Henry's Speech That Sway'd

A paper in submission to HIUS 221-D10 American History in response to reading and video presentations on Patrick Henry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Henry’s Speech That Sway’d

 

 

 

Eric Fournier

HIUS 221-D10

Nov 11, 2012

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            Henry wanted out of his fellows to fight for their freedom and would convince them using religious speech and appeal to human character.  It was his provoking thought that America should be free of tyranny.  He feared that should they not fight that America would become slave to the crown, nothing more then a step stool.  History was on Henry’s side and he would use this to his advantage in pursuing a justified response for his declaration that the legistlation should ajoin themselves together and fight.  He was a brave fellow and not afraid of the consequences of his speech, “Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offence, I should consider myself as guilty of treason towards my country, and of an act of disloyalty toward the majesty of heaven, which I revere above all earthly kings.” ¹  He used the format of debate to protect himself, but knew that there would be among the delegates those who would see his speech as nothing less then treason against the crown.  Even though the crown and parliament had put many restrictions against the America’s, there were those who still strongly supported out of loyalty to country the sovereignty of England’s rulership.  Henry saw the workings of war already in play and would urge the delegation, “It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, ‘Peace! Peace!’ But there is no peace. The war is actually begun. The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle?” ²

Many reason’s were brought to the delegates by Henry in response to England’s approach to dealing with the colonies; among these were military quarter, clash of arms, snide and inappropriate responses to requests by the America’s and the length and amount of arguments

1.  Henry, Patrick. “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death!” Speech to the Virginia Convention, March 23, 1775.

2.  Ibed

brought before the crown over the previous ten years.  It was Henry’s argument that the last ten years should be a clear sign that liberties would not be won by peaceful delegations, “I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of judging of the future but by the past. And judging by the past, I wish to know what there has been in the conduct of the British ministry for the last ten years to justify those hopes with which gentlemen have been pleased to solace themselves and the House.” ³  Henry deeply feared that England would ensare the colonies into a mode of slavery deeper then they had by financial means.  With British troops off the coast and already quartered in Northern colonies, Virginia had much to fear and lose.  Henry seemed to understand that many had a loyalty to their mother country and would use the crimes of the crown to spur action and fear, “Are fleets and armies necessary to a work of love and reconciliation? Have we shown ourselves so unwilling to be reconciled that force must be called in to win back our love? Let us not deceive ourselves, sir. These are the implements of war and subjugation; the last arguments to which kings resort.” ⁴  Like any good speaker, he used the emotions of the people along with the deep rooted fear of martial law to sway his listeners.

According to the video presentation on Patrick Henry, the Evangelical Pastor Davies had a strong influence on Henry’s abilitry to speak, spectators were quoted as to say that when they died they wanted to be buried in this very spot, at the church where Henry spoke. ⁵  It was Henry’s heart for Virginia that urged him, along with passion for his family which would make  Henry a very apt voice devoted to the Virginian cause.  It was by these means which combined Henry would use to pull the strings of the heart of his listeners towards the puruit of liberty.

            3.  Ibed

            4.  Ibed

            5.  Ibed

 “There is no longer any room for hope. If we wish to be free; if we mean to preserve inviolate those inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contending; if we mean not basely to abandon the noble struggle in which we have been so long engaged, and which we have pledged ourselves never to abandon until the glorious object of our contest shall be obtained, we must fight! I repeat it, sir, we must fight!” ⁶

A general appeal was made that war was already happening in the North and that Britian would surely enslave them as well as the rest of the colonies.  It was the colonist fear that the crown had seen their pleadings as signs of rebellion and was forcing martial law onto the people to quell any uprising.  Henry did not use this logic, but from an outside view it almost appears to be a repeat in history of Moses approaching Pharoh, but each time Pharoh’s anger was so great that he pushed greater restriction towards the Hebrew’s.  Henry appealed to God’s sovereignty and to peoples fear that no other country would come to their aide, “There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us.” ⁷

                Henry was an avid speaker who won the hearts and minds of the delegates that day.  It was by the power of his speech, like other great speakers over centuries that according to the video presentation Henry would be the voice of America. ⁸  The crimes that Britian were committing against America, taxation without representation, martial law when militarily unprovoked, and blockaiding of ports would be the evidence, while the appeal to fear would be the motivation for Henry to win his cause for action towards a fight for liberty.

            6.  Ibed

            7.  Presentation: Patrick Henry

            8.  Henry, Patrick. “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death!” Speech to the Virginia Convention, March 23, 1775.

Word Count 1061

 

Bibliography

 

Henry, Patrick. “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death!” Speech to the Virginia Convention, March 23, 1775.

Presentation: Patrick Henry

Reviews

[nostal]

Don't use passive voice. It's a slog to get through.

[EJF]

Thanks for the tip, I will keep it in mind.