Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1860-11-22
Selected M(istellang,
HENRY.

dlctment brought against them was: "ToT
preaching the Gospel of the Son at God,"
contrary to the statue in that case provi.
ded, and, therefore, disturbers of the peace.
The clerk was reading the indictment 10 a
slow and formal manner, aud as he pro-
nouuced the crime with emphasis, "Fo1'
preaching the Gospel Of he Son of God:"
a plain dressed man dismounted from his
horse, entered the court house and took his
seat within the bar. He was known to the
court and lawyers, but a stranger to the
mass of spectators who had gathered on
the occasion. This was Patrick Henry,
who on hearing of this prosecution, had
rode some fifty or sixty miles from his resi-.
dence in Hanover county, to volunteer his
services in the defence of the prisoners
He listened to the further reading of the
indictment with marked attention, the first
sentence of which that caught his ear was,
"For preaching the Gospel of the Son of
God" When the indictment had been
read, and the prosecuting attorney had sub
mitted a few remarks, Henry arose, stretch
ed out his hand and received the paper,
and then addressed the court:
"May it please your worships I think [
heard read by the prosecutors, as l entered
this house, the paper l now hold in my
hand. If I have rightly understood, the
Kings attorney of this colony has framed
an indictment for the purpose of arraigu-
ing and furnishing by Imprisonment three
inofensive persons before the bar of this
court, for a crime of great magnitude-as
disturbers of the peace. May it please the
court, what did I hear read? Did I hear
it distinctly, or was it, mistake of my own ?
Did I hear an expression, as if a crime,
that these men whom your ~worshipers are
charged with-what?" and continuing in
a low, solemn, heavy tone, "For preaching
the Gospel of the Son of God! Pausing,
amidst the most profound silence and breath
less establishment of his hearers, he slowly
waved the paper three times around bis
head, then lifted up his hands and eyes to
heaven, with extraordinary and impressive
energy, he exclaimed, "Great God The
exclamation-the action-the burst of feel.
ing from the audience, were all overpower-
ing. MIR. Henry resumed:
"May it please your worships In a day
like this, when truth is about to burst her
fetters-when mankind is about to be raised
to claim their natural and inalienable rights
when the yoke of oppression which has
reached the wilderness of America, and the
unnatural alliance of ecclesiastical and civil
power is about to be dissevered-at such a
period-when liberty-liberty of consci-
euce, is about to wake from her slumber-
iugs and inquire into the reason of such
charges as I find exhibited here in this in-
dictment" Another fearful pause while
the speaker alternately casting his sharp,
piercing eyes on the court and the prisoner,
resumed: elf l am not deceived, accord
ing to the contents of the paper l now hold
in my hand, these men are accused of
"pre aching the gospel of the Son of God
''Great God" Another long pause, du.
ring 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 corruption and depravity have so
long debased the human character that man
sinks under the weight of the oppressor's
hand and becomes his servile-his abject
slave; he licks the hand that smites him !;
he bows in passive obedience to the man.
dates of the despot; and in this state of
s~ervility he receives his letters of perpetual
bondage. But, may it please your wor-
ships, such a day has passed away! From
the period when our fathers left the land of
their nativity for settlement in these Ameri-
can wilds, for Liberty-for civil and re.
ligious liberty-for liberty of conscience
to worship their Creator according to their
conceptions of Heavens revealed will from
the moment they placed their feet on the
American continent, and in the deepest en-
beded forests sought an asylum from perse-
cution and ~tyranuy-from that moment des.
potism was crushed; her letters of darkness
were broken, and Heaven decreed that man
should be free-free to worship God accord.
ing to the Bible. Were it not for this, in
vain have been taken the efforts and the
sacrifices of the colonists in vain were all
their suferings and bloodshed to subjugate
this new world, if we, their offspriugs, must
still be oppressed and prosecuted. But,
may it please your worships, permit me to
inquire once more-for what are these men
about to be tried? This paper says, "tor
preaching the Gospel of the Son of God"
"Great God! For preaching the Savior to
Adams fallen race !"
After another pause, in tones of thun-
der, he inquired "what laws have they vic.
lated ?" Then for the third time, in a
slow, digui6ed manner, he lifted his eyes
to heaven and waved the indictment around
his head. The court and the audience
were now wrought up to the most intense
pitch of excitement. The face of the pros.
ecuting attorney was pale and CHASTITY, and
he appeared unconscious that his whole
frame was agitated with alarm; and the
judge, in a tremulous voice, put an end to
the scene, now becoming extremely pain
full, by the authoritative command, "Sheriff,
discharge those men !'-Behher's Religi.
Gus Denominations.
pgr The Augusta (Ga.) Democrat,
speaking of the position of South Carolina,
says: