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Patrick Henry
25 quotes
“A King, by disallowing Acts of this salutary nature, from being the father of his people, degenerated into a Tyrant and forfeits all rights to his subjects' obedience.”
Patrick Henry (1736–1799) first seen 1763 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Speech on the Parson's Cause, in the Hanover County Courthouse (1763)
“Caesar had his Brutus, Charles the First his Cromwell; and George the Third — ["Treason!" cried the Speaker] — may profit by their example. If this be treason, make the most of it.”
Patrick Henry (1736–1799) first seen 1765 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Speech on the Stamp Act, Virginia House of Burgesses (29 May 1765), according to John Burk in The History of Virginia: From Its First Settlement to the Present Day (Dickson & Pescud, 1805), Volume 3, p. 309. The only co…
“The distinctions between Virginians, Pennsylvanians, New Yorkers and New Englanders are no more. I am not a Virginian, but an American.”
Patrick Henry (1736–1799) first seen 1774 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Speech in the First Continental Congress, Philadelphia (14 October 1774). Compare: "I was born an American; I will live an American; I shall die an American!", Daniel Webster, Speech, July 17, 1850.
“It is not a little Surprising that Christianity, whose chief excellence consists of softening the human heart, in cherishing and improving its finer Feelings, should encourage a Practice so totally repugnant to the first Impression of Right and Wrong. What adds to the wonder is that this Abominable Practice has been introduced in the most enlightened Ages.”
Patrick Henry (1736–1799) said by 1799 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I shall honour the Quakers for their noble Effort to abolish Slavery. It is equally calculated to promote moral & political Good.”
Patrick Henry (1736–1799) said by 1799 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I will not, I cannot justify it.”
Patrick Henry (1736–1799) said by 1799 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“I believe a time will come when an opportunity will be offered to abolish this lamentable evil. Everything we do is to improve it, if it happens in our day; if not, let us transmit to our descendants, together with our slaves, a pity for their unhappy lot and an abhorrence of slavery.”
Patrick Henry (1736–1799) said by 1799 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Give me liberty, or give me death!”
Patrick Henry (1736–1799) said by 1799 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: The speech was not published until printed a version of it in 1816. The version of the speech that is known today first appeared in print in Sketches of the Life and Character of Patrick Henry, a biography of Henry by W…
“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 of the future but by the past.”
Patrick Henry (1736–1799) first seen 1775 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: March 23, 1775.
“Suspicion is a virtue as long as its object is the public good, and as long as it stays within proper bounds. … Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect every one who approaches that jewel.”
Patrick Henry (1736–1799) first seen 1788 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Speech on the Federal Constitution, Virginia Ratifying Convention (5 June 1788)
“Show me that age and country where the rights and liberties of the people were placed on the sole chance of their rulers being good men, without a consequent loss of liberty?”
Patrick Henry (1736–1799) first seen 1788 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Speech on the Federal Constitution, Virginia Ratifying Convention (5 June 1788).
“Let Mr. Madison tell me when did liberty ever exist when the sword and the purse were given up from the people? Unless a miracle shall interpose, no nation ever did, nor ever can retain its liberty after the loss of the sword and the purse.”
Patrick Henry (1736–1799) said by 1799 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: As quoted in The Debates in the Several States Conventions on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution also known as Elliot's Debates, Jonathan Elliot, edit. (1941) J. B. Lippincott Co., pp. 168-169, originally publishe…
“When the American spirit was in its youth, the language of America was different: Liberty, Sir, was then the primary object.”
Patrick Henry (1736–1799) first seen 1788 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Speech on the Federal Constitution, Virginia Ratifying Convention (Thursday, 5 June 1788), as contained in The Debates in the Several State Conventions on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution: Volume 3, ed. Jonathan…
“Are we at last brought to such an humiliating and debasing degradation, that we cannot be trusted with arms for our defense? Where is the difference between having our arms in possession and under our direction, and having them under the management of Congress? If our defense be the real object of having those arms, in whose hands can they be trusted with more propriety or equal safety to us, as in our own hands?”
