Patrick Henry

but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!

Give me liberty or give me death!

Why stay we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Islife 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 other…

Virtue will slumber. The wicked will be continually watching. Consequently, you will be undone.

[Patrick Henry] wanted the Constitution to have a Bill of Rights attached to it -- a list of powers that the government could never use against the people of the United States.

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 smil…

Why stay 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 othe…

I smell a rat.

(45) We will appoint as justices, constables, sheriffs, or other officials, only men that know the law of the realm and are minded to keep it well.

I have now disposed of all my property to my family. There is one thing more I wish I could give them, and that is the Christian Religion. If they had that and I had not given them one shilling they would have been rich;…

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.

Let us trust God and our better judgment to set us right hereafter. United we stand, divided we fall. Let us not split into factions which must destroy that union upon which our existence hangs.

The second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way -- everywhere in the world. The third is freedom from want, which, translated into world terms, means economic understandings which will secure to every…

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.

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

There is a just God, who presides over the destinies the nation, 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. If we…

Will the adoption of this new plan pay our debts! This, Sir, is a plain question. It is inferred, that our grievances are to be redressed, and the evils of the existing system to be removed by the new Constitution. Let m…

Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give up that force, you are ruined.... The great obje…

No realistic American can expect from a dictator's peace international generosity, or return of true independence, or world disarmament, or freedom of expression, or freedom of religion -- or even good business. Such a p…

Gentlemen may cry peace, peace—but there is no peace! 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 should we idle here?... I kno…

Congress may carry on the most wicked and pernicious of schemes under the dark veil of secrecy. The liberties of a people never were, nor ever will be, secure, when the transactions of their rulers may be concealed from…

Beside, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone.

Fear is the passion of slaves.

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

Liberty, the greatest of all earthly blessings - give us that precious jewel and you may take everything else!

It is natural for man to indulge in the illusions of hope and pride. 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…

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

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.

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.

I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!

Are we at last brought to such humiliating and debasing degradation that we cannot be trusted with arms for our defense? Where is the difference between having our arms in possession and under our direction, and having t…

When the American Spirit was in its youth, the language of America was different; Liberty, sir, was then the primary object.

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 n…

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 a…

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

The great object is that every man be armed. Everyone who is able may have a gun.

I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past.

If this be treason, make the most of it!

Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone who comes near that precious jewel. Unfortunately, nothingwill preserve it but downright force. When you give up that force, you are ruined.

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

A King, by disallowing Acts of this salutary nature, from being the father of his people, degenerated into a Tyrant and forfeits all rights to his subjects'obedience.

I know of no way of judging of the future but by the past.

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. Beside, sir, we shall not fight our battles a…

The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave.

The distinctions between Virginians, Pennsylvanians, New Yorkers, and New Englanders are no more. I Am Not A Virginian, But An American!

The liberties of a people never were, nor ever will be, secure when the transactions of their rulers may be concealed from them.

Show me that age and country where the rights and liberties of the people were placed on the sole chance of their rulers being good men, without a consequent loss of liberty?

Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offense, I should consider myself as guilty of treason toward my country, and of an act of disloyalty toward the Majesty of Heaven, which I revere abo…

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.

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…