States.
A View of South Carolina.
Memoirs of the Revolution in South Carolina, [prepared mainly
from his father's manuscripts].
Governor Drayton's writings are characterized by a desire to express
the simple and exact truth. His style carries with it a conviction of
his sincerity and of the reliability of his narrative.
A REVOLUTIONARY OBJECT LESSON IN THE CAUSE OF PATRIOTISM, APRIL 1775.
(_From Memoirs of the Revolution._)
With all these occurrences, men's minds had become agitated; and it
was deemed proper to bring forth something calculated to arrest the
public attention, to throw odium on the British Administration, to put
down the Crown officers in the Province, and to invigorate the ardor
of the people. And nothing was deemed more likely to effect the same
than some public exhibition which might speak to the sight and senses
of the multitude.
For this purpose effigies were brought forward, supposed to be by the
authority or connivance of the Secret Committee. . . . They
represented the Pope, Lord Grenville, Lord North, and the Devil. They
were placed on the top of a frame capable of containing one or two
persons within it; and the frame was covered over with thick canvas,
so that those within could not be distinguished. In the front of the
frame on the top, the Pope was seated in a chair of state, in his
pontifical dress; and at a distance immediately behind him the Devil
was placed in a standing position, holding a barbed dart in his right
hand; between the Pope and the Devil, on each side, Lords Grenville
and North were stationed. Thus finished the frame and effigies were
fixed on four wheels; and early in the morning, this uncommon
spectacle was stationed between the Market and St. Michael's Church in
Broad-street to the gaze of the citizens.
Many were the surmises respecting it; but at length by its evolutions,
it soon began to explain the purposes for which it was constructed.
For no sooner did any of the Crown officers, Placemen, Counsellors, or
persons known to be disaffected to the common cause, pass by than the
Pope immediately bowed with proportioned respect to them, and the
Devil at the same moment striking his dart at the head of the Pope
convulsed the populace with bursts of laughter. While on the other
hand, the immovable effigies of Lords Grenville and North, appearing
like attendants on the Pope or criminals, moved the people with
sentiments of disgust and contempt against them and the whole British
Administration, for the many oppressive acts which they had been
instrumental in procuring to be passed through both Houses of
Parliament.
In this manner the machine was exposed; after which it was paraded
through the town the whole day by the mob; and in the evening, they
carried it beyond the town where surrounding it with tar barrels the
whole was committed to the flames. Nor did the idea or influence of
the thing end here--for boys forsook their customary sports to make
models like it, with which having amused themselves, and having roused
their youthful spirits into a detestation of oppression, they also
committed them to the flames. And many of those very boys supported
with their services and blood the rights and liberties of their
country.
THE BATTLE OF NOEWEE, BETWEEN THE SOUTH CAROLINIANS AND THE CHEROKEES,
1776.
(_From Memoirs of the Revolution in South Carolina._)
The army now crossed Cannucca Creek, and was proceeding towards Noewee
Creek when tracks of the enemy's spies were discovered about half
past ten o'clock, A. M., and the army was halted and thrown into close
order. It then proceeded on its left towards a narrow valley,
bordering on Noewee Creek, and enclosed on each side by lofty
mountains, terminated at the extremity by others equally difficult;
and commenced entering the same, for the purpose of crossing the
Appalachean Ridge, which separated the Middle Settlements from those
in the Vallies.
These heights were occupied by twelve hundred Indian Warriors; nor
were they discovered, until the advance guard of one hundred men began
to mount the height, which terminated the valley. The army having thus
completely fallen into the ambuscade of the enemy, they poured in a
heavy fire upon its front and flanks; compelling it to recoil, and
fall into confusion. Great was the perturbation which then prevailed,
the cry being, "_We shall be cut off_;" and while Col. Williamson's
attention was imperiously called to rally his men, and charge the
enemy, he was at the same time obliged to reinforce the baggage guard,
on which the subsistence of the army depended for provisions, in this
mountainous wilderness.
