At the request of the gentlemen concerned, I have spent an evening with them upon the subject, where I had an opportunity of conversing with Mr. Henry, and knowing his sentiments; as well as hearing him speak in the house since, on different occasions. He is by far the most powerful speaker I ever heard. Every word he says not only engages but commands the attention; and your passions are no longer your own when he addresses them. But his eloquence is the smallest part of his merit. He is in my opinion the first man upon this continent, as well in abilities as public virtues, and had he lived in Rome about the time of the first Punic war, when the Roman people had arrived at their meridian glory, and their virtue not tarnished, Mr. Henry’s talents must have put him at the head of that glorious Commonwealth.

Mr. Henry is also a Lawyer, and the completest Speaker I ever heard. If his future Speeches, are equal to the small Samples he had hitherto given Us, they will be worth preserving, but in a Letter I can give You no Idea of the Music of his Voice, or the highwrought, yet Natural elegance of his Style, & Manner. 

I was not a little surprised however to find one person hostile to you as far as he has personal courage to show hostility to any man. Who he is you will probably have heard, or may know him by this description as being all tongue without either head or heart. In the variety of his crooked [i.e., devious or tortured] schemes however, his interests may probably veer about so as to put it in your power to be useful to him; in which case he certainly will be your friend again if you want him. 

Henry retorted with a good deal of tartness but with much temper; ’tis his peculiar excellence when he altercates to appear to be drawn unwillingly into the contest & to throw in the eyes of others the whole blame on his adversary. His influence is immense. 

The proposition for a Convention has had the result I expected. If one could be obtained I do not know whether it would not do more harm than good. While Mr. Henry lives another bad [Virginia] constitution would be formed, & saddled forever on us. What we have to do I think is devoutly to pray for his death, in the mean time to keep alive the idea that the present is but an ordinance & to prepare the minds of the young men. 

Mr. Henry, I learn, has been urged to take a seat in the [U.S.] Senate. But he refuses, being unwilling to submit to the oath.

The Accounts from Richmond are indeed, very unpropitious to foederal measures. The whole proceedings of the Assembly, it is said may be summed up in one word—to wit—that the Edicts of Mr. H——— are enregistered with less opposition by the Majority of that body, than those of the Grand Monarch are in the Parliaments of France. He has only to say let this be Law—and it is Law 

Mr. H is absolute, & every measure succeeds, which menaces the existence of the government. 

Mr. Henry’s ravenous avarice [was] the only passion paramount to his love of popularity. 

It is to be also observed that although his language was plain, and free from unusual or high-flown words, his ideas were remarkably bold, strong, and striking. By the joint effect of these two faculties, I mean of the power of his tone of voice and the grandness of his conceptions, he had a wonderful effect upon the feelings of his audience.