Patick Henry’s Speech Addressing te House of Burgesses Richmond, Virginia; March 23, 1775

No man tinks more highly tan I do of te patiotsm, as wel as abilites, of te very worty gentlemen who have just addressed te House. But different men oftn see te same subject in different lights; and, terefore, I hope tat it wil not be tought disrespectfl t tose gentlemen, if, entrtaining as I do opinions of a charactr very opposit t teirs, I shal speak fort my sentments feely and witout reserve.

Tis is no tme for ceremony. Te queston before te House is one of awfl moment t tis . For my own part I consider it as noting less tan a queston of feedom or slavery; and in proporton t te magnitude of te subject ought t be te feedom of te debat. It is only in tis way tat we can hope t arrive at tut, and flfil te great responsibilit which we hold t God and our county. Should I keep back my opinions at such a tme, trough fear of giving offense, I should consider myself as guilt of teason twards my county, and of an act of disloyalt twards te majest of ’s Speech Addressing the Virginia House of Burgesses; March 23, 1775

of heaven, which I revere above al eartly kings.

Mr. President, it is natural t man t indulge in te ilusions of hope. We are apt t shut our eyes against a painfl tut, and listn t te song of tat siren, tl she tansforms us int beasts. Is tis te part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous stuggle for libert? Are we disposed t be of te number of tose who, having eyes, see not, and having ears, hear not, te tings which so nearly concern teir tmporal salvaton?

For my part, whatver anguish of spirit it may cost, I am wiling t know te whole tut—t know te worst and t provide for it. I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided; and tat is te lamp of experience. I know of no way of judging of te fture but by te past. And judging by te past, I wish t know what tere has been in te conduct of te Britsh ministy for te last tn years, t justf tose hopes wit which gentlemen have been pleased t solace temselves and te House?

Is it tat insidious smile wit which our petton has been latly received? Trust it not, sir; it wil prove a snare t your feet. Suffer not yourselves t be betayed wit a kiss. Ask yourselves

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how tis gracious recepton of our petton comports wit tese warlike preparatons which cover our watrs and darken our land. Are fleets and armies necessary t a work of love and reconciliaton? Have we shown ourselves so unwiling t be reconciled tat force must be caled in t win back our love? Let us not deceive ourselves, sir. Tese are te implements of war and subjugaton—te last arguments t which kings resort. I ask gentlemen, sir, what means tis martal array, if its purpose be not t force us t submission? Can gentlemen assign any oter possible motves for it? Has Great Britain any enemy, in tis quartr of te world, t cal for al tis accumulaton of navies and armies?

No, sir, she has none. Tey are meant for us; tey can be meant for no oter. Tey are sent over t bind and rivet upon us tose chains which te Britsh ministy have been so long forging. And what have we t oppose t tem? Shal we ty argument? Sir, we have been tying tat for te last tn years. Have we anyting new t offer on te subject? Noting.

We have held te subject up in every light of which it is capable; but it has been al in vain. Shal we resort t enteat and humble supplicaton? What trms shal we find which have not been already exhaustd? Let us not, I beseech you, sir, Created for Lit2Go on the web at etc.usf.edu 3 Patrick Henry’s Speech Addressing the Virginia House of Burgesses; March 23, 1775

deceive ourselves longer.

Sir, we have done everyting tat could be done t avert te strm which is now coming on. We have pettoned; we have remonstatd; we have supplicatd; we have prostatd ourselves before te trone, and have implored its intrpositon t arrest te trannical hands of te ministy and Parliament.Our pettons have been slightd; our remonstances have produced additonal violence and insult; our supplicatons have been disregarded; and we have been spurned, wit contmpt, fom te foot of te trone. In vain, aftr tese tings, may we indulge te fond hope of peace and reconciliaton. Tere is no longer any room for hope. If we wish t be fee—if we mean t preserve inviolat tose inestmable privileges for which we have been so long contnding—if we mean not basely t abandon te noble stuggle in which we have been so long engaged, and which we have pledged ourselves never t abandon untl te glorious object of our contst shal be obtained, we must fight! I repeat it, sir, we must fight! An appeal t arms and t te God of Hosts is al tat is left us!

Tey tl us, sir, tat we are weak—unable t cope wit so formidable an adversary. But when shal we be stonger? Wil Created for Lit2Go on the web at etc.usf.edu 4 Patrick Henry’s Speech Addressing the Virginia House of Burgesses; March 23, 1775

it be te next week, or te next year? Wil it be when we are ttaly disarmed, and when a Britsh guard shal be statoned in every house? Shal we gater stengt by irresoluton and inacton? Shal we acquire te means of effectual resistance, by lying supinely on our backs, and hugging te delusive phantm of hope, untl our enemies shal have bound us hand and foot?

Sir, we are not weak, if we make a proper use of te means which te God of nature hat placed in our power. Tree milions of people, armed in te holy cause of libert, and in such a county as tat which we possess, are invincible by any force which our enemy can send against us. Besides, sir, we shal not fight our batles alone. Tere is a just God who presides over te destnies of natons, and who wil raise up fiends t fight our batles for us.

Te batle, sir, is not t te stong alone; it is t te vigilant, te actve, te brave. Besides, sir, we have no electon. If we were base enough t desire it, it is now to lat t retre fom te contst. Tere is no reteat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged! Teir clanking may be heard on te plains of Bostn! Te war is inevitable—and let it come! I repeat it, sir, let it come! Created for Lit2Go on the web at etc.usf.edu 5 Patrick Henry’s Speech Addressing the Virginia House of Burgesses; March 23, 1775

It is in vain, sir, t extnuat te mater. Gentlemen may cry, “Peace! Peace!”—but tere is no peace. Te war is actualy begun! Te next gale tat sweeps fom te nort wil bring t our ears te clash of resounding arms! Our bretren are already in te field! Why stand we here idle? What is it tat gentlemen wish? What would tey have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as t be purchased at te price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almight God! I know not what course oters may take; but as for me, give me libert, or give me deat!

Patick Henry – March 23, 1775

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