1820.]

them for keeping bad company." All agreed. Ings said, he would go first, with a brace of pistols and knives. The two swordsmen would cut off all their heads, and Castlereagh's and Sidmouth's should be flung in a bag by themselves. He added, "I shall say, my Lords, I have got as good men here as the Manchester Yeomanry; enter citizens, and do your duty." Harrison and witness were to be swordsmen. After the execution of Lord Harrowby, at his house, Harrison proposed that some should go to King-street barracks, and set fire to the premises by throwing fire into the straw in the stable. Harrison and Wilson were to go to Gray's Inn-lane, and in case they could not carry the cannon out of the military school, they were to wait till a party came to assist them. Thence they were to proceed to the Artillery barracks, to assist Cooke in taking the cannon there. If they found their strength sufficient to proceed, they were to advance to the Mansion house, and plant three of the cannon on each side of the Mansion-house, and to demand it. If it were refused, they were to fire, and then it would be given up. The Mansion-house was to be made the seat for the Provisional Government. The Bank of England was next to be taken. They would take the books, which would enable them to see farther into the villainy of the Government. The further parts of the plan were delayed till Wednesday. They agreed upon a sign and countersign. The word was "Button;" the man who came up was to say B-u-t, the other was to reply t-o-n. Being asked as to the watch, witness said, there are other things which I wish to state. I went there next morning, and found Edwards, Ings, and Hall, making fuses for the hand-grenades. Davidson went on watch at six.

Witness

and Brunt went to relieve the watch. They saw Davidson in the square, on the watch. They went into a public-house, where Brunt played dominoes with a young man. About 11, they went out into the square, and walked for some time, till witness got ashamed of himself. They went away at 12 o'clock. He went next day to Foxcourt, between two and three. He found Brunt there. Strange came in, and in a few minutes after, two more strangers. Strange and another were trying the flints. They went into a back room to avoid the strangers, where witness saw cutlasses, blunderbusses, &c. Thistlewood, Ings, and Hall came in. Thistlewood said, "Well, my lads, this looks like something to be done." He touched witness on the shoulder, and asked how he was. Witness replied, that he was very unwell, and in low spirits. Thistlewood sent for beer and gin. Thistlewood then 'wanted some paGENT. MAG. May, 1820.

457

Witness said cart

per to write bills on. ridge paper would do, The paper was brought, and table and chair were got. The bills were then written; they were to be set on the houses, to let the people know what had been done. Thistlewood read as part, "Your tyrants are destroyed-the friends of liberty are called upon to come forward-the Provisional Govern. ment is now sitting. James Ings, Secretary. February 23d." Thistlewood was much agitated, and could write only three. Another bill was written, which was an address to the soldiers. Another person was employed to write it, and Thistlewood dictated to him. He saw Ings in the room while the bills referred to were writing. Ings was engaged in preparing himself as to the manner in which the Ministers were expected to be assembled. He put a belt round his waist, in each side of which he placed a brace of pistols. He also had a cutlass by his side, and a bag on each of his shoulders, somewhat in the way that soldiers carry their haversacks. When thus equipped he exclaimed, "D-n my eyes, I am not complete yet;" on which he took out a large knife, which he brandished as if he were proceeding to cut off heads. He then said that he meant to cut off and put the heads of Lords Castlereagh and Sidmouth into the two bags which he carried, and also to cut off the right hand of Lord Castlereagh, with a view to cure and preserve it, as it might be thought a good deal of at some future time. The knife which he brandished had a broad blade, and was about twelve inches long; all round the handle a wax end was twisted, which, as Ings said, would enable him to keep a firmer hold of it. They began to leave the room about half-past four or five, to go about the business. Palin came in half an hour before. Palin said they ought to be aware of what they were about, and to think within themselves whether they were to do their country service or not, and whether the assassination would be countenanced by their country. If they thought their country would join them, then the man who flinched should be run through on the spot. Unless they came to this determination, they would do no good. A tall man came in, and asked what the business they were about was. Witness had never seen him before. The tall man said, if they were to serve their country, he was their man, and if any one was afraid of his life, he ought to have nothing to do with such a concern as that. Thistlewood was then gone. Brunt was told, that enquiries were made by some who were present, as to the plan they were about. Brunt said, that was not the room for telling that; but they should go with him and they would know. Brunt pro

