"Liberty or Death" (1775) Patrick Henry

currier & ives depiction of henry giving famous speech

hanover county elected henry delegate second virginia convention, convened @ st. john s episcopal church in town of richmond on march 20, 1775. richmond selected better protected royal authority. convention debated whether virginia should adopt language petition planters of colony of jamaica. document contained complaints british actions, admitted king veto colonial legislation, , urged reconciliation. henry offered amendments raise militia independent of royal authority in terms recognized conflict britain inevitable, sparking opposition of moderates. defended amendments, concluding statement best known for:

if base enough desire it, late retire contest. there no retreat in submission , slavery! our chains forged! clanking may heard on plains of boston! war inevitable , let come! repeat it, sir, let come.

it in vain, sir, extenuate matter. gentlemen may cry, peace, peace there no peace. war begun! next gale sweeps north bring our ears clash of resounding arms! our brethren in field! why stand here idle? gentlemen wish? have? life dear, or peace sweet, purchased @ price of chains , slavery? forbid it, almighty god! know not course others may take; me, give me liberty or give me death!

as concluded, henry plunged ivory letter opener towards chest in imitation of roman patriot cato younger. henry s speech carried day, , convention adopted amendments. still, passed narrowly, many delegates uncertain resistance urged henry , other radicals lead, , few counties formed independent militia companies @ urging of convention.

the text of henry s speech first appeared in print in wirt s 1817 biography, published 18 years after patrick henry s death. wirt corresponded men had heard speech , others acquainted people there @ time. agreed speech had produced profound effect, seems 1 person attempted render actual text. judge st. george tucker, had been present speech, gave wirt recollections , wirt wrote stating have taken entirely mr. henry s speech in convention of 75 you, description of effect on verbatim. original letter tucker s remembrances has been lost.

for 160 years wirt s account taken @ face value. in 1970s, historians began question authenticity of wirt s reconstruction. contemporary historians observe henry known have used fear of indian , slave revolts in promoting military action against british , that, according written first-hand account of speech, henry used graphic name-calling wirt did not include in heroic rendition. tucker s account based upon recollections , not notes several decades after speech; wrote, in vain should attempt give idea of speech . scholars have argued extent speech know work of wirt or tucker.