The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1777-12-03 00:00:00, page 2

LONDON, July 5.
Particulars of the execution ofDiAor WILLIAM
DOD D, &c. at Tyburn.
FRIDAY were executed at Tyburn, William
Dodd, LL. D. convicted of forgery, and Jo
seph Harris, for highway robbery. At 9 o'clock in
the morning. Mr. Sheriff Thomas, attended by the
Under Sheriff, the City Marshal, and a number of
peace officers, arrived at Newgate, and leon after
the unfortunate Diving, and the other wretched
convict, appeared at the gate; the former was put
into a mourning coach, which w^s provided by h'is
friends for the melancholy occasion, and the latter
was conveyed in a cart. Abodt half past io o'clock
they arrived at the fatil tree, and the reverend con
via ascended the cart, Which was drawn under the
gallows; and conterfed and prayed some time with
the clergymen.
The unfortunate demise of Dr. Dodd, drew the
greatest concourse offpeaators; that the memory of
man can recoded to have teen cn the fame occasion
beforehand in force manner, we may conceive the
general sense of the people in regard to the Dodor,
from the cohered voice of the assembly: Formed of
every tank in life, aud crowded together in one on
dittinguifhed body, they seemed to be a&uated alone
by one pervading principle. The natural brutality
of the illiterate uninformed mind was done away,
and even the conscious, guilty eye was lifted up to
plead for mercy. Ob ! that our eatthly King had
deigned but, alas! the dye is cast, add all olr
prayers arc tain.
The unfortunate Divine, for these last three or
four days took hardly enough to support nature. He
expressed on Thursday the most earned define of
taking leave of those kied friends who had everted
themselves through his severe troubles § and yefcr
day morning behaved with the mod Chriftiao forti
tude. When he came cut of the chapel after re
ceiving the Sacrament, great numbers were affem
bled in the Press yard, and bowed to him, and with
an übiverfal voice they cried out, " God bless you ,
he most repedfully bowed federal times, and return
ed their k^d benediction, and was conduced to the
coach with the prayers of thouCnds.
The Rev. Mr. Dubey was the only gentleman who
attended h:m, and his convocation and compofare
preyed that Dr. Dodd was both the chriftian and
the mm. At the fatal place, he conVerfed most
devoutly with the unhappy man who fuffcred with
him ; aud as the most noble proof of dying well, he
took the cap from Jack Ketch's hand, and put it on
with a Christian fortitude, which was the most strik
ing to the numerous beholders; soon after a man
who had done more good to society, than perhaps
ever can be done by any one than, launched into
eternity, with the tears and prayers of thousands,
as there never was an execution attended with such
an universal concern and seriousness.
After hanging an hour, their bodies were cut
down, and delivered to their rc'pedive friends; the
Dear's was received in a I%ell, covered with a
sheet, which, being put into a hearse drawn by four
horses, and followed by a mourning coach and four,
was thus cr nveyed by the new road, to the under
taker who has the care of his interment.
On the whole of this melancholy bofinefs, Dr.
Dadd's behaviour was confident with his character
as a man and a chriftian ; he appeared a true peni
tent, but not so Locked as might be expelled from
his previous desire of life. Just as he was turned off
there was an universal silence: Tears flowed from
many eyes, but from one quarter there was abnuft
instantly a general groan that was deplorably a fluff
ing; and a mournful sh iek (apparently a woman's
voice) that pierced the hearts of thole who heard it.
He appeared not to fuffer much in dying, though it
was near two minutes before all motion ceased.
The serenity of mind which took place in Dr.
Dodd the last two days gave great pleafiorc to his
friends. It accompanied him to the last moment.- -
The most trying time to him, was the final parting
with Mrs Dodd, but he supported it with gren
firmnefs; flie was taken away ahn^ft frantic.
Places in the galleries at Tyburn were enquired
for on Monday, Tuesday and Wednefdav last, ex
actly in the btifipefs way; and in the business way
let out till the Wednesday evening at an enormous
price.
Harris, executed yesterday wih Dr, Dodd, was
so exceedingly affected with the thoughts of his ap
proaching dillolution, that he fainted away several
times in the cart. His father, an old man, accom
panied him in the cart, affected to diftradion.
