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Show I iClw Cjooowms WoqAIi I v V HIS day being the anniversary of Pat- I ff hRW riclc Henfy's memorable Appeal to I i J 53W Arms, ' is wortn while to reflect a ; tolrt JF moment upon the significance of this I . i,UljaBr immortal achievement. The speech it- SJKw se was msP'rec order; it far sur- ' passed all similar efforts of the Revolu tion and has long since been universally considered one of the masterpieces master-pieces of American oratory. But more significant even than the speech , itself was the lofty motive which inspired it and the daring manner of its delivery. I To the best of our knowledge, the fathers of the Revolution have (Ljr- never been charged with cbwardice, and yet it is a recorded fact that 5 many of them, who, when the die was cast, gladly "pledged their lives, fortunes and sacred honor" to the cause of the colonies, nevertheless J actually shivered in their seats while the irrepressible young patriot ' sounded the clarion call to arms and hurled America's defiance at the British crown. It was that speech that swept away all indecision and galvanized the distressed colonists into determined action. Though older and more conservative heads disapproved.of such daring tactics, openly manifested their displeasure by departing from the chamber, and subsequently sought to repudiate the stirring utterances, there was no turning back. Patrick Henry had pointed out the way. His speech struck like the lightning and set loose a flood tide of sentiment that surged beyond all human control. From that very day war was inevitable, and three weeks later the fight at Lexington occurred. We have always been convinced that the intrepid Virginia patriot succeeded that day because he dared to call a spade a spade. There had been no dispute as to the chief issues which then concerned Henry and his compatriots ; they were all of one mind in their sense of long suffering and abuse at the hands of the British sovereign. Still the great majority continued to counsel moderation; they hoped against hope for an easier way out of their difficulties ; they hesitated to sever the ties that bound them to the mother country. So it was that they who hesitated to burn the bridges were dumbfounded at the audacity of the man who dared to apply the torch who dared to address them on a subject that they had feared to deal with frankly themselves. Hence for the moment Henry was considered a heretic; then he became be-came a hero. As we recall, the whole issue hinged that day on the propriety of a free and open discussion of opinion as to the true state of the colonies. Men constrained their real sentiments during the deliberation and carefully guarded their remarks. It remained for Henry to break the spell of supressed feeling and surcharge his countrymen with the inspiration in-spiration of their own awakened sentiments. He prefaced his appeal to arms with words that have a singular and striking application to X America today, especially in view of the false philosophy that has been spread broadcast among his countrymen of the present generation. genera-tion. It is worth our while to note these inspired words : "But different men often see the same subject in different lights; and, therefore, I hope it will not be thought disrespectful to those gentlemen, if, entertaining as I do opinions of a character very different differ-ent to their's, I shall speak forth my sentiments freely and without reserve. re-serve. This is no time for ceremony. The question before us is one of awful moment to this country. In proportion to the magnitude mag-nitude of the subject ought to be the freedom of the debate. It is" only in this way that we can arrive at the truth, and fulfill the great re-$' re-$' sponsibility which we hold to God and our country. Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offense, I should consider myself as guilty of treason towards my country, and of an act of disloyalty toward the Majesty of Heaven, which revere above all earthly kings." It was this sublime sentiment that spurred the founders of the Great Republic into action and steeled their souls for the supreme sac- H rifice that was to come. They gave freely of their blood and treasure H to gain this priceless possession. It subsequently became the heritage H of all Americans. It has been preserved inviolable clown to the present H day. We of this generation have been the first in the illustrious line of succession to contemplate selling this birthright for a mess of political H pottage. Would that we had a Patrick Henry today to unshackle our H honest sentiments and'again point out the path to glory ! H |