tribunal before which they were arraigned: their plea was
overruled. They now denied the facts with which they were
charged, contended that if they did take place, they did so
while the flag of France was still waving over the province,
and the laws of that kingdom retained their empire in it, and
thus the facts did not constitute an offence against the laws
of Spain; that the people of Louisiana could not bear the yokes
of two sovereigns; that O'Reilly could not command the
obedience, nor even the respect of the colonists, until he made
known to them his character and powers; and that the Catholic
king could not count on their allegiance, till he extended to
them his protection.

"It had been determined at first, to proceed with the utmost
rigour of the law against six of the prisoners; but, on the
death of Villere, it was judged sufficient to do so against
five only. The jurisprudence of Spain authorizing the
infliction of a less severe punishment than that denounced by
the statute, when the charge is not proved by two witnesses to
the same act, but by one with corroborating
circumstances.--Accordingly two witnesses were produced against
De Noyant, La Freniere, Marquis, Joseph Milhet, and Caresse.
They were convicted; and O'Reilly, by the advice of his
assessor, condemned them to be hanged, and pronounced the
confiscation of their estates.

"The most earnest and pathetic entreaties were employed by
persons in every rank of society, to prevail on O'Reilly to
remit or suspend the execution of his sentence till the royal
clemency could be implored. He was inexorable; and the only
indulgence that could be obtained, was, that death should be
inflicted by shooting, instead of hanging. With this
modification, the sentence was carried into execution on the
twenty-eighth of September.

"On the morning of that day, the guards, at every gate and post
of the city, were doubled, and orders were given not to allow
any body to enter it. All the troops were under arms, and
paraded the streets or were placed in battle array along the
levee and on the public square. Most of the inhabitants fled
into the country. At three o'clock of the afternoon, the
victims were led, under a strong guard, to the small square in
front of the barracks, ti