An Authentic History of the Cato-Street Conspiracy / With the trials at large of the conspirators, for high treason and murder, a description of their weapons and combustible machines, and every particular connected with the rise, progress, discovery, and termination of the horrid plot

by George Theodore Wilkinson

“This is all I have to say, and you may depend I have told the truth.”

The Attorney-General rose to reply, and proceeded to point out the various instances in which the evidence of Adams had been confirmed: it was confirmed by Monument, who had not been deeply concerned in the plot; but it was much more strongly confirmed by Hyden, who was no accomplice, and who was in every way worthy of belief. There was, he contended, a compleat chain of evidence, to prove that there was a conspiracy to overturn the government: and if they believed that the two prisoners at the bar took a prominent part in it, they could have no hesitation as to the verdict they should give.

Mr. Baron Garrow, proceeded to deliver his charge to the Jury. He went over the whole of the evidence, and commented on all the material parts of it in a most perspicuous manner. While his lordship was reading over the evidence of Monument, the prisoner Davidson caused a written paper to be conveyed to him, and said he hoped it might be read as a part of his defence, which he had before forgot to notice. The learned Judge observed, that although it was not strictly regular to comply with the prisoner’s request in the present stage of the business, yet he was ready to allow him to make any statement which might be of use to him. The statement was, that his (Davidson’s) house had been searched, and nearly pulled down, and not the slightest evidence was there found which went to show that he had been guilty of any conspiracy.

After his Lordship had read over the evidence of Hyden, he said it was the most important of any that had been given to the Court, because the conspiracy had been communicated to him by one of the parties, who invited him to assist in it; and because he went immediately and communicated to Lord Harrowby the danger which ministers were in. He pretended to show a readiness to join the conspirators, but he never did join them; and one reason for not refusing to take a part in the plot was, a threat held out that any man who did not join would be put to death.

“The learned counsel for the prisoners had endeavoured to throw some discredit on this witness, on the ground of his being an accomplice; but there was not the slightest ground for such a supposition; nor did it appear to him that the slightest inroad had been made on his testimony. On the contrary, he ought to be considered as an instrument in the hands of Providence in saving fifteen of the first men in the country, and perhaps many others, from destruction; and all persons then present in Court, ought to consider themselves indebted to him.

“Here it was clearly in evidence, that the intention of the conspirators was to murder the most respectable and virtuous characters in the kingdom; and that not content with that, they were to destroy the house of the Bishop of London, one of the most amiable men in the kingdom, who of all other men in the world was the least likely to give offence to any body.

“What then could be their motive for all these unprovoked atrocities, but the ulterior object of revolution? If plunder was their object, where were the implements in which they were to carry away their plunder? What necessity was there to add murder to their offence? What occasion had they for a box full of ball cartridges? What was their object in all this, but the ulterior object of effecting a revolution? The usual argument of inadequacy of means had been used on this occasion; and it was said, nothing certainly could be more preposterous than to suppose a revolution could be effected by such contemptible means; but it was proved, that a plan had been formed—that a band of ruffians, reeking with the blood of the most illustrious men in the kingdom, had intended to overturn the government, by stirring up the people to insurrection.

“Such men as these might imagine that the object could be effectual, without ever considering the adequacy of the means. Before the commencement of the French Revolution, the first beginnings were as contemptible as this; and every body knew the vast extent and the wide-spreading desolation, by which these small beginnings were followed.”

After a variety of other observations, all tending to show that the evidence of the accomplices was confirmed in various instances by credible witnesses, particularly by Joseph Hale, the apprentice of Brunt; and by Hyden, the cow-keeper, who was no party in the plot, and who acted honestly and conscientiously, his Lordship concluded his charge.

The Jury then retired, and after an absence of forty minutes, returned with a verdict of “GUILTY UPON THE THIRD COUNT,” with the exception of the eighth and tenth overt-acts. The count in question alleged a conspiracy to levy war.