Stories about the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the Revolutionary War period would not be complete without a discussion about one of greatest speeches ever made in a public setting by an American colonist. Yet, it was made by a leader who refused to sign the Declaration as he was fearful that signing it or the Constitution would lead to a central government that overrode the rights of the states.
His fears were eventually realized.
Give Me Liberty, or Give Me Death!
Patrick Henry will be forever known as a major influencer and leader for independence. He was born in 1736 and raised in Hanover County, VA. His father was a farmer who was college educated in Scotland. Patrick was educated primarily by his father at home. He tried and failed to be a store keeper and a planter. He finally found employment as a tavern keeper for his father-in-law and began to study law. He progressed to being able to open his own law practice in 1760.
His first major legal case was called Parson’s Cause in 1763. It became a major issue that helped fuel the patriot cause. We might consider it trivial today, but back then it was a big deal. The ministers of the Church of England in VA were paid their annual salaries with tobacco. There had been a drought in the 1750’s that had reduced the crop yields and caused a shortage that drove up prices. So the VA legislature passed a bill that set the salary at two pennies per pound of tobacco rather than at the drought affected current price of six pennies per pound. The clergy appealed to King George III who overturned the law and encouraged the clergy to sue for damages.
Patrick Henry was a somewhat unknown attorney representing Virginia. He delivered a passionate speech and answer to the King’s actions claiming Crown overreach. He left little doubt about his and the state’s position with, “that a King by annulling or disallowing acts of so salutary a nature, from being Father of his people degenerated into a Tyrant, and forfeits all rights to his subjects’ obedience.”
It was clear at this point that Patrick Henry had found his voice and his calling as a patriot. His contemporaries said he spoke with the authority of the Great Awakening pastors from previous decades.
When the Stamp Act was passed on to the colonies that forced them to pay a tax on every piece of paper they used, the colonists reacted bitterly. Henry led the VA legislature into a series of “resolves” that rejected taxation without representation. This led to one of the most famous speeches in American history in March 1775 at St. John’s Church in Richmond in the Second Virginia Convention. The Virginia House was undecided on whether to organize for military action against the encroaching British army. Henry argued in favor of mobilizing for war.
Henry rarely, if ever, utilized notes for his speeches. His first biographer, William Wirt, worked from oral histories to reconstruct a text of Henry’s most memorable and perhaps most influential speech. Below is a link to Wirt’s work and the speech.
https://www.historicstjohnschurch.org/the-speech/
Consider some of the excerpts from the speech below;
“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. Three 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.
“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!”
Score one for truth, again. The liars and deceivers would have Americans today to believe there was no love of the Christian God or of country, that the founders were deists and atheists. They would have you believe our founders and their fellow citizens were the real oppressors, just looking out for their own gain. Your only valid response as a patriot to these lies and attacks are to confront and conquer with truth and facts like those provided here.
Henry was a follower of Christ and a man of faith. A variety of sources confirm the following incidents from his life.
He once said to a neighbor:
“This book [the Bible] is worth all the books that ever were printed, and it has been my misfortune that I never found time to read it with the proper attention and feeling till lately. I trust in the mercy of heaven that it is not too late.”
In a letter to his daughter dated August 20, 1796, he wrote:
“Amongst other strange things said of me, I hear it is said by the deists that I am one of their number; and indeed, that some good people think I am no Christian. This thought gives me much more pain than the appellation of Tory; because I think religion of infinitely higher importance than politics; and I find much cause to reproach myself that I have lived so long, and have given no decided and public proofs of my being a Christian. But, indeed, my dear child, this is a character which I prize far above all this world has, or can boast.”
On his deathbed, Patrick Henry was reported to have said:
“Doctor, I wish you to observe how real and beneficial the religion of Christ is to a man about to die…. I am … much consoled by reflecting that the religion of Christ has, from its first appearance in the world, been attacked in vain by all the wits, philosophers, and wise ones, aided by every power of man, and its triumphs have been complete.”
On November 20, 1798, in his Last Will and Testament, Patrick Henry wrote:
“This is all the inheritance I give to my dear family. The religion of Christ will give them one which will make them rich indeed.”
He died from stomach cancer at the age of 63.
We should always remember that our founders were men who believed that liberty was a precious right that flowed from God. In Patrick Henry’s life God was preeminent, personal and the provider of salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ.
Time to discuss more signers.
Stephen Hopkins
Born in the Providence, RI area in 1707, Hopkins was from a wealthy, prestigious Quaker family. His great grandfather was among the first settlers in the Providence area and his grandfather was an influential politician in the state. His parents were William and Ruth Hopkins with his mother having descended from the famous Whipple family.
He was educated at home into the sciences, mathematics, and literature. He became a surveyor and astronomer. He married Sarah Scott in 1726 and the couple had seven children together, five of whom survived to adulthood. She passed away at age 46 in 1753. He became a justice of the peace at 23 years old and not long after, a justice in the Court of Common Pleas. He was also part owner of a local iron foundry as well as a successful merchant. He was named to the state Supreme Court in 1747 and was Chief Justice for a handful of years before being elected Governor in 1755. He served in that role for 9 of the next 15 years.
