Patrick Henry

Born on May/29/1736. He was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses in 1765.
Elected governor of Virginia and re-elected for three terms and then succeeded by Thomas Jefferson. He was again elected to the office in 1784. Patrick Henry was a strong critic of the constitution proposed in 1787. He was in favor of the strongest possible government for the individual states, and a weak federal government. He was also very critical of the fact that the convention was conducted in secret.
Patrick Henry is perhaps best known for the speech he made in the House of Burgesses on March 23, 1775, in Saint John´s Church in Richmond, Virginia. The House was undecided on whether to mobilize for military action against the encroaching British military force, and Henry argued in favor of mobilization:

´´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!!´´.

Historians today observe that Henry was known to have used fear of Indian and slave revolts in promoting military action against the British, and that according to the only written first-hand account of the speech, Henry used some graphic name-calling that failed to appear in Wirt's heroic rendition. in 1798 President John Adams nominated Henry, special emissary to France, but he had to decline because of failing health. He strongly supported Joh Marshall and at the urging of Washington stood for and was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates as a Federalist. However, three months prior to taking his seat in the state legislature, he died of stomach cancer on June 6, 1799.