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Patrick Henry Biography

Patrick Henry (May 29, 1736 – June 6, 1799) was an American attorney, planter, and orator well known for his declaration to the Second Virginia Convention (1775): "Give me liberty, or give me death!" A Founding Father, he served as the first and sixth post-colonial Governor of Virginia, from 1776 to 1779 and from 1784 to 1786.

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Patrick Henry Quotes

I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of experience.

Aladdin'S Lamp, Feet, Guided, Lamp, Lamps

If you have given up your militia, and Congress shall refuse to arm them, you have lost every thing. Your existence will be precarious, because you depend on others, whose interests are not affected by your infelicity.

Arm, Arms, Congress, Lost, Thing

My political curiosity, exclusive of my anxious solicitude for the public welfare, leads me to ask who authorized them (the framers of the Constitution) to speak the language of 'We, the People,' instead of 'We, the States'?

People, Political, Curiosity, Constitution, Solicitude

It is when a people forget God, that tyrants forge their chains.

Rights, Tyrants, People, Forge, Forget

It is the business of a virtuous clergy to censure vice in every appearance of it.

Vices, Appearance, Clergy, Business, Vice

Are we at last brought to such an humiliating and debasing degradation, that we cannot be trusted with arms for our defense?

Gun, Aggravation, Second Amendment, Defense, Debasing, Humiliating

The first thing I have at heart is American liberty; the second thing is American union.

Heart, Liberty, Unions, American, Thing

Bad men cannot make good citizens. It is when a people forget God that tyrants forge their chains. A vitiated state of morals, a corrupted public conscience, is incompatible with freedom. No free government, or the blessings of liberty, can be preserved to any people but by a firm adherence to justice, moderation, temperance, frugality, and virtue; and by a frequent recurrence to fundamental principles.

4Th Of July, Forget, Freedom, Good, Men, Recurrence

Bad men cannot make good citizens.

Bad, Citizens, Make, Men, Tyrants

Power is the great evil with which we are contending. We have divided power between three branches of government and erected checks and balances to prevent abuse of power. However, where is the check on the power of the judiciary? If we fail to check the power of the judiciary, I predict that we will eventually live under judicial tyranny.

Abuse, Check, Evil, Fail, Government, Live

Suspicion is a virtue as long as its object is the public good, and as long as it stays within proper bounds. Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect every one who approaches that jewel.

Approaches, Bounds, Jealous, Jewels, Long, Suspect

Human nature will never part with power. Look for an example of a voluntary relinquishment of power from one end of the globe to another - you will find none.

Example, Human Nature, Look, Looks, Nature, Relinquishment

The great pillars of all government and of social life [are] virtue, morality, and religion. This is the armor, my friend, and this alone, that renders us invincible.

Armor, Government, Invincible, Life, Pillars, Virtue

I know not what others may choose but, as for me, give me liberty or give me death.

Choose, Death, Give, Giving, Inspirational, Liberty

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.

Country, Heaven, Kings, Religious

We are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of Nature has placed in our power. . . the battle, sir, is not to the strong alone it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave.

Bravery, Mean, Nature, Power, Strong, Vigilant

What right do they have to say "we the people" rather than we the States?

People, Constitution, States, Right

Oh, how wretched should I be at this moment, if I had not made my peace with God.

God, Moment, Moments, Peace, Peace With God, War

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

Army, Congress, Defence, Hands, Mean, Resisting

The great object is that every man be armed.

Father, Gun, Men, Armed, Object, Man

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