In this extremity, Lieutenant-Colonel Hammond caused detachments to
file off, for the purpose of gaining the eminences above the Indians,
and turning their flanks; while Lieutenant Hampton with twenty men,
advanced upon the enemy, passing the main advance guard of one hundred
men: who, being panic-struck, were rapidly retreating. Hampton,
however, clambered up the ascent, with a manly presence of mind; which
much encouraged all his followers: calling out, "_Loaded guns
advance--empty guns, fall down and load:_" and being joined by thirty
men, he charged desperately on the foe. The Indians now gave way; and
a panic passing among them from right to left, the troops rallied and
pressed them with such energy, as induced a general flight: and the
army was thereby rescued from a total defeat and massacre.
Besides this good fortune, they became possessed of so many packs of
deer skins and baggage; that they sold among the individuals of the
army, for £1,200 currency; and which sum was equally distributed among
the troops. In this engagement, the killed of Williamson's army, were
thirteen men, and one Catawba Indian; and the wounded were, thirty-two
men, and two Catawbas. Of the enemy, only four were found dead, and
their loss would have been more considerable, if many of them had not
been mistaken for the friendly Catawbas, who were in front.
WILLIAM WIRT.
~1772=1834.~
WILLIAM WIRT was born at Bladensburg, Maryland, and received an early
and excellent education. He removed to Virginia in 1791 and began the
practice of law, in which profession he rose to great and singular
eminence.
He was elected Chancellor of Virginia in 1801, led the prosecution in
the Aaron Burr trial, 1807, and was concerned in several other famous
cases. In 1817 he was appointed Attorney-General of the United States
and lived in Washington twelve years. In 1826 he delivered before
Congress the address on the death of John Adams and of Thomas
Jefferson; which occurred on the Fourth of July, of that year, just
fifty years after the Declaration of Independence.
His health giving way under his severe labors and distress for the
death of his son Robert, he resigned his office. He said, "All, all
is vanity and vexation of spirit, except religion, friendship, and
literature." He removed to Baltimore and resumed the practice of law.
He was a man of fine appearance and charming social graces. It is
related that on one occasion he kept a party of friends up all night
long, to their utter astonishment, merely by the powers of his
delightful conversation. See "Memoirs of Wirt" by Kennedy.
WORKS.
Letters of the British Spy.
Rainbow, [essays].
Life of Patrick Henry.
Addresses.
Old Bachelor, [a series of essays by a group of friends, Wirt,
Dabney Carr, George Tucker, and others].
Wirt's style both in writing and speaking has been often and justly
praised for its grace, culture, and luxuriance.
His "British Spy" is composed of ten letters supposed to be left at an
inn by a spy, giving opinions on various things and an account
especially of public men and orators that he has met in his travels in
America. These letters are esteemed Wirt's best literary work,
although his "Life of Patrick Henry" is perhaps better known on
account of its subject.
THE BLIND PREACHER, (JAMES WADDELL[6]).
(_From The British Spy._)
It was one Sunday, as I travelled through the county of Orange,
[Virginia], that my eye was caught by a cluster of horses tied near a
ruinous, old, wooden house in the forest, not far from the roadside.
Having frequently seen such objects before, in travelling through
those States, I had no difficulty in understanding that this was a
place of religious worship.
Devotion alone should have stopped me, to join in the duties of the
congregation; but I must confess that curiosity to hear the preacher
of such a wilderness, was not the least of my motives. On entering, I
was struck with his preternatural appearance. He was a tall and very
spare old man; his head which was covered with a white linen cap, his
shrivelled hands, and his voice, were all shaking under the influence
of a palsy; and a few moments ascertained to me that he was perfectly
blind.
The first emotions that touched my breast were those of mingled pity
and veneration. But how soon were all my feelings changed! The lips of
Plato were never more worthy of a prognostic swarm of bees, than were
the lips of this holy man! It was a day of the administration of the
sacrament; and his subject was, of course, the passion of our Saviour.
I have heard the subject handled a thousand times; I had thought it
exhausted long ago. Little did I suppose that in the wild woods of
America, I was to meet with a man whose eloquence would give to this
topic a new and more sublime pathos than I had ever before witnessed.
As he descended from the pulpit to distribute the mystic symbols,
there was a peculiar, a more than human solemnity in his air and
manner, which made my blood run cold, and my whole frame shiver.
He then drew a picture of the sufferings of our Saviour; his trial
before Pilate; his ascent up Calvary; his crucifixion; and his death.
