ADDRESS.
Among all the wild, wicked, and visionary schemes of which we have seen the rise and fall, in this age of infidelity and disaffection, none can be compared with that of which we are about to give the frightful history, for extravagance in its origin, ferocity in its details, or fiend-like triumph in its anticipated consummation. It is an event which must for ever blot with disgrace the fair page of British history, and it exhibits an awful and humiliating view of the state of degradation to which the human mind may be brought, when once it has cast off the fear of God, as inculcated in the divine precepts of Christianity.
The present work professes to be an authentic and digested history of the rise, progress, discovery, and termination of the atrocious Cato-street Conspiracy; interspersed with so much of the personal history of the individuals concerned, as may be necessary to illustrate the principle which it is the main object of this work to inculcate, namely, that to the abandonment of the duties of our holy religion alone, is it to be attributed that we have men among us wicked enough to conceive, and others so weak as to assist in, such preposterous and atrocious schemes.
The first part contains the history of the plot; its detection; the murder of Smithers, the peace-officer, in the execution of his duty; particulars of the subsequent arrests; all the proceedings before the Police Magistrates, and the Privy Council; and a full and accurate description of the horrid weapons of destruction, and infernal combustible machines, intended to be used by this detestable gang of assassins.
The second part contains, at great length, the Trials of all the executed conspirators, and the disposal of the other persons arrested, with a variety of additional particulars relative to the plot. The accounts of the execution, and decapitation, which are given with great correctness and fidelity, will be found interesting and affecting, and the Appendix contains sketches of the lives and conduct of the executed criminals, together with a copious history of the proceedings relative to that base and infamous individual George Edwards, the Spy and instigator to Treason.
The work is confidently submitted to the public, in the earnest hope that it may be found so serious a comment on the intentions and ultimate views of sanguinary and designing men,—who traverse the country, intruding themselves into all classes of society, with specious plans of reform in their mouths, but, in reality, with revolution, massacre, and plunder in their hearts,—that every honest man, and every Christian, may be induced to shun their councils as he would a pestilence, and to adopt for his motto and rule of conduct the truly-British sentiment of our forefathers,
“FEAR GOD AND HONOUR THE KING.”