The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1861-04-27
AnccdOtc Of Patrick Henry.

! to trial, in about the year 1872. for preach
| ing The indictment brought against them
was, For preaching the Gospel of the son
of Cod contrary to the statute in that
/ case provided, and therefore breakers of
the peace. The clerk was reading the in
| dictment in a slow and formal manner, and
/ lie pronounced the crime with emphasis
! For Preaching tic Gospel Of the Son Of God
! when a plainly dressed man dismounted
! from his horse, entered the court house,
aud took his seat within the bar lie was
/ known to the court and lawyers, but
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 Hanover county, to
volunteer his services in defense of the
prisoners. He listened to the future read
/ ing of the indictment with marked atten-
ton, the fist sentence Of which had
caught his ear was :. For Pre1cl.ing The Cos
pei Of tie Soa of Go,L
When the indictment had been read,
and the prosecuting attorney had sub
united a few remarks, Henry arose, stretch
ed out his hand and received the paper,
and then addressed the Court:
May it please your worships: l think
| heard read by the prosecutor as | en-
tered this house, the paper which | now
hold in my hand. If rightly understand,
the kings attorney Of this county has
framed an indictment for the purpose of
arraigning by Imprisonment three inoi,cn-
sive persons before the bar Of this cou
for crime of great magnitude--as dis
turbers Of the peace May it please the
court-N hat did | hear read? Did hear
1t distinctly, or was it a mistake Of my
crime, that these men, whom your wor-
ships are about 10 try for misdemeauor.
are charged with-whaty' and continued
in low, solemn, heavy tone" Preaching
the Gospel q the Son Of GodF 2 Pdusiug
amid the most profound silence and breath
less astonishment Of his hearers he slow ~
waved the paper three times around his
head, then, lifting up his hands and eyes
| to Heaven with extraordinary and impress
sive energy, lac exclaimed-GEEAT Con =
The exclamation, the action, the burst Of
feeling from the audience, We're al! over
powering Mr. Henry resumed:
May it please your worships; In day
like this, when truth is about TO burst her
!etters-~hen mankind are about 10 be
, raised to claim their natural and inaIiab!e
rIghts-when the yoke OF expressions
which has reached tie wilderness OF
America, and the unnatural alliance Of ec-
. c'csias.ical and ci:Il power i. about 10 be
dissolved-at such a period when liberty
Liberty OF consc!eDce-is about 10 ava X g
from our slum. erlngs and inquire into the
.. -ason OF such charges as find exhibited
= here to day in this Indictment Another
fearful pause, while the s. eaker alternate
' " cast his sharp, piercing eyes on the
court and the prisoners, and resumed" J
; | am not deceived, according to the con.
tents Of the paper nov hold in my hand
these men are accused Of 'Pfeacting tie
, G9pcl ot tie San of GoL-GREAr GCD I,
Another long pause, during which he again
: waved the Indictment above his head
/ while a deeper impression was made or
a the auditory. RtSuming his speech, h
: said
May it please your worslips: There
4 are periods IL the history Of man. when
5 corruption and dcprayity have So long de
g based the human character that man
= shrinks under the weight of the oppres
: sor's hand ard becomes his servi.e, hi,
ahject slave he iicks the hand that strike:
+ him; he bows in passive obedience = Ia,
mandate Of the despot, and in this state
of servlit, he receives his fetters a pcr
petual bondage. But may it please your
: worships. such day has passed away =
.pL4 L!lE -E4F'h .h.iTO our iDIC4tLlttlr it4
tue land Of their nativity for settlement !.
:, these American wlls-for Liberty, fol
civil and religious liberty-for liberty O
/ conscience-to worship their Creator ac
q cugding - their conception Of Heaven
V revealed wiil-frum the moment The
placed their feet on the American Cont
q nent, and in the deealy imbedded forest
H. sought an asylum from persecut on ant
tyranny-trom that moment, dcspoti-r
d was crushed. and the fetters of darilue.
we're broken-the heavens decreed tna
is man should he iFee-tree to Worship {,
"a co,din. 10 the Bible We're itnot for TIN
q. in VAN would be the Efforts and sacrifice
.. of the colonis;s; in vain were all The
n suferings and bloodshed to suhiugate IT,
New " orld il; We their offspring. must +
= oppressed and persecutel But, may
ID please your worehips. permit me 10 j.
r, qaire once more, for what are these NE
as about TO be tfied2 This paper says. ;,
preaching the Gospel ct the .Son Of GoA-
to GREAT tioD !-.fo' preQcIiag tie .Sivtgar
ii1a,s fJiic5. racs!i
Another pause. In tones OF thunder h
then inquired, "WHAT Law HAVE TIE
% yloLATEDl' Then, for the third time.
:. Sow digu!fied manner, he lifted his eye
~ 10 Heaven and waved the indictmcu
= n ouni his head. The court and The al
" dienCe were row wrought up TO the mo.
or intense pitch o .x itemen'. The face
az the prosecuting attorney was pa!r an
n gia,,ly, and he arpeale uncon>ciol, til,
10 his whole frame was agitatrd with alarm
i. and the JUDGE. in 4 tremulous voice, pr
q an end to the scene-now becoming e.
n. tremely plainiul-by the authoritivc con
i mand, ".SktrT discharge the men