He and fellow Declaration signer Samuel Ward were at political odds with one another for years in Rhode Island. Ward was a backer of hard currency while Hopkins supported paper. Hopkins became a major leader of the independence movement in the state when his pamphlet The Rights of Colonies Examined was published and distributed. It addressed taxation and Parliament actions. A link to this is below.
To summarize the essence of its content in one sentence from this publication, Hopkins said, “Liberty is the greatest blessing that men enjoy, and slavery the heaviest curse that human nature is capable of;”. Historian Thomas Bicknell called it “the most remarkable document that was issued during the period preceding the War of the Revolution.” It established Hopkins as one of the leaders of public opinion throughout the colonies.
He and his political adversary, Samuel Ward, were selected to represent RI at the Continental Congress. At age 68 he was the oldest there. Only he and Benjamin Franklin had attended the Albany Congress twenty years before. When it came time to sign the Declaration, he had to hold his right writing hand steady with his left hand as he suffered from palsy. He stated, “My hand trembles, but my heart does not.”
John Adams had this to say about Hopkins,
Governor Hopkins of Rhode Island, above seventy Years of Age kept us all alive. Upon Business his Experience and judgment were very Useful. But when the Business of the Evening was over, he kept Us in Conversation till Eleven and sometimes twelve O Clock. His Custom was to drink nothing all day nor till Eight O Clock, in the Evening, and then his Beveredge was Jamaica Spirit and Water. It gave him Wit, Humour, Anecdotes, Science and Learning. He had read Greek, Roman and British History: and was familiar with English Poetry particularly Pope, Tompson and Milton. And the flow of his Soul made all his reading our own, and seemed to bring to recollection in all of Us all We had ever read. I could neither eat nor drink in those days. The other Gentlemen were very temperate. Hopkins never drank to excess, but all he drank was immediately not only converted into Wit, Sense, Knowledge and good humour, but inspired Us all with similar qualities.
His knowledge and experience in shipping made him invaluable to the naval committee during the war. He was instrumental in drafting naval legislation including rules and regulations for the Continental Navy. His younger brother, Esek, became the commander in chief of the first continental naval squadron in the Revolutionary War. Unfortunately, things did not go well for him in the role due to a series of missteps and misperceptions about his leadership that led to polarization within the Congress and military over his leadership. Despite having the support of John Adams he was forced to resign in January 1778. John Paul Jones who reported to him assumed the role. However, Jones continued to successfully utilize a defensive method Esek Hopkins had used against the overwhelming force of the British Navy.
Poor health led Stephen Hopkins to resign from the Continental Congress later in 1776 to return home where he continued to serve in the state legislature until retiring in 1779. During the years that followed he released a few slaves and provided for others to the point of listing in his will. In some cases he felt it unwise to fully release as he determined they were ill prepared for what would be entailed in doing so.
He passed away at age 78 in 1785. Prior to his death he had helped establish the predecessor school to Brown University having served as the school’s first chancellor from 1764 until the year of his death. He survived his second wife, Anne Smith Hopkins, who had passed away in 1782.
As is the case with many of the Declaration signers, I have only briefly touched on the accomplishments, involvements and personal interconnections of this great Patriot. We all owe him a debt of gratitude even today. The following is inscribed on the west side of the memorial at his burial site,
“Sacred to the memory of the illustrious Stephen Hopkins, of revolutionary fame, attested by his signature to the Declaration of our National Independence, Great in Council from sagacity of mind; Magnanimous in sentiment, firm in purpose, and good, as great, from benevolence of heart; He stood in the front rank of statesmen and patriots. Self-educated, yet among the most learned of men; His vast treasury of useful knowledge, his great retentive and reflective powers, combined with his social nature, made him the most interesting of companions in private life.”
Button Gwinnett
We go from a polished and dignified uniter with great knowledge and wisdom to a man who was a lightning rod for controversy. Button Gwinnett was born in Down Hatherley, England in the 1732-35 range. He was the third of seven children of the Welsh minister, Rev. Samuel Gwinnett and wife, Anne. He was raised and educated there, being baptized at St. Catherine’s Church. He later married Ann Bourne in 1757, the daughter of a greengrocer (seller of vegetables and fruits), an occupation he had apprenticed in previously. They had three daughters together before deciding to leave for America in 1762. They arrived in Newfoundland and soon chose to go to Jamaica. He was not successful as a merchant there so they left for Savannah, GA where he also failed. So he purchased St. Catherine’s Island and a large group of slaves on credit to try to be a planter, an occupation he never really succeeded at as well. However, the associations led him into local politics and the Provincial Assembly.
It was not until 1775 that he became active in the independence movement in the area. St. John’s Parish where his plantation was located threatened to secede from the colony as they valued independence from the Crown versus so many other loyalists in the state. His political rival in the Assembly was Lachlan McIntosh and his biggest supporter was future Declaration signer Lyman Hall. Gwinnett was later appointed to be a delegate to the Continental Congress and subsequently voted to adopt the Declaration of Independence and signed it. He became a candidate to become a brigadier general to lead the First Regiment of the Continental Army, but lost out to his rival Lachlan McIntosh. The decision left him bitter and angry.
