proceeded from St. James's-square to Grosve- | nor-square, where my lord Harrowby resides, for the purpose of endeavouring to make a communication to that nobleman. Fortunately my lord Harrowby went out to ride unaccompanied by a servant; Hiden stationed himself at Grosvenor-gate, and waited his return. This occurred about two o'clock on the Tuesday. He told his lordship that the letter contained information of a most important nature, and requested his lordship to take care that it should be instantly delivered to lord Castlereagh. Lord Harrowby asked whether he had given his name and address in the letter; he said he had not, but he immediately delivered a card to his lordship; and the moment this communication was made to government, of course every step was taken at the police offices for the purpose of counteracting the design, and securing the conspirators, when they should assemble the next night in Cato-street for the accomplishment of their object. At about two o'clock on the following day, many of the parties assembled in Fox-court, for the purpose of finally equipping themselves for their enterprise, and, among others, the prisoner at the bar. Thistlewood came in, and seeing them thus engaged, used some words of encouragement, and said, "we must write a proclamation." Brunt, who lived in the front room, sent out his boy for some sheets of cartridge paper; six sheets were produced, and Thistlewood sat down and wrote three copies of a proclamation in these terms:"Your tyrants are no more:-the friends of liberty are requested to come forward, as the provisional government is now sitting"- -signed "J. Ings, secretary.”—It was intended that these proclamations should be posted up in the neighbourhood of the places where the fires were lighted, that they might be seen by the persons there assembled, and might add to the general alarm; and, gentlemen, what would have been the state of the metropolis at that moment, supposing, at nearly the hour of midnight, it had been circulated through this extensive city, that every one of his majesty's ministers had been cut off by assassins; that the town was set on fire in different places; and, in addition to all this, that artillery was moving from different points towards the city; and that a provisional government consisting of unknown persons, and therefore, perhaps, the more terrific and alarming, was actually installed and substituted in lieu of the legiti mate government of the empire ;-what would have been the state of agitation, alarm, tumult, and disorder in the metropolis, if such an event had taken place? After this the prisoner prepared himself for the purpose of proceeding to the place of rendezvous, with pistols in his belt, a sword, two bags or haversacks over his shoulders, and a butcher's knife (for he is by trade a butcher) which he produced to the party, with the handle wound round with wax end, which he had so secured in order that he might have the firmer hold. He was resolved, he said, to take off the heads of two of the ministers who will be mentioned, and to expose them for the purpose of exciting the people to insurrection. Such was the language of the prisoner, miscalculating extremely the feelings of the people of this country, if he supposed they could be excited to insurrection by assassination and murder; for, if any thing were wanting to have deterred them from engaging in such an enterprise, it would be sufficient that it had been commenced by assassination-a crime foreign to the character of Englishmen, and which I hope and trust will ever remain alien to their feelings and habits. After the prisoner had thus prepared himself, the conspirators by degrees went off for the purpose of assembling themselves in Catostreet. They met there at about six o'clock. When they arrived, their numbers amounted only to about twenty; fewer than they had calculated upon, for it was supposed that from thirty to forty was the number that would have assembled at that meeting. For some little time, there was a suspicion and a jealousy in the meeting, in consequence of the nonappearance of Tidd: they were surprised that he had not come, and became alarmed and agitated. But Brunt, who knew him well, stepped forward at this juncture, and said he would answer for Tidd that he would not forsake the cause. Shortly afterwards, Tidd, accompanied by a person of the name of Monument, whom we shall call as witness, entered the room. Still there were many of the persons present who, looking round, and calculating their force, and at the same time considering the object to which it was to be directed, felt that it was inadequate to the purpose. They betrayed symptoms of uneasiness and doubt. Thistlewood, who saw what was going on, and who was apprehensive lest the scheme should be abandoned, said they were too far advanced to recede; that if it was now given up, it would be another Despard's job; and begged them not to abandon the cause. Their numbers, he said, were abundantly sufficient: "we shall take them by surprise; though they may have many servants, they will be unarmed: we are now five and twenty, fourteen will be sufficient to enter the room, and the rest may guard the entrance." Brunt, who was always eager and zealous in the cause, then stepped forward, and said, "I presume those who betray alarm are not aware of the instruments we have prepared," and he then pointed to a grenade of very large construction, intended to be thrown into the room, and which would at once have effected the destruction of all the persons there assembled. Ings, the prisoner at the bar, also declared that if they did not proceed to the accomplishment of the object, he would either hang himself or cut his throat immediately. After this scene, it was put to the vote whether they should proceed, and they were unanimous in their determination to go on with the enterprise. It was then fixed that fourteen should be selected for the purpose of entering the room, and those who were willing to engage in that part of the design, were desired to pass across the room, and to take a particular position. Im mediately the prisoner at the bar and several others, in consequence of this notification, went to the spot assigned. At this moment an alarm was given below "look out above there," was shouted. Thistlewood immediately went to the ladder (for there was a communication only by a ladder with the stable below), and, looking down, he saw persons coming up with considerable activity. They were police officers, Ruthven at the head, Ellis second, a man of the name of Smithers third. When Ruthven mounted the ladder, he looked round the room, and saw the persons there assembled armed in the manner I have described, desperate in their appearance, a kind of bench crossing the room covered with arms of various descriptionssome of the parties endeavouring to retreat into a small adjoining room-Thistlewood seizing a sword and following them into this apartment. Ruthven made good his landing; he was followed by Ellis, and by Smithers, a man of great spirit, who immediately sprung forward. Thistlewood drew back his arm, and as Smithers approached him he plunged the sword into his heart. Smithers fell dead upon the spot. There was a cry-" put out the lights," and the lights were put out; and there was a cry-"kill the thieves, throw them down stairs;" upon this there was a general rush to the ladder, Thistlewood descended in the confusion, he discharged a pistol at an officer near the door, escaped, and was not then taken. The prisoner was first seized in the stable below. The knife I have described was taken from his bosom, but in the confusion, in some way or other, as you will hear from the witnesses, he made his escape. He was pursued into a contiguous street-John-street; finding that he was not likely to escape from his pursuer, he turned round and fired a pistol at him --the ball grazed his neck. The prisoner still continued to run, but was stopped by the watchman. When he was brought back, he was asked his motive for firing, he said-"I know the upshot of it, I wish I had killed you. I know what I have done." He was then secured. Davidson, the black, who will be produced at the bar, was also apprehended in endeavouring to make his escape. He was taken to a public house; and, as a further proof of the object of this meeting, and of the projects which the parties had in view, you will find that he immediately began to swear that the man deserved to be damned who would not die in the cause of liberty. Brunt, one of the most active of the party, effected his escape. He returned to his own lodging about nine o'clock. His apprentice was there, whom we shall call as a witness. He came in jaded and dirty. He said to his wife-" it is all over; we were attacked by a great number of officers. I have saved my life, that is all :" however, recollecting himself, he went out shortly afterwards with another person, saying, "no, there is something to be done yet," referring, no doubt, to the other parts of the plan; namely, the setting fire to the town, seizing the cannon, and the other particulars which I have already stated. He returned in about two hours, and went to bed, first desiring his apprentice to clean his boots early in the morning; when he arose, he called his apprentice into the adjoining room, took out of a cupboard a number of hand-grenades, a number of bags filled with powder, so constructed as to serve for cartridges for the cannon, and a number of fire-balls. They were put into two baskets, one of them covered up with the apron of Brunt's wife, which had been used as a blind to the window of the room in which the parties had held their meeting. He desired his apprentice immediately to take the two baskets to a place called Snow's-fields, to the house of a person of the name of PotterPotter being one of the conspirators who had been in the habit of meeting at Fox-court. Just at this moment, Taunton, the Bowstreet officer, ascended the stairs. He searched the room of Brunt, and found nothing; but going into the back room, he discovered the two baskets, prepared in the way I have described. Turning to Brunt, he asked him whose room that was, he replied he did not know-a man whom he had met accidentally at a public house had taken it. He was asked to give an account of the baskets,-he said he knew nothing of them. Taunton then took him into custody, and proceeded immediately to Tidd's lodgings, which I have described as the dépôt, and there he found a trunk containing 965 rounds of ball-cartridge prepared for service; he found separate parcels of cartridges, amounting to between two and three hundred ; he found several hand-grenades, and several cartridges prepared for cannon, and several fire-balls, showing that the project the parties contemplated was not confined to the assassination of his majesty's ministers, but had a more extensive range, and was of the character I