Part 16 (2/2)

[276] _Jour Va House of Del_ 106-108

[277] _Jour Va H Del_ 75; and Randall, _Life of Jefferson_, i

205

[278] Willia_ for 1873, 350

[279] 5 _Am Arch_ iii 1425-1426

[280] I refer, for example, to his letters of Oct 11, 1776; of Nov

19, 1776; of Dec 6, 1776; of Jan 8, 1777; of March 20, 1777; of March 28, 1777; of June 20, 1777; besides the letters cited in the text

[281] _Writings of Washi+ngton_, iv 330

[282] Sparks, _Corr Rev_ i 361, 362

[283] _Jour Va House Del_ 61

CHAPTER XIV

GOVERNOR A SECOND TIME

Patrick Henry's second terovernor extended from the 28th of June, 1777, to the 28th of June, 1778: a twelvele for national independence,--its awful disasters being more than relieved by the successes, both diplomatic and military, which were compressed within that narrow strip of tilance at the chief ite before our eyes the historic environht at his heavy tasks: July 6, 1777, Aoyne; August 6, defeat of Herkiust 16, Stark's victory over the British at Bennington; Septeton at Brandywine; September 27, entrance of the British into Philadelphia; October 4, defeat of Washi+ngton at Geroyne and his entire arton's retiree; February 6, 1778, American treaty of alliance with France; May 11, death of Lord Chatharess a cessation of hostilities; June 18, the British evacuate Philadelphia; June 28, the battle of Monmouth

The story of the personal life of Patrick Henry during those stern and agitating e, on the 9th of October, 1777, to Dorothea Dandridge, a granddaughter of the old royal governor, Alexander Spotswood,--a lady as er than her husband, and whose companionshi+p proved to be the solace of all the years that remained to him on earth

The pressure of official business upon hi the previous year The General assembly was in session from the 20th of October, 1777, until the 24th of January, 1778, and fro, of course, a long strain of attention by the governor to the work of the two houses Moreover, the pro the States, and, at the same time, her exemption froreat de made upon her both for men and for supplies Tohis failure to do so, involved a copious and laborious correspondence on the part of Governor Henry, not only with his own official subordinates in the State, but with the president of Congress, with the board of war, and with the general of the army

The official letters which he thus wrote are a overnor, his attention to details, his broad practical sense, his hopefulness and patience under galling disappoint in the life of Governor Henry during his second ter an interest for us now, as has the course which he took respecting the fa proportions during the winter of 1777 and 1778, for the displaceton, and for the elevation of the shallow and ill-balanced Gates to the supreme command of the armies It is probable that several ress, and in the several state governh most of them had too much caution to commit themselves to it by any documentary evidence which could rise up and destroy them in case of its failure The leaders in the plot very naturally felt the great ih influence in Washi+ngton's own State; and by many it was then believed that they had actually won over no less a man than Richard Henry Lee Of course, if also the sanction of Governor Patrick Henry could be secured, a prodigious advantage would be gained Accordingly, froress had fled on the advance of the ene letter was sent to hinature, but evidently by a personal friend, a man of position, and a master of the art of plausible statement:--

YORKTOWN, 12 January, 1778

DEAR SIR,--The coether I recollect with pleasure the influence of your conversation and eloquence upon the opinions of this country in the beginning of the present controversy You first taught us to shake off our idolatrous attachment to royalty, and to oppose its encroachments upon our liberties with our very lives By these means you saved us fro of that liberal spirit of thinking and acting, which followed the destruction of the sceptres of kings, and the hty power of Great Britain

But, Sir, we have only passed the Red Sea A dreary wilderness is still before us; and unless a Moses or a Joshua are raised up in our behalf, weto fear from our enemies on the way General Howe, it is true, has taken Philadelphia, but he has only changed his prison His dominions are bounded on all sides by his out-sentries

America can only be undone by herself She looks up to her councils and arms for protection; but, alas! what are they?

Her representation in Congress dwindled to only twenty-onethem Her councils weak, and partial remedies applied constantly for universal diseases Her ar to it called it a few days ago, in lected

The quarternorance, and peculation; our hospitals croith six thousand sick, but half provided with necessaries or acco in the the whole of the last ca, without any effectualtaken to raise it; the country distracted with the Don Quixote atteulate the price of provisions; an artificial famine created by it, and a real one dreaded froh a more intimate acquaintance with the causes of ourdaily to General Howe; andto do it, only to avoid the calamities which threaten our country But is our case desperate? By no h to save us, if they could be called into action The northern ar with a General at their head The spirit of the southern army is no way inferior to the spirit of the northern A Gates, a Lee, or a Conould in a feeeks render them an irresistible body of men The last of the above officers has accepted of the new office of inspector-general of our army, in order to reform abuses; but the remedy is only a palliative one In one of his letters to a friend he says, 'A great and good God hath decreed America to be free, or the [General] and weak counsellors would have ruined her long ago' You may rest assured of each of the facts related in this letter The author of it is one of your Philadelphia friends A hint of his na, must not be mentioned to your most intimate friend Even the letter ht to be hten, and alarm our country I rely upon your prudence, and am, dear Sir, with my usual attachment to you, and to our beloved independence,

Yours sincerely

Hoas Patrick Henry to deal with such a letter as this? Even though he should reject its reasoning, and spurn the temptation hich it assailed him, should he merely burn it, and be silent? The incident furnished a fair test of his loyalty in friendshi+p, his faith in principle, his soundness of judgrasp of the public situation,--in a word, of his manliness and his statesmanshi+p