The mercy I to others show,
That mercy show to me.”
“The verses from this sacred Book, which I think applicable to my case on the present occasion, are these:—
‘One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.
‘If a false witness rise up against any man, to testify against him that which is wrong;
‘Then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the Lord, before the priests and the judges which shall be in those days.
‘And the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and behold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother;
‘Then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to have done unto his brother; so shalt thou put the evil away from among you.
‘And those which remain shall hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil among you.
‘And thine eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.’
“These words, gentlemen of the Jury, I wish to impress on your minds.
“I am a stranger to England by birth; but I was educated and brought up in England; my father was an Englishman, my grandfather was a Scotchman; I may too claim the prerogative of an Englishman, from having been in the country from my infancy,—still I have not a friend in England,—I have not a relative who will stretch out his hand to my helpless family. Then will you not think it hard to have my life taken away for a scene of intended iniquity, of which I know nothing. To have me torn from the bosom of her whom I lived but to cherish,—to have me exposed to the ruthless knife of the executioner, while my innocent starving babes seek in vain for consolation.
“Gentlemen, when I think of this, it unmans me. I am no plotter—no assassin—no traitor! Look well to the evidence, and to your own hearts, before you pronounce the fatal verdict of ‘Guilty.’
“Gentlemen, the Earl of Harrowby I have known for years; I worked on his Lordship’s estate in Staffordshire. Gentlemen, I knew him but to respect him;—and yet it is suggested that I could raise the dagger of the murderer to his breast.—Forbid it providence! Had I known that this plot existed, I would have been the first to warn his Lordship of his danger; but I declare solemnly that I knew not of such an intention. I knew nothing of all these dark and bloody projects.
“Gentlemen, I have now done. I repeat, I will readily submit to death if you think me capable of harbouring an intention to commit the crime of high treason. If that is your persuasion, pronounce your verdict accordingly. I hope my death may prove useful to my country,—for still England I call thee so,—and I trust that those by whom I shall be condemned, may lay down their lives with as clear a conscience.”