I knew the whole history; but never until then had I heard the
circumstances so selected, so arranged, so colored! It was all new;
and I seemed to have heard it for the first time in my life. His
enunciation was so deliberate that his voice trembled on every
syllable; and every heart in the assembly trembled in unison. His
peculiar phrases had the force of description, that the original
scene appeared to be at that moment acting before our eyes. We saw the
very faces of the Jews; the staring, frightful distortions of malice
and rage. We saw the buffet; my soul kindled with a flame of
indignation; and my hands were involuntarily and convulsively
clinched.
But when he came to touch on the patience, the forgiving meekness of
our Saviour; when he drew, to the life, his blessed eyes streaming in
tears to heaven; his voice breathing to God a soft and gentle prayer
of pardon on his enemies, "Father, forgive them, for they know not
what they do,"--the voice of the preacher, which had all along
faltered, grew fainter and fainter, until, his utterance being
entirely obstructed by the force of his feelings, he raised his
handkerchief to his eyes, and burst into a loud and irrepressible
flood of grief. The effect is inconceivable. The whole house resounded
with the mingled groans, and sobs, and shrieks of the congregation.
It was some time before the tumult had subsided, so far as to permit
him to proceed. Indeed, judging by the usual, but fallacious standard
of my own weakness, I began to be very uneasy for the situation of the
preacher. For I could not conceive how he would be able to let his
audience down from the height to which he had wound them, without
impairing the solemnity and dignity of his subject, or perhaps
shocking them by the abruptness of the fall. But--no: the descent was
as beautiful and sublime as the elevation had been rapid and
enthusiastic.
The first sentence, with which he broke the awful silence, was a
quotation from Rousseau: "Socrates died like a philosopher, but Jesus
Christ, like a God!"
I despair of giving you any idea of the effect produced by this short
sentence, unless you could perfectly conceive the whole manner of the
man, as well as the peculiar crisis in the discourse. Never before
did I completely understand what Demosthenes meant by laying such
stress on delivery. You are to bring before you the venerable figure
of the preacher; his blindness, constantly recalling to your
recollection old Homer, Ossian, and Milton, and associating with his
performance the melancholy grandeur of their geniuses; you are to
imagine that you hear his slow, solemn, well-accented enunciation, and
his voice of affecting trembling melody; you are to remember the pitch
of passion and enthusiasm to which the congregation were raised; and
then the few moments of portentous, deathlike silence which reigned
throughout the house; the preacher removing his white handkerchief
from his aged face, (even yet wet from the recent torrent of his
tears), and slowly stretching forth the palsied hand which holds it,
begins the sentence, "Socrates died like a philosopher,"--then,
pausing, raising his other hand, pressing them both, clasped together,
with warmth and energy, to his breast, lifting his "sightless balls"
to heaven, and pouring his whole soul into his tremulous voice--"but
Jesus Christ--like a God!" If it had indeed and in truth been an angel
of light, the effect could scarcely have been more divine.
MR. HENRY AGAINST JOHN HOOK.
(_From Life of Patrick Henry._)
Hook was a Scotchman, a man of wealth, and suspected of being
unfriendly to the American cause. During the distresses of the
American army, consequent upon the joint invasion of Cornwallis and
Phillips in 1781, a Mr. Venable, an army commissary, had taken two of
Hook's steers for the use of the troops. The act had not been strictly
legal; and on the establishment of peace, Hook, under the advice of
Mr. Cowan, a gentleman of some distinction in the law, thought proper
to bring an action of trespass against Mr. Venable, in the district
court of New London. Mr. Henry appeared for the defendant, and is said
to have disported himself in this cause to the infinite enjoyment of
his hearers, the unfortunate Hook always excepted. After Mr. Henry
became animated in the cause, says a correspondent [Judge Stuart], he
appeared to have complete control over the passions of his audience:
at one time he excited their indignation against Hook: vengeance was
visible in every countenance; again, when he chose to relax and
ridicule him, the whole audience was in a roar of laughter. He painted
the distresses of the American army, exposed almost naked to the
rigour of a winter's sky, and marking the frozen ground over which
they marched, with the blood of their unshod feet--"where was the
man," he said, "who had an American heart in his bosom, who would not
have thrown open his fields, his barns, his cellar, the doors of his
house, the portals of his breast, to have received with open arms, the
meanest soldier in that little band of patriots? Where is the man?
