NOR A SECOND TIME 240
XV. THIRD YEAR IN THE GOVERNORSHIP 257
XVI. AT HOME AND IN THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES 271
XVII. SHALL THE CONFEDERATION BE MADE STRONGER? 298
XVIII. THE BATTLE IN VIRGINIA OVER THE NEW CONSTITUTION 313
XIX. THE AFTER-FIGHT FOR AMENDMENTS 339
XX. LAST LABORS AT THE BAR 357
XXI. IN RETIREMENT 382
XXII. LAST DAYS 407
LIST OF PRINTED DOCUMENTS CITED IN THIS BOOK 424
INDEX 431

PATRICK HENRY

CHAPTER I

EARLY YEARS

On the evening of October 7, 1732, that merry Old Virginian, Colonel
William Byrd of Westover, having just finished a journey through King
William County for the inspection of his estates, was conducted, for
his night's lodging, to the house of a blooming widow, Mistress Sarah
Syme, in the county of Hanover. This lady, at first supposing her guest
to be some new suitor for her lately disengaged affections, "put on a
Gravity that becomes a Weed;" but so soon as she learned her mistake
and the name of her distinguished visitor, she "brighten'd up into an
unusual cheerfulness and Serenity. She was a portly, handsome Dame, of
the Family of Esau, and seem'd not to pine too much for the Death of
her Husband, who was of the Family of the Saracens.... This widow is a
person of a lively & cheerful Conversation, with much less Reserve than
most of her Countrywomen. It becomes her very well, and sets off her
other agreeable Qualities to Advantage. We tost off a Bottle of honest
Port, which we relisht with a broil'd Chicken. At Nine I retir'd to my
Devotions, And then Slept so Sound that Fancy itself was Stupify'd,
else I shou'd have dreamt of my most obliging Landlady." The next day
being Sunday, "the courteous Widow invited me to rest myself there that
good day, and go to Church with Her, but I excus'd myself by telling
her she wou'd certainly spoil my Devotion. Then she civilly entreated
me to make her House my Home whenever I visited my Plantations, which
made me bow low, and thank her very kindly."[1]

Not very long after that notable visit, the sprightly widow gave her
hand in marriage to a young Scotchman of good family, John Henry, of
Aberdeen, a protege and probably a kinsman of her former husband; and
conti