Star.
London, England, 1803-02-10 00:00:00

nature of this charge, and give you an outline of
the evidenCe by which it is to be ellablithed. The
prifOner is accufed of High Treafon. There are
three counts in the indiftment, charging the dif-
ferent ads to have been done with three feveral in-
tentions : t, To compels and Imagine the death
of the King : 2, To reftrain and imprifon hit per
fon : and 3, To dethrone him from the Rile and
title of the Imperial Crown of this Realm. The
6:41 count, concerning the attempt upon the King's
life, is upon the old Statute of Edward III.: the
fbcond and third are framed upon AFts which re-
cently patted, by which the intention (manifefled
by an overt aft) to lay any refiraint upon the
King's perfon, 'or to depofe him from his royal
anthority; is made a fubllantive at of treafon.
Von will probably agree with me in thinking that
this was a wife explanation of t/se law. This cafe
will go onernharratted with many difficulties which
might otherwife have perplexed it. On former oc-
cations difputes frequently arofe, whether theft in.
tentions, independent of their confequences, came
within the Statute of Edward 111. as compaCGng and
imagining the death of the King. Now they are pro.
perly declared to be of themfelves ails of treafon.
However criminal the intention, you are proba.
My aware, Gentlemen, that this mull be openly
indicated by an aft, commonly called an overt
There are eight overt aCts Rated in this indiament,
which may be divided into two claffes. The four
fit ft charge the feduCtion of his hlajeßy's troops,
for the purpore of alfallinatitig, imprifoning, and
dethroning him, and the remainder anal plans
for the direct aecomplifhment of there purpofes.
In confidering an overt ad, you are to look to the
intent with which it was done, and though the fits
eels of the treafonahle plot &mid not be infured
b 7 it, notwithflanding it may be fufficient to ma-
noted the treafonable mind, to which sae law looks.
Getting into a boat on the river Thames teems a
very innocent ail; but if it is done with an inten-
tion of going over to the enemy to carry them in-
telligence, and to vial them to carry on war
againd us, it becomes treafonable. For this ail
L.nrd Predon was tried and condemned. Nothing
teems more innocent than putting a letter into the
poll ; but if this letter contains ap Mitigation to re-
hellion, then it is treaConable. Upon evidence of
this fait, Dr. rlamfey 'Was found guilty if high
treafon. Far a man to have a card in his pocket
teems perfectly innocent ; but if this card contains
the wads of a tresifooabie ingageinlit. andirons
that a con4siiiset :vial's to overkurn the GOvern7
Oen, it is clOily an &fist ail of. treafon. Serif
eviirenee will be adduced ;blink the prifoner, and
you will drier the ciacluroit Trion it. You will
°Weave. Gentleinen. %lot this charge is in the
!tape of a ettajiirary. .ittfore in confideting of
its tenth two Vieffiells. alias; t. Whether fuck a
emseperiey added ? e. It it fit 'Air odonhei Ads
individual was engaged is it ? Evidenee concern
I ing the other, is therefore not only adusiffible, but
' necerary. When the confpiracy. is this proved,
then indeed it mud be brought Aridly home to
him by his own at'.
Having raid fo much of the law. I now proceed
to the fa6s of the cafe. You may with again to
hear the names of the perfons included in the in-
diement. (Here Mr. Attorney read them over.)
You obferve, Gentlemen, that there are thirteen
in all. Of theft, eleven, including the prifoner at
the bar, were taken up on the tkh of November
at the Oakley Arms. in the milk of St. Mary,
Lambeth. Though fur obvious reafons we Stall
begin with calling witnetes to prove what took
place at this ailed, I (hall fat out in my narrative
from a date enntiderably earlier. I [hall not, how-
ever. carry you back farther than the IA Spring.
—ln the month of March a detachment of the
Guards returned from Chatham. You will find
that. °tartly after, a confpiracy was formed to
overturn the Government. A fociety was eilala-
profetedly for the extenfioa of liberty, of
which two men, named Prances and Wood. were
very active members. They frequently attempted
to feduce foldicrs into the altociation, tomettmes
with Caeca's, and fornetinses with bad. Fow-
-1 ces afitillered unlawfuloaths to thole that yield-
' ed. and amnnj others to two named Blaids and
Windfor, giving them at the fame time two or
three copies of the oath, that they might be enabled
to make profelytes in their turn. Vindfor loon
after becoming dilTatished, gave information attic
confpiracy to a Mr. and towed him a
copy of the oath,, This gentleman advifed him
to continue a member of the atociation, that he
might learn whether there were any perfons of con-
fequence engaged in it. Gentlemen, this oath is moll
impostant, not only as it is incapable of an inno-
cent interpretation, but as it is a medium of proof
by which feted of thole charged in the indiament
are connated together. The prifoner at the bar
tendered this oath • it was found in the polreffion
of Broughton, of imith, and *embers. It is print-
ed on the cards in a bad charm:ter, and runs in
thefe words : Conaitutina 1 Independence of
Gres. Britain and Ireland! Equalisation and Es-
te:llion of Rights 1 An ample provilion for the fa-
milies of thole heroes who fall in the contell 1 A
liberal reward to all who exert themfelves in the.
caufe of the People! Theft are the objets for which
we unite, and we (wear never to separate until we.
have obtained them I" The form of the oath is
“In the awful pretence of As re to y Goo, I.A. B.
voluntarily declare that I will exert myfell to the
utmolt to recover theft rights which the Surliest,
Beton has conferred upon his creatures. sad that
neither fear. hope. nor rewarddiall ever prevail
upon me to divulge the fecrets of the focisty. or to
give evidence arab a inemberof this or any other
Intim of a tinnier kind. So help me Gon 1"
Gentlemen. in the courfe of my experience it
has not been unfrequent to try to fates down ea-