E 302 
 
 
 .0 
 
 .H5T2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
* ** \l 
 
 
 
 'bv 
 
 
 
 
 
 O^ , • • , "o ."^ 
 
 o V 
 
 
 
 1- '"- 
 
 
 
 .I" J," ^ '..0- ■^- >v^ • 1 •> A" ^^ 
 
 -.*Ji*r, 
 
 -•,f ^.'' ^\ 
 
 ♦ .Cs^ 
 
* »V(\\ 
 
 : ^.^ :-# 
 
 .<^'% 
 
 
 ''AM. %/" ;V 
 
 
 ■ ■ • . •*» 
 
 
 ^,.' , •? 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ,0 ^ V 
 
 
 ,' -^ ,-^ . 
 
 
 -S- vV 
 
 
 ° 5^^ V'^^ 
 
 
 ^S..v..' / --v " 
 
 
 
 
 ^> 
 
 ^^%» 
 
 4 o 
 
 ^r % '■-' ^^ 
 
 ^^ -%, ".f^^' / \ -.V 
 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 '-> ■ • - • - '> 
 
 
 
,4 
 
 AN 
 
 
 ORATION 
 
 COMMEMORATIVE OF THE 
 
 CHARACTER OF PATRICK HENRY. 
 
 HENRY H. TATOR, ESQ. 
 
 Qui noil libere veritalem prominciat proditur est veritatis. — TacUut. 
 
 <<f>^ 
 
 S'-',.: 
 
 ;*o$L 3 8 60 X 
 
 COPT-BIOHT SECURED. 
 
 ■ / 
 
 ALBANY: 
 
 JOEL MUNSELL, 58 STATE STREET. 
 
 1852. 
 
 ay 
 
DEDICATORY EPISTLE. 
 
 Standing on an oaken dock in a clear port, 
 and observing at a distance between the ocean 
 and the sky, a speck approaching, slowly trans- 
 forming and enlarging itself to a stately ship, 
 till soon its mighty presence lifts up the feelings 
 with the sight of a sublime object of human 
 skill and genius, is pleasant ; yet to stand on 
 the dock of time, look out on the sea of finite 
 affairs, and behold rising to view a youth, the 
 royal prince of Heaven's King, whose developing 
 genius fast becomes mightier and mightier, till 
 the world gives its heart to his heart, and its 
 hand to his hand, and is led God-ward, like a 
 bride to the altar, is even more pleasant. Ora- 
 tors are the guides of freedom and the hand- 
 maids of republics. Oratory is an art which 
 the highest refinements of civilization will ne- 
 ver fail to preserve, employ, enjoy and perfect. 
 If all men were orators, then surely, every ora- 
 tor would have a most appreciating auditory of 
 his art ; for who can appreciate an orator like 
 an orator ! yet there are many we know not 
 possessing the practical art of glowing and im- 
 pressive speech, who can, notwithstanding, 
 from their inner souls, sympathize with an ora- 
 tor and follow him to sublimest heights. The 
 
lens of the camera obscura, bring the rays of 
 light irom external things to a focus, thereby 
 presenting a beauteous picture of them in mini- 
 ature ; thus the reflections of a superior mind 
 draw to it the laws which govern the relative 
 and positive relations of mind to matter, and 
 of matter to mind, till the harmony and beau- 
 ty of nature luay be seen in its clear and ex- 
 poundatory works. Human eloquence is sweet- 
 er than sphere music, and eloquent thoughts 
 are eternal treasures from mind to mind. This 
 pledge of my admiration for the eloquence and 
 patriotism of Patrick Henry, I dedicate to my 
 firmly patriotic friend, and to a man indeed, 
 ranking among the most accomplished orators 
 of the age, 
 
 . Prof. CHAS. WHITNEY. 
 
ORATION. 
 
 Friends of Universal Freedom : 
 
 Studying the nature and character of the 
 earth, ascertaining its uses, and liolding- Ibrth 
 its beauties, till they are beheld and admired 
 universally, is a delightful duty. Looking into 
 the Heavens, discovering the bodies of useful 
 beauty which compose them, and explaining 
 their characteristics and the object for which 
 they were created, is also a duty of surpassing 
 delight. Examining the human system, pry- 
 ing into its complex, yet perfect mechanism so 
 handsomely wrought by the Divine hand, and 
 presenting its explanatory counterpart in some 
 ibrm whereby it shall arrest and absorb a uni- 
 versal attention, is truly a happifying duty. 
 Yet expounding the marshal-like parts, of a 
 great and noble character, garnishing them by 
 judicious praise, and thereby induce others to 
 reproduce them in the various pursuits of life, 
 is of many pleasant duties the most pleasant. 
 It is the general character of every man which 
 exerts the very considerable influence, for rais- 
 ing up or tearing down the Avelfare of mankind. 
 Men of reflection and study have characters, 
 whose influence is perchance more remote and 
 less immediate, though scarcely less positive 
 and powerful over others, than men of action 
 and material enterprise. In commemorating 
 great characters, a commemorator's first duty 
 