Since the execution of Earl Ferrers, there has not
been so numerous a mob,,as what attended the un
happy divine to the fatal tree; and never has there
been known so corpmiferating a multitude. The
universal nurmer was against the severe determina
tion of the Sovereign, though the people seemed not
at a loss to whom they might attribute the irrevoca
ble order. ~
It has fallen to the lot of few people to be more
extensively ufeful, both in public and private life,
than the late unhappy Dodor Dodd; and no peifoo
ever exerted himlelf more readily, more willingly,
or with greater ability in public service, than he lias
done ; no person ever acquired more friends, or more
honourable connections ; and it may be said no per
son had fewer enemies. His very failings were the
effe&s of generality. Let it Eh remembered that he
was not only ready to exercise his talen s, but his
purse was at all times open for the encouragement
and support of every public charity, several of them
owe their existence and prosperity almost wholly to
him; he has beeri the father abd protestor of some of
the mod laudable ones, and no due but what hath at
some time or other received benefit from him. In
private life his bounty hath been experienced by num
bers. That his general character amongst his flock,
where it must best be known, is fubjedt to no re
proach, is manifeft from the applications that have
been made in his favour by the most refpeaable of
his auditors. To this it may be added, that his
crime is a Single on^; no enquiry hath brought to
light any thing of like kind, although public notice
was given for that purpose. No one hath Keen in
jured by the offence which hath brought him fg his
dreadful exit.
However imprudent at any period of his life this
Unfortunate man may have been, yet the various
charitable institutions which have been set on foot
by him, or supported by his abilities, difeover an
innate goodness of heart ; but at no period of his life
was he influenced by the rules of teconemy; a mode
of living far above the bounds of his income, a
fondnefs for fplcndour and gaiety, and a total inat
tention to all the maxims of worldly prudence, united
together, and contributed to embarrass his circum
fiances, and oblige him to have recourse to almost
any means of, getting rid of the difficulties which
prefted upon him for the prelent moment. An ex
pensive man soon loses the sensibility Which is the
guardian and protedor of his honor; he acquired a
habit of triffing with engagements which ought to be
held sacred, and,feels no areafir,efs at di miffing
creditors without payment of their demands, and
sometimes even without an apology.
Whenever a oerfon leaps the pale which delicacy
prescribes in affairs of this nature, he has advanced
into a path from which it may not be in hit power
to recede; with certainty it may be said, that when
he has learnt to negle& the censure of the world,
every deviation from the rule of right becomes easy
and familiar to him; and he ads toat without reluc
tance which, if he calls a retrefped to his sensations
before he learns to confider a flight departure from
his word as trifling, he would have reflexed Upon
with horror. The gradation from the lowed to the
bigheft crime, is more imperceptible than is generally
supposed. Slight and apparently trifling departures
from the dilates of honour, Lad the fandity of en
gagements, soon become familiar to the imagination;
and as they cease to be objects of diiguft, they soon
lose their quality cf creating dread and apprebenfion.
When this happens to be the Rate of a perlon's mind,
he will find little reludance at availing himfelf of any
means which may offer to extricate him fro*)an em
barrassing filiation; and having quieted bis confidence
by the sophistry of his having no intention to defraud,
lie soon concludes 'that he may fid with impunity, and
escape dete&ion.' 1
How far this reafooiag will apply with the case of
Doctor Dodd, we are uncertain; there is, however,
no doubt but that the weight of his debts had for
feme time put him under the necessity of confining
hindelf, except one day in the week, when he could
not he apprehended; and report declares, that an
attempt was once made to relieve him from his diffi
culties bya commission of bankruptcy. Whether
these reports are to b. credited or not, his fituarion
was now notorious; , and as he continued to live in
the fame expensive itile, his credit was of caurfe not
enlarged; demands were now made upon him in so
pressing a manner, that he at last found hirafelf com
pelled to search for means to raise money to difeharge
them: Unluckily for him the scheme of obtaining
a sum of money by making use of Lord Chefterfields
name, suggested itfelf to him. The dreadful and
fatal co®fequeuce to the unhappy delinquent is now
notorious.
From the number and variety of Dr. Dodd's pub
lications, it will clearly be perceived, that his indu
stry has been very great, and his abilities not to be
contemned. To whatever extent his abilities may be
allowed to reach, it is certain, without unremitted
industry, he never could have executed so many works
with any degree of credit; and some must be allowed
to rife above mediocrity. Amidst the variety of his
engagements in the several capacities of preacher,
writer, tutor, and man of the world, it is rather to
be wondered at that he should have been able to do
any thing well, than that all should be excellent.—-"
In the pulpet he was enabled to exert his talents with
the greatest success. There it was at all times in his
power to convince, to persuade, to amuse, and to
inttrud; he seemed to have an uncoutroulable autho
rity over the human breast, and could, when he
pleased, excite such passions as he wished to draw
forth, insomuch that he has been known frequently
to melt his headers into tears, and those hearers per
lons of the firft name in the kingdom for abilities,
and some of them not under the influence of any pre
diledion for either the preacher or the fubjed of his
harangue.