have described. I have now stated to you this case, as I know it will be proved in evidence. I have given you the whole history of the transaction, from its commencement in the middle of January, to its termination on the 23rd of February, when the prisoners were apprehended in Cato-street. You must of course be aware that in a case of this kind—a secret conspiracy carried on in the manner I have describedthe minute details can only be proved by some of the conspirators themselves; I therefore must call before you, for that purpose, one or more accomplices. According to the law of England, and according to the law, I believe, of every country in the world, an accomplice, under such circumstances, is a witness competent to be heard in a court of justice: if it were not so, the consequence must be most ruinous to the interests of society; for the great check upon combinations of this nature is, that the parties feel they cannot trust each other; that they are in the power of their associates, and that those very associates may be called to give evidence against them: put an end to this, and let it be laid down as law, or as a practical course to be pursued by juries, that accomplices, when they come forward as witnesses, are not to be considered as entitled to credit; and you offer an encouragement to secret and dark conspiracies of this kind, for you hold out complete indemnity and impunity. But when I say that an accomplice is to be heard in a court of justice, do not understand me to say that his evidence is not to be watched with the utmost jealousy and caution. You will, in the first place, inquire what has been the previous character of the man, and if you find it to be untainted, this circumstance will add to the reliance you will be disposed to place upon his evidence. You will in the second place ask yourselves what interest he has in perverting the truth. When an accomplice appears as a witness, in a court of justice, he may possibly be desirous of lessening his own guilt at the expense of those with whom he has associated; but he has no interest in stating that the crime which the parties combined to commit was of a different nature from what it really was: he has no interest in aggravating the character of the offence. Although no express promise has been made, he must know, from the course pursued on these occasions, that if he comes forward and states fairly and honestly all that he knows of the transaction, the vengeance of the law will not fall upon him. But this can be no motive to induce him to falsify the facts, and to represent the case as being of a more atrocious character than it really was; and I ask you, therefore, when I call the person to whom I am alluding before you, in examining his evidence, to put this question to yourselves-what interest has this individual in misrepresenting the nature and character of the crime? You will in the third place inquire, whether in the story he is telling, he is exposing himself to be contradicted if he tells that which is false. If he says that there were such and such persons present at the transactions he describes, you will see that he must know that those persons may be called for the purpose of giving evidence against him; you will inquire whether this must not of necessity be a guarantee of his truth, and prevent his stating that which is false; and you will then observe whether those particular witnesses are called on the other side, for the purpose of contradicting him. You will in the fourth place inquire, whether he is confirmed in the story he is telling; which is the great principle to be applied in the administration of justice on occasions of this sort. When you inquire into the credit due to an accomplice, is he confirmed in those parts of his story, where, from the circumstances of the transaction he can be confirmed --not in collateral and trivial particulars, which have no relation to the essence of the crime-but is he, in the main current of his story, confirmed in those particulars which from the nature of the case admit of confirmation. I beg you, after you shall have all the evidence laid before you, to apply those tests to the evidence of the accomplice, and say, whether or not you think him entitled to credit. Is any But this case does not depend upon the credit due to an accomplice; it may be necessary for the purpose of proving a particular fact, of making out some of the detail, to call an accomplice; but we have many other witnesses. I have told you of the communication made to Hiden, a man of unimpeached and unimpeachable character; a man who on the communication being made to him, instantly did that which every honest man would do, revealed it to the officers of government, that so foul and desperate a conspiracy might be defeated. But it does not depend even upon this evidence, for there are the facts themselves, which speak emphatically on the case. These parties were assembled: for what purpose were they assembled? for no ordinary purpose; the very arms and preparations negative such an inference. assignable cause given or can be given, for this meeting, except that spoken to by the witnesses? Look at the nature of the arms that are prepared; they were not prepared solely for the purpose of executing this project of assassination, because you will find, that at the dépôt-at a distance from the place where the project of assassination was to be executed, and after all the preparations were complete