s, and the ropes adjusted about their
necks, the Throne of Mercy was fervently addressed in their behalf.
Wansley then prayed earnestly himself, and afterwards joined in singing
a hymn. These exercises concluded, Gibbs addressed the spectators nearly
as follows:

MY DEAR FRIENDS,

My crimes have been heinous--and although I am now about to suffer for
the murder of Mr. Roberts, I solemnly declare my innocence of the
transaction. It is true, I stood by and saw the fatal deed done, and
stretched not forth my arm to save him; the technicalities of the law
believe me guilty of the charge--but in the presence of my God--before
whom I shall be in a few minutes--I declare I did not murder him.

I have made a full and frank confession to Mr. Hopson, which probably
most of my hearers present have already read; and should any of the
friends of those whom I have been accessary to, or engaged in the murder
of, be now present, before my Maker I beg their forgiveness--it is the
only boon I ask--and as I hope for pardon through the blood of Christ,
surely this request will not be withheld by man, to a worm like myself,
standing as I do, on the very verge of eternity! Another moment, and I
cease to exist--and could I find in my bosom room to imagine that the
spectators now assembled had forgiven me, the scaffold would have no
terrors, nor could the precept which my much respected friend, the
marshal of the district, is about to execute. Let me then, in this
public manner, return my sincere thanks to him, for his kind and
gentlemanly deportment during my confinement. He was to me like a
father, and his humanity to a dying man I hope will be duly appreciated
by an enlightened community.

My first crime was _piracy_, for which my _life_ would pay for forfeit
on conviction; no punishment could be inflicted on me further than that,
and therefore I had nothing to fear but detection, for had my offences
been millions of times more aggravated than they are now, _death_ must
have satisfied all.

Gibbs having concluded, Wansley began. He said he might be called a
pirate, a robber, and a murderer, and he was all of these, but he hoped
and trusted God would, through Christ, wash away his aggravated crimes
and offences, and not cast him entirely out. His feelings, he said, were
so overpowered that he hardly knew how to address those about him, but
he frankly admitted the justness of the sentence, and concluded by
declaring that he had no hope