote all persons, upon their allegiance, not 356 00:21:25,680 --> 00:21:28,399 Speaker 1: to aid a bed or give countenance to the said 357 00:21:28,440 --> 00:21:31,480 Speaker 1: Patrick Henry close quote. Of course, all this did is 358 00:21:31,520 --> 00:21:35,119 Speaker 1: it made Patrick Henry really well known. It strengthened his reputation. 359 00:21:35,560 --> 00:21:38,719 Speaker 1: The governor had in fact increased the power and the 360 00:21:38,880 --> 00:21:43,120 Speaker 1: capacity of his opponent. On May tenth, seventeen seventy five, 361 00:21:43,400 --> 00:21:46,840 Speaker 1: Henry attended the Second Continental Congress. Henry was asked to 362 00:21:46,880 --> 00:21:49,879 Speaker 1: repair the colony's final petition to the King, but his 363 00:21:49,960 --> 00:21:53,320 Speaker 1: draft was considered too radical. Frankly listened to that speech. 364 00:21:53,320 --> 00:21:57,119 Speaker 1: You can imagine why fellow Virginia delegate Richard Henry Lee 365 00:21:57,160 --> 00:22:01,160 Speaker 1: attempted a second draft. The Congress opted for Pennsylvania's John 366 00:22:01,200 --> 00:22:06,040 Speaker 1: Dickinson's draft, which had a much gentler rhetoric. While Henry 367 00:22:06,119 --> 00:22:10,520 Speaker 1: was in Philadelphia, the Virginia Convention created two provincial regiments 368 00:22:11,040 --> 00:22:14,240 Speaker 1: and elected Henry colonel of the first Virginia Regiment and 369 00:22:14,359 --> 00:22:18,320 Speaker 1: commander of the overall militia. Henry tried to recruit and 370 00:22:18,400 --> 00:22:22,320 Speaker 1: organize the troops, but in December seventeen seventy five, William 371 00:22:22,320 --> 00:22:25,640 Speaker 1: Woodford in the second Virginia Regiment was sent to challenge 372 00:22:25,680 --> 00:22:28,040 Speaker 1: the British Army near Fort Norfolk in the Battle of 373 00:22:28,040 --> 00:22:32,240 Speaker 1: Great Bridge. Henry, after being passed over for leading the battle, 374 00:22:32,400 --> 00:22:35,639 Speaker 1: decided to resign his commission. Many of the soldiers he 375 00:22:35,720 --> 00:22:38,800 Speaker 1: recruited threatened to leave because Henry was leaving, but he 376 00:22:38,840 --> 00:22:42,040 Speaker 1: persuaded them to put the American cause first and accept 377 00:22:42,080 --> 00:22:46,200 Speaker 1: their new leadership. During the Virginia Convention of seventeen seventy six, 378 00:22:46,680 --> 00:22:50,840 Speaker 1: Henry helped to write Virginia's new constitution. Remember, these colonies 379 00:22:50,880 --> 00:22:54,560 Speaker 1: become states are all writing constitutions, which is great preparation 380 00:22:55,080 --> 00:22:56,960 Speaker 1: a decade later when they will have to go to 381 00:22:57,000 --> 00:23:00,879 Speaker 1: Philadelphia to write the Constitution United States. So Henry's there 382 00:23:00,880 --> 00:23:04,760 Speaker 1: in seventeen seventy six helping write Virginia's new Constitution, its 383 00:23:04,840 --> 00:23:08,800 Speaker 1: declaration of Rights, and a resolution to Congress for posing independence. 