Mr. Curwood then declined to call Bennet, and said that he had no other witness to examine.
Mr. Adolphus then shortly addressed the Jury on the same side with Mr. Curwood. He took a comprehensive view of the whole of the evidence; denied that the evidence of Adams, the accomplice, was entitled to the slightest credit; and contended that, as it was not supported by more credible witnesses, the offence of which the prisoner had been guilty, however great, did not amount to the charge in the indictment of high treason. He concluded his address, in which he displayed much zeal and ability, by appealing to the Jury on the danger to society of receiving the unsupported evidence of an avowed accomplice, in a crime of a nature so serious as that with which the prisoner stood charged. He entreated them not to convict the prisoner because he was a bad man, but to examine how far the charge against him had been substantiated.
A Juror rose and observed, that there was no evidence in the present case of the ammunition having been brought back to Brunt’s house.
The Chief-Baron said there was not, or of several other matters alleged, which he would advert to afterwards.
Mr. Adolphus said he had no intention of overstating any point; that he had been unavoidably absent during part of the trial, and that might have occasioned some inaccuracies—
The Solicitor-General interposed, and Mr. Adolphus sat down without any further remark.
While Mr. Adolphus was delivering his address, Mr. Harmer’s clerk delivered to the prisoner a written paper, which he began to read; but he did not seem to view its contents with much attention.
The Chief Baron addressing the prisoner, said, “John Thomas Brunt; your learned counsel have concluded their very able defence; but if you wish to say any thing in your own defence, this is the time.”
The prisoner then rose and spoke as follows:—
“My Lord, I have had a defence put into my hands only a few minutes ago, which I have not had time to peruse over. Yet I have two or three observations to make respecting the evidence—particularly respecting the evidence of Monument. It’s quite useless for me to deny that I was in the room in Cato-street; but immediately on the arrival of Monument in Cato-street, he approached me, and asked me what was going to be done, when he saw the arms on the bench; to which I replied, that I was not aware of any thing being going to be done, for that Edwards had not brought so many men by thirty as he stated he would bring, and that it was not my intention to endeavour to do any thing with so few men. I would not be led by any individual. Accordingly, perceiving that Monument betrayed a great deal of fear, I persuaded him to go away.