The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1862-03-21
Eadaral OutraQes.

The base and dastardly conduct OF the
enemy in Alexandra and Fairfax county,
Va. the Evidence Of which multiplles
daily, ought TO incite our men to more
desperate efforts to drive the invader from
our soil. A scene occurred in st. Pauls
Church, Alexandra. on Sunday morning,
FEB. o, which has, perhaps, never had a
parallel among civilized nations-certain-
Cy ret in the history of this country
The local Ne'OS, of that city. gave a full
account of the transaction on the follow.
ing day. portion of which we copy;
The officiating minister, Rev. X. j.
Stewart, had gone through the morning
prayer Of the Episcopal service as far as
the Litany-the prayer for the President
being omHted, but without anything in its
place-and was proceeding with the Lit
ANY, when an interruption occurred OF
the character which the law designates as
''hrawlng;" that is, the intervention of
noise and tumult 10y certain persons who
had come 10 the church with the inten-
Hion of interrupting the service. should il
not proceed according to their wishes
Those persons commenced the disturbance
as soon as they found the prayer for the
President omitted. One of them, Capt.
Farnsworth, Of the Eighth Illinois cavalry,
who sat near the chaDcel, dressed in uni
form, with some five or six of z1eldiers
near him, undertook to oficiaNHn pray
er, nc prayer it could be called, BY read
ing the prayer for the President OF the
United States. How fat he went does not
appear in the confusion; but, soon quit
ting his position as the officer Of prayer,
he advanced to the altar, where Mr.. Stew
art was kneeling, still continuing the Lit
any. and ordered his arrest. Mr.. Stewart
was dragged from his knees by the SOL
diers. The ground Of the arrest Captain
Farnsworth distinctly avowed to be the
omission of the prayer for the President
of the United States. With this avowal
he said: Il arrest you by authority of the
United States. as a rebel and traitor!"-
'"And l." responded Mr. Stewart, who by
this time had advanced to the chancel
rails. to Captain F., "Summon yOu 10 dnSoer
al the ;..sg..s,s seal Of the King of Kings and
tie lord Of Lords for Interference, by force Of
arms, s,itk his ambassadors Ohile IN tie act Of
presenting the petition Of His people at Ills a.
tarr' The solemnity of this appeal caus-
ed the parties to fall back and pause, but
soon the soldiers were ordered to seize
Mr. Stewart which two Of them did, with
great violence, forcing the prayer book
from his hands; one of them drawing a
revolver. another revolver was present
ed to an old and venernted citizen within
the chancel when the officer ordered the
soldier not to fire. Very soon consider
able number of armed soldiers appeared
in the church. Mr.. Stewart, refusing to
yield voluntarily, was dragged by force
from the altar and through the ailse out
of the church. He was in his surplice,
which he wore through the streets and at
Captain Farnsworth's quarters, where he
was taken. Farnsworth said, that he went
to church intendingto arrest Mr.. s, if he
should offer any prayer for the Confede-
rate States. Near him, in the same pew,
sat Mr.. Moreton, (the detectiye,) who
then gave orders to Capt. +. to make the
arrest, which was executed as above de
scribed.
Mr. Moreton has declared that he was
acting under authority from Washington
The scene in the church was such as
may be imagined under such circumstan'
ces; gentlemen were indignant and eX'
cited, and ladies gave utterance to Their
feelings of grief and indignation-but Of
course, no serious effort was made TO pre-
vent the arrest Mr.. Stewart was taken
away and the congregation dispersed.
1t is proper TO state that these proceed
ings were without the knowledge oil Gen
Montgomery, the Military Governor Of
the city, and were strongly condemned by
hm when they came to his knowledge
He telegraphed to Washington for in
structions from the Government, which
when received, were of such nature as
to lead to Mr.. Stewards release after
few hours detention.
As might have been anticipated, the
publication of the foregoing facts (which
are testified to by number of respecta
bic citizens incensed the Federal scoun
drels beyond measure, and the office o
the Local Ne,os was burnt; and it was with
the utmost difficulty that the Federal of
.ficer in command could prevent the de
struction of St. PauPs Church, in SINH
lar manner. Subsequently, under th'
pretence that an organization existed II
the city with the object of extending aic
and comfort to the "rebels," a number o
the best citizens of Alexandria, including
the editor of the paper, were arrested ant
thrown into prison at Washington, wher'
thew still, remain. Richmond Dispatch.