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Patrick Henry

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Henry writes to the eyewitness whose account provided

the most authoritative account of his immortal demand to "give me liberty or give me death!"

Patrick Henry, 1736–1799.  American lawyer and Revolutionary patriot; 1st and 6th Governor of Virginia, 1776–1799, 1784–1786.  Autograph Letter Signed, P Henry, one page, with integral leaf attached, 6½" x 7¼", Buckingham Court [House, Virginia], August 13, 1790.

Henry writes here to Judge St. George Tucker, the eyewitness who provided the most authoritative account of Henryʼs immortal demand to “give me liberty or give me death!"

Henry, whom Thomas Jefferson called the greatest orator in history, became renowned for his speech to the Virginia House of Delegates as it debated whether to mobilize military defense against the British.  Avoiding Williamsburg, where the closeness of British ships posed danger for Virginia patriots marked as traitors, the House met at St. Johnʼs Anglican Church in Richmond, Virginia, on March 23, 1775.  Present were other prominent Virginians, including Jefferson, George Washington, Edmund Randolph, and Richard Henry Lee.  Although some delegates urged restraint with the thought that the British Parliament might grant relief from the Intolerable Acts, Henry argued that there was nothing “in the conduct of the British ministry for the past ten years to justify the hopes with which these gentlemen have been pleased to solace themselves and the House."  He was adamant:  “There is no longer any room for hope.  If we wish to be free,” he said, “we must fight!  I repeat it, sir:  We must fight!" 

Then Henry laid it all on the line:  “Is life so dear, or peace so sweet,” he asked, “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!"

No transcript of Henryʼs oration exists.  Henryʼs first biographer, William Wirt, relied heavily on an account by Judge Tucker, who captured Henryʼs words in a letter to Wirt.  See William Wirt Henry, 1 Patrick Henry:  Life, Correspondence & Speeches 261–67 (1891).

This letter by Henry to Judge Tucker thus has an excellent association.  In it, Henry, obviously a landed man of considerable means, proposes trading a parcel of his land for Tuckerʼs.  He writes, in full:

Sir:

Finding Mr. Francisco going down I trouble you with this on the Subject of your Land in Cumberland.  Its particular Situation in the Hands of Tenants who seem determinʼd to ruin it if possible, induces me to conjecture you might wish to exchange it for other Lands that are free from any disagreeable Engagement or Incumbrance—I have therefore prevailed on Mr. Francisco to be so good as to wait on you with this & to know your Sentiments on the Subject—I propose to have your Land valued by men of Integrity & Judgemt., & in Exchange to give you Lands of equal Value, which Value I propose shall be ascertained by men of the Same Description, & agreeable to both of us—The lands I offer are as follows viz:  3 – to 4000 Acres in Norfolk—about 1200 Acres near Cape Henry including the Woods at the Cape—1700 Acres in P. Edward tolerably improved—5 – or 6300 at Leatherwood—5000 at Kentucky—a large Quantity in No. Carolina low down—8000 of it finely timbered on Navigation on the little Pedee—For particulars not herein explained & which you may desire to know I refer to Mr. Francisco, whose Contract with you I will ratify. I beg you to excuse the Hurry I am in & to believe me with great regard Sir

                                                                                                                                 Yr. Obt. hble Servant

                                                                                                                                                      P. Henry

This letter is an excellent example of Henryʼs holograph and signature.  It has horizontal and vertical folds, one of which barely touches the “P" in Henryʼs signature, and a pencil notation at the upper left affects the one-word salutation.  The letter is trimmed at an angle at the top, but there is no loss of text.  The integral leaf is addressed in Henryʼs hand to

The honble

St. George Tucker Esqr.

                Wmsburgh.

favd. by

Mr. Francisco

There is some paper loss on the integral leaf above one fold, where the paper was attached to the wax seal, and a fold split, with accompanying minor paper loss, at the top.  Neither affects Henryʼs handwriting.  The wax seal, with paper remnants, is present.  There are a number of figures written in pencil around the seal—perhaps Tuckerʼs calculation of land acreage—and a pencil note “P. Henry 1790" in a blank area left of the address.  Overall the letter is in fine condition.

Unframed.

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