_There_ he stands--but whether the heart of an American beats in his
bosom, you, gentlemen, are to judge." He then carried the jury, by the
powers of his imagination, to the plains around York, the surrender of
which had followed shortly after the act complained of: he depicted
the surrender in the most glowing and noble colors of his
eloquence--the audience saw before their eyes the humiliation and
dejection of the British, as they marched out of their trenches--they
saw the triumph which lighted up every patriot face, and heard the
shouts of victory, and the cry of "Washington and Liberty!", as it
rung and echoed through the American ranks, and was reverberated from
the hills and shores of the neighboring river--"but, hark!, what notes
of discord are these which disturb the general joy, and silence the
acclamations of victory? They are the notes of _John Hook_, hoarsely
bawling through the American camp, _beef!_ _beef!_ _beef!_"
The whole audience was convulsed: a particular incident will give a
better idea of the effect, than any general description. The clerk of
the court, unable to command himself, and unwilling to commit any
breach of decorum in his place, rushed out of the court-house, and
threw himself on the grass, in the most violent paroxysm of laughter,
where he was rolling, when Hook, with very different feelings, came
out for relief into the yard also. "Jemmy Steptoe," said he to the
clerk, "what the devil ails ye, mon?" Mr. Steptoe was only able to
say, that _he could not help it_. "Never mind ye," said Hook, "wait
till Billy Cowan gets up: _he'll show_ him the la'." Mr. Cowan,
however, was so completely overwhelmed by the torrent which bore upon
his client, that when he rose to reply to Mr. Henry, he was scarcely
able to make an intelligible or audible remark. The cause was decided
almost by acclamation. The jury retired for form's sake, and instantly
returned with a verdict for the defendant. Nor did the effect of Mr.
Henry's speech stop here. The people were so highly excited by the
tory audacity of such a suit, that Hook began to hear around him a cry
more terrible than that of _beef_; it was the cry of _tar and
feathers_: from the application of which, it is said, that nothing
saved him but a precipitate flight and the speed of his horse.
FOOTNOTE:
[6] James Waddell, it is said, was a relative of the celebrated
teacher, Dr. Moses Waddell, of Georgia, president of the State
University, 1819-29.
JOHN RANDOLPH.
~1773=1833.~
JOHN RANDOLPH of Roanoke, was born at Cawson's, Virginia, being a
descendant of Pocahontas in the seventh generation. He lost his
father early in life. His beautiful mother, to whom he was devotedly
attached, afterwards married St. George Tucker, who happily was a true
father to her children and educated John himself. Her death in 1788
was a life-long distress to her gifted son.
He was a prominent actor in all the stirring political life of the
times, being in Congress from 1800 until his death, except from 1812
to 1814, and again in 1830 when he was minister to Russia, a position
which he resigned, however, in order to return to the excitement of
politics at home. He freed his slaves by will on his death, which
occurred in Philadelphia as he was preparing to go abroad for his
health. Many anecdotes are told of him, and he is one of the most
interesting and striking figures in our history. See Benton's account
of his duel with Clay; also Life, by Garland, and by Adams.
WORKS.
Letters to a Young Relative.
Addresses.
John Randolph is noted for his wit, eloquence, and a power of sarcasm
scathing in its intensity which he often employed, thereby making many
enemies. "He is indeed original and unique in everything. His language
is simple, though polished, brief, though rich, and as direct as the
arrow from the Indian bow."--Paulding.
THE REVISION OF THE STATE CONSTITUTION.
