Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1846-01-21
From the B uffalo Pilot. |
PATRICK HENRY.

Wo find in tho Baptist Register tho following,
and to us it is 1t appears that soon after
Henrys noted case of .Tobocco and the Pre-
serves,'' it wos some times called, he heard ola
case Of oppression for conscienco's sake. Tho
English Church having boon established by law
in Virginia, bocamc all such establishments
are wont do, exceedingly intolerans towards
other scots. In prosecution Of this systom OF con-
version, three Bab.ist cergymcn had been indict-
ed at Fredericksburg, for preaching the gospel OF
the Son Of God contrary to the Statute. Henry,
hearing this, rode some fifty miles to volunteer
his services in defonce Of the oppressed. He
tered the court, being unknown to all present
save the bench and tho bar, while the indctmon;
was being read by the clerk. He sat within the
bar until tho reading was finished and the King
attorney had concluded some remarks in defence
of tho prosecution, when he rose, reached out
his ha nd for the pa per. and, without moro
mony, proceeded with the following speech:
'.Mav i, please your worshlps: | think heard
read by the prosecutor. entered this house,
the paper now hold in my hand. If have
rightly understood, the Kings attorney of the
colony has framed Indictment for the purpose
Of arraigning and Furnishing by imprisonment
three nolonsivo persons before the bar Of this
court for a crime of great ma gniude-as distur-
bers of the poace May it please tho court, what
did hear road, Did hear it distinctly,
/, n mistake of my own! Did hear an express
sion, If crimo, that those mon, whom your
WOrSnlpS arc about TO try Tor fnlSQc!nc1nOr, are
charged-wth WHAT" and continuing in low,
solomon. heavy tone, 'preachng tho Gospel Of
tho Son of God!'' Pausing nmids: the mos,
profound silence and GREATNESS astonishuent, he
SLOWLY waved the paper three times around his
head, when, lifting his hands and eyes to heaven,
with peculiar and impressive energy, he exclaim-
ed, 'Great Godt' The excaulaton-tle burst
of feeling from tho audience--were all overpow-
ering. Mr.. Henry resumed:
"May itpease your worshps: in day like
ths-wFen truth is about to burst her letters
when mankind arc about to be aroused TO claim
their natural and inalenabe ri his-when the
voko Of oppression, that has reached the wilder
ness Of America, and the unatural alliance OF
ecclesiastical and civil power. arc about TO be DIS
severed-at such a period. when llberty-Eberty
of conscience-is about TO awake from her SUM
behring's, and inquire into the reason of such
CHARGES as | find exhibited hero to-day in this in
dic,ment,'' Another fearful pause. while the
speaker alternately cas-: his sharp piercing eyes
on the court and the prisoners, and resumed "If
am not deceived, according to the contents Of
the pa per now hold in my hand, these men are
accused of preaching the gospel of the Son of
God! "Great God" Another long pause. while
he again waved the indictment around his head
while deeper impression was made on tho
auditory Resumng his speech: "May it please
YOUR worships: there periods IN the history
of man, when corruption and depravisy have 30
long debased the human character, that man sinks