Quote: your liberty ends just where my nose begins (1894)

[Joel S. Berson]

At 9/26/2011 09:33 AM, Garson O'Toole wrote:
>Cite: 1894, Thirteenth International Christian Endeavor Convention,
>[Held in Saengerfest Hall and Tent, Cleveland, Ohio, July 11-15,
>1894], Heroes of Faith: Address of Rev. A.C. Dixon, Page 95, Published
>by United Society of Christian Endeavor, Boston, Massachusetts.
>(Google Books full view)
>
>http://books.google.com/books?id=GaBVAAAAYAAJ&q=%22nose+begins%22#v=snippet&
>
><Begin excerpt>
>A drunken man was going down the street in Baltimore flinging his
>hands right and left, when one of his arms came across the nose of a
>passer-by. The passer-by instinctively clenched his fist and sent the
>intruder sprawling to the ground. He got up, rubbing the place where
>he was hit, and said, "I would like to know if this is not a land of
>liberty." "It is," said the other fellow; "but I want you to
>understand that your liberty ends just where my nose begins."
>[Laughter and Applause.]
><End excerpt>
>
>I would appreciate any earlier cites. Also, direct evidence of a
>interesting/prominent person using the saying would be welcome.

The Rev. (Mr. or Dr.?) A.C. Dixon has had his 15 minutes of fame, but
we are looking for someone more interesting/prominent.

Joel

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org