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Patrick Henry
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A Virginian to the last, Patrick Henry was the most famous orator of the American Revolution. He was, according to Thomas Jefferson, "far above all in maintaining the spirit of the revolution." A failure in business, Henry became a lawyer and quickly won a favorable reputation. He spoke out strongly against British taxation policies and his fiery words helped strengthen resistance to the Stamp Act. His most famous speech was given at the Virginia's revolutionary convention at Richmond in 1775, where he proposed the arming of the militia. He concluded: "Gentlemen may cry peace, peace - but there is no peace. The war is actually begunŠIs life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!" The convention promptly approved his proposal.
Henry became Virginia's first Governor on July 5, 1776 and held the position for the legal limit of three years. When the Constitution came to Virginia for ratification, Henry felt it gave too much power to the federal government to the deprivation of the rights and privileges of the states and the citizens. While his fight against the Constitution and for the rights of states and citizens frustrated James Madison, Henry's thoughts did influence Madison's writing and brought the issues into public awareness. Thus Henry is recognized as a strong contributing force to the early adoption of the first ten amendments of the Constitution known at the Bill of Rights.
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"We are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of nature hath placed in our power. The millions of people, armed in the holy cause of liberty, and in such a country as that which we possess, are invincible by any force which our enemy can send against us. Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us. " |
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