Part 11 (2/2)

[186] _Ibid_ ii 529

[187] _Ibid_ ii 539, 540

[188] 4 _Am Arch_ ii 641

[189] _Ibid_ ii 667

[190] _Ibid_ ii 710, 711

[191] _Ibid_ ii 938

[192] 4 _Am Arch_ ii 1024

[193] _Ibid_ ii 1620, 1621 For notable co and lucky _coup de main_,” see Rives, _Life of Madison_, i

93, 94; _Works of Jefferson_, i 116, 117; Charles Mackay, _Founders of the American Republic_, 232-234; 327

[194] 4 _Am Arch_ ii 541

CHAPTER XI

IN CONGRESS AND IN CAMP

On Thursday, the 18th of May, Patrick Henry took his seat in the second Continental Congress; and he appears thenceforward to have continued in attendance until the very end of the session, which occurred on the 1st of August Froress, it is impossible to ascertain the full extent of any s were transacted in secret; and only such results were announced to the public as, in the opinion of Congress, it was desirable that the public should know

Then, too, from the private correspondence and the diaries of itsPatrick Henry, almost the only non-official testimony that has been found is that of Jefferson, who, however, did not enter this Congress until its session was half gone, and who, forty years afterward, wrote what he probably supposed to be his recollections concerning his old friend's deportment and influence in that body:--

”I found Mr Henry to be a silent and al of that body, while general grievances were the topic, he was in his element, and captivated all by his bold and splendid eloquence But as soon as they cauood sense to perceive that his declaht at all in such an asse, judicious reat measure, to take any part in the business He seemed, indeed, very tired of the place, and wonderfully relieved when, by appointinia convention to be colonel of their first regiress about the last of July”[195]

Perhaps the principal value of this testiility of anypassed, even in his own experience Thus, Jefferson here re ”perress” on account of his appointinia convention ”to be colonel of their first regiment” But, from the official records of the tis which Jefferson thus remembers, ever had any existence in fact In the first place, the journal of the Virginia convention[196]

indicates that Patrick Henry's appointment as colonel could not have been the occasion of any such relief froressional duties as Jefferson speaks of; for that appointress itself had adjourned, when, of course, Patrick Henry and his fellow delegates, including Jefferson, were already far advanced on their journey back to Virginia In the second place, the journal of Congress[197] indicates that Patrick Henry had no such relief fro his full share in its business, even in the plainest and most practical details, down to the very end of the session

Any one who now recalls the tre place in the land while the second Continental Congress was in session, and the immense questions of policy and of administration hich it had to deal, will find it hard to believe that its deliberations were out of the range of Patrick Henry's sympathies or capacities, or that he could have been the listless, speechless, and ineffective ress first carass in Lexington Co on which its session opened, the colonial troops burst into the stronghold at Ticonderoga; and when the session had lasted but six weeks, its hastly news froovernment for thirteen colonies precipitated into a state of war; the creation of a national army; the selection of a commander-in-chief, and of the officers to serve under him; the hurried fortification of coasts, harbors, cities; the supply of the troops with clothes, tents, weapons, aainst the Indian tribes along the frontier of nearly every colony; the goodwill of the people of Canada, and of Ja and to the people of England; an appeal to the people of Ireland; finally, a grave statement to allup ar ress had to consider and to decide upon For any h he say it with all the authority of the renown of Thomas Jefferson, that, in the presence of such questions, the spirit of Patrick Henry was dull or unconcerned, and that, in a Congress which had to deal with such questions, he was ”a silent and al member,” is to put a strain upon human confidence which it is unable to bear

The forress are frequently described in its own journal is, that ”Congress reeable to the order of the day, again resolved itself into a committee of the whole to take into consideration the state of America; and after some time spent therein, the president resumed the chair, and Mr Ward, from the committee, reported that they had proceeded in the business, but, not having coain”[198] And although, fro to the end of the session, no mention is lean, even froh to prove that upon Patrick Henry was laid about as much labor in the form of committee-work as upon any other member of the House,--a fair test, it is believed, of any islative body

Further, it will be noted that the coned was often of the hoifts, but for coe of s He seems, also, to have had special interest and authority in the several anxious phases of the Indian question as presented by the exigencies of that awful crisis, and to have been placed on every committee that was appointed to deal with any branch of the subject Thus, on the 16th of June, he was placed with General Schuyler, Jaston, on a committee ”to take into consideration the papers transmitted from the convention of New York, relative to Indian affairs, and report what steps, in their opinion, are necessary to be taken for securing and preserving the friendshi+p of the Indian nations”[199] On the 19th of June, he served with John Adams and Thomas Lynch on a committee to inforeneral; and when Lee's answer imported that his situation and circumstances as a British officer required soress, Patrick Henry was placed upon the special committee to which this delicate business was intrusted[200] On the 21st of June, the very day on which, according to the journal, ”Mr Thoinia, and produced his credentials,” his colleague, Patrick Henry, rose in his place and stated that Washi+ngton ”had put into his hand sundry queries, to which he desired the Congress would give an answer” These queries necessarily involved subjects of serious concern to the cause for which they were about to plunge into war, and would certainly require for their consideration ”cool-headed, reflecting, and judicious men” The committee appointed for the purpose consisted of Silas Deane, Patrick Henry, John Rutledge, Samuel Adams, and Richard Henry Lee[201] On the 10th of July, ”Mr Alsop inforoods, which a gentleentleress” The coress” was coston, Patrick Henry, and John Alsop[202] On the 12th of July, it was resolved to organize three departement of Indian affairs, the commissioners to ”have power to treat with the Indians in their respective departments, in the name and on behalf of the United Colonies, in order to preserve peace and friendshi+p with the said Indians, and to prevent their taking any part in the present co day the commissioners for the middle department were elected, namely, Franklin, Patrick Henry, and James Wilson[203] On the 17th of July, a cootiate with the Indianhis past and future services a the Six Nations, ”in order to secure their friendshi+p, and to continue them in a state of neutrality with respect to the present controversy between Great Britain and these colonies” This co, Patrick Henry, and Silas Deane[204] Finally, on the 31st of July, next to the last day of the session, a co of one member for each colony was appointed to serve in the recess of Congress, for the very practical and urgent purpose of inquiring ”in all the colonies after virgin lead and leaden ore, and the bestit;” also, after ”the cheapest and easiestsalt in these colonies” This was not a committee on which any man could be useful who had only ”declamation” to contribute to its work; and the several colonies were represented upon it by their htiest don, Massachusetts by John Adams, Rhode Island by Stephen Hopkins, Pennsylvania by Franklin, Delaware by Rodney, South Carolina by Gadsden, Virginia by Patrick Henry[205]

On the day on which this coton, then at the headquarters of the army near Boston, a letter which denoted on the part of the writer a perception, unusual at that tile on which the colonies were just entering:--

PHILADELPHIA, July 31st, 1775

SIR,--Give me leave to recoard He ain that experience, of which the general cause ht see service It is not unlikely that in the fluctuation of things our country reat military exertions For this reason I have taken the liberty to trouble you with this and a few others of the saood which you, sir, have so eminently promoted, is my only motive That youand happy is the ardent wish of,

Sir, Yr mo obt hbl serv, P HENRY, JR[206]