Norwich bulletin., 1920-12-02
ODD INCIDENTS IN AMERICAN
 HISTORY
THE PARsONs' CAUSE.

One of the most peculiar incidents of the unusual practice in the coleNss prior to the Revolution was brought out in Virginia about the middle of the eight eenth century, and is known in history as the Parsons Cause" It was prac-I tica1iy the means of introducing into, public life Patrick Henry the young Vir-t ginia attorney, who later swayed the as- sernbly by his Revolutionary eloquence.
 By Virginia Act of 16s6 the salaries of the clergy of that colony had been fixed at sixteen thousand pounds of to- bacco. This payment was accepted. all though frequently with protest, and in 1755 and 1758, the tobacco crop, having been greatly injured by drought, the general assembly authorized the payment Of takes and salaries in money instead of tobacco, and at the previous current rate of two pence per pound. As the smallness of the crop had raised the price of the staple, many of the minis ters objected to the loss of income caused by this legislation. Their compla ints reached the ears of the Bishop of. Lon don and the Virginia Act of 175s was vetoed by the king in council.
 l Francis Farauier, who had just sue iceeded Dinwiddie as lieutenant governor of Virginia, readily consented to this ar engagement. There were at the time sixty l five parish ministers. The ministerial | body, not content with attacking the leg 1 islation in pamphlet, sent an agent to 1 England, and by the aid of Sherlock
 Bishop of London, he procured an order 1 in council pronouncing the law void In 17e2 the Rev. James Maury brough; 1 suit against the collectors of his parist | for the amount of his salary in tobacco 1 The court decided against the validity oi I the acts, and the question went to tht I jury for determination of the damages The attorney for the plaintiff explained l to the jury that their duty consisted il
 calculating the differences between tn, salary as computed under the acts of tn, I assembly and the value of sixteen thous II and pounds of tobacco at the curren
 market value of six pence pound.
 The counsel for the defence was Pat ; rick Henry, young lawyer, fast risini ) into prmoinence, In a fiery speech Hen ry denounced the action of the Crow
 in setting aside the Virginia Act as "a, instance of misrule" and an act of ty ranny that forfeited all claim to tho obedience of = the Subject. Murmurs 0 l "Trea sonr "Treasonr' were heard ol
 all sides, but Henry, undisturbed and 1n
 hindered by the court, continued his ar gument. As to the law, Henry wa , hopelessly wrong, but the jury yielde } to his e1oquence and brought in a yer
 dict of one penny damaEes.
 This was the first real forensic effor of Patrick Henry. When he made hi appearance to argue against the parson 2 he saw on the bench before him nor
 than twenty clergymen, the most learne ] men in the colony. The course of tn i, trial was simple. The counsel for t., :. clergy briefly explained the standard . the damages of his clients, and gava hish-wrought eulogiun of their bereg, : lence.
 The forest-born orator in reply bui
 his argument on the natural right ( i-j Virginia to self-direction in her affail yi against the pserogative of the crown ar ej the civil establishment of the c!.ur, .ki against monarchy and priestcra ''
 king" he said, who annuls or disa
 lows laws of so salutary a nature. fro being the father of his people degene le ates into a tyrant and forfeits all rigl e to obedience"
 al At this assertion the opposing couns ,fi cried out to the bench: "The gentiems
 has spoken treason" Royalists in Il
 crowd raised confused murmur ,.i treason. treason
 ,s Undaunted. the patriot proceede,