(_From a Speech in the Legislature, 1829._)
Doctor Franklin who in shrewdness, especially in all that related to
domestic life, was never excelled, used to say that two movings were
equal to one fire. And gentlemen, as if they were afraid that this
besetting sin of republican governments, this _rerum novarum lubido_
(to use a very homely phrase, but that comes pat to the purpose), this
maggot of innovation, would cease to bite, are here gravely making
provision that this Constitution, which we should consider as a remedy
for all the ills of the body politic, may itself be amended or
modified at any future time. Sir, I am against any such provision. I
should as soon think of introducing into a marriage contract a
provision for divorce, and thus poisoning the greatest blessing of
mankind at its very source,--at its fountain-head. He has seen little,
and has reflected less, who does not know that "necessity" is the
great, powerful, governing principle of affairs here. Sir, I am not
going into that question which puzzled Pandemonium,--the question of
liberty and necessity,--
"Free will, fixed fate, foreknowledge absolute;"
but I do contend that necessity is one principal instrument of all the
good that man enjoys. The happiness of the connubial union itself
depends greatly on necessity, and when you touch this you touch the
arch, the keystone of the arch, on which the happiness and well-being
of society is founded. Look at the relation of master and slave (that
opprobrium, in the opinion of some gentlemen, to all civilized society
and all free government). Sir, there are few situations in life where
friendships so strong and so lasting are formed as in that very
relation. The slave knows that he is bound indissolubly to his master,
and must, from necessity, remain always under his control. The master
knows he is bound to maintain and provide always for his slave so long
as he retains him in his possession. And each party accommodates
himself to the situation. I have seen the dissolution of many
friendships,--such, at least, as they were called; but I have seen
that of master and slave endure so long as there remained a drop of
blood of the master to which the slave could cleave.
Where is the necessity of this provision in the Constitution? Where
is the use of it? Sir, what are we about? Have we not been undoing
what the wiser heads--I must be permitted to say so--yes, Sir, what
the wiser heads of our ancestors did more than half a century ago?
Can any one believe that we, by any amendment of ours, by any of
our scribbling on that parchment, by any amulet, by any
legerdemain--charm--Abracadabra--of ours can prevent our sons from
doing the same thing,--that is, from doing what they please, just
as we are doing as we please? It is impossible. Who can bind
posterity? When I hear gentlemen talk of making a Constitution for
"all time," and introducing provisions into it for "all time," and
yet see men here who are older than the Constitution we are about
to destroy (I am older myself than the present Constitution: it was
established when I was a boy), it reminds me of the truces and the
peaces of Europe. They always begin, "In the name of the most holy
and undivided Trinity," and go on to declare "there shall be
perfect and perpetual peace and unity between the subjects of such
and such potentates for all time to come;" and in less than seven
years they are at war again.
GEORGE TUCKER.
~1775=1861.~
GEORGE TUCKER, a relative of St. George Tucker, was, like him, born in
the Bermudas, and came to Virginia in 1787. He was reared and educated
by St. George Tucker, and practiced law in Lynchburg. He served in the
State Legislature and in Congress, and in 1825 he was elected
professor of Moral Philosophy and Political Economy in the University
of Virginia, a position which he filled for twenty years. His novel,
"Valley of the Shenandoah," was reprinted in England and translated
into German.
[Illustration: ~University of Virginia.~]
WORKS.
Essays in "Old Bachelor" Series.
Letters on the Conspiracy of Slaves.
Letters on the Roanoke Navigation.
Recollections of Eleanor Rosalie Tucker.
Essays on Taste, Morals, and Policy.
Valley of the Shenandoah.
A Voyage to the Moon.
Principles of Rent, Wages, &c.
Literature of the United States.
Life of Thomas Jefferson.
Theory of Money and Banks.
Essay on Cause and Effect.
Association of Ideas.
Dangers Threatening the United States.
Progress of the United States.
Life of Dr. John P. Emmet.
History of the United States.
Banks or No Banks.
Essays Moral and Philosophical.
Political Economy.
Prof. Tucker was a voluminous writer and treated many subjects. One or
two early works of imagination and fancy gave place later to
philosophy and political economy, and his style is eminently that of a
thinker.
JEFFERSON'S PREFERENCE FOR COUNTRY LIFE.
(_From Life of Jefferson._)
He tells the Baron that he is savage enough to prefer the woods, the
wilds, and the independence of Monticello, to all the brilliant
pleasures of the gay metropolis of France. "I shall therefore," he
says, "rejoin myself to my native country, with new attachments, and
with exaggerated esteem for its advantages; for though there is less
wealth there, there is more freedom, more ease, and less misery."