While looking for something else this morning, I stumbled again upon
Patrick Henry's opening speech on June 5, 1788, in the Virginia Convention
that was debating whether to ratify the proposed new Constitution of the
United States. Henry had reservations about the potential abuse of
presidential power :
jk

If your American chief be a man of ambition and abilities, how easy is it
for him to render himself absolute! The army is in his hands, and if he be
a man of address, it will be attached to him, and it will be the subject
of long meditation with him to seize the first auspicious moment to
accomplish his design, and, sir, will the American spirit solely relieve
you when this happens? I would rather infinitely--and I am sure most of
this Convention are of the same opinion--have a king, lords, and commons,
than a government so replete with such insupportable evils. If we make a
king we may prescribe the rules by which he shall rule his people, and
interpose such checks as shall prevent him from infringing them; but the
president, in the field, at the head of his army, can prescribe the terms
on which he shall reign master, so far that it will puzzle any American
ever to get his neck from under the galling yoke. I can not with patience
think of this idea. If ever he violate the laws, one of two things will
happen: he will come at the head of the army to carry everything before
him, or he will give bail, or do what Mr. Chief Justice will order him. If
he be guilty, will not the recollection of his crimes teach him to make
one bold push for the American throne? Will not the immense difference
between being master of everything and being ignominiously tried and
punished powerfully excite him to make this bold push? But, sir, where is
the existing force to punish him? Can he not, at the head of his army,
beat down every opposition? Away with your president! we shall have a
king: the army will salute him monarch; your militia will leave you, and
assist in making him king, and fight against you: and what have you to
oppose this force? What will then become of you and your rights? Will not
absolute despotism ensue?


Dr. Jon Kukla, Executive Vice-President
Red Hill - The Patrick Henry National Memorial
1250 Red Hill Road
Brookneal, Virginia 24528
www.redhill.org
Phone 434-376-2044 or 800-514-7463

Fax 434-376-2647

- M. Lynn Davis, Office Manager
- Karen Gorham-Smith, Associate Curator
- Edith Poindexter, Curator

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