72 
the person, or for assassinating one 
of the most beloved and most 
powerful monarchs of Europe ; for 
attacking the strong fortress of the 
tower ; and the taking possession of 
the bank, the public offices, the 
prisons, and the two houses of par- 
liament! Such however, by the 
most clear and uncontrovertible 
testimony, were his designs; nor 
did there, in the course of a long 
and minute investigation, appear, 
that he acted in concert with foreign 
agents, or, that there was any cor- 
responding combination, in any 
other part of the united kingdom. 
It was, however, tully and’ clearly 
proved, that on the Friday preced- 
ing the 16th of November, Colonel 
Despard met some of the seduced 
soldiery, and others of the conspi- 
rators, for the first time; that he 
spoke freely of their traitorous de- 
signs, and the best mode of putting 
them into execution; that the in- 
tercepting and shooting the king, on 
his way to parliament was then dis- 
cussed with him, as well asthe pro- 
bable difficulties attending such a 
plan; on which he used theremarka- 
ble expressions, “ If nobody else will 
shoot him I will,” adding, ‘ I have 
well weighed the matter, and my 
heart is callous.” Every other part 
of the design was then adverted to, 
and freely debated. Colonel Des- 
pard, spoke of the strength of the 
conspiracy, at Manchester, Leeds, 
Sheffield, and Birmingham, and of 
his own activity in forwarding the 
cause. ‘That the people were every 
where ripe, and that the death of 
the king would be the signal for a 
general 1 rising, It further appeared, 
that through the medium of one 
Francis, with ‘whom he seems to 
have been most confidentially con- 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 
1803. 
nected, that Despard had himself 
sworn, tae attempted tosw ear, sol- 
diers and others, to engagements, 
binding them to the destruction of 
the king and government. To be 
brief, 'themost flagrantand overt trea- 
sonable acts were proved against 
him; and finally, that he was, with 
about thirty persons sitting in full 
convention, assembled for treason- 
able purposes at the Oakley Arms 
public house in Lambeth, arrested 
on the night of the sixteenth of 
Noy ember; ; and after some exami- 
nations, fully committed with twelve 
others on a charge of high treason. 
After a trial which lasted nearly 
eighteen hours, the jury brought i in 
their verdict of guilty. On the second 
day following, nine of his associates, 
on nearly the same evidence were 
clearly convicted, and three ac- 
quitted ; making in the whole ten 
persons who were left for execution. 
In consequence of the services and 
former good character of Colonel 
Despard, he was recommended by 
the jury to mercy, as were, from 
some circumstances which appeared 
in their favour, three of the other: 
condemned persons: it was not 
however Judged adviseable, by his 
Majesty in council, to extend the 
royal prerogative in favor of a per- 
son, so deeply tainted with the 
crime of treason, as the leader of 
this misguided and deluded knot 
of conspirators ; and the law with 
respect to him was suffered to take 
its course: the latter were, in that 
spirit of mercy, which has ever dis- 
tinguished the administration of 
Justice in these happy realms, res 
prieved, and finally pardoned. 
On the Ist of February, the 
dréadful atonement to their injur- 
ed country, was made by Colonel 
Despard 