6 
 
 is, to learn what were tlie mental elements 
 which composed their genius; second, what 
 were their chief practical virtues of heart ; 
 lastly, what were the grand influential works 
 they projected or achieved. Commemorators 
 should absorb the lesser in the greater merits 
 of those whom they commemorate, as smaller 
 raindrops are absorbed by the larger ones in 
 their descent to the earth ; for true it is, that 
 generalities more quickly and easily become 
 actualities to the human mind, than particu- 
 lars, more especially when the latter are so nu- 
 merous and intricate, as not to be readily un- 
 derstood, as they often are, when connected 
 with the arts and sciences. 
 
 Patrick Henry's boyhood glided away with- 
 out his seeming to be eager, as to the manner 
 in which its moments should be employed ; yet 
 without doubt, though not boiind down to books, 
 nor confined in tedious school rooms, he still 
 learned much by observation that was inappre- 
 ciably useful, and by an unshowy reflection, 
 became in reality much wiser than men thought 
 him to be. His inherited genius found teach- 
 ers in the elements, school-mates in his own 
 thoughts, and eloquence in them all. He act- 
 ed as thoutjh he thouorht it far better to seem a 
 dull boy, than to be in the future, and in fact, a 
 inan of dullness ; and to develop his body in 
 youth, and let his mind subsequently develop 
 itself Certainly the budding fruits of young 
 Henry's mind showed feeble signs of becoming 
 at their maturity, such delicious food to nourish 
 and support an embryonian republic as they 
 w^ere found to be. There are those who have 
 been intellectually great when young, who in 
 mature life, arose to the highest intellectual 
 standard ; and those also who have been Intel- 
 
lectually bright in youth, who in after years, 
 declined in mental power ; and those too who 
 have been addleminded in childhood, and acute 
 minded in age ; so that youth sometimes is, and 
 sometimes is not, the forerunner of a glorious 
 or an inglorious manhood. Francis Bacon was 
 a bright youth, and his manhood was in point 
 of mental brightness Avithout rival ship. Her- 
 mogenes was brilliant when young, but subse- 
 quently became dull in his art as a rhetorican. 
 Cato, the younger, manifested rather indifler- 
 ent mental capacity during his early years, not- 
 withstanding which, he afterwards became a 
 man of learning and wisdom, an heroic gene- 
 ral, profound statesman, and gracious ruler. 
 A wise youth will make a still wiser man, il' the 
 wisest mode is taken by him to live up time ; 
 and a good youth will make a still better man, if 
 the best steps are made by him to get through 
 life. A child left to work out its own nature, 
 will mature its body and mind together, nor 
 exercise either too much for the health of the 
 other. Children who feel a pressing inspiration 
 of soul, incline not to let their real power be 
 known, till they feel able to surpass all others 
 in some specific attempt, and thus spend their 
 early hours in mute reflection and silent obser- 
 vation, till they feel assured by something 
 within them, that their good time has come ; 
 for real greatness ever leaves mediocrity far be- 
 hind it, in its first true mental ettbrt. The man 
 who shows himself to be inspired, by the pow- 
 er, beauty and truthfulness of his productions, 
 was the child inspired, also, though not shown 
 to us in any wise ; for genius is possessed at 
 birth, if possessed at all by any human being; 
 and it may be developed by judicious culture 
 to an unknown degree, though it can not be 
 
acquired in the least degree, by any means 
 known to man. The tremulous leaf does not 
 create the wind, it merely informs us that it 
 exists and has riiotion ; likewise the works of 
 mind do not originate it, they only show us 
 that it is in existence, and has a self-developing 
 action. 
 
