Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1872-08-22
PATRICK HENRY.
His Defense Of Three ministers.

James Parton III the July number of tll
Atlantic Monthly, gives a clear account OF til
abuses which Jefferson and his friends sough
. to do away, and prominent smong these wa
the intolerance OF the established chuic'
which Mr.. Parton illustrates by the case
three Baptist preachers who were arraigne,
as ''disturbers of the peace" before magis
trates who were determined to convict them
Patrick Henry rode. fifty miles tadefend them
and the following account is gfsgn of his per
formancc-it was more than spccch-o,
that OCCASION:
s'He entered the court house while tn
prosecuting attorney was reading the indict
inent. He was stranger to most Of the spec
tators. and, being dressed in the conntr,
manner. his entrance excited no remark
When the prosecutor had finished his brie
opening, the newcomer took the indictment
and glancing at it with an expression of pnz
zled ilicredulity, began to speak in the tont
OF man who has just heard something toe
astonishing for belief:
May please your worships, | think
heard read by the prosecutor, as entered
| the house, the paper now hold in my hand
III have rightly understood, the Kings at
torney has framed an Indictment for the pur
pose OF arraigning aud furnishing by impris.
onment these three inoffel. sive persons before
the bar OF this Court for q crime of great
magnitude-as disturbers of the peace. May
it please the Court, what did hear read? Did
| hear 1t distinctly, or was it mistake OF my
own? Did hear an expression as OF crime,
that these men whom your worships are
about to try for misdemeanor, are charged
with-witl,-with WHAT!
Having delivered these words in hal.ing,
broken, manner, as if his mind was stagger-
ing under the weight of monstrons idc /, he
lowered his voice to its deepest bass; and, as
suming the profoundest solemnity of man
ner, answered his own nquestion: Preaching
the GOSPEL of the Son of God!'
Then he paused. Every eye was now riv-
eted upon him, and every mind intent; tor
all this was executed as Kean or 2 Siddons
would have performed it on the stage-eye,
voice, attitude, gesture, all in accord to pro-
duce the utmost possibility of effect. Amid
a silence that could be felt, he waived the in-
dictment three times round his head, rs
though still amazed, still unable to compre-
hend the charge.
Then he raised his hands and eyes to hea-
ven. and, in a tone OF pathetic energy wholly
indIscrlbable, exclaimed, Great Godl
At this point. such was ele power of his
delivery, the audience relieved their feelings
by burst of signs and tears. The orator
May it please your worships, in day like
this. when truth is about to burst her fctters,
when mankind are about to be aroused to |
claim their natural and inalienable rights,
when the yoke of oppression that has reached
the wilderness of America, and the unnatural |
alliance of ecclesiastical and civil power, are
about to be dlssevered,-a such a period.
when liberty. liberty Of conscience is about
% wake from her slumbers, and inquire into
,he reason Of such charges as Ifind exhibited
lere to-day in this Indictment Here oc-
cured another of his appalling pauses, DUR
ng which he cast piercing looks at the iudg-
8 and at the three clergymen arraigned.
Then resuming, he thrilled every hearer by
lis favorite device OF repetition: 1T am not
Notwithstanding to- the contents Of the
'aper now held in my hand-these men are
ccused approaching the Gospel of the Son
f God!' He waived the document three
ines around his head as though still lost in [
7Onder; and then, with the same electric at {
tude OF appeal to heaven, he gasped Great {
Iod!'
7 lis was followed by another burst Of feel |
lg from the spectators; and again this mas t
n of effect plunged into the tide of his dis ,
purse. y
May it please your worships, there are Pc
oda in the history Gilman when corruption
ID deprayity have SO long debased the hu-
an character, that man sinks under the !.
eight Of the oppressor's hand-becomes his
rvile, his object. slave. He licks the hand
ut smites him. He bows in passive obe-
ence to the mandates of the despot; and, in
IS state of servility, he receives his letters
perpetual bondage. But may it please
'ur Worships. such day has passed From
at period when cur fathers left the land OF
cir nativity for these American wilds, from
g moment they placed their feet upon the
merlcan continent, from that moment des-
ism was crushed the fetters of darkness
IRE broken, and Heaven decreed that man
ould be free. free to worship God according
the Bible. In vain were all their suffer-
Is and bloodshed to subjugate this New
orld, five, their offspring, must still be :
pressed and perscated. But. may it please
ur Worships. permit me to inquire once
IRE: tor what are these men about to he
sR This paper says, for preaching the
spell Of the Savior to Adams fallen race,,
Again he paused. For the third time he ,
wly waived the indictment round his head: IS;
] then, turning to the judges, looking them
ly in the face exclaimed, with the most
pressive effect. What laws have they yio.
ed?' The whole assembly were now pain
" moved and excited. The presidino \,
ge ended the scene by saying, Sheriff, dis '"'
'rge thege men, -
---- fisl
HE offer Of certain Southern men to bet ,va
sely npon the resnltsof the pending Rresi- 40,
+ al canvass, provokes the New York a
to remark. 1--WE are glad TO Ma
ice these signs of increased prosperity at m
GO,.th Uu'