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Title: Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death
Source:
Early America
URL Source: http://www.earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/bookmarks/henry/speech.htm
Published: Mar 23, 1775
Author: Patrick Henry
Post Date: 2008-07-18 19:14:39 by Rotara
Keywords: Patrick Henry, Give me liberty or give me dea
Views: 212
Comments: 16
This is the complete text of Patrick Henry's speech No man, Mr. President, thinks more highly than I do of the patriotism, as well as abilities, of the very worthy gentlemen who have just addressed the House. But different men often see the same subject in different lights; and, therefore, I hope it will not be thought disrespectful to those gentlemen if, entertaining as I do opinions of a character very opposite to theirs, I shall speak forth my sentiments freely and without reserve. This is no time for ceremony. The question before the House is one of awful moment to this country. For my own part, I consider it as nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery; and in proportion to the magnitude of the subject ought to be the freedom of the debate. It is only in this way that we can hope to arrive at truth, and fulfill the great responsibility which we hold to God and our country. Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offense, I should consider myself as guilty of treason towards my country, and of an act of disloyalty toward the Majesty of Heaven, which I revere above all earthly kings. Mr. President, it is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren till she transforms us into beasts. Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the number of those who, having eyes, see not, and, having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly concern their temporal salvation? For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst, and to provide for it. 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. And judging by the past, I wish to know what there has been in the conduct of the British ministry for the last ten years to justify those hopes with which gentlemen have been pleased to solace themselves and the House. Is it that insidious smile with which our petition has been lately received? Trust it not, sir; it will prove a snare to your feet. Suffer not yourselves to be betrayed with a kiss. Ask yourselves how this gracious reception of our petition comports with those warlike preparations which cover our waters and darken our land. Are fleets and armies necessary to a work of love and reconciliation? Have we shown ourselves so unwilling to be reconciled that force must be called in to win back our love? Let us not deceive ourselves, sir. These are the implements of war and subjugation; the last arguments to which kings resort. I ask gentlemen, sir, what means this martial array, if its purpose be not to force us to submission? Can gentlemen assign any other possible motive for it? Has Great Britain any enemy, in this quarter of the world, to call for all this accumulation of navies and armies? No, sir, she has none. They are meant for us: they can be meant for no other. They are sent over to bind and rivet upon us those chains which the British ministry have been so long forging. And what have we to oppose to them? Shall we try argument? Sir, we have been trying that for the last ten years. Have we anything new to offer upon the subject? Nothing. We have held the subject up in every light of which it is capable; but it has been all in vain. Shall we resort to entreaty and humble supplication? What terms shall we find which have not been already exhausted? Let us not, I beseech you, sir, deceive ourselves. Sir, we have done everything that could be done to avert the storm which is now coming on. We have petitioned; we have remonstrated; we have supplicated; we have prostrated ourselves before the throne, and have implored its interposition to arrest the tyrannical hands of the ministry and Parliament. Our petitions have been slighted; our remonstrances have produced additional violence and insult; our supplications have been disregarded; and we have been spurned, with contempt, from the foot of the throne! In vain, after these things, may we indulge the fond hope of peace and reconciliation. There is no longer any room for hope. If we wish to be free — if we mean to preserve inviolate those inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contending — if we mean not basely to abandon the noble struggle in which we have been so long engaged, and which we have pledged ourselves never to abandon until the glorious object of our contest shall be obtained — we must fight! I repeat it, sir, we must fight! An appeal to arms and to the God of hosts is all that is left us! 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? Sir, we are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of nature hath placed in our power. The millions of people, armed in the holy cause of liberty, and in such a country as that which we possess, are invincible by any force which our enemy can send against us. Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us. The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave. Besides, sir, we have no election. If we were base enough to desire it, it is now too late to retire from the contest. There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged! Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston! The war is inevitable — and let it come! I repeat it, sir, let it come. It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace — but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? 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!
at St. John's Church in Richmond, Virginia on March 23, 1775.
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#1. To: Rotara (#0)
We have done all this with Congress and those bastards STILL spurn our demands. It's OUR nation and if we want to close the borders and abolish all anti-gun laws then so be it. Let Congress reap what they have sown: DEATH!!
Lovely.
Lovely. Even exquisite. ;-)
"If you love wealth more than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, depart from us in peace. We ask not your counsel nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you. May your chains rest lightly upon you and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen.”—Samuel Adams
In the history of the giving of this the greatest speech of the Revolutionary War the account is maybe not what people would think. In the accounts I have read the manner of Patrick Henry's delivery was not with bombast but rectitude and sincerity. In the closing he stood, head slightly bowed, hands held together, and in a voice strained with emotion he spoke those final closing words: "...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!