 Mr. Henry's capital with Avhich to commence 
 professional life, or indeed any life, consisted 
 of a kind Avite and lovely children, entire pov- 
 erty, a few friends, ordinary acquirements in 
 classical learning, quite a limited knowledge 
 of the practice of his proti?ssion, though rather 
 conversant with its principles: a sound physi- 
 cal constitution, and uncommon endowments 
 of native intellect with imagination, and a cor- 
 rect and extensive knowledge of men. He 
 arose to public attention by displaying a decid- 
 ed capacity for popular eloquence, in the de- 
 fence of a suitor's just cause, and in his advo- 
 cacy of colonial independence. Unlike The- 
 seus, he sought no demolishing of cities, nor 
 slaughtering of enninent public citizens, who 
 might impede his progress toward fame and 
 Avide extending notoriety ; yet like the noble 
 Romulus, who also rose from the deepest ob- 
 scurity to a rare and goodly repute, he applied 
 his native powers to elevate and dignify the 
 State, to better the general condition of a na- 
 tion, to obtain for his country the most natural 
 and enlarged liberty, and to establish a republic 
 in Avhich every citizen might enjoy private and 
 public advantages and priAdleges equally. Not 
 Avhat Ave are at the opening of life so much as 
 what Ave are at its close, is it, that will embalm 
 our memories in the bosom of our children, 
 and make us acceptable in the World above. 
 An obscure birth Avith a world lamented death, 
 
is more creditable than a world-hailing birth, 
 followed by a death of self- wrought ignominy. 
 Two strong hands, an enlightened head, and 
 an aimable heart, ibrni the finest setting up in 
 life a young man can enjoy. Being born to 
 galbian wealth is a feeble step towards great- 
 ness ; inheriting a princely renown is no assu- 
 jance of forthcoming visef'ulness ; and a good 
 man can be made up of nothing but good deeds 
 performed by himself. The sun of itself, has 
 no power to withhold its allighting beams from 
 the family of planets which surround it; thus 
 an entirely good man, can not avoid acting 
 kindly towards those around him, it being a 
 necessity of his very existence and superior 
 organization. Providence in his power might 
 have created man to suffer absolute and eternal 
 pain, rather than to have endowed him with 
 faculties for unceasing pleasure ; thus a na- 
 tion's chosen hero and champion, could with 
 his almost limitless power, bind it beneath him, 
 or refuse to be its pilot and protector in the 
 fiercest storm of State trouble, and thereby 
 consign it to distress, rather than confer on it 
 safety and delight. In no wise can a man 
 make known his deserving of power, so advan- 
 tageously, as when conferring blessings on those 
 who grant him his power, and that too in pre- 
 cise ratio as they grant it to him. Earthquakes 
 are imbecile, floods are weak and impotent, 
 conflagrations are puerile and powerless, when 
 compared with the next to almighty capacity 
 and power of a wise, virtuous, and eloquent 
 inan, to awaken its fears of sin, or arouse to 
 deeds and emotions of purity, the vast human 
 family. 
 
 Mr. Henry's success as a lawyer was, we 
 know, proportionate to bis display of legal 
 2 
 
10 
 
 ability and learning, of experience in practice, 
 and of oratorical capacity ; the first quality 
 and possession he displayed at the outset to 
 an astonishing degree, so far as applying the 
 principles of law to the matter and case in 
 question and contest went ; tlie second of 
 course time and repeated trial rendered him 
 adejDt and skillful in ; and the third power in 
 him, was like the rhetorical art of Isceus, ever 
 ready for use and ever excellent when used. 
 With opponents he was fair, if kind, honor- 
 able and courteous actions towards them may 
 be called fairness ; nor did he trespass on, or 
 restrain, the rights of another in any way to 
 gain illegitimate success for himself; for with 
 him, as with every true man, magnanimity 
 was no minor characteristic. However, when 
 opposed he was tbund strong ; when assailed, 
 he became a dauntless self-defender ; when 
 oppressed, he shewed himself giantly and irre- 
 sistibly strong; when triumphant, he was mild 
 and unpharasaical; and when triumphed over, 
 (which was of rare occurrence) he admired 
 and spoke well of the tact and skillfulness, 
 rather than enveiled the merit of the victor. 
 Distinguished success in the business in which 
 a man enlists his faculties, though not always 
 attained, is always to be striven for. 
 
 To observe a plant leave forth in spring 
 time, and ere long bend beneath fragrant 
 flowers, as its true and graceful laurels is a 
 precious sight; yet to see the young set out 
 in spring life, and soon behold them men 
 among men, beloved by the lovely, prospering 
 among those who prosper, and ladened at 
 length with the honors and enjoyments of life, 
 is a scene of transcendent beauty and pre- 
 cioxisness. 
 
11 
 
 Success adds \riiid to wing, and courage to all skill, 
 
 Buoys up the struggling youth, leaving it higher still. 
 
 Woo success in youth, wed her grace in age. 
 
 Youth has her heart, her hand belongs to age. 
 
 The steel-forked rod, splits the electric ball. 
 
