The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1878-07-17
Patriels Henry for The Defense.

In the early religious e&elIement
in Virginia, Patrick Henry was call
ed in to defend the Baptists arrested
and confined in jail. Even at this
day it will be interesting to note the
remarks made by the speaker on the
occasion.
"AIay It please you worships," ho
said, II think / heard read by the
prosecutor, as l entered the house,
the paper now hold in my hand.
If l have rightly understood the
kings attorney has framed an in
dictment for the purpose of arraign-
ing and furnishing by imprisonment
these three inoHensive persons before
the bar of this Court, for a crime of
great magnitude-as disturbers of
the peace. May it please the Court
what did hear read? Did | hear it
distinctly, or was it a mistake of my
own2 Did hear an expression as of
crime, that these men, whom your
worships are about to try for misde-
meanor, are charged with-with-
what?
Having delivered these words in
halting, broken manner, as if his
mind was staggering under the
weight of monstrous idea, he lower
cd his voice to its deepest bass, and
assuming the profoundes! solemni-
ty of manner, answered: "Preaching
the Gospel of the Son of GodT
Then he paused. Every eye was
now riveted upon him, and every
mind intent; for all this was execu-
ted as a Kean or a Siddons would
have performed it on the stage-eye,
voice, attitude, gesture, all in accord
to produce the utmost possibility of
effect. Amid silence that could be
felt, he waved the indictment three
times around his head as tho still
amazed, still unable to comprehend
the charge. Then he raised his hands
and eyes to heaven, and, in tone Of
pathetic energy wholly indescriba'
BILE, exclaimed, Great Godl"
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
Iianrst,its;fetters, when mankind are
Lin
natural and inaticna6ie rights, when
the yoke of oppression that has reach
ed the wilderness of America, and
the unnatural alliances Of ecclesias-
tical and civic power are about to be
dissevercd,-a such period, when
liberty, liberty of conscience, is about
to wake from her slumbcring, and
inquire into the reason of such charg-
es as | find exhibited here to-day in
this indictment-"1Ierc occurred an,
other of his appalling pauses, during
which he cast piercing looks at the
Judges, and the three clergymon ar
raignod. Then resumng he thrilled
every hearcr by his favorite device
of repetition: "If am not deceived,
according to the contents of the pa.
per now hold in my hand,-thoso
men are accused of preaching the
Gospel of the Son of God" He way
ed the document three times around
his head; as though still lost in won.
der; and then with the same electric
attitude of appeal to Heaven, he
gasped, "Groat GOdl' This was fol-
lowed by another burst of feeling
from the spectators and again this
master of effect plunged into the tide
of his discourse:-
May it please your worships, there
are periods in the history of man
when corruption and depravity have
so long debased the human charac-
ter, that man sinks under the weight
of the oppressor's hand,-bccomos
his scrvile, his abiect slave. He
licks the hand that smites him. He
bows in passive obedience to the
mandates of the despot; and in this
state of sorvility, he receives his fet-
tors of perpetual bondage, But, may
it please your worships, such a day
has passed. From that period when
our fathers left their lands of nativi.
ty for these American wilds,-from
the moment they placed their feet
upon the American contincnt,-from