Speech Before the Virginia Convention

One of the most famous political speeches ever delivered, here’s the complete speech by Patrick Henry, as reconstructed by his biographer William Wirt, and written by me in Anniversary.

Attachment: speech-before-the-virginia-convention.pdf


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3 comments Add yours
  1. Awesome! Thanks very much for this. Excellent penmanship too.

    I haven't read the Wirt bio yet, but I did read the 1887 bio by Moses Coit Tyler which references it liberally.

    Tyler offered extensive quoted recollection from people who heard Mr. Henry speak, whether as an address or in the court room. The descriptions go beyond mesmerizing, almost as if they felt like they were transported into another dimension. And when it was over they didn't know what had hit them.

    After reading these testimonies, I concluded that he must have been one of the greatest orators since Cisero. Thank God he was there when we needed him.

    1. You're welcome! I agree with you. I think it would be hard to embellish a speech like that, unless the biographer was a very good orator himself. So I believe that the speech is pretty faithful to what occurred at the time.

      Each month you will see a shorthand post with new material written by me. These posts are being among the most popular and highly accessed ones in the site. I'm glad people are enjoying them!

      Incidentally, if anyone would like to see a particular selection written in shorthand, just let me know — I welcome suggestions.

  2. Carlos, thank you.  🙂  Your work is beautiful and a joy to see.

    If someone would like to try to take down the speech, here is a digital archive of an Edison blue, wax cylinder recording, from 1913, of Harry E. Humphrey giving Patrick Henry's speech.

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