for the purpose-there was found that quantity of arms and ammunition which I have mentioned; those illumination balls, as they were lightly called by the parties, and the preparations for loading the cannon, which shew to demonstration, that the case, as stated by the accomplices, is in the whole of it correct. It appears to me, that from the evidence as it will come before you, it is impossible to entertain a doubt upon the subject. But it is not for me to determine it, it is for you when you have heard the evidence dispassionately to judge. It may be said that this was a wild and visionary project; and because it was a wild and visionary project, you will probably_be told that no such project was formed. The question is not whether you or any other prudent and sober man, even if his heart would allow him, would have embarked in a design of this nature. It is impossible to examine the history of the plots and conspiracies by which any country in the world has in its turn been agitated, and not to say that, independently of other considerations, there is not one in a hundred in which any prudent man would have embarked. You will find! them in general ill-arranged, wild, and extravagant, leaving every thing to hazard, formed with inadequate means, like that which is now the subject of your consideration. But men become enthusiasts in cases of this nature; they are blind to the immediate difficulties; they look to the attainment of the ultimate object, and, in so doing, overlook the impediments in their way. But let me only state one observation to you, and you will cease at once to consider that any argument can be founded upon the visionary nature of this plan, when you come to apply the case to these particular individuals. They had considered -falsely I know, but they had consideredthat the great mass of the labouring part of the country was ripe for insurrection; they considered them as radically disaffected to the government of the country; they thought therefore that if they could strike this sort of stunning blow, they might at once commence an insurrection and revolt that would enable them to take possession of the government of the country. If they were right in the suspicion they had formed, that disaffection had spread so widely, and had assumed such a character, the project ceased to be wild and visionary; and it is upon that opinion, and that opinion alone, that the whole of this plan appears to have been built. But the question is not whether the project was extravagant, but whether the project was formed; and you will look to the evidence that will be laid before you, for the purpose of ascertaining that fact; and however wild, however extravagant it may appear to your sober judgments, if you find it proved by the testimony of witnesses, and by an appeal to facts which cannot be perverted or denied, that such a project was formed, then however wild and visionary it may be in your estimation, it will be your duty to pronounce accordingly. I have laid this case simply before you. My learned friend who sits near me, and I, have no interest to answer upon this occasion, but to bring this case simply, distinctly, intelligibly before a jury of the country; every one of you is as much interested in the result of this inquiry as we can be: for myself I speak most sincerely, when I say that I am desirous only that justice should be fairly administered upon this occasion. I entreat you, if any reasonable doubt should exist in your minds upon this question, to remember the benevolent principle of the law of England, and give the prisoner the benefit of that doubt; but if after you have considered the whole question,-if after you have heard the whole evidence, it shall carry conviction irresistibly to your minds; however painful it may be, yet I am sure you will discharge your duty, whatever may be the consequence, with firmness and integrity. EVIDENCE FOR THE CROWN. Robert Adams sworn.-Examined by Mr. Attorney General. You are now a prisoner in custody, I believe ?-Yes. Before you were apprehended, did you reside at Hole-in-the-wall passage-Yes, That is near Brook's-market?-Yes. Were you acquainted with a person of the name of Brunt?—I was. When did you first become acquainted with him?-The first of my acquaintance with Brunt was at Cambray in France; at that time he passed by the name of Thomas Morton, I believe some years ago you were a soldier in the Oxford-blues?—I was. How many years ago ?-About eighteen years ago last Christmas. You were discharged from illness?—Yes. What has been your trade or employment since ?-Chiefly shoemaking. When you were in France were you pursu ing that trade with the English army that was there?—I was. When did you renew your acquaintance with him in this country?—I cannot pretend to say, the month, but some few months after I returned. Where did Brunt live for the last few months?-He lived in Fox court, Gray's-innlane. Do you know a person of the name of Thistlewood?-Extremely well. When did you first become acquainted with him?-On the 12th of January, a Wednesday, think. In this year?-Yes, it was on a Wednesday; I think Sunday was the 9th. Who introduced you to him?-Brunt and Ings. The prisoner at the bar, Ings?—Yes. How long had you known Ings before that? -About five or six days. Where were you introduced to Thistlewood? At his lodgings in Compton-street, Claremarket; Stanhope-street, I mean. Had you a conversation at that time with Thistlewood, in the presence of Brunt and Ings? I had. Tell us what passed upon that occasion?