 Breaking its force, protects itself and all 
 
 Within the unharm"d mansion ; thus with young 
 
 Though well armed men, what ere begun 
 
 Breaks (iery opposition through, unscathed indeed. 
 
 Nor withal even match'd. 
 
 Nerveful spirits, bruised by failure; like hares 
 
 Slightly wounded by archers glancing arrows, 
 
 Bound stronger and swifter on their course. 
 
 Toil is chief satellite to the globe success. 
 
 Ease leads to failure, and failure to distress. 
 
 It is not in having such great powers of 
 mind, it is in using tlie best we have for the 
 best purposes which they can be used, that 
 constitutes the man. A young man who by in- 
 experience and its attendant missteps becomes 
 webbed in difficulties, and falls in his early 
 wrestlings with the world, to gain a master 
 position therein, and then only makes an effort 
 sufficient to place himself merely a foot, erect, 
 and scarce manlike again, instead of resolving 
 and re-resolving all through his body and soul, 
 to eventually become the Milo of men ; resem- 
 bles that sportsman, not conversant with the 
 woodbinds through which he is passing and 
 without compass, loses his true course, becomes 
 bewildered, discouraged and prepares to die, 
 instead of buoying up against misfortune, 
 rising like one nerved in might, using the sun 
 for a compass, marking out some plausible 
 course for himself, marching onward with the 
 confidence of safety and final success, never- 
 theless with a bosom filled with divine love and 
 dependence. 
 
 Mr. Henry's influence as a practical states- 
 man was exceedingly great, as it was indis- 
 
12 
 
 pensably usel'ul to the success of the early 
 struggle of the injured colonies in their faith 
 created cause of civil and religious freedom. 
 He was no man to stand in alcove, and let his 
 fellow-countrymen toil on in the contest of 
 human rights, and then if successful to come 
 in for his unearned share of their life sealed, 
 and blood-written liberfies. Like Publicola of 
 Athens, his country needed help, and he was 
 ready to give it all the aid in his power, freely 
 and unfeignedly, and also to meet whatever 
 fate might await him if required for his coun- 
 try's benefit. His all-swaying speaking powers, 
 were devotedly employed in behalf of projecting 
 and enacting some plan, that would awaken 
 his countrymen by mutual resolve, to resist 
 British stringency of government, and to con- 
 ceive, propound, and adopt a wiser and more 
 acceptable one for themselves. His eloquent 
 exposure of the ignoble connivances of England 
 against the colony, fired up every American's 
 self-dependent feeling ; and his bold torch of 
 speech lit up the chandelier of liberty on the 
 continent of America. 
 
 A country can scarcely have a greater blessing 
 than an eloquent and sagaciously patriotic 
 statesman. The light castle may illume the 
 mariner's watery path, and shew him the 
 whereabouts of the ocean's channel, yet can 
 not compel him to follow it; likewise the 
 beaming sagacity of a statesman may be shed 
 over his country as its guardian covmcils yet 
 can not compel it to put them in practical use. 
 A statesman's fame and memory should be as 
 dear to the state, as liberty itself Unearned 
 fame is a transient blessing, and when it leaves 
 its claimant, the rubbish of broken hearted 
 vanity and of melancholy memory, are all that 
 
13 
 
 remain. Of many kinds of excellent fame that 
 of high eloquence in the noblest cause excels 
 them all. A noble fame is verily not a mound 
 of sand, to be washed down by every descend- 
 ing show^er of successive rivalship, thereby 
 becoming gradually reduced to a ii ediocratic 
 level ; it is rather a peering mountain, high as 
 eternal light, solid as fiery rock; successfully 
 bearing up forests of generations who cling 
 around it from base to brow, defying all time 
 and trial and death, balancing the earth, and 
 joining earth to heaven, still overlooking from 
 its cloudless heights, a Avorld up-gazing in 
 astonishment, veneration and delight. 
 
 Mr. Henry's personal attractions as an orator, 
 were numerous and great ; his noble form, 
 stood boldly and upright in debate, like Achilles 
 in mid-council with the gods; his hand moved 
 like a wand incarnate, as confirming witness 
 of the power of his argument, and the pro- 
 priety of his cavise ; his look on momentous 
 occasions, was like one who could express a 
 nation's pains or pleasures in his own coun- 
 tenance ; his enchanting tones of voice, were 
 ever variable, like earthly and sphere notes 
 mingled ; he arose to speak like an armed man, 
 and sat down in conclusion, with the calmness 
 and dignity of a conqueror. 
 