"The difference between an honorable man and a moral man is that an honorable man regrets a discreditable act even when it has worked and he is in no danger of being caught." ~ H. L. Mencken
Very powerful. Too powerful for such a numbed, dumbed and thumbed society such as exists currently. ;-)
"If you love wealth more than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, depart from us in peace. We ask not your counsel nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you. May your chains rest lightly upon you and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen.”—Samuel Adams
How's 'bout we just cut the bluster and get out and vote for putting a stake in the heart of the fascist party.
Success is relative. It is what we can make of the mess we have made of things. T. S. Eliot
As in all times, past and present, if there is to be a saving of the day it will be by the actions of a few bold souls who would not become "good" slaves.
"The difference between an honorable man and a moral man is that an honorable man regrets a discreditable act even when it has worked and he is in no danger of being caught." ~ H. L. Mencken
That's a big "if". The special sauce ain't what it was 230 some years ago. Add in technology and socialism; we either bounce hard post-collapse or we witness a revival. IMO ;-)
"If you love wealth more than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, depart from us in peace. We ask not your counsel nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you. May your chains rest lightly upon you and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen.”—Samuel Adams
Hilarious.
Hilarious. I blocked some of the dimmer Obulbs before I started posting. I personally am voting against fascism by not playing the R & D North American Unioner game. I refuse to support the National Party (D & R establishment) selection process. Anyone that supports/votes for mcGabe is either stupid and/or uninformed and/or an outright enemy of Constitutional America. ;-)
"If you love wealth more than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, depart from us in peace. We ask not your counsel nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you. May your chains rest lightly upon you and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen.”—Samuel Adams
It's just the Hegelian dialectic. There are good Dems and good Pubs, but not Obama. The more we learn about him the more we see that he's working for the same people.
I agree, but they're having to choose between America and partisanship and too many are sticking with the status quo, which ends in slavery and death of a nation.
"If you love wealth more than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, depart from us in peace. We ask not your counsel nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you. May your chains rest lightly upon you and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen.”—Samuel Adams
It's obvious to me how the presidential finalists were selected. They won't speak against our relationship with Israel. They won't speak against deficit spending and the non-federal central banks. They won't hold the tide against energy prices rising. And they'll send our troops all over the planet to fight and die for the empire's growth. After Obama's AIPAC and La Raza speeches, it's insanity to expect him to offer us any improvements. And the more we learn about Brzezinski, the more we can see that Obama's sponsors have Rockefeller written all over them.
"If you love wealth more than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, depart from us in peace. We ask not your counsel nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you. May your chains rest lightly upon you and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen.”—Samuel Adams
Singular?
The U.S. Constitution is no impediment to our form of government.--PJ O'Rourke
Singular? Absolutely. As you must know by now, IMO, the only path to a clear cut "singular" is the total annihilation of the Plutocrat Party.
Success is relative. It is what we can make of the mess we have made of things. T. S. Eliot
Sir, we have done everything that could be done to avert the storm which is now coming on. We have petitioned; we have remonstrated; we have supplicated; we have prostrated ourselves before the throne, and have implored its interposition to arrest the tyrannical hands of the ministry and Parliament. Our petitions have been slighted; our remonstrances have produced additional violence and insult; our supplications have been disregarded; and we have been spurned, with contempt, from the foot of the throne!
“The best and first guarantor of our neutrality and our independent existence is the defensive will of the people…and the proverbial marksmanship of the Swiss shooter. Each soldier a good marksman! Each shot a hit!” Schweizerische Schutzenseitunt (Swiss Shooting Federation) April, 1941
#2. To: Rotara (#0)
Sir, we are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of nature hath placed in our power.
#3. To: nikki (#2)
Sir, we are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of nature hath placed in our power.
#4. To: Rotara (#0)
#5. To: Original_Intent (#4)
#6. To: Rotara, All (#0)
#7. To: Rotara (#5)
Very powerful. Too powerful for such a numbed, dumbed and thumbed society such as exists currently. ;-)
#8. To: Original_Intent (#7)
As in all times, past and present, if there is to be a saving of the day it will be by the actions of a few bold souls who would not become "good" slaves.
#9. To: iconoclast (#6)
How's 'bout we just cut the bluster and get out and vote for putting a stake in the heart of the fascist party.
#10. To: buckeye (#9)
How's 'bout we just cut the bluster and get out and vote for putting a stake in the heart of the fascist party.
#11. To: Rotara (#10)
Obama at AIPAC
#12. To: buckeye (#11)
There are good Dems and good Pubs
#13. To: Rotara (#12)
#14. To: buckeye (#13)
the more we can see that Obama's sponsors have Rockefeller written all over them
#15. To: iconoclast (#6)
a stake in the heart of the fascist party.
#16. To: DeaconBenjamin (#15)
a stake in the heart of the fascist party.
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