Battles of Great Lawyers: Patrick Henry of trial to go to the last iota of human right? The Romans fought for their altars and household gods. By these terms they meant everything dear and
valuable to men. Was not our stake as important as theirs? But many other nations engage in the most bloody wars for the most trivial and frivolous causes. If other nations who carried on war for a mere point of honour, or a punctilio
407
And just as he had pictured England a little speck of an island, almost be neath contempt, he swept on to such an overpowering picture of the im mensity of her power and the mighti ness of her resources, that his audience
responded with a startled murmur to the thrilling vehemence and sheer force of his description. Briefly summarized, Patrick Henry's
of gallantry, were warranted in the exer cise of this power, were not we, who
argument was that debts were subject
fought for everything most inestimable
they were much more so in a war like
to confiscation in common wars;
that
and valuable to mankind, justified in
that of the Revolution;
using it? Our finances were in a more distressing situation than theirs at this awful period of our existence. Our war
as an independent nation, could exer cise the right of eminent domain in
that Virginia,
was in opposition to the most grievous op pression. We resisted, and our resistance
enemies; that she had done this, legally discharging the debtors of all obliga
the sequestration of the debts of her
was approved and blessed by Heaven."
tion;
The wonderful power of Patrick Henry's oratory was shown in a par
violated the treaty of 1783, the treaty did not revive any claims of the English creditors; that these debts did not come within the scope of the treaty in any
ticularly vivid and striking manner by two contrasting portions of his speech. “The consent of Great Britain was not necessary to create us a nation," he asserted. “Yes, sir, we were a nation
long before the monarch of that little island in the Atlantic ocean gave his
puny assent to it." He drew himself up to his full height, motioning away as to an infinite dis tance.
that, since Great Britain had
event; and that the court had full j urisdic tion upon the subject of the treaty.
He had been speaking three days be fore he finished his argument and re buttal, and during all that time the court room remained crowded with legislators, lawyers, business men and society women. Not until he had
For an instant it seemed as
finished could a quorum of the House
if he were trying to catch a glimpse of
of Delegates be collected to transact
some minute, faint object far off in space. His lips curling with contempt,
ofiicial business. The case was argued again before
he uttered the words “puny assent" with such emphasis that in the minds of his auditors Great Britain was reduced to the merest shadow of a nation. Later on he had occasion to show the power of England.
Chief Justice Jay and Judges lredell and Griffin in 1793.
Jefferson, who was not prone to praise Patrick Henry, said: "I believe he never distinguished himself so much as on the question of British debts."
“The fact was," he contended, "that
This, the most brilliant of his legal
we were attacked by one of the most
battles, came practically at the end of his career, although he was afterward
formidable
nations
under heaven,
a
nation that carried terror and dread with its thunder to both hemispheres."
offered the position of Chief Justice
by Washington. He declined this honor.
