Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1861-04-05
Anectlote Of Patrick Henry.


Three Baptist preachers were brought TO
trial in about the year I'VE, for preaching.
The indictment brought against them was,
"For preaching the Gospel Of the Son Of
God contrary 10 the statute in that case
provided, and therefore breakers Of the
peace. The clerk was reading the indict-
ment in low and formal manner, and he
pronounced the crime with cmphasis--"Eor
.preaching ths Gospel Of The Son Of God
VIXEN n plsinly dressed man dism0unted
from his horse, entered the court house, and
touk his seat within the bar. He was known
to the court and lawyers, bat a stranger to
the mass OF spectators who had assembled
on the occasion. This was Patrick Henry,
who, on hearing Of this prosecution, had
ridden some fifty miles from his residence in
Hanove, county to volunteer his services in
defense of the prisoners. He listened to
the future reading of the indictment with
marked attention, ihe first sentence of which
had caught his ear was "For preaehing the
Gospel of The Son Of God"
When The indictment had been read, and
the prosecuting attorney had submitted
few remarks, Henry arose, stretched out his
hand and received The paper, and then ad-
dressed the Courts-
May II please your worships: think /
heard read by the prosecutor as | entered
this house, the paper | now hold in my
hand. If rightly understand, the kings
attorney of this county has framed an in
dtctment for the purpose Of arraigning and
punishng by Imprisonment three inoffensve
persons before the bar of this court for a
crime of great magniiude--as disturbers of
the peace. May ii please the court. What
did hear readY Did hear it distinctly,
or was it a mistake Of my own? Did
hear an expression, as if n crime. that these
men, whom your worships are about to try
for a misdemeanor, are charged with
what ?"--and continued in low, solemn,
heavy tome Preaching the Gospel ef the
Son of Godf'" Pausng amid the most
profound silence and breathless astonish,
ment of his hearers, he slowly waved the
paper three times around his head, then
lifting 10 his hands and eyes to heaven with
extraordinary and impressive energy, he
exclaimed-"G GREAT GoDw T. The excla-
nation, the action, the burst of feeling from
the audience, were all overpowering. Mr..
! Henry resumed -
| "May it please your worshps In day
like this, when truth is about to burst her
fetters-when mankind are about to be
4 raised to claim their natural and inalen-
able rights--when the yoke of oppression
which has reached the wilderness of Amer
lea, and the unnatural alliance of eccesias-
/ tical and civil power is about to be dissev-
ered--at such period when liberty--hber-
! ty of conscienee--is about to awake from her
slumberings and inquire into the reason Of
such charges as | find exhibited here to-day
/ in this Indictment -" Another fearful
pause while the speaker alternately cast
his sharp, piercing eyes on the court and
prisoners, and resumed-sIf l am not de-
ceived, 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 COP y Another
long pause, during which he again waved
the Indictment above his head, while deep
er impression was made on the auditory
Resuming his speech he said,
MAY it please your worships: Their,
are periods in the history of man, wher
corruption and deprayity have so long de
based the human character that man shrink
under the weight of the oppressor's hant
and becomes his serTjle, his ahject slave
he ticks the hand that strikes him; he bow
in passive obedience to the mandates of til,
despot, and in this state of servifity he re
ceives his fetters of perpetual bondage
But, may it please your worships, such
day has passed away From the perio,
when our forefathers left the land of thei
nativity for settlement in these America,
wilds--for Liberty--for civil and religion
liberty ef eonscience---to worship their Gre
ator according to their conception of Heav
ems revealed will--from the moment the,
placed their feet on the American Cont
nent and in the deeply imbedded forest
sought an ASYLUM from persecution ant
tyranny--from that moment, desPotism wa
crushed, the letters Of darkness were broker
--the heavens decreed that man should b
free--free TO worship God according TO th
Bihle Were il not for this, in vain hav
been taken the efforts and sacrifices of th
colonists in vain were all their suffering
and bloodshed to subjugate this New Worl
if we, their offspring must be oppressed an
. Pti5SSuiSu, i'ut, hidy ~ tiSdoS toui WI
ships, permit nae to inquire once more, 70
what are these men about to betriee? ? Thi
paper says, For preaching the Gospel 0
the son of God GREAT Con for preach
ing the Saviour of Adams fallen race
Another pause. In tones of thunder h
then inquired, WHAT LAW HAVE THE
vIoLATEp?" Then, for the third time, i
a slow, dignifed manner, he lifted his eye
10 heaven and waved the Indictment aroun
his head The court aud the audience wer
now wrought up 10 the most intense pitc
of excitement. The face of the proseeui
ing attorney was pale and gLa,tly, and h
, appeared unconscious that his whole fran
was agiiate1 with alarm; and the judge, i
tremulous voice, put an end TO the seen
now becoming extremely painful-b
the authoritative command, Sheriff di,
charge The men e"
Op,rages upon Methodist Ministc