— On Brunt introducing me into the room to Thistlewood he said, "Here, Mr. Thistlewood, is the man that I was speaking to you about. "Oh, is this the man ?" says Thistlewood," you belonged to the Life-guards, did you not?" I said no, that I belonged to the Blues, the proper name of the regiment was the Royalhorse-guards. "I believe," says he, "you are a good soldier, and can use a sword well." I told him I once was a good soldier, and I once could use a sword well; I told him I could use a sword sufficiently to defend myself, if occasion should require it. Upon this he turned the subject respecting the different shopkeepers of London, saying they were all a set of aristocrats, and all working under one system; that he should glory to see the day that their shops were all shut up, and well plundered. He next turned his discourse respecting Mr. Hunt, saying that Hunt was a damned coward, and he was no friend to the people; that he had no doubt in his mind, could he get into Whitehall to overlook the books there, he should find his name upon the government books as a spy for government. Upon this he turned his discourse to Mr. Cobbett, that he had no doubt he was as bad; that with all his writings, he was not a man for the good of the country at all. Did any thing more pass?-There was nothing more passed at this time, further than that Brunt said, he had two men to call upon in Carnaby-market; he asked Mr. Thistlewood whether he would call upon them for the purpose of seeing those men; this I did not mention before. was it? This was between six and seven o'clock in the evening. Mr. Attorney General.-Had you ever met in that room before you went to prison ?—No, never. room?-The first time I had known of its havThis was the first time you had been in that ing been taken. there on the evening of the 31st, when you say Mention whom you recollect to have been I will mention as far as my recollection enyou went there between six and seven o'clock? ables me. I saw Thistlewood, Brunt, Ings, Hall, Edwards: I cannot charge my memory with any other at present. in that room, that you recollect?-Nothing: parDid any thing particular pass on that evening, ticular that I recollect. When were you next at that room ?—I believe it might be about the Wednesday night, Lord Chief Justice Dallas.-Never mind what to the best of my recollection. you mentioned before. Witness.-Mr. Thistlewood declined it, and upon that we left the room. With Brunt and Ings?—Yes. Mr. Attorney General.-I believe you went to prison on the 17th of January, for debt?Yes. Had you, previous to this, other interviews with the prisoner and Thistlewood?-I had an interview with him on Sunday the 16th. Where was that?-At the White-Hart in Brook's-market. Whereabouts did you meet? In what part of the house or premises?-We first of all met in the tap-room, and proceeded from the tap-room to the room we had taken. Where was that room?-In the back yard on the ground floor. Behind the White Hart ?—Yes. Who were present at that meeting?-There were Thistlewood, Ings, Hall, Brunt, Tidd, that was all, besides myself. On the following day, the 17th, you were taken to prison?—Yes, I was. How long did you remain there?-I remained there until the day after the death of the late king. That was the 30th of January, I believe? That would be the 31st then ?-Yes. Whereabouts was Brunt's room, of which you are now speaking?-The room that Brunt occupied was a front room on the second floor, and the room taken for the meetings was a back room on the same floor. Do you recollect who were at Brunt's room on the night of the 31st, when you went there? -I saw Thistlewood. Lord Chief Justice Dallas.-About what hour At what time on the Wednesday were you there?-About seven o'clock in the evening. Who were there on this Wednesday evening that you recollect?-I saw Ings, Hall, Harrison, and Davidson. Any other persons that you recollect?-Thistlewood, Brunt, and Edwards. Do you remember any thing passing on that evening ?There was a conversation between them respecting proclaiming of the new king; the indisposition of the new king brought up a conversation, a few words were said upon it. Did you see any thing in that room that evening ?—I did. What did you see?—I saw some pike staves. Did any thing pass on the subject of those pike staves?-Mr. Thistlewood made a remark that he wished those pike staves were all ferruled, and holes bored at the end of them in order to admit the pikes; that they might be taken to a place of safety, which he called the dépôt, as he did not consider them to be safe there. Did you know at that time where that dépôt was? Not at that time. Did you afterwards know ?-I did. At the house of a man of the name of Tidd? Where did Tidd live?-In the Hole-in-thewall passage, an adjoining house to that where I lived at that time. Thistlewood remarking that those staves should be removed to the dépôt; did any thing more pass upon the subject of them at that time? No further than leaving word with Mr. Brunt, that he hoped they would be taken there when they were done, but they were not finished at that time. What sort of staves were they?-They were green sticks, the substance of my wrist, some larger, some not so large; they were quite green, they were brought from the other side of the water. I did not see them brought, but I heard Ings say that he brought them there; they were fresh cut. |