The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1803-02-10 00:00:00

gad alteadi been alluded toe and it was fur the Jury to considtr
on the evince. e le. j I,ad :lc :rd, sort th tr the Prisoner
was or was not ce.nperative in the designs of the other persotir
who met at theca consultatio:i: for ?tic purposts already men-
tional, anti-which were charged as overt arts in the ind t mer it .
Tint this Oath was, at ;II ete.its, most dangerous awl niii-
chiesous was innst certain. The words of it were these :
" In the presence of Almigher God, I, A.B. do solemnly de-
clare, that L will endeavour to the hest in my power to obtain)
the objects of this Union, via. tcerecover those rights which the
Supreme Being in his infinite bounty has given to all men;
that neither hopes nor fears', rewards nor puilishments, shall in-
duce me to give information, directly or indirectly, concerning
the business of any member of this or any other similar society,
So help me Grid,"
The declaration which the oath alluded to was this:
" Constitution.—The Independence of Great Britain and
Ireland—an equalization of civil, political, and religions riehts
—an ample provision for the families of those heroes who shall
fall in the contest, a Aiberal reward firs distinguished merit •,•
these are the objects for which we contend, to obtain those ob-
jects we swear to he united."
What those civil, religious, anclpolitical rights tv,lre,. which
they considered such as mist at all events be obtained, they
had not specitiol ; perhaps: they were such as had been at-
tempted to be obtained ;n another country. With reeeeti too
the " heroes who mielit fall in the contest," it was diflieult to►
suppose how persons rioted-fall in aconite! to obtain civil and re-
',gims rights, mares; it was intended to use force to obtain them.
This oath and declaration were thererfore meteinly of a dangerous
and mischievouscomplexion, even if taken abetratledly ; but if
they were centmacei with other ails, they might serve to ex-
eiain the intention of the persons who formed these consulta-
tions. Their inteatiod, as declared At some of the meetings was,
to take or destroy the person of the King. This was positively
sworn to by seine of the witnesses, against whose testimony nu
iineutatien would lie, and who also stated that the prittnier was.
one of the conspirators.. That he was seen in their compeer
at various times and places was most clear, and that a paper
was found in the roorn containing this oath and teeclaration was
also true; though the paper certainly found upon the
person of the prisoner. But if the prisoner was there when other
persons wereceneultiog and acting upon thestselecets, it was tot
him to shew that he was there for any purpose diffecect from that
which was the intention of these with whom he was aerociated,
t Ita t he had di tier en t views from those which were imputed to h im.
It was for him to shew the reason why he came to be preseeit
at such consultation, and how he came to be so often at tuck
places, arid in such company, mor. patticulatly, when it wait
considered that at ere Oakley Arms be appeared to 'comerand
the ethers, end they seemed to obey him. His Lotisher then
went over the most material parts of the evidence of IVindsee
and Emblin, and observed, that if the evidence of eitlerr of
Huse men was true, or indeed of the evidence of the laud-
lady,. who swore to the words used by the prisoner, was to be
relied uron, it would be for the J trry to consider whether the pri-
genet. could poeibly be innocent of the charge imputed to hint.
I Lein rn finished his recapitulation of the whole of the evidence?
bit Lordship smite the factevirere now all before the fury. le
was admitted that the pifeoner was at the places specified ie
the latlietinent ; it was admitted that he was present at these
consultations, and it was proved, that what was done aZ these
consultations, amounted to the crime of Treasons Now he
would ask, if under these circumstances the prisoner was not a
traitor, who was a traitor? If, indeed, all the witnesses were
persons who ought not to be be'ieved upon their oaths, then
there was an end of the case. If the witnesses were persons wins,
were unworthy of credit upon their oaths, it was competent
to the prisoner to have called witnesses to she* that such
was their character ; but. no attempt had been made to czar
any evidence of that kind. As to what he had said before
respecting the evidence of accomplicce, he would only add,
that they must, almost in all triiverens conspiracies, be ex-
andtfed before the conspimce could be disclosed. Su much
was this Fet tv be the ease, thatetbe proof of some conspimciei
• ha l re.ilA chiefly, nay almost entirely, upon the evidence of
acoornykliciat, That was the case in the trial alluded to by the
Solicitor General, of the persons concerned in the assassins-
' thin plot; almost all the witnesses were conspinitore and
eoncertied is the plot, and yet their evidence was re-
ceived and believed. Hut there were witnesses receminar
this case who were not accomplices. Several persons who
Were standing in the public-houses, proved the prisoner to be
preeent : the lanillsri7 of the Flying-Horse had gone farther,
• for she proved the language which the prisoner had made use
of, and this was la must material confirmation. As to the
witness Emblin, it might be said that lie did not possess
quite so much delicacy as some men, bat he did not sect that his
evidence was therefore wholly unworthy of credit. There were
in soma of the evidence some sees, bit they were confirmed in
almost every material point. It w-s said that a man of the
education and rank of the prisoner, cieed not with army MP'
bability tut)* into such a Islet .w ith steel person: as those wile
were accused with him, bet then they ot get is have shewn how
it was theta person of the rant: and situation of the prisoner hap-
pened to be so so often in company with thole persona, and foe
what purpose it was that he associated w with them ?It he was not it
partaker in the corispiiacy which Vi.. 4,; preyed arid adm Axed merest,
for what pur ?CSC did he meet the conspirators What possible enie
could he propose to himself in con :tautly attending their cone
suttee:ins ? Had the irifener shewn, or bed he attempted to
chew, that he rittendhere tor any innocent purpose ? Had he
offered any eyidimee to spew that he had endeavuured tv
dissuade the conspirators from their Isinpe se ?--None.
then the prisoner was found in these suspicious cireum-
i stances, and had given no evidences to explain his conduce
' it remained for the July to draw their own inference...—
With regard to the character which had been given to the tin-
' toner, it appeerel that he at one time enjoyed as gocd a clot-
meter as a men could have. Lord Nelson (on whom it world
be waste of words to attempt any enlogium), had given hen
one of the best of characters, as well as Gen. Clarke, and Sir F .
Nepean. But the evideuce of these hon. persons had no relations
whatever to the latter part of the lifeof the prisoner. This was the
stlio:e of the evidence on both sides. If the Jury believed the
evidence for the prosecutor, they had proved the case. It was,
however, for the Jury to say what credit they would give to the
witnesses; and if they had any doubt, they would take huts
consideration the very excellent character which had been
given to ..the prisoner. If, however, the witnesses for the
prosecution were to be believed, he saw no ground upon
which a doubt, either in law or fact, could rest.
The Jury then withdrew, and in about forty minutes re-
turned with a verdict of--GUILTY.