mised

mised spirits; and the tall man cautioned against drunkenness, as ruinous to a cause like that. They went along the street, two and two, and at some distance, that they might not be observed. There was a cupboard in the room, used for swords,' hand grenades, and flannel bags for cartridges, one of which was full. The rest of the arms were in Tidd's rooms; that was the depot. Thistlewood was always in a hurry to carry every thing that was got ready into the depot, lest any officer should see it. Witness carried a brassbarrelled blunderbuss. There were pikes made of old files. Witness as he went on missed all his associates. He turned back, and met Brunt, who returned with him along the Edgeware-road, till they met Thistlewood. They went altogether to the stable in Catc-street. Witness staid behind till Harrison came up, and made him go in. He saw there, Davidson and Wilson below, Thistlewood, Ings, Hall, Bradburu, Strange, Cooper, the tall man, aud others, above. There were, as Thistlewood calculated, at last, 18 above, and two below.-There was a bench above and arins on it. Some beer was standing on the table. There were lights. There was a chest. Before Tidd came, Thistlewood went out for some time. Witness heard a deal of talk below, and he found Thistlewood, Brunt, Harrison, Davidson, and Wilson. They spoke of the good news; they heard that the carriages were arriving at Lord Harrowby's as fast as they could. Witness went up to the loft, and saw Thistlewood aud Brunt much agi. tated. They spoke of Tidd's absence. Brunt pledged his word that he would come. He soon afterwards came. tlewood said, "I hope you will not give up what you are going to do; if you do, this will be another Despard's business." He then counted 20 persons, and said that was enough; 14 would be sufficient to go into the room, and the other six would take care of the servants and doors. They then set apart 14. The gin bottle was then started. Thistlewood said, if Lord Harrowby had 16 servants, that was nothing, as they would not be prepared. A noise was heard below. Thistlewood took a candle and looked down to see who they were, and then set down the candle quite confused, according to witness's judgment. Two officers took command of the room, holding small pistols, and said, "A pretty nest there is of you. We have got a warrant to apprehend you all, and hope you' will go peaceably." A man who was on the step of the ladder said, "Let me comé forward." This was the man murdered. A group of persons had got into the little room, and then came forward, and one of them stretched forward an arm; witness saw nothing in it; another presented a

This

pistol. The man fell. It was impossible for him to give a particular account of the other transactions. He got away, went home, was apprehended on the Friday, and remained in custódy since. He identified Davidson, Wilson, Bruut, Ings, Cooper, Harrison, Tidd. There were two he did not know. They were again called forward; he said he could not swear to them. He was sent forward near the dock, but he said he did not know them. One of them, he said, he saw at the meeting.

Joseph Hall, an apprentice to Brunt, John Hector Morrison, James Aldons, Thomas Hydon, were examined, and corroborated the former evidence.

The Earl of Harrowby stated the circumstances of his receiving intimation of the intended assassination.

John Monument, and Thomas Dwyers, who had turned King's evidences, and several of the Bow-street officers, were then examined.

The various articles found in Catostreet, the belt found on Tidd, together with all the other arms and ammunition found on the persons of the prisoners, and at their lodgings, were then produced, and identified by the witnesses. The fire arms were loaded till yesterday, when the charges were drawn-they were loaded with ball. One of the grenades had been given to a person by an order of Colonel Congreve to be examined. The production of Ings's knife excited an involuntary shudder; it was a broad desperate-looking weapon.

The Jury inspected the arms separately, and particularly the pikes, the construction and formation of which were ininutely described. The whole had a most formidable appearance.

[Some other witnesses were examined, but their evidence was not material.]

