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FreeRepublic Fundraiser --WE WILL STAND UNITED!!!-- FreeRepublic NEEDS Your Help! (Thread 47)
BeforeISleep

Posted on 09/14/2001 5:42:05 AM PDT by Topaz

PATRICK HENRY'S FAMOUS SPEECH
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Addressing the Virginia Assembly
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Mister President, it is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth. Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the number of those, who, having eyes, see not, and having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly concern their temporal salvation?

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. 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 the future but by the past. Let us not, I beseech you, sir, deceive ourselves longer.

Sir, we have done everything that could be done to avert the storm which is now coming on. We have petitioned; we have remonstrated; we have supplicated; we have prostrated ourselves before the throne, and have implored its interposition to arrest the tyrannical hands of the ministry and Parliament.

Our petitions have been slighted; our remonstrances have produced additional violence and insult; our supplications have been disregarded; and we have been spurned, with contempt, from the foot of the throne!

In vain, after these things, may we indulge in the fond hope of peace and reconciliation. There is no longer any room for hope. If we wish to be free -- if we mean to preserve inviolate those inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contending -- if we mean not basely to abandon the noble struggle in which we have been so long engaged, and which we have pledged ourselves never to abandon, until the glorious object of our contest shall be obtained -- WE MUST FIGHT!

I repeat it, sir, we must fight! An appeal to arms and to the God of hosts is all that is left us!

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 has 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. 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 no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged. Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston! The war is inevitable -- and let it come!!

I repeat it sir, let it come! It is 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!"~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Patrick Henry then took his seat. No murmur of applause was heard. The effect was too deep. After the trance of a moment, several members started from their seats. The cry, "To arms!" seemed to quiver on every lip and gleam from every eye.

No written records of this speech exist. The words were so powerful that they were etched into the minds of every man present, who later assisted biographer William Wirt to bring words to paper.

Patrick Henry lived from 1736 to 1799. This speech was given before the Virginia Provincial Convention (assembled after Lord Dunsmore had suspended the Virginia Assembly) which was debating whether to send the militia under arms to defend the colony against the Crown's Government, an act of treason.

In arguments against the Stamp Act of 1765, he said "If this be treason, let us make the most of it."




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Thread 46
Thread 45

Thread 44 -w/links to ALL prior threads

1 posted on 09/14/2001 5:42:05 AM PDT by Topaz
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To: Topaz
New Challenge

Posted by oneway...

Its simple

I will match everything you raise from the moment I posted my post at a 10% rate. Don't include my initial $200 that was pledged in that post.

When contributions hit $3000, your total gathered will be $3500....$500 from me (200 + 10% of the 3000), and the $3000.

Further I am upping it. If you can raise another $1000 on top of the 3k by Friday Midnight...I will bonus it $500.

200

3000

300

1000

500

Total = 5000

2 posted on 09/14/2001 5:44:36 AM PDT by Topaz
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To: $5,000 Challenge
Bottom line on this challenge is that if we raise $4,000 by tonight for Free Republic, oneway will kick in another $1,000!!!!
3 posted on 09/14/2001 5:50:04 AM PDT by Topaz
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To: BADJOE

4 posted on 09/14/2001 5:52:49 AM PDT by Topaz
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To: Topaz, oneway
Thank you, Topaz, for the crisp new thread to start the day.

Oneway's generous challenge is fantastic! Thank you very, very much, oneway.

5 posted on 09/14/2001 5:55:17 AM PDT by RottiBiz
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To: Topaz
Good morning bump.
6 posted on 09/14/2001 5:56:21 AM PDT by blam
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To: Topaz
Good Morning Freepers.

So far $2,209.00 has come in on Oneway's challenge. $50.00 of it just now, and it was the only overnight donation.

Thank you

7 posted on 09/14/2001 5:58:23 AM PDT by BADJOE
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To: BADJOE
Bump!
8 posted on 09/14/2001 6:06:47 AM PDT by Coop
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To: Topaz
Good morning Topaz. Thank you for the new thread.
9 posted on 09/14/2001 6:15:06 AM PDT by firewalk
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To: ChaseR
Thank you, ChaseR, for the first donation of the day.
10 posted on 09/14/2001 6:17:51 AM PDT by RottiBiz
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To: blam
Good morning!
11 posted on 09/14/2001 6:25:01 AM PDT by Topaz
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To: BeforeISleep

12 posted on 09/14/2001 6:26:04 AM PDT by Topaz
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To: Topaz; all
good morning all
thank you chase
Love, Palo
13 posted on 09/14/2001 6:27:42 AM PDT by palo verde
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To: Topaz
A thought for this morning........



Put me down for twenty towards the three grand.
14 posted on 09/14/2001 6:28:51 AM PDT by 1John
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To: RottiBiz; oneway
good morning Rotti
oneway's challenge is wonderful
thank you oneway
Love, Palo
15 posted on 09/14/2001 6:30:44 AM PDT by palo verde
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To: summer
Hi summer. Thank you for flagging me to your thread, I apologize for answering here. I've decided not to answer on other threads, until FreeRepublic finishes it's fundraising this quarter, and to conserve bandwidth. The side benefit of course will be, that this very important thread will receive bumps. After all, without financial support, there won't be any threads here anymore.

On the subject of your thread, I can only say that I would welcome anyone who's re-thought their liberal views, and now comes to join us here.

Best wishes!
BIS

16 posted on 09/14/2001 6:30:54 AM PDT by firewalk
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To: 1John
Thanks 1John!!!
17 posted on 09/14/2001 6:33:59 AM PDT by Topaz
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To: 1John
Hi IJohn
thank you that is sweet of you
Love, Palo
18 posted on 09/14/2001 6:34:19 AM PDT by palo verde
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To: BeforeISleep
Morning bump.
19 posted on 09/14/2001 6:34:30 AM PDT by TLBSHOW
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To: palo verde
And just in case there are some new lurkers and FReepers who wonder how to join in supporting this site and Jim Robinson, here you go:

Mail Donations to:
FREE REPUBLIC
LLC, PO Box 9771
Fresno, CA 93794

or

Support Free Republic by
secure credit card.

Thanks, Jim, for all you do in providing this great venue.

20 posted on 09/14/2001 6:34:35 AM PDT by Topaz
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