The Foreman of the Jury then said, " My Lord, we
earnestly recommend the Prisoner to Mercy, on accutint of
the Met testimonials of his former good condufl, services,
aril cli ract er."

••
The Court then adjourned at Three o'Clock in the morning

THE BRITISH PRESS,

LONDON,

THURSDAY, /La. 10.

This morning at Mawr o'Clotk, the Special Commisati
terminarod l'heJury after a most important Charge from
L 'id EtLaNDOKOUt:lliconsultedvogether upwauds of an hour
and a half, and returned the following Verdia : John Wood,
Thomas Broughton, John Francis, James SeJgwick Rattan,
Arthur Graham, and John bl‘Nausara, Guttitt. I'hurn4s
Newman, Daniel Tyndall, and William Lander, Guit.tY,
but recommended to Mercy. John Doyle, Thomas Phillips,
and SaaillUel Smith ACQUITILD.

Colonel Despard was immediately brought -lot° Court, and
Lout ELLattaoltounit, in the most awful and impresaise mau•
ner, proceoltsl to pass sentence`• of death. His Lordship, in
the most forcible manner, regretted that a man like Colonel
Despanl, born to better hopes, should stand in so degraded and
ignominious a situation. He enlarged upon the dreadful en-
ormity of his offence, and the ruin in which tha success of h;,
foul conspiracy must inevitably have involved. the country
He gave the prisoners no hopes of pardon in this world, but
exhorted them to merit it in the next, by a sincere repentance
His Lordship then passed the sentence of the law.

Colonel Despard scented no ways affiliated by his situation:
he observed, that the Evidence did not justify Lord Etat,:
110ROUG it's asserting, that he had seduced the Soldiers•
Tyndall thanked Mr. Jekyll, his Counsel, for his teak'
M‘Namara protested, as he should answer to God, that he
hail never spoke to the witness whose evidence had been its
strumental in convicting him. .
The remainder of these wretched and vaisguid.Al men be-
haved as became theta on so ,olemii an occasion.
Tile Court was extremely crowded to hear the Seat;twe
passed.
The trial lasted exactly 24 hours,—The evidence is meetly
the same as that adduced agramst Colonel Despard.
•
Loudon: Printed by J. Gait t, No. Id, Crown r:,
Fleet-street; and published there by W, I. CLiatawr, qi
No. 201, Strand.