The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1873-03-05
D DEeapssRTrss T. WILLIAMS.
Patrick Hcury's EleQuPnce.

taLlishcd church, and the spirit. Of
per sccuticn was abroad amongst the
most isuorant classes of her popula-
tion. The Baptists were particularly
obnoxious. Three Baptist preachers
had been arrested as "dis:urbcrs Of
peace" and imprisoned by a ioca.
'na9 istrate. At the next session Of
the county court at Spotsylvania they
wcro arraiYncd for trial, and Patrick
Henry rode fifty miles to defend
tn"m.
"But for the account (misscd by
"irD which has been preserved of
Patrick 1cnry's performance on this
occasion, We should not have under
stood tho secret of his power over an
assembly. Tho rosirtlcss magic Of
his oratory was greatly due to artifce,
management, extreme and sudden
changes in tone, adroit repetition Of
telling phrases. lie entered tho
court house while tho prosecuting
attorney was reading tho indictment
llo was a stranger to most Of tho spec.
tators, and being dressed in the coun.
try manuor, his entrance excited no
remark. When tho prosecution had
finished his brief opening, tho now
conner took the Indictment, and glanc.
ing at it with an expression of ruz-
zled inclcdulity, began to speak iu
tho tono Of n mau who has Just heard
something too astounding for be
lief:
"'May it please your worships, l
think | heard read by the prosecutor
rs | cntorcd the house, the papor |
now hold in my hand. IF l have
rightly understood, the Kings attor-
ncy has framed en indictment for the
purpose of arraigning and Furnishing
by imprisonment, these three inotfcn-
tive persons before tho bar of this
court for Il crime Of great magnitude
as dsturbcrs Of tho peace, May it
pleas" the count, what did hear 7
Did | hear it distinctly, or was it n
mistake of my own ; Did hear an
expression rs Of crime, that these men,
"hum your worship is about to try for
misdemcanor, arc charged with h-with
with what.
Having delivered these words in
hating, broken manner, us if his
mind was staggering under the weight
Of monStrous idea, he lowered his
voice, and assuming the profoundest
folemnty Of manner, answered his
own question ''Preachiny the Cos.
pet Of the Son of COT ?"
Then he paused. Every oyo was
""w Gr"ly rivcluI upon him, and
every mind intent for all this was
executed as kean or a Siddons
would have pei formc it on the stage
eye, voice, attitude, gesture, all in
accord to produce the uttcrmost pos
o!hiiity Of effect. Amid silence that
could be fclt, he waved tho indict.
mcnt three times around his head, as
though still amazed, unable to COM
rr"hcnl the charge. Then he raised
his eyes and hands to heaven, aud in
tono Of pathetic energy, wholly
lndcScribablc, exclaimed, "Great
God =
at this point, such vas tho power
OF his delivery, the auiioncc relieved
their feelings with burst Of tears.
line orator continued.
"May it please your worships, in q
day like this, when truth is nbout to
burst her fcttcr$, when mankind arc
nh"nt t" be aroused to claim natural
and inalicna'le rights, when the yoke
Ct oPprcsslo that has reached the
WiiurrncsS Of America, and the un-
natural alliance Of ccclcSiastical pow-
rr Is about to be discovered, at such
period, VIXEN liberty, liberty of con-
science Is about t. wake from her
slumberlngs and inquire into the rea :.
son OF such charges as | find cxhib-
l:ed here to day in this Indictment"
Here occurred another Of his appall-
ing pauses, during which ho cast
riercing looks at the judges and the
three clergymen arraigncd. Then
rcsnming he thrilled every hcarcr by
his tavoritc device Of repetition "If
am not Notwithstanding to the
contents of the paper now hold in
my hand--thcsc men arc accused of
preaching the gospel Of the Son Of
God = lie waved the document
three times above his head as if still
lost in wonder and then with the
same electric attitude of appeal to
heaven, he ga<pc1, "Grcat God -
This was followed by another burst
Of teelin from the spectators and
nS'ln this master Of effect plunged
into the tide Of his discourse
INLAY it please your worships,
there arc periods IN the history of a
man, when corruption and dcpravity
has So long dcbased the human char
nc'cr that man silks under the
weight OF the oplrcssor's haud--be
come his servilr, his ahjcct slave. lie
hicks the hand that suites him. uo
bows in passive obedience to the man.
dates and despots and in this state
OF sc.rvi'ity, he receives his fcttcrs of
perpetual bondage. But, may it
please your wor,hlps, such day has
IL 4 ~