Forgive me, my fellow Christians, for the reproach thrown by my conduct on Religion.
My prayer to God is, That he may inspire all the people with a spirit of subordination and loyalty; and teach them to lead, under the powers that be, quiet and peaceable lives, in godliness and honesty.
O God! soon shall my body be given to the dust, and my soul will ascend to thee. Thou knowest my sincerity in the narrative I have given; thou seest my sorrow for all my sins. Hear me graciously—And, for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ, receive my soul to everlasting Glory. Amen.
This is truth, and the whole truth, as far as I recollect, I declare as a dying man.
(Signed) Robᵗ Watt
Tuesday Evening, Oct. 14th,
about 8 o’clock at night, 1794.
In regard of sending Pikes to Perth, to the best of my recollection, I talked with Craig about them, and that he told me they should be sent secretly; but I cannot say to what number, nor to whom.
Note.—Although Watt, soon after his condemnation, promised the Clergymen who visited him, to write a Confession of his crimes, he delayed the commencement of it till within eight or nine days of his death. On the Wednesday before that event, he had written one sheet; this, it is supposed, he destroyed, as it was not among the papers he left behind him: Hitherto he appeared easy in his mind; but on the Friday, Saturday and Lord’s day, much agitated. On this last day he again began to write, but advanced no further than the account he has given of his childhood, &c. By what he said afterwards, it is plain, his hesitation arose from the vain hope of a reprieve. On Monday morning he again appeared calm, and in good spirits; and said he had at last determined to declare all he knew, and employed the morning of that day in writing what is now given to the public—In the evening, the order for his execution was officially intimated to him—On Tuesday he continued writing; and in the evening, between seven and eight o’clock, finished and subscribed the paper now published, and put it under a cover to the Sheriff—On Wednesday, 15th October, he was executed—The paper was sealed up in Watt’s presence, together with another parcel, containing the letters he received whilst in prison, and other papers of no importance. Both parcels were by Watt himself addressed to the Sheriff, and delivered to the Commanding Officer of the Castle, who sent them to the Sheriff on the Tuesday evening, agreeable to Watt’s own particular request.
FINIS.
LATELY PUBLISHED,
By BELL & BRADFUTE,
Reports of the Committee of Secrecy, of the House of Commons, on the Papers belonging to the Society for Constitutional Information, and the London Corresponding Society, seized by order of Government, and presented to the House by Mr Secretary Dundas—Price 4s. 6d. boards.