of
the gang endeavoured to make their escape. Although, indeed, the police
were soon aided by thirty soldiers of the Coldstream Guards, nine of
the conspirators only were taken. Thistlewood himself escaped; but, in
consequence of L1,000 being offered for his apprehension, he was
seized next morning in bed. Others were apprehended also during the
two following days; and on the 27th of March true bills, on a charge
of high-treason, were returned against eleven of the prisoners.
Thistlewood, Ings, Tidd, Brunt, and Davidson were severally tried and
condemned, the other six being permitted to withdraw their plea and to
plead guilty; five of them received sentence of transportation for
life, and the other, who appeared to have been ignorant of the
destined purpose of the meeting in Cato-street, received a free pardon.
Thistlewood and his condemned associates were brought to the scaffold;
and he, with three of them, died with great hardihood, glorying in their
purpose, regretting its failure, and declaring themselves martyrs to the
prostituted name of liberty.

MEETING OF PARLIAMENT.

Although the country was still in a disturbed state, and seditious
meetings were held on every hand, yet the elections proceeded without
any acts of outrageous violence. The result of the elections was that
opposition gained a slight accession of strength; but the new parliament
appeared to take the complexion of that by which it had been preceded.
Its members began to assemble on the 21st of April; but the session was
not opened until the 27th of that month. On that day the king declared
in his speech that he should follow the example of his father in
solicitude for the welfare of the nation, and that the regal dignity
should be supported without any additional burdens on the people. He
expressed a determination to maintain public peace and tranquillity,
lamented the pressure of distress and the prevalence of sedition, and
concluded with a hope that the misguided multitude might be brought
back to a sense of their errors. The usual addresses were carried
unanimously.

BILLS FOR AMENDING THE CRIMINAL CODE.

Early this session Sir James Mackintosh moved for leave to bring in six
bills, founded on the suggestions of the committee appointed by the last
parliament to consider the important subject of the amendment of our
criminal code. Three of these bills passed into law. The first of these
was to repeal the act by which private st