 Immortal Henry ! father of American orators! 
 pioneer patriot in the cause of thy country's 
 independence ! Whenever the fame of American 
 eloquence is recalled to memory by posterity, 
 the fame of Patrick Henry will send the first 
 if not the deepest thrills of delight through its 
 heart. Whenever another demi-angelic nation 
 now bowed down by oppression iuay yet raise 
 U^ its injured form, and bid its oppressors go 
 
14 
 
 hence, his image will rise to view like an 
 unearthly light, and as an omen of approaching 
 triumph. Whenever an American loses I'or a 
 moment his faith in her cause, and his de- 
 votion to her principles, the voice that cavised 
 the house of burgesses to warm up at its sound, 
 till the hearts of millions melted into one, will 
 pierce his soul with the shout of "Liberty or 
 death." Whenever Americans forget his name, 
 and remember him no more, Ibiil and bloody 
 fields will again blot their country's surface, 
 and universal tyranny will again tread on the 
 neck of scarred and fallen liberty. AVhcnever 
 a repixblic becomes so proudly prosperous, as 
 to feel careless in regard to the memory of her- 
 early founders, of her wisest and best men, and 
 of her death-stricken patriots, the brightness 
 and length of her day will grow dimmer and 
 shorter, till that darkness comes which shall 
 remain unbroken. Whenever American sward 
 shall be redyed, and her waters recrimsoned 
 with the gore of her loving children, slain on 
 her own pure bosom, and in her own maternal 
 defence, should that once valiantly experienced 
 scene ever return, her inheritors if worthy of 
 their origin, will retriumph in her cause or die 
 with it. Whenever the fame of one who rose 
 in speech, and the proud Parsons fled ; who 
 rose again, and his country claimed a Pericles; 
 again, and British tyranny throughout America 
 shrieked in death ; is deemed unworthy of 
 treasurable notice, or deserving of only an 
 indifferent tribute, the finger that turned the 
 dead rock on Smai's summit to a living oracle 
 of divinity, will be pointed at us smitingly ; and 
 the eye that saw the laAv of Paradise broken, 
 will turn to us frowningly. The deep future 
 
15 
 
 will embrace liis memory, the latest age will 
 rejoice in it ; nor will it be lost to the world, 
 till the world is lost to American liberty. 
 
 Mr. Henry's character in every jaosition ol" 
 life, was a high and honest credit to his coiintry. 
 He was the righthand friend of human free- 
 dom and of universal rights, a famous pattern 
 of social purity, and a demi-angel among men. 
 His essential services to his country in her very 
 moment of fearfulest peril ; his comprehensive 
 patriotism and well known decided unbending 
 and abiding fidelity to the cause of republican- 
 ism ; his Melancthonian purity of motive in 
 any course he marked out for himself, or cause 
 he espoused, elicited from distinguished sources 
 testimonials of hearts sent and head sanctioned 
 approbation and grateful esteem. Like Tliem- 
 istocles, he resolved to serve his country as a 
 son should serve his sire, nor sought ibr other 
 rewards, than the reflection that he had per- 
 formed some services which contributed to her 
 special benefit and well being. " Iho bum pub- 
 lico ad iiifinitum," was his maxim as a states- 
 man; and no man illustrated and expounded 
 the meaning of his precepts more I'ully than 
 did he by nearly every public and private act. 
 Ele feared consolidation of power from the 
 forming of a constitution, vesting such wide 
 extended powers and influence in the hands of 
 a few^, as he believed the introduction of the 
 Constitution of the United States would, and 
 if he erred in opposing its ratification Ibr this 
 and similar reasons, then surely it was an er- 
 ror which is attributable to an excess, rather 
 than to a want of cautious, zealous patriotism 
 and anxiety for the permanency of the republic. 
 How rare ! how very rare is it to meet with a 
 statesman, however much good he may do, or 
 
