Patrick Henry

Patrick Henry

Politicians

"When the American spirit was in its youth, the language of America was different: Liberty, sir, was the primary object. "

 

"The liberties of a people never were, nor ever will be, secure, when the transactions of their rulers may be concealed from them."

Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give up that force, you are inevitably ruined. 

"This Constitution is said to have beautiful features; but when I come to examine these features, sir, they appear to me horribly frightful. 

Among other deformities, it has an awful squinting; it squints toward monarchy, and does not this raise indignation in the breast of every true American? 

Your president may easily become king. 

Your Senate is so imperfectly constructed that your dearest rights may be sacrificed to what may be a small minority; and a very small minority may continue for ever unchangeably this government, altho horridly defective.

Where are your checks in this government? 
Your strongholds will be in the hands of your enemies. It is on a supposition that your American governors shall be honest that all the good qualities of this government are founded; but its defective and imperfect construction puts it in their power to perpetrate the worst of mischiefs should they be bad men; and, sir, would not all the world, blame our distracted folly in resting our rights upon the contingency of our rulers being good or bad?

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! 

I say that the loss of that dearest privilege has ever followed, with absolute certainty, every such mad attempt.

If your American chief be a man of ambition and abilities, how easy is it for him to render himself absolute! The army is in his hands, and if he be a man of address, it will be attached to him, and it will be the subject of long meditation with him to seize the first auspicious moment to accomplish his design, and, sir, will the American spirit solely relieve you when this happens?"

"The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government -- lest it come to dominate our lives and interests."

"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!"

"They tell us, sir, that we are weak; unable to cope with so formidable an adversary.
But when shall we be stronger?
Will it be the next week, or the next year?
Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when a British guard shall be stationed in every house?
Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction?
Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance by lying supinely on our backs and hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot?"

Right to Keep and Bear Arms

"Have we the means of resisting disciplined armies, when our only defence, the militia, is put in the hands of Congress?"

"Are we at last brought to such a humiliating and debasing degradation, that we cannot be trusted with arms for our own defence?
Where is the difference between having our arms in our own possession and under our own direction, and having them under the management of Congress?
If our defence 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? "

More about this great man:
"Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death" A speech delivered by Patrick Henry on March 23, 1775
Shall Liberty or Empire be Sought? Patrick Henry, 1788

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