| ...I appeal to any man that was in court, whether, in the summing
up of the evidence, Judge Garrow did justice to me, as a prisoner
at the bar. Was he not inveterate against me? did he not influence
the minds of the jurymen, and almost insist upon their pronouncing
me guilty? did any person identify me to be the identical person except
those officers who, we all know, and every Englishman must know, have
always been instrumental to the death of innocent men. I have never
been in a public life. I appeal to all those gentlemen, whether I
have ever engaged in any plot, if I had fifty lives, and they were
wanting for the public good, they should have them; and if it were
my blood, they should take every drop, and I would stand here while
they took it, and fall a victim to my enemies; but in what manner
is it I could ever be guilty of high treason? it was never pretended
I had ever said any thing, directly or indirectly; I must have been
a silent spectator from the nature of my colour. I should have been
immediately remarked if I had taken an active part. I have got a deal
to say for myself where I feel it to be proper; but there is not one
single witness has ever said that I said any thing, consequently I
could not be a person that was in the conspiracy; they have said,
only that there was a man of colour, and, unfortunately, I was caught
near the spot, and was fixed on by them; but still justice ought to
be done to every man, and especially where it is done in the revered
name of British justice….
…but suppose I was found with a sword in my hand, who can
prove that I meant to overturn the government? who can prove that
I meant to assassinate the ministers? who can prove that I meant
to lay my hand on my sovereign? Is my character so black as for
it to be said in this country, or where I have travelled, that I
am an assassin or a murderer? I appeal to every man who knows me,
whether I am a man of that character or stamp directly or indirectly,
to do such a thing; but even if the sword was in my hand; and my
intention was even to join with those people, I do not see that
it was a conspiracy against the lives of any ministers or of the
king himself; because in the passages of Magna Charta, when king
John granted that charter, the passage runs in this form; that the
people should choose twenty-five barons from among them, with an
intent that those twenty-five barons shall see that the acts of
this charter are not violated by his majesty or any of his ministers;
and if any of them be violated by the king or his ministers, four
of those barons shall go and insist on redress; and if redress is
not given within twenty-five days, they are to return and compel
them to give it – how? with empty hands? no; with arms to
stand and claim their rights as Englishmen; and if every Englishman
felt as I do, they would always do that. But it goes on further
to say; and if redress be not forthwith given, they shall seize
on his revenues and his castles, and place such persons in his castles
as will see and observe the duties imposed upon him by the barons.
And our history goes on further to say, that when another of their
majesties the kings of England tried to infringe upon those rights,
the people armed, and told him that if he did not give them the
privileges of Englishmen, they would compel him by the point of
the sword; that is language never used by me, or those with whom
I acted, and yet those persons were not considered as beneath the
character of Englishmen, and to be condemned to death. Would you
not rather govern a country of spirited men, than cowards?
…they have come forward to swear my life away on this charge,
and I now tender my life to your service; I can die but once in
this world, and the only regret left is, that I have a large family
of small children, and when I think of that, it unmans me, and I
shall say no more. |
