The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1811-10-16
have no doub, /; bd(
freedom of your instilu
vaunted impartiality, Glenn
CT your courts of ius.ice.

saunicu iulpdrNlallty, Clcuu
CT your courts of justice,
prisoner, whom your policy
lice, is about to deliver into theN
execution-r, is not suffered to +
motives Sincerely. and truly yindl
painciplcs by which he was actuatcd
My lord il may be apart Of the systeusu
angry justice, 10 bow mans mind BY hu.
initiation TO the purposed ignominy of the
scaiioid but worse 10 me tnan the purposcd
shame, or the scaiFold's tcrrours, would be
the shame Of such foul and unfounded impu-
tations as has been laid against me in this
corrt-You, my lord, arc Judge, am the
supposed culpri,-l am man, you are a
Esan aiso---by arcvolution Of power, we might
change places, though we never could change
characters if stand at tho bar of this court
and dare not vindicatc- my character, what u
farce is your Justice ! If stand at the bar, and
dare not vindicate my character, how dare you
calumniate il ?-Does the sentence of death,
which your unhalowed policy inlicts on my
body, also condemn my tongue TO silehce, and
my reputation to reproach Your execution
er may abrdge the period OF my existence !;
but, while l exist, shall not fprbcar, to
vind,eate my character and motives from
your aspersions and, as q man 10 whom
fame. IS dearer than life, will make the last
use ot shat life in doing justice to that repu-
ucn which Is to live after me, and which is
The cr.Y legacy l can leave to those / honour
aac love, a0d .cr whom am proud to per-
lsh' a, men, my lords, we must appear on
the great Gay at one common tribunal, and il
wlil then remain for the searcher Of all hearts
70 shew collective universe, who was enga-
40 VI rt, ort att chaA
by the pGrcst motives-my country's opprcs-
sOys, or---
Here he was again interrupted, and told to listen
to the sentence OF the law.1
NY loTd, shall dying man be denied the
legal privilege Of exculpa,ing himself, in the
eyes of the community, of an undescrvcd re-
proach thrown upon him during his trial, by
charging him with ambition, and attempting
20 eas' away, for a pal,ry consideration, the
liberties Of his country why did your
lcrdship insult me !--or, rather, why insult
justice, in demanding of me, why sentence
OF death should not be pronounccd!- ~ know,
my lord, that form prcscribcs that you should
ask the question the form also prcsumcs a
right of answering This. no douu, nay be
dispensed with---and SO might the whclc c.
remony of the trial, since sentence was al
ready pronounced a, tho Castle before your
jury was impanclcd ;--your lordships are
but the priests OF the oracle--and l submit
to the sacrifice but insist OH the whole
of the FORMS
Here the court desired him toproceed.1
| am charged with being an emissaty Of
France,--An cmissary OF France land for
what end Fit is alcdgcd, that wished to
sell the independence of my country And
E,, ,yt.., ~. ~. II II. e
ambition ?--and is this the mode by which "a
tribunal of Justice reconci'es contradictions
No am no cmissary-my ambition was,
to hold place among the dcliverers Of my
coantry--not in power--not in profit, but in
the glory of the achievement !--Scll my
coun,ry',' independence to France land for
what "A change Of masters NO; bat
for ambition !
Oh, my country was it personal ambi-
ton that Influenced me--had it been the soul
of my actions, could not, Ivy my education
and fortune, by the rank and consideration Of
NY family have placed myself amongst the
proudest OF my oppressors My country
was any idnl--to it l sacrificed every selfish
every endearing sentiment, and for il | now
offer up my life. q, God No, my lord,
acted IS al FRESHMAN, determined on delv-
cring my country from the yoke OF foreign
and unrelenting tyranny, and from the more
CALLING yoke of domcstick faction, its joint
partner and pcrpetrator in patricidc, whose
reward is the ignominy Of existing with an
oxteriour of spIendour, and q consciousness
Of deprayl,y.
It was :, c wish of rny heart, 20 eStricate my
country from this doubly rivetted despotisn.
! wished to place her independence beyond
the reach o. any power on eai,b---i wished TO
to cxalt her 20 that proud station in the world
which Providence aad destined her to fill.
Connection with France was, indeed, intend
cd--bu; only so far as mutual interest would
sanction or require; we're they to assume any
authority inconsistent with the purest indcpcn-
dencc, it would be tho signal for their dcstsuc-
iicn----we sought aid, and we sought 1T as we
had assurances we should obtain it--as aaxil-
iaI les in war, anc allies in peace.