Arkansas true Democrat., 1857-07-07
Anecdote of Harrison Gray Otis.

On cold, rainy Sunday morning, in Orto- Der, several years ago, II. G. Otis found him. self travelling through the State of Connecticut. An important cause was to be argued by him, on the next Monday morning, iu Boston, aud he had started from New York, on the prev- ous Saturday, and had rode all night in orIer to meet his legal engagement
 Alter he had finished his breakfast at his ho- tel, and was about proceeding on his way, he was informed that it would be pefectly useless to attempt to drive through the State, as he would certainly be stopped by the the lynx eyed "tidiug man."
 Connecticut was of old a very pous State, and her rigid laws against travelling on Inc Sabbath have made her puritanic morality no- torous. But Mir. Otis was inclined to try his shrewdness against the anti Sabbath breaking officer. Accordingly he went to the office of friendly barrlster in the town where he breakiasted, and asked of h.m the favor uf loan of his copy of the Revised Statutes of the State until he should be clearly bayoud her borders. The attorney complied, and Mr. Otis, with gig and law book, proceeded on his journey.
 He had scarcely turned the second corner, when, as he and everybody else expected, a srave-loo&lng puritan, in the shape of d tidiug man, took his horse by the head, and cooy informed him that he was prisoner-suggest- ing, at the same time, that he had better attend hlm to the next jail. Mir. Otis, nothing daurt- ed, and assuming his legal dignity, replied:
 "Sir, respect the day and the law, but shall be obliged to break the Sabbath, the day, and your head, if you don't quietly remove yourself from my path"
 But the pious officer was not to be bluffed by this and again repeated his command.
 MT. Otis saw that nothing was to be gained from intimidation, and that he must fall back upon ms last resource. He accordingly began to feel around him for the Revised Statutes
 We'll my friend" said he, "it won't do any hurt to look at the law little which puts me so completely Tn your power; for you know it IS good old legal maxim that no man shall be condemned but by the judgment of his peers and the law of the land''
 Mir. Otis opened the statutes and turned at once to the article against Sabbath breakiug.-- " You find it all there," said the officer, with a shrewd shrug of his shoulders at the idea of naoOlnS and penning person whom he now discovered to be live attorney. Mir. Otis pro- ceeded to read
 " II any person shall be guilty of breaking the Sabbath, as aforesaid, it shall be lawful for the udinS man to arrest and stop him." etc. The eye of the great lawyer slvly sparkled as
 
 ful air, he added, Git is true, sir, the law is against me, and must submit"
 Well then," rejoined the tidng man, "vou must make up your mind to quarter in the lock-up till to morrow, so, if you please, we will ride back together"
 70, no.' retorted Otis; "that will never do, 1 don't intend that you shall ride back or with me, elther-today! The statute reads, mind you-that you shall arrest and stop That is all. lou can stop me as long as you please. But that Is the extent of your power The law says nothing at all about your carrying mo oil to the lock up-nor of your riding u my gig on the Sabbath, either"
 It was terrible stormy day. The poor tiding man was already completely drenched, and the prospect of standing by the gig all day and night, in muddy road, was by no means eith- CT pleasant or compatible with the dignity of his office.
 Mir. Otis again repeated, "I still wish you to consider, sir, that 1 am your prsoner-for so reads the law-nothing more You can go back if you please, but 1 intend to stop where l am"-and accordingly he drew his robe around him, and made preparations for quiet snooz, till Monday morning.
 The officer looked as blank as piece of marble, and felt as uncomfortable as young gosing in shower. He gazed a moment or two upon the composed expression of the learn ed advocate and-sure enough he did go back. Mir. Otis stopped-just long enough to permit his legal friend to get comfortably out of sight and then he quietly proceeded on his way, reaching the line without further moestation
 The fame of this illegal quirk" soon spread and in few weeks nothing was heard or seen of tiding men stopping travellers under the 9t1flltp