16 
 
 benefit confer on his country generally, in his 
 political capacity, to find him withal and above 
 all a man of social purity and of exemplary hab- 
 its in private life ! How rare! how very rare is 
 it to find public men proiessing loyalty to a na- 
 tion redeem what they profess alike at the 
 meridian blaze of its prosperity, and at the 
 midnight gloom of its adversity ! and likewise, 
 to find them ever just, because generously rea- 
 sonable, and ever reasonable because generous- 
 ly just. Constituents can not engage them- 
 selves more usefully, nor expend some portion 
 of their means more profitably, nor employ 
 their time more agreeably, than in proffering 
 appropriate tokens of regard, and of their high 
 appreciation of distinguished services faithful- 
 ly rendered by those who have represented 
 them and their interests loyally in whatever 
 public capacity they may have been placed; it 
 is like the revival of good old times, when 
 Olympian victors and champioiis received the 
 expressions of high consideration and regard 
 from their friends and admirers in returning 
 from their renowned games ; or when the wise 
 men of Greece and the sages of antiquity, af- 
 ter having traveled and taught their far-famed 
 systems of philosophy abroad, and performed 
 acts which redounded to the credit of their be- 
 loved and native country, received on their re- 
 turn marks and testimonials of eminent favor, 
 and valuable tokens of esteem from their grate- 
 ful and honored countrymen, which were pre- 
 sented to them in a manner, and with an appro- 
 priateness that brought unalloyed felicity to 
 the united hearts of ten thousand bosoms. All 
 but God may err, therefore no one error of a 
 great statesman, not wilfully premeditated and 
 perpetrated, should at all lessen him in the 
 
17 
 
 true regard of his immediate constituents, or 
 of the country generally, or even cause a fall- 
 ing away of just admiration and esteem tor 
 those jiast services which he may have per- 
 formed, and that entwine around his name, 
 memory and character, and which endear 
 him to the multitudes whom his labors have 
 benefited. 
 
 Mr. Henry was an orator. He was the great- 
 est American orator of his age, and as a ready 
 extempore, natural speaker, he stands perhaps 
 unapproached by any age. He was born with 
 the powers and faculties of an orator, and he 
 developed them amply with forty years of un- 
 ceasing discipline. Nature was his oratorical 
 model, his oratorical instructor, and his only 
 oratorical master. Men it is said, often lost 
 their self-control while listening to him ; for 
 they would smile when he smiled, weep when 
 he wept, defy when he defied, and resolve when 
 he resolved, in his addressing them. And so 
 absolute and complete was his control over his 
 audience, that he seemed indeed as nature's 
 own cho.sen Nestor. He did not speak as though 
 art had made him an' orator, but as though na- 
 ture herself had made him what he was ; nor 
 would he give art the credit that was due only 
 to nature. He was a noble son of nature, 
 liberty's beloved brother, and father of the 
 American Revolution. As liberty has existed 
 in the bosom of humanity since the creation of 
 the latter, and though at distant, yet suitable 
 periods, will burst loose, though world-bound, 
 assert its name and act out its nature ; so elo- 
 quence, which is and has been an element of 
 constitutional humanity since the air of heaven 
 first inflated the lungs of man, occasionally 
 springs out boldly from the growing ranks of 
 
18 
 
 the oft-times benighted generations, asserts an 
 admirable supremacy and a controlling influ- 
 ence along the files of the centuries. Men 
 should unceasingly cultivate the faculties and 
 art of eloquence, as well lor the delightful emo- 
 tions it attbrds, as for the great uses, objects and 
 ends it subserves in preserving and propagating 
 every good cause and gracious cvistom. True 
 eloquence is found in head-conceived, heart- 
 warmed, and well expressed truths. Some 
 men's eloquence is that of sensation, and 
 others is that of emotion ; the lormer is start- 
 ling, the latter is soothing ; and when both are 
 well joined in the same person, that person's 
 power of eloquence has reached a high round 
 towards oratorical perfection. A true orator 
 rises in native majesty, and the surrounding- 
 tumult ceases instantly ; speaks with his vocal 
 thunders, and his listeners bow in obedience to 
 his mandates ; raises his arm of accomplished 
 jesture, and the hearts of his beholders for a 
 moment cease to beat ; rolls his entrancing eye, 
 and all eyes sparkle at his electric glance ; his 
 words are flying pencils of every color and 
 skill ; his thoughts are living portraits of every 
 shape and size ; his actions are resistless argu- 
 ments to the most obstinate observers ; his ob- 
 ject is to reform the wayward, to advance the 
 reformed, and to perlect all advancement. 
 
 Mr. Henry's official conduct, as first Gover- 
 nor of the Commonwealth ot Virginia, was 
 well received through the States generally, and 
 gave additional lustre to his reputation as a 
 statesman. He was cautious, yet not tamely 
 timid ; firm, yet not wilfully stubborn ; dis- 
 patchful, yet not rashly precipitous ; just, yet 
 not scrupulous beyond good sense ; and many 
 of the highest qualities belonging to human 
 
19 
 
 nature were strikingly developed even in his 
 character as a practical statesman. He govern- 
 ed, so that at the expiration of his term of 
 office, those for whose weal he had accepted 
 power and place could not honestly feel them- 
 selves wronged by his actions, or deceived in 
 the coniidence they had reposed in a fellow 
 commonwealthman. His terms of governor- 
 ship were characterized by discretion and mo- 
 deration by public enterprise and State prosper- 
 ity, and by a rapid increase of State credit. 
 His repeated and unsolicited elevation to this 
 high and useful position, is the best proof of his 
 transcendent capacity to conduct aftairs of State 
 creditably to himself and to his constituency. 
 
