Henry's statement that, "Besides, sir, we have no election. If we were base enough to desire it, it is now too late to retire from the contest. There is no retreat but in submission and slavery!" commits the logical fallacy of false dichotomy. It does so by ignoring the middle ground: fighting and enslavement are not the sole options (or at least not proven to be so) and so Henry selects only the extremes to be presented.
Despite logical fallacies throughout, Henry's speech has remained a shining example of excellent rhetoric. Thus, this begs the question (get it?) of what appeal Henry maintains. I believe that despite logical fallacy, Henry doesn't make statements that seem to be wrong-- only assertions that are never proven within the confines of his speech. Thus, logical fallacy though it may be, statements like "we have no election" represent a core truth in that America will indeed be forced to make a decision. Additionally, Henry's rhetoric is subtle, skillful, and backed by a powerful argument. Finally, Henry's speech was instrumental in a decision that shaped (and created) American history.
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