384 00:23:25,200 --> 00:23:28,320 Speaker 1: On June twenty ninth, seventeen seventy six, Henry was chosen 385 00:23:28,320 --> 00:23:31,880 Speaker 1: as the first governor of Virginia. As governor, Henry worked 386 00:23:31,880 --> 00:23:35,800 Speaker 1: closely with George Washington to raise and equip forces. Henry 387 00:23:35,840 --> 00:23:38,719 Speaker 1: was reelected twice for one year terms and served as 388 00:23:38,800 --> 00:23:42,560 Speaker 1: governor until June seventeen seventy nine, when he was succeeded 389 00:23:43,000 --> 00:23:47,200 Speaker 1: by Thomas Jefferson. Henry remarried in October seventeen seventy seven, 390 00:23:47,320 --> 00:23:49,720 Speaker 1: and he and his second wife, do Arthy Dandridge. Henry 391 00:23:49,960 --> 00:23:53,159 Speaker 1: had eleven children together, adding to the six children from 392 00:23:53,200 --> 00:23:56,840 Speaker 1: his first wife. In seventeen seventy nine, Henry was elected 393 00:23:56,880 --> 00:24:00,520 Speaker 1: to the Virginia House of Delegates. During this time, Virginia 394 00:24:00,560 --> 00:24:04,800 Speaker 1: politicians were split into two factions, anti Federalists and Federalists. 395 00:24:05,240 --> 00:24:08,280 Speaker 1: That is, one side wanted to have a federal government 396 00:24:08,520 --> 00:24:11,320 Speaker 1: in the United States. The other side wanted to strengthen 397 00:24:11,359 --> 00:24:14,560 Speaker 1: the states and called themselves the anti Federalists because they 398 00:24:14,560 --> 00:24:17,639 Speaker 1: didn't want a strong central government. They wanted to continue 399 00:24:17,960 --> 00:24:21,360 Speaker 1: the Articles of Confederation, which were very weak and which 400 00:24:21,400 --> 00:24:25,120 Speaker 1: really reposed power in each individual state. Henry often found 401 00:24:25,160 --> 00:24:28,359 Speaker 1: himself in opposition to James Madison over the separation of 402 00:24:28,440 --> 00:24:32,760 Speaker 1: church and state. James Madison and Thomas Jefferson advocated strict 403 00:24:32,840 --> 00:24:36,040 Speaker 1: separation of church and successfully pushed for the Virginia Statute 404 00:24:36,080 --> 00:24:39,679 Speaker 1: for Religious Freedom. Henry, on the other hand, advocated for 405 00:24:39,760 --> 00:24:43,000 Speaker 1: state support for religious teachers. Was governor of Virginia, he 406 00:24:43,040 --> 00:24:45,760 Speaker 1: introduced a plan for a tax to support Christian teachers, 407 00:24:46,080 --> 00:24:49,000 Speaker 1: a plan that was vividly opposed by Madison and Jefferson. 408 00:24:49,560 --> 00:24:53,280 Speaker 1: Madison took this opportunity to rally support for Jefferson's bill 409 00:24:53,520 --> 00:24:56,760 Speaker 1: for establishing religious freedom, and since Henry was denied of 410 00:24:56,840 --> 00:25:00,359 Speaker 1: voting the legislature since he been elected governor the bill past. 411 00:25:01,200 --> 00:25:03,359 Speaker 1: Henry and Madison also different in what role the federal 412 00:25:03,400 --> 00:25:06,679 Speaker 1: government should play. In seventeen eighty five, Henry push to 413 00:25:06,720 --> 00:25:10,879 Speaker 1: strengthen the Articles of Confederation. He told Madison to sketch 414 00:25:10,920 --> 00:25:13,639 Speaker 1: out some plan for giving greater powers to the federal government 415 00:25:13,840 --> 00:25:16,800 Speaker 1: and he would support her on the floor. Madison, however, 416 00:25:17,119 --> 00:25:20,879 Speaker 1: pushed from much more centralized national government, so where Henry 417 00:25:20,920 --> 00:25:25,320 Speaker 1: wanted to strengthen the Articles of Confederation, Madison wanted to 418 00:25:25,359 --> 00:25:29,040 Speaker 1: replace them. Henry was elected but refused to attend the 419 00:25:29,040 --> 00:25:32,280 Speaker 1: Constitutional Convention of seventeen eighty seven, where the Articles of 420 00:25:32,320 --> 00:25:35,600 Speaker 1: Confederation were supposed to be revised, but in an amazing 421 00:25:35,640 --> 00:25:38,959 Speaker 1: coup de'etaile by the way, the Constitutional Convention decided they 422 00:25:38,960 --> 00:25:43,160 Speaker 1: would replace the Articles, not revise them. When Washington sent 423 00:25:43,240 --> 00:25:45,560 Speaker 1: him a copy of the constitution asked him to support it, 424 00:25:46,040 --> 00:25:50,080 Speaker 1: Henry expressed concerns, writing to Washington on October nineteen, seventeen 425 00:25:50,119 --> 00:25:53,040 Speaker 1: eighty seven, quote, I have to lament that I cannot 426 00:25:53,080 --> 00:25:56,600 Speaker 1: bring my mind to accord with the proposed constitution. The 427 00:25:56,680 --> 00:25:59,000 Speaker 1: concern I feel in this account is really greater than 428 00:25:59,040 --> 00:26:02,199 Speaker 1: I am able to express. Perhaps mature reflection may furnish 429 00:26:02,200 --> 00:26:05,040 Speaker 1: me with reasons to change my present sentiments into a 430 00:26:05,080 --> 00:26:08,399 Speaker 1: conformity with the opinion of those personages for whom I 431 00:26:08,440 --> 00:26:11,800 Speaker 1: have the highest reference. In other words, Henry found himself 432 00:26:11,800 --> 00:26:15,280 Speaker 1: in the awkward position of turning down his fellow Virginian 433 00:26:15,720 --> 00:26:18,640 Speaker 1: and the first great American, George Washington, But he did 434 00:26:18,640 --> 00:26:22,120 Speaker 1: turn him down. During the Virginia Convention of seventeen eighty eight, 435 00:26:22,560 --> 00:26:26,880 Speaker 1: aimed at ratifying the Constitution, Henry and George Mason led 436 00:26:26,920 --> 00:26:30,639 Speaker 1: the anti federalists in debate against the plan, saying, and 437 00:26:30,680 --> 00:26:32,919 Speaker 1: this is very important, because you need to remember, this 438 00:26:33,119 --> 00:26:35,879 Speaker 1: wasn't automatic. It was not inevitable that we're going to 439 00:26:35,920 --> 00:26:39,280 Speaker 1: end up with a centralized government and with a Constitution 440 00:26:39,520 --> 00:26:43,240 Speaker 1: of the United States as opposed to a confederation of 441 00:26:43,280 --> 00:26:48,320 Speaker 1: the individual states. So Henry and Madison wrote, quote, what 442 00:26:48,560 --> 00:26:51,880 Speaker 1: right had they to say, we the people who authorized 443 00:26:51,920 --> 00:26:54,959 Speaker 1: them to speak the language of we the people instead 444 00:26:54,960 --> 00:26:57,840 Speaker 1: of we the states. If the states be not the 445 00:26:57,880 --> 00:27:01,960 Speaker 1: agents of this compact, it must be one great consolidated 446 00:27:02,200 --> 00:27:05,840 Speaker 1: national government. I am not free from suspicion. I am 447 00:27:05,880 --> 00:27:08,800 Speaker 1: apt to entertain doubts. I arose yesterday to ask a 448 00:27:08,880 --> 00:27:10,920 Speaker 1: question which arose in my own mind. When I asked 449 00:27:10,920 --> 00:27:14,040 Speaker 1: the question, I thought the meaning of my interrogation was obvious. 