HENRY 



2774 



HENRY THE NAVIGATOR 



the Albany Academy. He began to experiment 

 with electricity at an early age, and his first 

 important discovery was the electromagnet. 

 A large magnet, which he built, capable of 

 sustaining 3,600 pounds and occupying a single 

 cubic foot of space, is now in the physical 

 cabinet at Princeton University. In 1831 he 

 invented the first electromagnet telegraph, 

 transmitting signals over a wire more than a 

 mile in length, causing a bell to ring at the 

 farther end of the wire. "This," said President 

 Garfield, "was the last step in the series of 

 great discoveries which preceded the invention 

 of the telegraph." 



In November, 1832, he was called to occupy 

 the chair of natural philosophy at Princeton, 

 where he remained for several years. In 1846 

 he became the first secretary and director of 

 the Smithsonian Institution. Upon the or- 

 ganization of the government lighthouse board 

 in 1852 he became a member, and from 1871 

 until his death was its chairman. His pub- 

 lished papers include over 150 titles. In 1886 

 two volumes of the Scientific Writings of 

 Joseph Henry were published by the Smith- 

 sonian Institution. A Memorial of Joseph 

 Henry was published by order of Congress in 

 1880. 



HENRY, PATRICK (1736-1799), an American 

 patriot, one of the greatest and most eloquent 

 orators his country has produced. One great 

 speech, urging action against England, deliv- 

 ered in 1775, stands as a model of rhetorical 

 construction and 

 is familiar to 

 every schoolboy 

 because of its oft- 

 quoted climax,' 

 "Give me liberty 

 or give me 

 death!" 



Born May 29, 

 1736, in Hanover 

 County, Va., of 

 Welsh and Scotch PATRICK HENRY 



descent, he inherited from his mother remark- 

 able conversational ability, but as a student 

 he was a failure. He left school at an early 

 age to enter the commercial world, but found 

 himself ill-adapted for business life, and after 

 repeated unsuccessful ventures he took up the 

 study of law by himself. In 1760 Henry was 

 given a license to practice upon promising to 

 continue his study, for he was woefully lacking 

 in legal knowledge. However, his brilliant 

 speeches in a noted lawsuit, called the Parson's 



Cause, were stepping-stones to fame, and he 

 suddenly found himself a power in the com- 

 munity. 



An earnest advocate of the rights of the 

 colonies guaranteed by their charters, when he 

 became a member of the Virginia House of 

 Burgesses (1765) he stood forth as the people's 

 popular representative against the aristocratic 

 faction. In May, 1774, he was elected a dele- 

 gate to the First Continental Congress. A 

 year later, while attending the Virginia Pro- 

 vincial Convention, in reply to the objections 

 to his proposal to organize a militia for the 

 defense of the colonies against England, he 

 made his famous speech from which the fol- 

 lowing is taken: 



There is no retreat but in submission and 

 slavery. Our chains are already forged. Their 

 clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston. 

 The next gale that sweeps from the north will 

 bring 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 ! 



In 1776 Henrjr was chosen a member of the 

 committee to prepare the first constitution of 

 the commonwealth of Virginia, and the same 

 year was elected governor of that state, a post 

 which he held for two terms, from 1776 to 

 1779 and from 1784 to 1786. Later, at different 

 times he was offered a seat in the United States 

 Senate, the position of Secretary of State 

 (under President Washington), the office of 

 Chief Justice of the United States Supreme 

 Court, and reelection as governor, each of 

 which he refused. In 1799 he was elected to 

 the Virginia House of Delegates, but died on 

 June 6 of that year, before taking his seat. 



Slovenly in appearance, uneducated, wholly 

 unfitted for business and pitifully poor, Patrick 

 Henry won his fame by sheer force of person- 

 ality and oratorical power. 



HENRY THE NAVIGATOR (1394-1460), fifth 

 son of John I of Portugal and grandson of 

 an Englishwoman, Phillipa of Gaunt. Prince 

 Henry did much to encourage various ex- 

 plorers, and from time to time sent vessels on 

 voyages of discovery, being influenced largely 

 by what Marco Polo had told in his book. 

 His great life ambition was to explore parts 

 of the unknown world. One of the results of 

 his efforts was the discovery of the shape of 

 the great continent of Africa. Under his in- 

 spiration Portuguese sailors found their way 