He return to the GA Assembly and helped write the state’s Constitution. He soon became Speaker of the Assembly. This led to further tensions between McIntosh as he sought to undermine his rival. When Gwinnett succeeded in having the Assembly approve a measure to attack the British in eastern FL to protect the state’s southern border, it all came to a head. From georgiaencyclopedia.org;
Disappointed in his military ambitions, Gwinnett continued to lead the opposition to the Christ Church Parish coalition, and when his followers gained control of Georgia’s Provincial Congress, they succeeded in electing him Speaker. He played a key role in the passage of the Constitution of 1777 and began to purge the military of officers whom he and his followers deemed less than zealous in their enthusiasm for the Whig cause. This brought him into conflict with Lachlan McIntosh. After the death of Georgia’s president and commander-in-chief, Archibald Bulloch, in February 1777, the Council of Safety appointed Gwinnett to succeed him.
Gwinnett proposed a military foray into British East Florida, a defensive measure that he argued would secure Georgia’s southern border. McIntosh and his brother George (who had opposed Gwinnett’s election as president and subsequently had been arrested for treason) condemned the scheme as politically motivated. The expedition failed, and though he was not elected governor when the new legislature met in the spring of 1777, Gwinnett was exonerated of any misconduct in carrying out the campaign.
McIntosh was furious. He publicly denounced Gwinnett in the harshest terms, and Gwinnett challenged him to a duel. Though each man shot the other, only Gwinnett’s wound proved fatal. He died on May 19, 1777, and was buried in Savannah’s Colonial Park Cemetery, though the exact location of his grave is unknown. Gwinnett County was named for him when it was established in 1818.
Gwinnett left behind a wife and several young children with his death. Gwinnett’s long held hatred of a fellow patriot had led his demise. McIntosh recovered from his wounds from the duel and went on to serve with distinction under George Washington including leading units at Valley Forge. He was later captured in the British siege of Charleston and was a prisoner for two years before an exchange one year before the end of the war. He returned home to his destroyed plantation and lived in relative poverty the rest of his life although he remained active in the affairs of the state until his death in 1806.
Still yet, we remember Gwinnett as a charismatic leader of the Independence movement and his place in history as a backer and signer of our Declaration of Independence. It is notable that both Gwinnett and McIntosh have counties named after them and their families within the state of GA.
Robert Treat Paine
Robert Treat Paine was born in 1731 in Boston, MA. His father was a minister, Rev. Thomas Paine in the Congregational church in Weymouth and mother, Eunice Treat Paine, was daughter of Rev. Samuel Treat. Both fathers of the couple were educated at Harvard College. Robert was the fourth of five children and expected by the family to also become a minister. Both families had storied histories going back to England. In 1730 Robert’s father left full time ministry to also become a merchant. He was educated at Boston Latin School and went on to graduate from Harvard College at the age of 18. For a couple of years he taught school before going to law school in 1755. He briefly served as a chaplain during the French and Indian War.
After completing law school he eventually opened a practice in Taunton, MA in 1761. He went on to be chosen as a delegate to the provincial convention in Boston 1767. He and Samuel Quincy, who was the MA Solicitor General prosecuted the British soldiers involved in the Boston Massacre. John Adams represented the soldiers and was credited with winning the overall cases in their favor. Up to this point Paine believed that the colonists and the British could work out their differences and compromise on the contentious issues. These events removed that consideration from his mind and he became a sold out patriot seeking independence.
Paine was a devout Christian and Congregationalist, although he later followed his church, First Church in Boston, into Unitarianism when they changed. He married Sally Cobb in 1770 and they had eight children together, a number of which went on to graduate from Harvard College.
Paine served two years in the MA General Court, two years in the Provincial Congress and from 1774-76 in the Continental Congress representing the state. He signed the final appeal to the King in the Olive Branch Petition in 1775. He then framed the rules of debate and helped secure gunpowder the following year after signing the Declaration. Leading up to the signing, he was noted for his objections during debates and proceedings. Per revolutionary-war.net, fellow delegate Benjamin Rush called him “The Objection Maker” in reference to his objections to the proposals of others; “He seldom proposed anything, but opposed nearly every measure that was proposed by other people…”
Sounds like he could be a pain in the azz to me. 😂
After the signing and follow up work in the Congress he returned to MA and served in the state legislature before becoming its Attorney General after helping draft the state’s Constitution. At one point he prosecuted participants for treason in Shay’s Rebellion. This subject will be briefly discussed in a future part.
Paine finished his career as a justice on the state’s Supreme Court, serving 14 years. He passed away in 1814 with his wife passing away two years later. We are thankful for the contributions of this devoted Patriot who contributed greatly to the law and fabric of America.
Conclusion
A uniter, a divider and an objector walk into a bar…
And so it was within the congressional hall with three of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. Three very different men with the common purpose of giving freedom and liberty to all Americans.
