Maryland free press., 1862-11-14
Anecdote Of Patrick Henry.

Three Baptist preachers 1srs brought VI tfist,
IN Abost the year l7Ts, for preaching. The ir4
distmsnt brought against them was, "Eor preach
!ng the Gospel ef ths Sen OF God" contrary to
The statute In that case prsvidsd, aud therefore
breakers Of the peses. The clerk reading
the indistmsnt In . slew and fstmal msnnerj and
he proaounasd the crime with emphasis-"Fes
rHskcHIHs THB GssPaL OF THn Boz OF Cor
shen plainly dressed man dismosntsd from his
hsrse, entered ths court house, and took his seat
within tbs bar. He WAS known 70 the aotrt and
lawyers. bit stranger to tbs, nsss Of spectators
who had aMssablsd on tAs occssiep. This was
Patrick Henry, who, on hearing Of this prcsseu
tion, had ridden nfty miles from his rssidsnse
In Hanover CouAty to volunteer his services in
defense ofths prissnsrs He listened ts the futuIs
reading Of the indictment with marked attention,
the first sentence OF which had caught his ear
Vas "Fsr Preaching tie 6e'ssI sf 1s Soa .f
Gcd" ;, ga ..
When the indiot1nspI he'd 6sAa tesd. and the
prosecuting sttornsJ had sus nitted few remarks,
Henry arose, stretched eut his hARd and received
he paper, and then addressed the Court:
"Msy IL please your vorships: Think heard
read by the prosecutor - l. entered this house.
the pspsr now hold in ny hand. II rightly
understand, the kings's attorney Of this county
has fransd sn Indictment for the purpose OF ss
rsignipg and punishisg BY inprisoarneAs three
inoGsnsivs persons before ths bar or this eosrt
for . crime Of; great magnitude-as disturhsrs Of
the peace. May IL please the oosrt-Wkas did
hear read : Did hear II distinctly, or vas It =
mistake Of my oxnf Did I hear al expression,
As II crime. that thess msn, who'll yshf worsh;ps
are about to try for nisdsmeanor, are charged
with--whatr'-And continued, in 9 low, solemn
heavy toas--h Preaching he 6o,psl Of tie Sen
.f God ?" Pausing AMID the most profeand 81.
lsncs and breathlsss astons hrnent Of his bearers,
he slowly waved the paper three times around his
head, then, lifting up bis hands and eyes to hesv-
en- with extraordinary and impressive energy, he
sxelainsd-"GAsAr GopP The exclamation,
the action, the burst u feeling from the sudisnes,
wsrs,all oTsrpewsring. Er. Henry resumed:
"Asy II please yosr worships: In day like
this, when truth 10 about 10 burst her fettsrs--
when mankind are asout 70 30 raised to claim
their natural and instispsbls fiRhts-wheh che
yoke Of oppression Which has Essshsd the wilder.
ness Of America, and the unnatural slflsnee Of
scolssiastical and civil pswsr 10 about TO be dis.
ssvsrsd-st such 9 period when libertj-libsrty
of bonscisnee-is about TO awake from her slum-
berings and inquire int the fssson Of suah Sharg.
% 90 had exhibited here to-day In this indiot
nsnt T." Another fearful pause; while the
speaker alternately cast bis sharp. piercing eyes
en- the oeurt and ths prisoners, and resumsd-"If
am not deceived, according 70 the contents of
che paper now hold in my hand, these men ere
accused Of tPrsaeSi~a the Gs,psI Of tie Sen Of
Gsd.' GlsA1 GoD W-Anoihsr long pause, during
which he again waved ths indictment above his
hesd, while . deeper impression was made on the
suditsty. Rssuming his speesh, be said
"kaJ II plssse your wofships: There are Pc
riods in the history Of man. when corruption and
asprsvity have so long debased the human char
acter that man sArinks under tie weight Of the
opprsssors hand and becomes bis ssrvlls, his sb-
ject, slave he licks the hand that strikes him
be bows In passive obedience to the mandstss of
the dsspet, and in this state Of ssrvility he re.
esiTss bis fsttsrs OF perpetual bondage. But,
may II plsass your wofships. such day has pas.
ssd away From tbs period whom our forefathers
left tie land Of thsir nativity fof ssttlsmsut In
these American ~ilds--for Hbsrty--for civil and
religiots libsrty-for liberty Of esnseisnce--to
worship their Creator according 70 their seneep-
Sion Of Heavens revealed siill-ffoM tAs moment
they placed thsir feet. on abe American Continest
and in the deeply imheddsd forests sought sA ssy.
lum from persseution and tyranny--frora cha.
moment, despotism was crushed, tie fstters Of
darknsu were kroksn--the heavens dseresd thsx
man should be hss-frss to worship God sscord.
ing 10 the Bible. We're It rot for this, IA 1sis
Asrs beer tsksn the tEoru ssd ssstisess Of tie