} 
HISTORY OF EUROPE. 
Despard and six of his wretched 
companions in guilt. They were 
executed, with the usual forms in 
cases of punishment for high trea- 
son, on the top of the new gaol in 
the Borough; in the presence of 
innumerable spectators of their un- 
happy fate. The great majority 
of the culprits, died with the utmost 
penitence and decorum: but the 
_ unhappy principal, evinced at this 
awful moment, the same _ stea- 
-diness of deportment, and obsti- 
te adherence to his opinions, 
which he had hitherto preserved: 
Neither during his confinement, 
‘hor since sentence of death had 
_been passed upon him, had he avail- 
_ ed himselfof the spiritual assistance, 
that was assiduously tendered; 
and of which his fellow prisoners 
eagerly participated. On the scaf- 
fold, which he ascended with firm- 
ness, and without the least change 
_of countenance, he addressed the 
‘surrounding people in an elevated 
and lofty voice: he pleaded his 
long and meritorious services to his 
country; denied (strange to say !) 
in the most explicit and solemn 
terms, the crime for which he was 
about to suffer; accused the king’s 
ministers of availing themselves of 
legal pretext, notwithstanding their 
conviction of his innocence, to de- 
Stroy him, because he was the a- 
vowed friend, of the poor and op- 
pressed : and confidently predicted, 
notwithstanding his fate, and per- 
haps that of many who might follow 
him; the final triumph, of the princi- 
ples of liberty, justice, and huma- 
_ hhity, over falshood, despotism, and 
delusion, He then took his leave 
of all around, with wishing them 
that peace, happiness, and freedom, 
which he had ever made it his ob- 
73 
ject, to endeavour to procure for 
them, and for mankind in general. 
Immediately after this speech the 
populace cheered; it was, how- 
ever, but a momentary impulse, 
which instantly subsided. The 
platform fell, and the whole were 
launched into eternity! This im- 
pressive and awful spectacle to a 
British multitude, terminated with- 
out the smallest riot or confusion. 
Although all seemed to commiserate 
the sufierings of the individuals, yet 
it was not forgotten, that they had 
violated the laws, and endangered 
the constitution of their country ; 
and it was considered by the spec- 
tators, as at once the dignified 
process of deliberative justice, and 
a necessary sacrifice, to the welfare 
and security of the empire. 
Thus terminated a conspiracy, 
unexampled, we repeat, in the an- 
nals of history, for the extent of its 
designs, when contrasted with the 
weakness and paucity of its means : 
yet when we consider the character, 
and particular views of the indiyidu- 
al, by whose plan it seems exclusive- 
ly to have been framed, it cannot 
but appear, to have been ofa suftici- 
ently formidable and alarming na- 
ture; and that the measures of 
government, in the detection and 
exemplary punishment of those 
concerned, were amply justified by 
every principle of policy and justice. 
That Colonel Despard was an en- 
thusiast, that his plans were visio- 
nary and impracticable, were facts 
admitted by all: but it was equally 
true, that in the same proportion as 
he was enthusiastic, in that propor- 
tion was he dangerous ; and that it 
was evident, that he had formed to 
himself a system of revolutionary 
action, the principal feature of 
which 