From what has been said, we are to fappofe the
fufferer to have been a valuable member of society,
and to have erred only from some momentary im
pulse of our imperfed nature; one who, in recollec
tion rif fcafos, hath found repentance; who refigni
with chearfulnefs that life which is become a forfeit
ure to the law, and looks up in confidence for that
forgivenefs which is not to be found on earth. The
last fpotfteps of such a man are watered with the
tears of his fellow citizens.
EPITAPH ^ Do&or D 0 D D.
HERE sleeps. inurm'd, the minister to woe,
That taught the heart to feel—the eye to flow ;
From whom distress ne'er came with bosom griev'd,
Whose tongue per fuaded, and whole hand reliev'd;
What eye, unbloaied, could obfeive his fail—
Just, where he could, benevolent to all.
Here cease enquiry; blessing made him bleft;
Let pity veil the page that (peaks the rest.
London, Ma, 2, Though the Majority reason
ing of the framers of the late a& for the fufpenfioa
of the Habeas Corpus, and the coarse abettors of
that ad without doors, have succeeded in regard to
its being established by la<w, the following quotation
from Mr. Burke's excellent letter to the Sheriffs of
Bristol will best (hew thejrtfice of it:
“ War (fays this great legislative and eloquent
reasoner) is at present carried on between the King's
natural and foreign troops on one fide, and the Eng
lish in America on the other, upon the ufaal footing
of other wars, and accordingly an exchange of pri
soners has been regularly made from the beginning.
If, notwithstanding this hitherto equal procedure,
upon some prefpea of ending the war with fuccefo,
(whieh however may be delusive) administration
prepares to ad against those as traitors who remain
in their hands at the end of the troubles, in my opi
nion, we (hall exhibit to the world as indecent apiece
of injustice as ever civil fury has produced.
“ It the prisoners who have been exchanged, have
not by that exchange been virtually pardoned, the
cartel (whether avowed or understood) is a cruel
fraud; for you ha^e received the life of a man, and
you ought to return a life for it, or theie is no pa
rity or fairnefs in the tranL&icn.
“ If, on the other hand, we admit, that they
who are aAually exchanged are pardoned, but con
tend that we may justly reserve for vengeance those
who remain unexchasged, then this unpfeafant and
unhandfome consequence will follow, that you judges
of the delinquency of men merely by the time of their
guilt, and not by the beinoufnef of it; aud you make
fortune and accidents, and not the moral qualities of
human allion, the rule of your justice."
It is thought that our military eftabliffiment at Se
negal will be given up by government, as no longer
worth their keeping at such an immense expence; and
as the corps there are wanted on service in America.
A correspondent fays, there never was yet a cri
minal who flood so fair a candidate for royal mere,
as the unhappy Dr. Dodd. Examine every minutiae
of his conduct since his apprehension, lift every par
ticle of bis behaviour to Mr. Robinson, and there
will appear, however we may view his crime, such
an unparalelled instance of generosity es foul, to save
innocence from deftrufhon, that this alone may set
up a claim independent of his other a&s of contri
tion: The Perreaus (Heaven receive them to it's
mansions !) persisted to their latest moments, in their
ignorance of any criminality in the part they a&ed
ia the fatal deed ; not so poor Dodd ! He, with all
the advantages that lay before him to escape the
horrors into which he has plunged kimfelf, did not
hesitate a moment to avow himfelf the foie a&or in
the tragic piece. When Mrs. Dodd came to pay
the firft forrowful visit to her husband i^ Wood-Preet
Compter, fl>e began to exclaim at Mr. Robinson,
who was fitting in the room, and charged him with
inveigling the Dodor into a participation of the guilt.
“ You are mistaken, my dear, (said Dr. Dodd) Mr.
Robinson knew nothing of the forgery; I will seal
his innocence with my blood." Is this the language
of a depraved heart? No, it difeovers the noblest
feelings of the mind, which could lay slide the
thoughts of felf preservation, and resolve to refcac
another at the expense of his own life.