Speech to the Second Virginia Convention

“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; and in proportion to the magnitude of the subject ought to be the freedom of the debate.” 

This is one of the opening statements in Henry’s speech. The “House” he references is the Virginia Convention, which was formerly the House of Burgesses of the Virginia Colony. He acknowledges that the moment is awful and bears great stakes—stakes he compares to freedom versus slavery. He calls for “freedom of the debate” because what follows in the speech may have been considered an unpopular and even dangerous opinion before it became commonplace among colonists.

“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.” 

This quote reveals patterns in the speech. Henry presented the speech as a direct appeal and often addresses the president of the convention, whom he calls both “Mr. President” and later “sir.” That man was Peyton Randolph. Henry says that while hope is natural, it is also misguided. He fears that the assembly is failing to fully acknowledge the grim reality of their situation, the extent of British infringement on the colonists’ rights. His allusion to a “siren” invokes mythical, mermaidlike creatures who lured sailors to their ruin with enchanted songs. Henry often invokes metaphors to represent colonists that are doomed unless they change their course.