Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1872-06-23
I R HENRY IN COURT.
His Brilliant Defense Of The Indicted
Preachers.
the AtInntle for JuIy.1

From the Atlantic for July.l
The intolerance of the established
church Mr.. Parton illustrates by tn,
case Of three Baptist preachers who Werl
aFraigned as "~disturbers of the peace
before magistrates who eredeterminel
to convict them. Patrick Henry rod,
/ fifty miles to defend them, and the fol
lowing account is given of his perform.
ance-it was more than a ~speeeh-OT
that occasion.
He entered the courthouse while the
prosecuting attorney was reading the
Indictment. He was q stranger to mOst
of the spectators, and, being dressed in
the country manner, his entrance ex.
! cited no remark. When the prosecutor
had finished his brief opening, the new.
conner took the Indictment, and glanc-
ing at it with an expression of puzzled
incredulity, began to speak in the tone
of a man who has just heard something
too astonishing for belief.
May it please your worships, I think
I heard read by the prosecutor, asI en-
tered the house, the paper l nov hold in
my hand. If l have rightly understood
the kings attorney has framed an in
dictment for the purpose of a~rraiguing
and furnishing by imprisonment these
three ~inOtiensive persons before the bar
of the court for a crime Of great magDi-
tude-as disturbers of the peace. MAJ
il please the court, what did hear read9
Did | hear it distinctly, or was it a mis-
take OF my own? Did 1 hear an ex
preston as Of a crime, that these men,
whom your worships are about to try
for misdemeanOr, are charged with
with-with what?
Having delivered these words in a
halting, broken manner, as if his mind
was staggering under the weight Of a
monstrOus idea, he lowered his voice to
its deepest bass, and assuming the pro-
foundest solemnity Of manner, answer
ed his own question: Preachingt the Cos
pei of the Son Of GOdP
Then he paused. Every eye was riv-
eted upon him, and every mind intent;
for all this was executed as a Kean or a
Siddons would have performed it on
the stage-aye, voice, attitude, gesture,
all in accord to produce the utmost pos
sibility Of effect. Amid a silence that
could be felt, he waved the Indictment
three times round his head, as though
still amazed, still unable 70 comprehend
the charge.
Then he raised his hands and eyes to
heaven, and, in a tone of pathetic ener-
gy wholly Undesirable exclaimed
Great Cody
At this point, such was the power Of
his delivery, the audience relieved their
feelings by a burst Of signs and tears.
The orator continued:
May it please your worships, in a
day like this, when truth is about to
burst her letters, when mankind are
about to be aroused to claim their natur-
al and ~inalienable rights, when the yoke
of oppression that has reached the wild
erness Of America, and the unnatural al
lance of ecclesiastical and civil power
are about to be dissevered-at such a pc
Rod, when liberty, liberty Of conscience,
is about to wake from her slumberiugs
and inquire into the reason of such
charges as | find exhibited here to-day
in this indictment6FHere occurred
another Of his appalling pauses, during
which he cast piercing looks at the
judges and at the three clergymen ar
raigned. Then resuming he thrilled
every hearer by his favorite device Of
repetitiOn:l If I am not deceived-ac-
cOrding to the contents of the paper l
now hold in my hand-these men are
accused Of preaching the gospel Of the
Son of God! He waved the document
three times round his head as though
still lost in wonder, and then, with the
same electric attitude Ofappeal to Heav-
he gasped, Great God!
This was followed by another burst
Of feeling from the spectators; andagain
this master Of effect plunged into the
tide of his discourse:
May it please your worships, there
are periods in the history of men when
and depravity have so long
debased the human character, that man
under the weight of the Oppressor's
.and-becOmes his ~servile, his abject
He licks the hand that smites
him. He bows in passive obedience to
the mandates Of the despot; and in this
of servility, he receives his letters
Of perpetual bondage. But, may it
please your wOrships, such a day has
From that period when our
left the land of their nativity for
these American wilds, from the moment
hey placed their feet upon the Ameri-
IAN continent, from that moment des-
was crushed, the letters Of dark
ness were broken, and Heaven decreed
hat man should be free, free to worship
God according TO the Bible. In vain
we're all their sufferings and blOOdshed
o subjugate this New World, if we,
heir offspring, must still be oppressed
md prosecuted. But, may it please your
yOrships, permit me to inquire once
more, For what are these men about to
,e tried? This paper says, for preaching
he gospel ofthe SaviOrt to Adams fallen
ace!
Again he paused. For the third
he slowly waved the indictment
ound his head; and then, turning to
he judges, looking them full in the face,
reclaimed with most impressive effect,
What laws have they viOlated?' The
Whole assembly was now painfully
moved and excited. The presiding
Idge ended the see by saying Sheriff,
ischarge the men,"