Patrick Henry
Patrick Henry
Patrick Henrywas an American attorney, planter and politician who became known as an orator during the movement for independence in Virginia. A Founding Father, he served as the first and sixth post-colonial Governor of Virginia, from 1776 to 1779 and from 1784 to 1786...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionWar Hero
Date of Birth29 May 1736
CityHanover County, VA
CountryUnited States of America
men safety militia
The militia is our ultimate safety. We can have no security without it. The great object is that every man be armed.
arms lost congress
If you have given up your militia, and Congress shall refuse to arm them, you have lost every thing. Your existence will be precarious, because you depend on others, whose interests are not affected by your infelicity.
war son men
Be of good courage, my son, and remember that the best men always make themselves.
military past men
First, the Constitution ought to secure a genuine and guard against a select militia, by providing that the militia shall always be kept well organized, armed, and disciplined, and include, according to the past and general usage of the states, all men capable of bearing arms; and that all regulations tending to render this general militia useless and defenseless, by establishing select corps of militia, or distinct bodies of military men, not having permanent interests and attachments in the community to be avoided.
strong mean bravery
We are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of Nature has placed in our power... the battle, sir, is not to the strong alone it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave.
jealous rights forever
You ought to be extremely cautious, watchful, jealous of your liberty; for instead of securing your rights, you may lose them forever ...
fighting past feet
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 the future but by the pasty. Let us not, I beseech you, deceive ourselves longer. We have done everything that could he done to avert the storm, which is now coming on. If we wish to be free we must fight, I repeat, we must fight.
war peace-with-god moments
Oh, how wretched should I be at this moment, if I had not made my peace with God.
slavery should transmit
We should transmit to posterity our abhorrence of slavery.
revolution action american-freedom
Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction?
looks example human-nature
Human nature will never part with power. Look for an example of a voluntary relinquishment of power from one end of the globe to another - you will find none.
men law voting
I know some say, let us have good laws, and no matter for the men that execute them: but let them consider, that though good laws do well, good men do better: for good laws may want good men, and be abolished or evaded [invaded in Franklin's print] by ill men; but good men will never want good laws, nor suffer ill ones.
prayer tables hospitality
Hospitality invites to prayer before it checks credentials, welcomes to the table before administering the entrance exam.
kings army fighting
Away with your president! We shall have a king... the army will salute him as monarch; your militia will leave you and assist in making him king and fight against you. And what have you to oppose this force? What will then become of you and your rights?