Serjeant Edward Hanson, of the Royal Artillery, examined by Mr. Gurney.-I examined one of the grenades, produced to me at Bow-street. It is composed of a tin case, in which a tube is soldered. The case contains three ounces and a half of gunpowder; the priming in the tube is a composition of saltpetre, powder, and brimstone; the tin was pitched and wrapped round with rope-yarn, which was cemented with rosin and tar. Round the tin, and the rope-yarn, 12 pieces of iron were planted. From the lighting of the fuse to the explosion might take about half a minute. If one of them were to be exploded in a room were there were a number of persons, it would produce great destruction. The pieces of iron would fly about like bullets.

After the conviction of Thistlewood, alt the prisoners were tried and found guilty ou the same evidence, as stated in our last.

there was a partial cheering from the top of the Old Bailey. He continued now and then exclaiming" Here we go, my lads you see the last remains of James Ings-remember I die the enemy of tyranny, and would sooner die in chains, than live in slavery." When Mr. Cotton addressed him, he said laughingly, "I am not afraid to go before God and man;" then addressing himself to the executioner, he exclaimed. "Now, old man, finish me tidy! Put the halter a little tighter, it might slip!" He then, as well as he could, waved a handkerchief three times; and said, he hoped Mr. Cotton would give him a good character. Davidson, the man of colour, came out

next.

His behaviour presented a grati fying contrast to that of his companions. His deportment was mild, yet firm, and he prayed with great fervency. When he stepped upon the scaffold, he said to those within, "God bless you all! good bye." He joined in the Lord's prayer, and said, "God bless the King!" He repeatedly expressed great penitence for his crimes.

Brunt came out last. He said very little, but was as hardened as any of the rest. He said just before he came out, that he had no snuff box, but he had some snuff in his waistcoat pocket, and requested some stander-by to get some out for him, as his hands were tied. This was done, and he took it with great coolness. He said he wondered where they would put him, but he supposed it would be somewhere that he would sleep well. He added, that he would make a present of his body to King George the Fourth.

Thistlewood, just before he was turned off, said, in a low tone to a person under the scaffold- "I have now but a few moments to live, and I hope the world will think that I have at least been sincere in my endeavours."

Tidd said to Ings, about the same moment," how are you, my hearty."

At about six minutes after eight the signal was given by Mr. Cotton, and the unhappy men were launched into eternity. Thistlewood died almost without a struggle. Ings struggled extremely, and appeared to suffer much. It is a remarkable fact, that just as the fatal sig

FOREIGN

FRANCE.

nal was about to be given, Ings was ob served to join Davidson in prayer.

When the bodies had been suspended half an hour, the executioner and an assistant appeared on the scaffold to prepare for the revolting ceremony of decapitation. Thistlewood was first ent down, and being placed with his head on the block, a man disguised in a rough jacket and trowsers, and a mask on his face, appeared with his amputating knife, and the head was almost momentarily severed from the body, and given to the executioner's assistant, who held it up by the hair, and turning North and South, and then to the front of the scaffold, he exclaimed three times, "This is the head of Arthur Thistlewood, a traitor." The body with the head was then placed in a coffin.-The same ceremony was performed with Tidd, Ings, Davidson, and Brunt in succession.-The operation was performed with great skill, and in as short a time as possible. The operator was loudly hissed by the mob, and some atrocious expressions were applied to him. The universal groan, accompanied by some female shrieks, when he first commenced upon Thistlewood, had an awful effect. The bodies were soon after removed to a room in the prison.

When the malefactors first appeared on the scaffold, there was a signal given, upon which the troops stationed in the adjacent streets drew as close as possible to the place of execution. We are happy to state that there was not the slightest indication of disorder amongst the people, and they dispersed quietly after the dreadful scene had finally closed.

Part of the railing of St. Sepulchre's Church fell, on which a great number of people of both sexes had climbed. Several were severely hurt. It was a matter of much surprise that an extraordinary number of women, some of them well dressed, were present at this most awful exhibition.

Five of the men who pleaded guilty to the charge of high treason, viz. Wilson, Strange, Harrison, Cooper, and Bradburn, were removed from Newgate to Portsmouth, on Tuesday, to be transported to New South Wales for life.

