The National Register.
London, England, 1817-06-23 00:00:00

ett 01400 nit

No. 439.—V0L. X.

14. i. 31. AND ACQUITTAL. OF MR. WATSON,
AND THE OTHER PRISONERS.
ON CHARGES OF HIGH TREASON.

•-•rtsequence of the Copious Narrative of these Tm-
partant Proceedings, which we gave in our iast
Fa:ier. and also in order to prevent the exclusion of
otl..er Interesting articles of intelligance that have
o: erred during the week, WATSON'S Tr.!AL EIS
been canfl:lly revised, and impartially a'Jrldged,
only expurglng useless reretions tending to render
the fJllow:.ng ;'home a sat:sfac-
tlry I)ccuiner.t.

The Attorney. fier eral rose ate ! sty-'teas f,M,ve% rtnn.
ti!' men (dike Jury. ynit arc usstrabled in that her. to perform
sale of the most impot taut functions that can dteras. to men
in a state of society. You are assembled to &ride upon the
wilt or innocence of one of your fellow subjects. who stands
charged with the crime of high treason— the bight st et ;me
tlatt eau be committed by man against the society of wloch
he forms a pact ; for it strike• at the root or nil society —ef.
feels a total di-organisation of its principles—and hicuks
sip all the eomfurls oral 61, ',sings that wait it pon man under
the administration of the law. Upon the one haul, gentle-
/non, you insist be desirous to protect the constitution under
which you live acutost tiny trensounble attempts. You will
act upon tire pi itteivle inseparable front freedom by
arltick this nation t, protected, unit stand forward to assert
sea prove your tilk to tine character which it suppotts. And
itothe other hand, you will consider. before you come to a
eanclosiou, that gnilt his been established—you will take
care that the charge is made out Upon Mro}l;,', pit bable, and
convincing evidence. I think, gentlemen, flint when I have
stated and proved the case which I have to otter to your con-
sideration, there can be no question asise as to thy verdict
you will deliver; there will appear no doubt ac to the guilt
of the prisoner, not only as regarila the first, second, third,
and fourth counts in the indicnnent collectively, bat as re-
gards them separately and distinctly—[They were detailed
in our last Palter.) —here the Learned Gentleman twitted
lento a detailed history ut all the circumstances connected with
the conspiracy. 'Lire principal parties concerned in it were,
Watson,Prestosi, Ilitoper,Thistlewood.—From 15th Nov. to 2d
slay of December, no means of industry were left unemployed
?a ...felting the passions and infiamingthe minds of the people.
'1 he day of the second meeting, however, was approaching,
Lad the inquiry was, what should be done? An ads ortisetnent,
among other things. was agreed upon, and perhaps to read it
was the but way at once to show its meaning. It was as
follow s

" Er.g!=a Ocpecti every man to do his duty.' A meeting.w2l
tae:, place on the ed D•ewriner. to recelve the answer of the petickn
eo tie l'rinee Regent. aetmmined :non at the last Meeting held at
rr.e and tar ether imporn.nt considerations. The present
srate. et 'heat timin :--Four nulßor.; is distrera t I !—Four milli(e.;
en:bar:axed! I I-0n: Taillion and a half fear distress ! ! !—Our
tue:.ers a 3/eland are in a worse state I—Tice climax of zniery is
.rmplete :an go ro further. Death would now be a relief to mil-
-lens. Ar!ogar.w, fci!y. and erimer, have brought affairs to this
tinvai erlrts. Fairness and integrity only can save the country.—
After the :sit meeting. sane disorderly people were guilty of attack-
nig the inceerty of i:Aividuale. They were ill informed Of the tsbjec:
cf the:taseling ;
.it was net to plunder persons suffering in these cola.
ma:tutus times, :n '.:Damon with ethers ; the day writ coal merive
when their disttesets wal be re.ieved. The radar's wrongs must be
tai.rcesed.—,iolatn Dyal, Chair:am. Thomas Perton. Secretary."
When Mr. Watson, senior, was taken, nn the ed of Decem-
ber, tte paper foanil let his pocket was tins :
tt ernitht (-ner.e.ingliz:ktntitts). Weentir.ster-road, to form three
i.'nisione. and colent as great a member u pessit=ethee, geld meet
toe I cnaolldivision at ta: LorelJn-road. and p to the Old Man,
I'alle'.l.egton. to prcr:eix! to St. Oiles's—llarrioade each street to Rol-
torn Pars. and the approaches to T. B. (meaning Temple Bar).
—Barricade Char.orry.boo and Carepstreet. St. Giles'a division
to hammock as fax a: St. Andrew's Holborn. to include Chancery-
:sr.e ; 3d, :ray's lr.nlant ; 4th, St. dohn-strevt and Old-stmt; stli,
Whitechapel ; rich, Rene; 7th, Pickett-street."
The principal orators on that occasion were the prisoner
Watson, and his son, James Watson, junior.—lLientienien I
watt abort to state you the eircct of the addresses delivered
by the prisoner at the bar, and his son, to the misguided mul-
titude assenight on the 2.1 of December. The langthige used
by Mr. Watson, eerier, on that occasion was this:—
" Friende and Cone:tr.:ote—We are canYcned this day, in mole.
quence of er..! retttlution pasTrZ at our List rweting, to hew the answer
to die retition which we agreed to precast to the f'rirrre !leveed. I
cannot retract from exprearng the pleasure which I feel at thus ow-
in addressing so respeetable a meeting. The petition which Mr.
ILuict was deputed to present to the Prince regent, was prepared in
tee hope that his Royal I fighness would give an answer to the cries
set those starving thousands by whom he is surrentided. lam sorry
to inform yaii. however, that he has resolved to givens no answer—
that he will afilml us no consolation. It is useless then to take that
raurim. This day we are called on av take other mealtime.; and Eng.
J.a.d expect.; every man to do his duty ! (Applauses.) We &recalled
on. because !mu millions of cur country men are in distress !—lx cause
so many more are embarrassed ! because one million and a half fear
distress. While theme miseries exist, how few enjoy splendid luxury !
roily half a million of the people of this country, as this plat iral ce-
nt *”(1, arc not at fear either of end:armaments or death. I ask you,
riiemis and Countrymen, if Ministers have done their duty in ad-
vising the Prince Regentnot to licarour cries ? (No.) lira the Priror
Regent himself dune his duty P (No, no!) Was there ever a mere
ralamitone time in this country than the preoentenoment a t rt, no!)
It is not only this country that is opprossed—ouv sistereneintry. Ire-
land. shares in our iiii.fortimet. There, the clines% of misery has
teem brought to a close. There. their sidtbrinse.oannot he esti oiled
fanner. Are we to gO frorn time to time, nuta month to month,
from year to •iear, crying to the fisther of his people, as he it; cashed,
in vans Met nucsa kNo, so) "i'he emeent is the time to do some-

Our ilitts, tt

MONDAY, JUN: