The National Register.
London, England, 1818-08-09 00:00:00

TITE NATT.ONAT, IIEGISTTR

EXECUTION OF LILSSEY.

Hassey was attended on Sunday last IA the Rev. Mr. dr.
vies and Mr. Rieke, and their opinion of him was that of
wonder and surprise, at beholding such humility, such ap-
parent pent! of 'wind, and so powertill a sense of religion.
1111 the course of the day, the must 401i0114 moments were
embraced to draw from him an acknowledgment of his guilt.
The reply was invariable and emphatic : 1 know nothing
of the deed, to help me God!—ln thoughts, deeds, and con-
scieuce, as te that, I em perfectly hummed.* He acknow-
!edged, however. that he had been guilts• of many crimes,
and well tiesci.ved death; butt thanked Kenyon, with the
murder of )11.. gird he had nothing to do !—At eight o'l.q.!els
in tile eve Ling, the clergymen took their leave of him. He
entreated that he suig:it have the sacrament at eight o'clock
on Monday, and this arrangement being made, he proeeeded
to site some farewell letters to his friends. In this and the
exercise of prayer he spent nearly 4he whole of the night.
Shortly before eight o'clock, on Monday looming, the Rev. Mr.
Arles and the Rev. Mr. !lodge proceeded to visit him in his
cell, and to administer the *kw:totem. Previous to this he
joined these two Reverend &uneaten fervently in prayer,
and declared that he was perfectly prepared to receive the
Holy Sacrament. Immediately benire this was administered
to him, the Rev. Mu. !lodge, in the mast summit and imprea-
sive manner, dms addressed him*

Anil now, I itiv4cy, before you communicate with your
blessed Saviour, 04 a dying man, and as a satisfaction to the
public in cent 1.41, and to the inhabitants of Greenwich in
pal tieular., 1 again repeat nty most mixt oily inquiry, " Did you
or slid you not p,rpchate this tumid mut dt.r ? or if you did
not, do you kwity who did% Tell me as a matter of personal
favour." Hi. answer wits," As 60d is my Judge, and as you
are my witness, these 'whited hands were Never stained with
the Woad of either Mr. Bird or of his servant. 1 have my
siibtiicioos hilt no mare."

At live minsites before eleven o'clock precisely, the Under
Sherd'', the Clergyman and the Surgeon of the prison, en-
tered a carriage, and immediately after the unfortnnate Hussey
was led forth from the prison, and placed in a waggon. He
was dressed as on his trial, in a decent suit of black. His
arms were pinioned, the curd with which lie was suspended
was slung mound him, and his neck was open without a
handkerchief. He looked exceedingly faint and pale and
ascended the weggon with considerable difficulty. The exe-
cutioner sat dust. by his ride. and two of the gaoler's men
were in front, each with a loaded blunderbuss. Javelin men
on foot and horseback, hcadboronghs and constables, formed
before and behind the guard in the procession. Hussey
held in his band a book, entitled, " Visitation for the Prison-
ers ;" but this, although gazed at by him in one spot three or
four times, was evidently reviled chiefly for the purpme of
abstracting his attention t"rom the immense multitude that
followed. The unfortunate man had scarcely seated himself
in the waggon, when hi, whole countenance and frame be-
came changed. All that ceutidence and firmness of which
he boasted a few hours before, forsook him, and he fetl•intu a

state of complete exhaustion and stupjr; sonietinum he
heaved a bitter sigh, sLanctimes he was seen muttering a '
suppressed ejaculatien, and then to close his eyes upon his
book, and stem to fall into a slumber. As lie proceeded on
to Penenden Heath, his misery seemed to increase, and little
doubt remained that he was labouring under the most bitter
anguish of mind. About a mile from the gaol, his exhaustion
became so great, that he had nearly fallen backwards, and it
was found necessary to support him. When he had arrived
near the place of execution, a friend of his in tho crowd,
anxious to bid him farewell, culled out his name " Charles;'
mice or twice distinctly. Hussey did not raise his head, his
month appeared quite dry,aml his lips parched, and an apple
was offered him, but lie relused it. The awful pi oceseion,
surrounded by thousands, rearlied Pcnenden Heath, about
2) minutes helm el 2 o'clock. Here Hussey exhibited a pie.
ture of Iminen misery almost indescribable ; it was a perfect
decay of nature. His eyes sunk in his head, and his entire
frame seemed emaciated. The clergymen' Messrs. Argles
and Hodge, now ascended the waggon, and the former pro-
ceeded ttsread appropriate prayers. To each of these Hus-
sey, with an anxious sigh, exclaimed " A mete" Mr. Argles,
then, for the last time, implored him to 'slake a confession of
Isis guilt, or to declare who it was, if he knew it, that com-
mitted the nuttier. Hussey replied, .e lam innocent; I
know of the robbery, but not of the murder." 3,1 e. Hedge
next prayed with, and in the same Manner addressed him;
but lie again, in low but distinct terms, reasserted his inno-
cence. He then rose from Isis knees, prayed a short time by
himself, and the fatal preparations being niade, lie took his
farewell of the clergymen by shaking hands with them anti
exclaiming, "God bless you—:the Lord bless you." He now
ascended the scaffold, the tope was adjusted about his neck,
and the cap drawn over his face, when be iutreated Mr.
Budge wise called to him again. This excited deep and mini.
versa! interest,a confession was cor.fidently calculated upon,
but the communication was but another taking leave, and a
last declaration of his isino,Tisc..• of the murder. Precisely
at half past 12 o'clock lie was 'atomised into eternity ; and his
body, after hanging one hour, was cut down and conveyed to
the surgery of Messrs. Day and Weigel's, at :Maidstone.
The l'inaes report differs from all the others; and therefore
we give the following few lines from it :
Mr. Aegles, after these devotional exert. ies were concluded,
for the last time, asked him, •do you know who did'
the deed ;' to which he replied w .eagerness, • I t:o,
do!' Mr. 'bulge then prayed with him, and be again
asserted his innocence of the murder. lie then rote from his
knees, and the fatal preparations being made, he took fare-
well of the clergymen, exclaiming,' God bless yon—the
Lord blew you!' He now ascended the scaffold. When the
fatal rope was adjusted, and the drop was ready to fall, he
sent for Mr. Midge, who was then sitting in the Uuder
Sheriff's carriage. After taking leave of him, and on as.
cendovithe scaffold, he addressed him in these word, Let
me be considered as the only guilty person, and ns alone deserving
of what I an going to safer.' Mr. Mudge then said, ' I hope
you fee. comfortable in your last moments.' lie replied,
11,, fed 11.11,1,y, 1 assure you, Sir; and having shaken hands
with the Reverend Gentlemasi,_ who at his request drew the
cap over Isis face, was lamicliedinto eteusity without a strug•
gle, exactly at 12 o'clock."
The following are copies of' the letters which he wrote to
his relations the night previous to his est casinos.: -...
MY DEAREST AND LOVING SISTERS AND BROTH ER.—I
cannot help writing to you, to beg of you all not to lament nor
grieve concerning me, for I am going to a better place. I trust in
the Almighty. I cannot but tell how composed and happy 1 feel
myself in my last moments. My time is very short now ; I have
had a very eminent genalnan with me—Mr. itudge ; he has at'-
, forded me every cAsinfort wider my circumstances. I shall receive
the holy sacrament with Min to-morrow morning. Ile Ims my just
thanks, and ;holm tile Lord will Wess Liu tot his kind service he

AUG. 'O.

has doze me. I shall trouble him with a few small books, which
are for my sister Godwin, if v..iU accept of them in remembrance
of me; which i 4 the only thing I have, with my hope and blessing
tuber. My dear brother Thomas, I am perfectly sl:lsfierl and
thankful to you, in your efforts towards me. I hope the Lord will
r, ward you tenfifld for them. I am quire resigned from the world.
The Lard's will be done ! 1 skull be happy and be at rest. Brother,
I cannot help saying, that there werething, that were Dot broliOt on
iu my trial that would be of service to me—but it is all done; se
I shall say no inure on the subject. You may get the papers front
.lr. Price; there may be something that you.may wish to know, if
any one should be bmuht in question—this aiiquiets my peace of
mind. I must conclude ; wishing you Al the grate of God, and
comfort to your sods. Farewell ! I remain your unfortunate but
happy brother,
Sunday ever,ing, I I °Mod:, Aug. 4.

CHAS. lUSSEY.

TO HIS WIFE.
MY DIP:AIt ♦xn r7IIIAPPY JANIE.—f write my lust farewell;
but I hope you will put your tru,t in the Almighty, and he will be
your Comforter. f►o not grieve for me, for I shall soon be happy.
I hope, my dear Jane, you will bring up the dear huh: buy in the
fear and love of God, and he will be a father to him. This is a
painful ta..14 to be writing s therefore I can say but little. Adieu,
my dear Jane; God bless you both, now and for evenuore.—l forgive
every one.

The following is from The Maidstone Ga:ette, the conductors
of which " pledge themuelvev fur the correctness of the
statement" thus publicly made :
A short time previous to leaving the prison, he (Hussey)
promised the Reverend Gentleman (Mr. Midge) that he would,
at the place of execution, answer, " yea" or "no" to the
question respecting the murders ; " do you know who did this
deed i" He said he was in the house after the murders were
pet petrated ; lie committed the rubbery, but he did not coin-
unit the murders. He also acknowledged that the gaiters
found in his box were in The !rouse, and were sprinkled with
the blood of the victims, as be walked over the bodies. Mr.
Bird, son of the deceased Mr. Bird, also visited him in the
cell; and, in misses to a question front that gcutleman, he
said,"l did not see them do it."

The fact is not perhaps generally known, that the
cession, by this country, of the two Florida to Spain, is
1783, was made as a substitute for Gibraltar, the resti.
tution of which we had before formally promised. M.
de Sevelinge, in his introduction to the History Ville
American War, gives the following curious account of
this transaction, which le affirms he received from the
hands of the person himself who negotiated the peace
of 1783. M. Gerard de Rayneval

" The King•of Spain, Charles 111., demanded peremptorily
the restitution of Gibraltar. In order to obtain it, he offered
to France to cede to her the Spanish half of the island of St.
Domingo, on condition Coat she would charge herselfwills
furnishing England with an equivalent fir Gibraltar. After
many long and slim!) discussions, M. de Ltayneval, who had
proceeded to Loudon, !nought the British Minister to admit
the restitution of Gibraltar as the basis of arrangement, and
the only question now Telated to the tleterminittiou of a pro-
per equivalent. .

. .
" During the discussion of this point, bowel., er,.a political
remorse struck the British Premier, Lord Shelburne. iu •
familiar conversation with M. de Rayner al, he gave him to
understand, by a very expressive gesture, that were he t•
consent to the ceding of Gibraltar to Spain, he would expose
himself to the risk of losing his tired on the scaffold.
" By a singular esineidence, NI. de Vergennes (the French
Miniiter) was ternicaited with tears much of the same kind.
De had promised NI artiniqne as one of the indemnities, with-
out thinking how muck the natiokal pride would be wounded
at seeing au ancient possession of France delivered over to its
enemy for the sake of pleasing the Spanish Government.
" M. de Rayneval concealed this chanze of opinion from the
English Minister, and continued, notwithstanding, to insist as
much as ever for the fulfilment of his word, it was then that
the Cabinet of St. James's (not aware that Spain had no longer
the eruivalent of Martinique to offer them) first uttered one
of the Floridas, and then both of them. This proposition was
immediately transferred to Versailles. The Count Aranda,
Amloassador from Spain, and furnished with full powers. was
called there to receive the communication of this dispatch.—
After a few moments of profound meditation. he declared WE.
civilly, that he renounced, in We name of Ins Sovereign, his
demand fur Gibraltar, and accepted of the two Floridas. I
know to what I expose myself,' said lie, npowsigning,
I know your embarrassments and ours.'—lie was die
graced."

N UTICAL EXPERIMENT.—TIutrsday forenoon Mr. Tree!
grouse exhibited experiments at .the receiving house of the
Humane Society, on the Serpentine river, with an apparatus
which he has coustructcd for the purpose of opening a com-
munication between ships anal the shore, in eases of ship.
wreck, in order to save the lives of the passengers and crew.
Mr. Trengrouse's mode of effecting this desirable object is
by firing from the end of a musket a rocket, to which is
attached a small line, and having. after a few trials, thrown
the rocket across the river, a hawser was drawn over by
the line. From the hawser, which was fastened on each
side of a river to the tree, a seat,called Mr.T. a chaise Totally,
was suspended. This seat is rendered moveable by rollers,
to which the suspending ropes are uttacheil, acting on the
hawser, and an infirm person might be placed in it.aud drasi 61
facto the ship to the shore. On this occasion, a With plupetly
fixed in it, was drawn twice arrow the Serpentine. Mr.
Trengrouse also made a successful trial of a life preserving
spencer, formed of several pieces of co k, covervd with Mom,
and so constructed as to give perfect facility to the motion of
the arms. These experiments were made in the presence of
the Lake of Sussex and several persons of distinction.
Wednesday se'imight, as the Leicester packet, Captain
Stecle,was approaching Milford harbour from Waterford, the
whole on board were much alarmed by the vessel apparently
striking on a rock t when, to their surprise, an immense whale
cirrus up by the side of the packet and made off. Such was
the concussion of the fish against the Leicester, that it broke
off a great part of the false keel, and so snitch damaged the
vessrl, that she was nearly water-logged, and is now 11111:It r
repair. Ni,;ily fragments of the skin and the flesh of the fish
were left attaened totile non work and wieek of the packet.
A caiitaiii of a Gil enlaudinan, jnst returned from the
fish, ries, gives it as his opinion, that, owing to the close and
solid state of the ice in the Polar regions at the presvilt time.
there is no rational hope of the Northern Expt ',idiom reach.
ing, or even coming near, the Pule. The other objectsof the
expedition, he sa)s, he has no doubt will be fully realized;
viz. the ascertaining whether Spitsbergen be an island, or
joins some other land ; and the investigation of toe bays,