450 00:27:14,600 --> 00:27:17,159 Speaker 1: The fate of this question in America may depend on this. 451 00:27:17,960 --> 00:27:20,840 Speaker 1: Have they said we the states? Have they made a 452 00:27:20,880 --> 00:27:24,679 Speaker 1: proposal of a compact between states? If they had, this 453 00:27:24,720 --> 00:27:28,639 Speaker 1: would be a confederation. It is otherwise most clearly a 454 00:27:28,680 --> 00:27:32,920 Speaker 1: consolidated government. The question turns, sir, on that poor little thing, 455 00:27:33,119 --> 00:27:37,000 Speaker 1: the expression we the people instead of the states of America. 456 00:27:37,800 --> 00:27:39,720 Speaker 1: I need not take much pains to show that the 457 00:27:39,720 --> 00:27:45,119 Speaker 1: principles of the system are extremely pernicious, in politic and dangerous. 458 00:27:46,000 --> 00:27:49,120 Speaker 1: Is this a monarchy like England, a compact between prince 459 00:27:49,200 --> 00:27:51,680 Speaker 1: and people, with checks on the former to secure the 460 00:27:51,760 --> 00:27:54,920 Speaker 1: liberty of the latter. Is this a confederately like Holland? 461 00:27:55,160 --> 00:27:57,879 Speaker 1: An association of a number of independent states, each of 462 00:27:57,920 --> 00:28:01,560 Speaker 1: which retain its individual sovereignty. It is not a democracy 463 00:28:01,840 --> 00:28:05,240 Speaker 1: when the people retain all their rights securely. Had these 464 00:28:05,280 --> 00:28:07,560 Speaker 1: principles been adhered to, we should not have been brought 465 00:28:07,560 --> 00:28:11,719 Speaker 1: to this alarming transition from a confederacy to a consolidated government. 466 00:28:12,200 --> 00:28:14,679 Speaker 1: We have no detail of these great considerations, which, in 467 00:28:14,720 --> 00:28:17,400 Speaker 1: my opinion, ought to have abounded before we should recur 468 00:28:17,480 --> 00:28:20,320 Speaker 1: to a government of this kind. Here is a revolution 469 00:28:20,440 --> 00:28:23,439 Speaker 1: as radical as that which separated us from Great Britain. 470 00:28:23,920 --> 00:28:27,000 Speaker 1: It is as radical if in this transition our rights 471 00:28:27,000 --> 00:28:29,840 Speaker 1: and privileges are endangered, and the sovereignty of the states 472 00:28:29,840 --> 00:28:33,119 Speaker 1: be relinquished. And cannot we plainly see that this is 473 00:28:33,240 --> 00:28:37,200 Speaker 1: actually the case. The rights of conscience, trial by jury, 474 00:28:37,520 --> 00:28:42,000 Speaker 1: liberty the press, all your immunities, enfranchises, all pretensions to 475 00:28:42,040 --> 00:28:45,640 Speaker 1: human rights and privileges are rendered insecure, if not lost, 476 00:28:46,120 --> 00:28:49,000 Speaker 1: by this change so loudly talked of by some and 477 00:28:49,080 --> 00:28:52,880 Speaker 1: inconsiderately by others. Is this same relinquishment rights worthy of 478 00:28:52,920 --> 00:28:56,480 Speaker 1: free men? Is it worthy of that manly fortitude that 479 00:28:56,520 --> 00:29:00,160 Speaker 1: ought to characterize Republicans? It has said eight states have 480 00:29:00,200 --> 00:29:03,320 Speaker 1: adopted this plan. I declare that if twelve states and 481 00:29:03,360 --> 00:29:06,400 Speaker 1: a half had adopted it, I would, with manly firmness, and, 482 00:29:06,440 --> 00:29:09,600 Speaker 1: in spite of an erring world, reject it. You are 483 00:29:09,640 --> 00:29:12,640 Speaker 1: not to inquire how your trade may be increased, nor 484 00:29:12,680 --> 00:29:14,720 Speaker 1: how you are to become a great and powerful people, 485 00:29:15,240 --> 00:29:19,080 Speaker 1: but how your liberties can be secured, For liberty ought 