Patrick Henry (1736–1799) first seen 1788 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Speech on the Federal Constitution, Virginia Ratifying Convention (Monday, 9 June 1788), as contained in The Debates in the Several State Conventions on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution: Volume 3, ed. Jonathan E…
“The liberties of a people never were, nor ever will be, secure, when the transactions of their rulers may be concealed from them.”
Patrick Henry (1736–1799) first seen 1788 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Speech on the Federal Constitution, Virginia Ratifying Convention (Monday, 9 June 1788), as contained in The Debates in the Several State Conventions on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution: Volume 3, ed. Jonathan E…
“The great object is that every man be armed… Everyone who is able may have a gun.”
Patrick Henry (1736–1799) first seen 1788 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Virginia Convention on the ratification of the Constitution(14 June 1788). Debates and other Proceedings of the Convention of Virginia, taken in shorthand by David Robertson of Petersburg, at 271, 275 2d ed. Richmond (1…
“With respect to subsequent amendments, proposed by the worthy member, I am distressed when I hear the expression. It is a new one altogether, and such a one as stands against every idea of fortitude and manliness in the states, or any one else. Evils admitted in order to be removed subsequently, and tyranny submitted to in order to be excluded by a subsequent alteration, are things totally new to me. . . . I ask, does experience warrant such a thing from the beginning of the world to this day? Do you enter into a compact first, and afterwards settle the terms of the government?”
Patrick Henry (1736–1799) said by 1799 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“If she chuses to set free one or two of my slaves she is to have full power to do so.”
Patrick Henry (1736–1799) said by 1799 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“This is all the inheritance I can give to my dear family. The religion of Christ can give them one which will make them rich indeed.”
Patrick Henry (1736–1799) first seen 1798 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Last Will and Testament (20 November 1798), as quoted in Patrick Henry : Life, Correspondences and Speeches (1891) by William Wirt Henry, Vol. H, p. 631.
“Let us trust God and our better judgment to set us right hereafter. United we stand, divided we fall. Let us not split into factions which must destroy that union upon which our existence hangs. Let us preserve our strength for the French, the English, the Germans, or whoever else shall dare invade our territory, and not exhaust it in civil commotions and intestine wars.”
Patrick Henry (1736–1799) first seen 1799 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Last public speech before his death (4 March 1799); as quoted in Patrick Henry: Life, Correspondences and Speeches (1891) by William Wirt Henry, Vol. 2, p. 609-610
“In this situation, I see a great deal of the property of the people of Virginia in jeopardy, and their peace and tranquillity gone. I repeat it again, that it would rejoice my very soul that every one of my fellow-beings was emancipated. As we ought with gratitude to admire that decree of Heaven which has numbered us among the free, we ought to lament and deplore the necessity of holding our fellowmen in bondage. But is it practicable, by any human means, to liberate them without producing the most dreadful and ruinous consequences? We ought to possess them in the manner we inherited them from our ancestors, as their manumission is incompatible with the felicity of our country. But we ought to soften, as much as possible, the rigor of their unhappy fate. I know that, in a variety of particular instances, the legislature, listening to complaints, have admitted their emancipation. Let me not dwell on this subject. I will only add that this, as well as every other property of the people of Virginia, is in jeopardy, and put in the hands of those who have no similarity of situation with us. This is a local matter, and I can see no propriety in subjecting it to Congress.”
Patrick Henry (1736–1799) said by 1799 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Cæsar had his Brutus; Charles the First, his Cromwell; and George the Third ["Treason!" cried the Speaker]--_may profit by their example_. If _this_ be treason, make the most of it.”
Patrick Henry (1736–1799) said by 1799 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“I am not a Virginian, but an American.”
Patrick Henry (1736–1799) said by 1799 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of experience. I know no way of judging of the future but by the past.”
Patrick Henry (1736–1799) said by 1799 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source
“Is life so dear or peace so sweet 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!”
Patrick Henry (1736–1799) said by 1799 at the latest bartlett, Public domain source