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It Is In 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

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It Is In Vain,

Patrick Henry

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It Is In 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!

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You Ought To Be Extremely Cautious, Watchful, Jealous Of Your Liberty; For Instead Of Securing Your Rights, You May Lose Them Forever.

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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?

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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.

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We Have Not Yet Begun To Fight.

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Implements Of War And Subjugation Are The Last Arguments To Which Kings Resort.

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Shall We Gather Strength By Irresolution And Inaction?

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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!

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