486 00:29:19,120 --> 00:29:23,200 Speaker 1: to be the direct end of your government. Now, obviously, 487 00:29:23,320 --> 00:29:26,520 Speaker 1: this is a huge fight between those who want America 488 00:29:26,560 --> 00:29:29,720 Speaker 1: to become a country and those who want America to 489 00:29:29,720 --> 00:29:34,360 Speaker 1: become a confederation of independent states. On June fourth, seventeen 490 00:29:34,360 --> 00:29:37,360 Speaker 1: eighty eight, in a speech during the Virginia ratifying convention 491 00:29:37,880 --> 00:29:41,160 Speaker 1: later entitled a wrong step now and the Republic will 492 00:29:41,200 --> 00:29:45,440 Speaker 1: be lost forever, Henry said, quote, I conceive the Republic 493 00:29:45,480 --> 00:29:48,640 Speaker 1: to be in extreme danger. If a wrong step be 494 00:29:48,760 --> 00:29:52,400 Speaker 1: now made, the Republic may be lost forever. If this 495 00:29:52,440 --> 00:29:54,520 Speaker 1: new government will not come up to the expectation of 496 00:29:54,520 --> 00:29:58,400 Speaker 1: the people, their liberty will be lost, and tyranny must 497 00:29:58,720 --> 00:30:02,000 Speaker 1: and will arise. Henry was worried of the powers that 498 00:30:02,000 --> 00:30:05,560 Speaker 1: the executive branch would have, saying during the Virginia Convention, quote, 499 00:30:05,560 --> 00:30:08,560 Speaker 1: if your American chief be a man of ambition and abilities, 500 00:30:09,000 --> 00:30:11,720 Speaker 1: how easy is it for him to reduce himself absolute? 501 00:30:12,320 --> 00:30:14,560 Speaker 1: The army is in his hands, and where is the 502 00:30:14,600 --> 00:30:17,240 Speaker 1: existing force to punish him? Can he not, at the 503 00:30:17,240 --> 00:30:20,720 Speaker 1: head of his army beat down every opposition? What will 504 00:30:20,760 --> 00:30:23,800 Speaker 1: then become of you? And your rights will not absolute 505 00:30:23,920 --> 00:30:29,240 Speaker 1: despotism ensure. Despite this, Henry's opponents went over enough moderate 506 00:30:29,240 --> 00:30:33,640 Speaker 1: anti federalist to ratify the constitution eighty nine to seventy nine, 507 00:30:33,880 --> 00:30:36,800 Speaker 1: but think about that in the largest state, the central 508 00:30:36,840 --> 00:30:39,360 Speaker 1: state that ultimately was the key to whether or not 509 00:30:39,400 --> 00:30:44,120 Speaker 1: you could create the United States. The margin was ten votes, 510 00:30:44,560 --> 00:30:47,760 Speaker 1: eighty nine to seventy nine. So even with Washington on 511 00:30:47,760 --> 00:30:49,840 Speaker 1: the other side, even with Jefferson on the other side, 512 00:30:50,320 --> 00:30:54,680 Speaker 1: there were still seventy nine Virginians who said no. In 513 00:30:54,680 --> 00:30:58,000 Speaker 1: seventeen ninety one and ailing Henry retired from active politics. 514 00:30:58,600 --> 00:31:02,200 Speaker 1: In seventeen ninety three, Henry worked with John Marshall to 515 00:31:02,280 --> 00:31:05,040 Speaker 1: defend a Virginia physician in lawsuit by a British merchant 516 00:31:05,040 --> 00:31:09,240 Speaker 1: house to recover pre war debts. Henry won, cementing his 517 00:31:09,320 --> 00:31:14,120 Speaker 1: reputation as a lawyer. Washington in seventeen ninety nine convinced 518 00:31:14,120 --> 00:31:16,840 Speaker 1: Henry to return to politics after the Kentucky and Virginia 519 00:31:16,920 --> 00:31:20,080 Speaker 1: resolutions were