 A ruler's first duty is obedience to the laws of 
 State. His next duty is to see that every other 
 citizen obeys them likewise, and if any law is 
 confessedly bad to seek repealation quickly, ra- 
 ther than its disobedience at all. Numerous 
 divisions of legislative, judicial and executive 
 powers, are necessary to preserve a healthy or- 
 ganization of State government ; also frequent 
 changes of persons who occupy the higher 
 places in State Administration, is a great pre- 
 ventive of the abuse, arising from any thing like 
 hereditary State rulership. Our knowledge of 
 statesmanship, as a science, like our knowledge 
 of most of the sciences, is yet in its first growth ; 
 nor can men reasonably look for its full maturiy 
 in any inconsiderable length of time to come. 
 A system of government so complete as to ren- 
 der it all but impossible for a nation living up 
 to it strictly, to fall from the highest republican 
 plain and standard ; a system built and stand- 
 ing on enlarged, yet prudent experiments, al- 
 ways strengthened and never weakened by 
 every successive experiment, gaining solidity 
 
20 
 
 and power steadily, and firmly keeping them 
 when gained ; hazarding nothing unreasonably, 
 yet reasonably venturing every thing for the 
 substantial good of men ; will amply and en- 
 tirely repay all reflection given to it, and expe- 
 rimental labor performed on it, though it should 
 require more years than have yet rolled away, 
 since the dawn of humanity on the earth, to 
 effect its consummation. 
 
 The permanency of a governmental system 
 seems to depend, on the fact whether the 
 majority will or will not support it ; unless, 
 indeed, the power of armies and navies can be 
 readily interposed by the minority ; nor can it 
 be upheld any considerable time by these 
 stringent and unnatural means of its support. 
 Even the finest system of government covxld 
 not remain stable and secure, while it tended 
 in general not to give the balance of its popu- 
 lation, that is to say, its agriculturists, its 
 tradesmen, its mechanics, and laborers gene- 
 rally, a fair if not an inviting chance to acquire 
 a comfortable sustenance if not a fine com- 
 petency by due industry and perseverance and 
 by the exercise of judgment and skill in their 
 rcsjiective callings. Education, capacity, and 
 genius, though they may seem, on a superficial 
 examination, as tending to permanent and 
 destructive inequality, yet they will be found 
 on correct analysis tending to an ultimate and 
 preserving equality through a nation ; for their 
 possession is of little good to a man unless he 
 uses them, and he can not use them without 
 influencing others directly, by which means an 
 entire state and even all humanity may be 
 favorably impressed ; therefore every step of 
 individual improvement and advancement how- 
 ever bold and novel in its nature, and though 
 
21 
 
 positively producing an equality of attainment 
 between men at first, will nevertheless by and 
 by elevate the great masses of humanity by its 
 general diftusion. Mankind knew but a moiety, 
 as it were, of human and divine philosophy 
 till the ancient seers, Pythagoras, Conlucius and 
 I'^ocrates revealed it to them. Mankind knew 
 but little of the power and practical use of true 
 oratory, in promoting and preserving state 
 prosperity, till Pericles, Demosthenes and 
 Cicero appeared among them. Homer, Virgil, 
 Shakspeare and Milton rose above their times 
 and left their respective ages behind them. 
 Bacon, Locke and Gall haA'e opened a self- 
 illumining path of endless general advance- 
 ment and improvement by their bold researches 
 in the science of mind. Mankind knew but 
 little, and that little was the very false faced- 
 ness of vaguery as to the real nature and 
 character of the heavens, till the advent of 
 Galileo, Copernicus, Newton and Herschel 
 on the earth. Now, each of these men by the 
 very superiority of their genius, produced an 
 inequality, in point of mental power and 
 attainments, between them and their cotem- 
 poraries, wide as the east fi-om the west. Not- 
 withstanding all this, successive generations 
 through the special agencies of books, of lec- 
 tures, and of instructive diagrams, illustrative 
 of their works, and of the works and improve- 
 ments of their followers, have produced ten 
 thousand fold greater equality between these 
 distinguished spirits and the present age, than 
 existed between them and the ages in which 
 they lived and flourished, because all which they 
 knew and taught has since been so generallv 
 studied and acquired by succeeding generations. 
 Mr. Henry was especially gifted with a 
 
