Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1860-04-12
Patrick Henry.


dictment brought against them was, "Fo
preaching the Gospel Of the Son OF God,
contrary to the statute In that case provid
ed, and therefore disturbers Of the peace. -
The clerk was reading the indictment in 4
slow and formal manner. and he pronounced
the crime with emphasis, "For preaching
the Gospel Of the Son of God" when /
plain dressed man dismounted from hi,
horse, entered the court. house and took hi
seat within the bar. He was know to the
court and lawyers, but a stranger to the
mass of spectators Patrick Henry, who. or
hearing Of this prosecution, had rode som,
fifty or sixtv miles from his residence ia
Hanover county, TO volunteer his service,
In the defense Of the prisoners. He listened
to the further reading o. the indictment W itt
marked attention, the first sentence o
which what had caught his ear was, "FoI
preaching the Gospel Of the Son of God ,
When the indictment had been read, and
the prosecuting attorney had Submitted a
few remarks, Henry arose, stretched out his
hand and received the paper, and then ad'
dressed the court: --
"May it please your worships, think
heard read by the prosecutor, as I entered
this house, the paper now hold in my hand
If have rightly understood, the Kings at.
torney Of this colony has framed an indict-
ment for the purpose Of arraigning and pun
ishing by imprisonment three inoffensive
persons before The bar of this court for a
crime of great magnitude-as disturbers Of
the peace. May il please the court. what
did hear read! Did hear |, distinctly, o.
was il a mistake of my own. Did hear
sn expression, as If a crime, that these men
whom your worships are about to try for a
misdemeanor, are charged with-whatT'
and continuing in a low, solemn, heavy toue,
"for preaching the Gospel Of the Son Of
God!" Pausing, amidst the most profound
silence and breathless establishment of his
hearers, he slowly waved the paper three
times around his head, then lifted up his
hands and eyes to heaven, with extraordi.
nary and impressive energy, he exclaimed
: Great God" The exclama,on--lhe ac-
tion-the burst Of feeling from the audience
were all overpowering. Mr.. Henry resumed:
"May it please your worships: In a day
like this, when truth IS about to burst her
fetters-when ma nkind 10 about to be raised
to claim their natural and inslienabl le rights
when the yoke Of oppression which has
reached the wilderness Of America, and the
unnatural alliance of ecclesast cal and
civil power is about to be dissevered--nt
such a peried--when liberty-liberty OF
conscience, is about to awake from her
slnmberings and inquire into the reason oil
such charges as find exhibited here in this
indictment"-nnother fearful pause while
the speaker alternately cast his sharp pierc-
ing eyes on the court and on the prisoners,
and resumed-"if am not deceived. accurd.
ing to the contents Of the paper ] now hold
in my hand,these men are accused of preach.
ing the Gospel of the Son Of Cod Great
God!" Anuther long pause, daring which
he again waved the indictment around his
head, when a deeper impression was made
on the auditory. Resuming his speech
"May It please your worships: There are
periods in the history of man when corrup.
tion and depravity have so long debased the
human character that man sinks under the
weight of the oppressor's hand and becomes
his servie--his abject slave; he licks the
hand that smiles him; he bows in passive
obedience to the mandates of the duspot;
and in this state of servilty he receives his
letters Of perpetual bondage. But. may It
please your worships, such a day has pass.
ed away! From the period when our faith
ers left the land Of their nativity for settle
ment In these American " lids, for liberty
for civil and religious liberty--for liberty OF
conscience--to worship their Creator nc.
cording to their conceptions Of Heavens
revealed will; from the moment they placed
their feet on the American continent, and
in the deepest imbedded forests sought ar
asylum from persecution and tyranny-iron
that moment despotism was crushed; hei
letters Of darkness were broken, and Heaven
decreed that man should be free-free to
worship God according to the Bible. Were
it not for this, in vain have been taken the
efforts and sacrifices of the colonists; in
vain were all their sufferiugs and bloodshed
to subjugste this new world, if we, theil
offs prngs, must still be oppressed and per
secuted. But, may it please your worships
permit me to inquire once more-for what
are these men about to be tried! This pa.
per says, for preaching the Gospel Of the
Son Of God.' Great God! For preaching
the Savior to Adams fallen rsce!"
Afler another pause, in tones of thunder
he inquired, What law Rave they violated!'
Then for the third time, in O slow, dignfet
manner,-he lifted his eyes to heaven nnt
waved the Indictment around his head. The
court and the audience were now wrough,
up to the most intense pitch OF excitement
The face Of the prosecuting attorney wal
pale and ghastly, and he appeared uncon
scious that his whole frame was sgitated
with alarm, an the judge,' in a tremulou,
voice, put an end to the scene, now becOm.
ing extremely painful. by the authoritative
command, "Sheriff, discharge those men,
Belcher's Religious Denominations.
6yAn American, son of q gentleman Il
4