passed. Henry stood again for election to the 520 00:31:20,160 --> 00:31:23,480 Speaker 1: Virginia House of Delegates in the spring of seventeen ninety nine, 521 00:31:24,040 --> 00:31:26,680 Speaker 1: and he delivered his last public speech on his election 522 00:31:26,840 --> 00:31:29,560 Speaker 1: day quote, if I am asked what is to be 523 00:31:29,600 --> 00:31:32,960 Speaker 1: done when the people feel themselves intolerably oppressed, my answer 524 00:31:33,000 --> 00:31:36,640 Speaker 1: is ready overturn the government. Wait un least until some 525 00:31:36,720 --> 00:31:41,280 Speaker 1: infringement is made upon your rights that cannot be otherwise addressed. Otherwise, 526 00:31:41,720 --> 00:31:44,560 Speaker 1: like failed republics of the past, you might bid adio 527 00:31:44,760 --> 00:31:48,360 Speaker 1: forever to representative government, for you can never exchange the 528 00:31:48,400 --> 00:31:52,320 Speaker 1: present government but for a monarchy. Henry won the election, 529 00:31:52,840 --> 00:31:56,320 Speaker 1: but he died on June sixth, seventeen ninety nine, a 530 00:31:56,360 --> 00:31:59,240 Speaker 1: few months before the Assembly was to be convened. He 531 00:31:59,320 --> 00:32:02,800 Speaker 1: was sixty three years old. Henry left a small envelope 532 00:32:02,800 --> 00:32:06,200 Speaker 1: with his last will and testament. Inside. In addition to 533 00:32:06,240 --> 00:32:09,200 Speaker 1: his will was a single sheet of paper with his 534 00:32:09,320 --> 00:32:12,920 Speaker 1: seventeen sixty five resolutions against the Stamp Act, and on 535 00:32:12,960 --> 00:32:16,080 Speaker 1: the back he left a brief message about his resolutions. 536 00:32:16,120 --> 00:32:19,640 Speaker 1: It says quote that within resolutions passed the House of 537 00:32:19,680 --> 00:32:23,080 Speaker 1: Burgesses in May seventeen sixty five, they formed the first 538 00:32:23,080 --> 00:32:25,840 Speaker 1: opposition to the Stamp Act and the scheme of taxing 539 00:32:25,880 --> 00:32:29,840 Speaker 1: America by the British Parliament. All the colonies, either through 540 00:32:29,920 --> 00:32:33,080 Speaker 1: fear or wanted opportunity to form an opposition, or from 541 00:32:33,080 --> 00:32:36,560 Speaker 1: influence of some kind or other, had remained silent. I 542 00:32:36,600 --> 00:32:38,840 Speaker 1: had been for the first time elected a Burgess a 543 00:32:38,880 --> 00:32:43,160 Speaker 1: few days before, was young, inexperienced, unacquainted with the forms 544 00:32:43,160 --> 00:32:46,200 Speaker 1: of the House and the members that composed it. Finding 545 00:32:46,240 --> 00:32:48,959 Speaker 1: the men of weight averse to opposition and the commence 546 00:32:49,120 --> 00:32:51,600 Speaker 1: of the tax at hand, and that no person was 547 00:32:51,600 --> 00:32:55,080 Speaker 1: elected to step forth, I determined to venture and alone, 548 00:32:55,200 --> 00:32:58,480 Speaker 1: unadvised and unassisted, on a blank leaf of an old 549 00:32:58,520 --> 00:33:02,040 Speaker 1: law book, wrote the Then, upon offering them to the House, 550 00:33:02,520 --> 00:33:07,000 Speaker 1: violent debates ensued, many threats ruddered, and much abuse cast 551 00:33:07,040 --> 00:33:10,120 Speaker 1: on me by the party for submission. After a long 552 00:33:10,160 --> 00:33:13,880 Speaker 1: and warm contest, the resolutions passed by a very small majority, 553 00:33:13,880 --> 00:33:16,800 Speaker 1: perhaps of one or two. Only. The alarms spread throughout 554 00:33:16,800 --> 00:33:21,000 Speaker 1: America with astonishing quickness, and the ministerial party were overwhelmed. 