Documents in Early American History
Patrick Henry,
Speeches (excerpts)
Patrick Henry is famous for his speeches on liberty which, during the American Revolution, earned him the title "Orator of the Revolution." He helped lead Patriots in the 1760s and 1770s. By 1788, although he was still speaking in concern for liberty, he was in a losing cause, trying to stop the ratification of the Constitution. Below are excerpts from his "Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death" speech and speeches he gave in the Virginia ratifying Convention.
Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death
…The question before the House is one of awful moment to this
country. For my own part, I consider it as nothing less than a question of freedom or
slavery….
It is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes
against a painful truth…[but, is] this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and
arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the number of those who having eyes
see not, and having ears hear not, the things which so nearly concern their temporal
salvation? For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the
whole truth; to know the worst and to provide for it.
I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided; and that is the lamp of experience. I
know of no way of judging of the future but by the past. And judging by the past, I wish
to know what there has been in the conduct of the British ministry for the last ten years,
to justify those hopes with which gentlemen have been pleased to solace themselves and the
house?
…Are fleets and armies necessary to a work of love and reconciliation? Have we shown
ourselves so unwilling to be reconciled that force must be called in to win back our love?
Let us not deceive ourselves…. These are the implements of war and subjugation; the
last arguments to which kings resort. I ask gentlemen, …what means this martial
array, if its purpose be not to force us to submission? Can gentlemen assign any other
possible motive for it? …They are sent over to bind and rivet upon us those chains
which the British ministry have been so long forging. Let us not, I beseech
you…deceive ourselves longer.
…[W]e have done everything that could be done to avert the storm which is now coming
on. We have petitioned, we have remonstrated, we have supplicated, we have prostrated
ourselves before the throne, and have implored its interposition to arrest the tyrannical
hands of the ministry and Parliament. Our petitions have been slighted; our remonstrances
have produced additional violence and insult; our supplications have been disregarded; and
we have been spurned with contempt from the foot of the throne. In vain, after these
things, may we indulge the fond hope of peace and reconciliation. There is no longer any
room for hope. If we wish to be free, if we mean to preserve inviolate those inestimable
privileges for which we have been so long contending, …we must fight! An appeal to
arms and to the God of Hosts is all that is left us!
Three 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, …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. The
battle…is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the
brave….
There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged; their clanking
may be heard on the plains of Boston! The war is inevitable, and let it come! I repeat it,
…let it come!
…Gentlemen may cry Peace, but there is no peace. The war is actually begun. The next
gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms. Our
brethren are already in the field. Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish?
What would they have? Is 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!
(From William Wirt, Sketches of the Life and Character of Patrick
Henry, 1817)
Speeches in the Virginia Ratifying Convention, 1788
I consider myself as the servant of the people of this commonwealth, as a centinel over their rights, liberty, and happiness. I represent their feelings when I say, that they are exceedingly uneasy, being brought from that state of full security, which they enjoyed, to the present delusive appearance of things.
I conceive the republic to be in extreme danger….This proposal to alter our federal government is of a most alarming nature…--you ought to be extremely cautious, watchful, jealous of your liberty; for instead of securing your rights, you may lose them forever.
I am sure [the members of the Philadelphia Convention] were fully impressed with the necessity of forming a great consolidated government, instead of a confederation. That this is a consolidated government is demonstrably clear; and the danger of such a government is, to my mind, very striking….
I wish to hear the real actual danger, which should lead us to take those steps so dangerous in my conception. Disorders have arisen in other parts of America, but here, sir, no dangers, no insurrection or tumult, has happened--everything has been calm and tranquil.
Here is a revolution as radical as that which separated us from Great Britain. It is as radical, if in this transition, our rights and privileges are endangered, and the sovereignty of the states be relinquished: and cannot we plainly see, that this is actually the case….
You are not to inquire how your trade may be increased, nor how you are to become a great and powerful people, but how your liberties can be secured; for liberty ought to be the direct end of your government.
Liberty is the greatest of all earthly blessings…. But, I am fearful I have lived long enough to become an old fashioned fellow. Perhaps an invincible attachment to the dearest rights of man, may, in these refined enlightened days, be deemed old fashioned; if so, I am contented to be so: I say, the time has been, when every pulse of my heart beat for American liberty, and which, I believe, had a counterpart in the breast of every true American….
Those nations who have gone in search of grandeur, power and splendor, have also fallen a sacrifice, and been the victims of their own folly. While they acquired those visionary blessings, they lost their freedom.
Some way or other we must be a great and mighty empire; we must have an army, and a navy, and a number of things. When the American spirit was in its youth, the language of America was different: liberty, sir, was then the primary object. We are descended from a people whose government was founded on liberty; our glorious forefathers of Great Britain, made liberty the foundation of everything…. We drew the spirit of liberty from our British ancestors: by that spirit we have triumphed over every difficulty. But now, sir, the American spirit, assisted by the ropes and chains of consolidation, is about to convert this country into a powerful and mighty empire: if you make the citizens of this country agree to become the subjects of one great consolidated empire of America…--such a government is incompatible with the genius of republicanism. There will be no checks, no real balances, in this government. What can avail your specious, imaginary balances, your rope-dancing, chain-rattling, ridiculous ideal checks and contrivances? [There are no real checks:] the preservation of our liberty depends on the single chance of men being virtuous enough to make laws to punish themselves.
[A bill of rights must be] inserted in the new system, securing to the states and the people, every right which was not conceded to the general government; and that every implication should be done away…. [State bills of rights will no longer be sufficient.] If the constitution be paramount, how are the constitutions and laws of the states to stand? Their operation will be totally controlled by it--for it is paramount to everything, unless you can show some guard against it--The rights of persons are exposed as it stands now.
[On the idea that the Constitution could be ratified on the condition that it later be amended with a bill of rights:] Evils admitted, in order to be removed subsequently, and tyranny submitted to, in order to be excluded by a subsequent alteration, are things totally new to me…. Do you enter into a compact of government first, and afterwards settle the terms of the government? [The Constitution must be amended before ratification:] In the language of freemen, stipulate, that there are rights which no man under heaven can take from you….
(Speeches of Patrick Henry in David Robertson, ed., Debates and other Proceedings of the Convention of Virginia [Richmond: Enquirer Press, 1805], pp. 27-28, 42-54, 364, 421-24.)
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