oo 
 
 conversational talent of the richest and most 
 attractive cast. Charming indeed was his 
 companionship, charming were all topics of 
 general or particular converse rendered by his 
 very felicitous touch. His pure and lovely 
 smile, his bright yet mildly set eye, his expres- 
 sive and benign countenance, his graceful and 
 familiar jesture, his entire ease and gentleness 
 of manner, his proverbial respect ibr the finest 
 feelings of all in his presence, his eminent and 
 vividly descriptive ability, his happy mode of 
 relating illustrative anecdotes, and of appro- 
 priately interspersing them through a conver- 
 sation, his native simplicity of language, his 
 glowing, tinting, luxuriant, and even embla- 
 zoning imagination and fancy, gave him a 
 power and sweeping influence in the circles of 
 social life. He was beloved by his family, as 
 his family only could love a consummate hus- 
 band and father ; by his familiar friends and 
 acquaintances he was beloved as brothers love 
 a brother ; and distinguished travelers and 
 strangers who visited him to ofi'er their tributes 
 of respect, admiration, and veneration at the 
 shrine of living greatness, ever left his abode 
 with the happifying heart feeling, that they had 
 found another friend, and formed a cherishable 
 friendship with a great, a good and a lovely 
 spirit. A man who is endowed with faculties 
 fitting him to embellish social life, may impart 
 to society a tone of rationality, of religious 
 elevation, and of private purity ol' manners, 
 thought and feelings almost beyond credibility. 
 An anti-Upas tree imparts health in lieu of 
 disease through a land ; thus a man of pure 
 social converse and habits, diffuses happiness 
 instead of misery, through the community 
 which he inhabits and influences. 
 
23 
 
 As star beams mingling with soft lunar raj's. 
 
 Shed o'er the earth their beauty ; thus social joys 
 
 Joined with purest feelings, throw o'er life 
 
 Mantles of softest bliss; luishing all outward strife, 
 
 Bewildering to manhood, still challenged by the hope 
 
 Of earthly glory. 
 
 Morning zephyrs cooling the blushing cheek 
 
 Awake the soul, and bid the tongue to speak 
 
 In praise of social joy ; noonday's genial breeze. 
 
 Touching melodious harp strings gently leaves 
 
 Listners in social harmony ; then evening airs 
 
 Breathe forth their sacred lays, till half the world repairs 
 
 To rest in social bosoms. 
 
 Purity of thought, loftiness of feeling, and a 
 truthful conversation, are three things which 
 ought to distinguish every man who mingles 
 with any society. The conversation of friends 
 is a chalice filled with ingredients purer than 
 light, nourishing as truth, delicious as love, 
 and all heavenizing to the heart. The instruc- 
 tive conversation of a virtuous man is as 
 balm of Gilead to a heart bruised by vice 
 andpainfully forlorn. Social vices need their 
 healing asylums as much as mono mania ; and 
 social virtues are the cordial restoratives for 
 both. A pure and noble spirit when it gives its 
 presence to society, in whatever capacity and 
 duty it may appear, elevates and ennobles the 
 feelings and bearing of all who listen to it, or 
 behold it; as Orpheus when in the company of 
 others, purified and delighted their souls with 
 his celestial strains, and spiritual expression of 
 countenance. 
 
 Mr. Henry's junior years, to all outward ap- 
 pearance, passed away as did Shakspeare's, in 
 rather an unconcerned ease, yet, no doubt, with 
 the restless secret workings of genius within. 
 His senior years were employed as were Fene- 
 lon's, chiefly in pious reflection, in entertain- 
 ing friends, and in useful general reading. At 
 
24 
 
 his birth his country was groping its low way 
 beneatli Erebic oppression ; at his death it 
 was soaring on tlie highway of an Elysian 
 liberty. His genius protected and honored 
 America, and America will honor and protect 
 his genius. He lived and labored tor the 
 prosperity of his country, and his country in 
 its highest prosperity will hold him in grateful 
 and fatherly recollection. His fame is such 
 that neither eulogy can elevate it, nor marble 
 pevpetuate it, nor history add one atom or unit 
 to its massive glory ; for it is enthroned in the 
 American heart, and it dwells in the American 
 memory. 
 
 kb 80 
 
 1£ N '10 
 
.HO, 
 
 o K 
 
 ^0 V •.* 
 
 
 
 
 
 q, - . . o •> .0 *i» 
 
 „<i-'=' ^•^. 
 
 
 

 
 •^q.