555 00:33:21,640 --> 00:33:25,320 Speaker 1: The great point of resistance to British taxation was universally 556 00:33:25,440 --> 00:33:28,960 Speaker 1: established in the colonies. This brought on the war which finally 557 00:33:29,000 --> 00:33:32,800 Speaker 1: separated the two countries and gave independence to ours. Whether 558 00:33:32,840 --> 00:33:35,880 Speaker 1: this will prove a blessing or a curse will depend 559 00:33:36,000 --> 00:33:38,680 Speaker 1: upon the use our people make of the blessings which 560 00:33:38,680 --> 00:33:43,280 Speaker 1: a gracious God of the souttleness a pretty good line 561 00:33:43,320 --> 00:33:47,920 Speaker 1: for today too. On June fourteenth, seventeen ninety nine, the 562 00:33:48,000 --> 00:33:51,000 Speaker 1: Virginia gazett announced the death of Patrick Henry, writing quote, 563 00:33:51,760 --> 00:33:55,480 Speaker 1: as long as our rivers flow, our mountains stand Virginia 564 00:33:55,520 --> 00:34:00,400 Speaker 1: will say to rising generations, imitate my Henry. It's about 565 00:34:00,440 --> 00:34:04,560 Speaker 1: as good a cause for liberty, for freedom, for thinking clearly, 566 00:34:04,800 --> 00:34:06,840 Speaker 1: for having the courage to stand for what you believe, 567 00:34:07,200 --> 00:34:10,320 Speaker 1: as anything I've ever heard or read. And Patrick Henry 568 00:34:10,880 --> 00:34:14,640 Speaker 1: was essential in defining the cause of freedom, essential in 569 00:34:14,800 --> 00:34:17,239 Speaker 1: establishing that we had to be a country that was 570 00:34:17,280 --> 00:34:20,560 Speaker 1: free and courageous in his willingness to stand up when 571 00:34:20,560 --> 00:34:24,400 Speaker 1: necessary to the British King and unnecessary to George Washington. 572 00:34:24,880 --> 00:34:27,920 Speaker 1: He's a life worth studying, and he was a remarkable 573 00:34:28,040 --> 00:34:34,759 Speaker 1: advocate for the freedom which we now cherish. Thank you 574 00:34:34,800 --> 00:34:37,759 Speaker 1: for listening to Founding Father's Week on Newtsworld. You can 575 00:34:37,840 --> 00:34:40,200 Speaker 1: learn more about Patrick Henry on our show page at 576 00:34:40,239 --> 00:34:44,040 Speaker 1: newtsworld dot com. Newsworld is produced by GINGRIDH three sixty 577 00:34:44,280 --> 00:34:48,879 Speaker 1: and iHeartMedia. Our executive producer is Guarnsey Sloan and our 578 00:34:48,920 --> 00:34:53,160 Speaker 1: researcher is Rachel Peterson. The artwork for the show was 579 00:34:53,200 --> 00:34:57,640 Speaker 1: created by Steve Penley. Special thanks the team at GINGRIDH 580 00:34:57,640 --> 00:35:01,040 Speaker 1: three sixty. If you've been enjoying Newtsworld, I hope you'll 581 00:35:01,040 --> 00:35:03,800 Speaker 1: go to Apple Podcast and both rate us with five 582 00:35:03,840 --> 00:35:07,160 Speaker 1: stars and give us a review so others can learn 583 00:35:07,200 --> 00:35:10,440 Speaker 1: what it's all about. Right now, listeners of news World 584 00:35:10,440 --> 00:35:14,160 Speaker 1: consign up for my three free weekly columns at Ginrich 585 00:35:14,200 --> 00:35:18,640 Speaker 1: three sixty dot com slash newsletter. I'm a gingrich. This 586 00:35:18,880 --> 00:35:19,640 Speaker 1: is Newtsworld