where they arrested Despard and his fellow traitors. On the
floor of the room three printed papers were found, containing their
proclamation.

They were headed, "_Constitution_, the independence of Great Britain and
Ireland, an equalization of civil and religious rights, an ample
provision for the wives of the heroes who shall fall in the conquest, a
liberal reward for distinguished merits; these are the objects for which
we contend, and to obtain these objects we swear to be united in the
awful presence of Almighty God." Then follows the oath: "I, A.B., do
voluntarily declare that I will endeavour to the utmost of my power to
obtain the objects of this union, viz. to recover those rights which the
Supreme Being, in his infinite bounty, has given to all men; that
neither hopes, fears, rewards, nor punishments, shall ever induce me to
give any information, directly or indirectly, concerning the business,
or of any member of this or any similar society, so help me God."

One of the witnesses, a private in the Guards, gave evidence that the
object of the conspiracy was to overturn the present system of
government; to unite in companies, and to get arms. They subscribed, and
the object of the subscription was, to pay delegates to go into the
country, and to defray the expense of printing their papers. All persons
belonging to the subscription were to be divided into ten companies,
each consisting of ten, with an eleventh who was called captain. The
next order was, that the oldest captain of five companies took the
command of those fifty men, and was to be called colonel of the
subdivision. Every means was to be adopted to get as many recruits as
possible. There was to be no regular organization in London, for fear of
attracting the eye of government. But the system was to be urged
vigorously in the great manufacturing towns; the insurrection was to
commence by an attack on the House of Parliament; and the king was to be
put to death either on his way to the House, or in the House. The
mail-coaches were then to be stopt, as a signal to their adherents in
the country that the insurrection had triumphed in the metropolis. An
assault was then to be made on the Tower, and the arms seized. At
subsequent meetings, the question of the royal seizure was more than
once discussed; and Despard had declared it to be essential to the
success of the plot, that no effect could be produced unless the whole
royal family were secured. The f