The Election projet has been withdrawn from the Deputies, and another substituted; the latter divides the electors into two bodies; each department is to have two electoral colleges; one composed of electors highly taxed, and another of low tax-payers: the latter to return a certain uumber of candidates to the higher col

lege, who are to choose the members for the Chamber. This indirect mode is not very favourable to freedom of election.

The attempt made at Paris to evade the law of Censorship, by publishing pamphlets not purporting to be journals or periodical works, has been met by prosecutions on the part of the Government against the editors. It is said, that there are no

fewer

1820.]

fewer than fifty authors or editors under prosecution, either at Paris or in the Departments.

Authentic accounts from France communicate the particulurs of a barbarous attempt upon the life of the Duchess de Berri; and, through her, upon the existence of the reigning house of Bourbon. It is stated, that on the 6th at night, soon after twelve o'clock, a man made his appearance very silently at the wicket of the Rue de l'Echelle, near the windows of that part of the Thuilleries where the Duchess de Berri resides, and placed there a petard containing one or two pounds of gunpowder, the match of which he ignited by means of a lighted segar. He was then immediately seized by the Police agents, placed in concealment near the spot by Count Angles, the Prefect of Police; who, it appears, had previous information of what was to take place. The name of the man thus taken into custody is Graviers, and he was formerly an officer in the 5th regiment of Lancers: he is said to have made disclosures, in consequence of which three other individuals were arrested early the next morning.

Discontents, fomented by the inveterate enemies of the Bourbons, and made greater by the irritating conduct of those who profess to be their friends, increase in Paris ; the worst political symptoms shew themselves, and the night patrole service is now performed by mounted grenadiers of the royal guard, upon whose fidelity the greatest reliance is placed. The effect of mental anxiety is visible in the King. The Duke d'Angouleme has, it is asserted, not been received very courteously in his progress throughout the Southern provinces. SPAIN.

On the 4th ult. Cadiz was the scene of an interesting spectacle-the triumphal entry of Quiroga, the great author of their restored liberties, into the city. Quiroga was drawn, in a kind of open car, into the square of the Constitution, which is in the heart of the city, and there crowned with laurel amid the shouts and benedictions of his fellow-citizens.

The King has issued a decree, permitting the return to Spain of the persons called "Josephinos ;" in other words, those who followed the fortunes of Joseph Buonaparte.

The King of Spain, to gratify his troops, has declared himself the first soldier in the nation; and has appointed as his Aides-de-Camp eight of the most popular Generals, including Quiroga, Riego, O'Donohue, and Ballasteros.

Ferdinand has issued two decrees; one of which orders, that all children shall be taught the "Sovereignty of the People !" the other is for organizing a national militia.

461

Letters from Berlin of the 14th ult. state, that on the preceding day a tumult of a very formidable nature occurred in that city. About 300 individuals of the working classes-by what motives impelled, or by whom instigated, is not known-suddenly made an attack on the guard house, which was occupied at the time by not more than thirty soldiers. It was not till two or three detachments of the military had been brought against them, that the insurgents were reduced to submission; when several of the ringleaders were secured and thrown into prison.

Letters from St. Helena, dated March 26, have been received by the Waterloo. Buonaparte was enjoying excellent health. He continued to occupy himself in the mornings by working in the garden; and, as he wore a white jacket and straw hat, was not to be distinguished, except on a very close approach, from his servants. AMERICA.

American papers confirm the statement of the death of Commodore Decatur, who was mortally wounded, on the 22d, in a duel with Commodore Barron, also of the United States' navy, and expired the same evening.

The question relative to the cession of the Floridas has been put off until the next Session of the Congress, as appears by the President's message to Congress. New York papers of recent date, however, say, that General Vives, the new Spanish Minister, had, immediately on his arrival, delivered in to the Government the Florida treaty, ratified by King Ferdinand, without any restrictive conditions.

The Senate of the United States have passed their new Navigation Act, with only one dissentient voice. The purpose of the Act is avowed: it is to coerce Great Britain into a relaxation of her own Navigation Act, as it affects her colonies. To this end, the American Legislature declares, that, as we will not admit their

shipping