370 
hurdle, and looked up to the scaffold 
with a smile. 
Macnamara was the first brought 
up: he held a book in his hand ; 
and, when the cord was placed round 
his neck, he exclaimed, with the 
greatest devotion, ‘¢ Lord Jesus, 
have mercy upon me! O Lord, look 
down with pity upon me!” Graham 
eame-second. He looked pale and 
ghastly, but spoke not. Wratten 
was the third: he ascended the 
scaffold with much firmness. Brough- 
ton, the fourth, smiled as he ran 
up the scaffold stairs; but, as soon 
as the rope was fastened round his 
neck, he turned pale, and smiled no 
more. Ife exhorted the crowd in 
these words: ‘“¢ I hope that every 
young man who witnesses my fate 
will avoid public-houses, and take a 
warning. Should they mix with cer- 
tain companies, they will, perhaps, 
see more executions of a similar na- 
ture.” He joined in prayer with 
great earnestness. Wood was the 
fifth, Francis the sixth. Francis 
ascended the scaffold with a compo- 
sure which he preserved to the last. 
Wood and Broughton were equally 
composed. Of all of them Francis 
was the best looking; tall, hand- 
some, and well made. He and 
Wood were dressed in the uniform 
of the foot-guards; and Francis, 
when he came on the scaffold,- had 
on his full regimental cap. The rest 
were in coloured clothes. Col. Des- 
pard ascended the scaffold with great 
firmness. His countenance under- 
went not the slightest change. He 
looked at the multitude assembled 
with perfect calmness, and thus ad- 
dressed them : 
*¢ Fellow citizens, I am come 
here, as you see, after having served 
my country faithfully, honourably, 
and, I trust, usefully, for 30 years 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1803. 
and upwards, to suffer death upon 
a scaffold, for a crime which I am 
no more guilty of than any man who 
is now looking at me. I do so- 
lemnly declare, [ am no more guilty 
of it than any of you, who are now 
listening to me. But though his 
majesty’s ministers know I am not 
guilty, they will avail themselves of 
the legal pretext which they have of 
destroying a man, because they think 
he is a friend to truth, to liberty, 
and to justice, and because he has 
been a friend to the poor and to the 
oppressed. But, fellow citizens, I 
trust and hope, notwithstanding my 
fate, and, perhaps, the fate of many 
others who may follow me, that still 
the principles of liberty, justice, and 
humanity will triumph over falshood, 
despotism, and delusion, and every 
thing else hostile to the interests of 
the human race. And now, having 
said this, 1 have nothing more to 
add, but to wish youall that health, 
that happiness, and that freedom, 
which I have ever made it my en- 
deavour, as far as lay in my power, | 
to procure for every one of you, 
and for mankind in general.” Im. 
mediately after this speech, the crowd 
cheered; but the impulse as imme- 
diately subsided. The clergyman 
now shook hands with each of them. 
The executioners pulled the caps 
over the faces of the unfortunate 
persons, and descended the scaffold. 
Most of them exclaimed, ‘¢ Lord 
Jesus, receive our souls!” At 7 
minutes before nine, the signal was 
given, the platform dropped, and 
they were launched into eternity. 
After hanging about half an hour, 
they were cut down; col. Despard 
first. His head was then severed 
from his body; and the executioner 
held it up to the view of the popu- 
lace, exclaiming, ‘‘ This is the head 
: ef 
