On Sunday evening, the keeper, Mr. Newman, whose gentleness towards him Mr. Bellingham was forward to acknowledge, furnished him with pen, ink, and paper, in order to enable him to put into writing any thing that he might have to communicate. He had now his hardest task to perform. The writing to his wife, who and his three children were at Liverpool, and whom he was never again to see. It was now, as you will feel, that he wanted support; this was the most trying circumstance of all; and, in this trying circumstance, he was in a cell gloomy from its hue, shape, and strength, and rendered doubly gloomy by the taper that lighted it. Here it was, that, loaded with irons, alone, and at the hour of midnight, with the certainty that he had only eight or nine hours to live, that he took pen in hand to bid farewell to his wife and children, which he did in these words:

terrible sentence of death, and after death,
culting up by the surgeons, all which the
prisoner heard with a calm and unruffled
countenance, and without moving a muscle.
This awful ceremony being over, he was
taken back to the jail; not, however, to the
room wherein he had been before, but to
one of those dismal places called condemned
cells. It was now Friday evening, the
trial having lasted the whole of the day,
and the prisoner had to live only till the
next Monday morning at eight o'clock; that
is to say, only sixty-three hours. He had
come out of court very much exhausted in
strength and in a profuse sweat. When he
came to the cell (which he eyed with some
surprise) he asked for a dish of lea; but,
he was told (and with perfect truth), that
there was an act of parliament (passed in
the 25th year of George II.) positively for-
bidding the supplying him with any nou-
rishment other than bread and water, a
sufficient quantity of which being brought,
he ate and drank very heartily, and, at the
proper hour, laid down upon his bed and
slept soundly till about six o'clock in the
morning. The Saturday and Sunday he
passed in the same tranquil state of mind.
The same act of parliament, which confines
to bread and water the diet and drink of
persons condemned for murder, also prohi-
bits their being visited by any body but the
keeper and his servants. A relaxation is,
however, sometimes allowed; and a few
persons appear, from printed statements,
to have been admitted to Bellingham. On
Sunday, about noon, Mr. Wood, an alder-
man of London, visited him in company.
with one of the Sheriffs. Mr. Wood asked

him how he did, to which he answered,
❝ as well as a man can do who has nothing
"but bread and water to live upon." He
added: "The Government think to inli-
"midate me; but they will find themselves
"deceived. I have thought of all these
"circumstances before I came here."

"MY BLESSED MARY,

"It rejoiced me beyond measure to hear "you are likely to be well provided for, cipate in, and mitigate your sorrows; I "I am sure the public at large will parti

66

assure you, my love, my sincerest endeawelfare.-As we shall not meet any "vours have ever been directed to your more in this world, I sincerely hope we "shall do so in the world to come.-My blessing to the boys, with kind remem"brance to Miss Stevens, for whom I have uniform affection for them. With the "the greatest regard in consequence of her purest of intentions it has always been my misfortune to be thwarted, misrepreever, we feel a happy prospect of comsented, and ill used in life; but, how"pensation, in a speedy translation to life eternal. It's not possible to be more calm or placid than I feel, and nine hours more will waft me to those happy "shores where bliss is without alloy. "Your ever affectionate

66

"JOHN BELLINGHAM. "Sunday night, eleven o'clock.

"Dr. Ford will forward you my watch, prayer-book, with a guinea and note.-"Once more, God be with you, my sweet Mary.-The public sympathize much for "me, but I have been called upon to play "an anxious card in life."

During part of Sunday he was attended by a Clergynian, named Dr. Ford, who is what is called the Ordinary of the Prison, that is to say, the person who acts as parson to the prisoners. Mr. Bellingham was very religious; prayed frequently; and took the Sacrament at the hands of Dr. Ford. He" frequently confessed his sorrow for the afflictions he had occasioned in Mr. Perceval's family; but, though often pressed upon the point, he never could be brought to acknowledge that he had acted wrong in taking the life of that Minister, whom, to his last breath, he accused of being the cause of the melancholy catastrophe.

After writing this letter, he went calmly to bed and to sleep, as if nothing extraordinary was to be expected in the morning. While he was sleeping, preparations were making for his execution. And, I should

|

"Whitehall, May 19, 1812. "Whereas it has been humbly repre"sented to his Royal Highness the Prince "Regent, that the following anonymous "threatening Letters have been sent to the " 'Right Hon. Colonel McMahon.

""Provisions cheaper-Bread or Blood "Tell your Master he is a Damn'd un"feeling Scoundrel, and if he don't attend "to the above, Death shall be his portion,

and that soon, it's come to the point 66 now, and we are determined to strike "the decisive blow.

now observe to you, that, during the Trial,
on the Friday, troops had been placed in
readiness, at no great distance from the
Sessions House where he was tried.. For
the time of execution a larger portion of
troops appear to have been provided.
"The Guards" (amounting to some thou-
sands) "were all in motion by five o'clock,
"and many bodies of military were as-
"sembled by six, taking their stations in
"convenient places, least likely to excite
"public attention."* In passing the sen-
tence, the Recorder told the prisoner, that
he was to be "taken to a place of execu-
"tion;" not "the place of execution;""
and, on the Saturday and Sunday, it was
given out, in many of the public prints,
that the execution was to take place at Pa-
lace Yard, that is, just by the Houses of
Parliament, and at two miles distance from
the jail of Newgate, which giving-out was
evidently intended to draw off the people
from the real place of execution, which
was close by the jail.

"May 12, 1812. "Vox Populi." Addressed to Colonel M'Mahon,

Take

"Carlton-House, Pall Mall. ""George Prince of Wales. "care of yourself for your Life is in danger, you shall meet the same fate as "Mr. Perceval if Billenghall is hung be"fore this reach you. You blackguard

you shall be shot before three months is "elapsed if Billenghall is hung you shall "be shot as sure as I remain, an Enemy "to all the damned Royal Family.' "Addressed to his Royal High

ness the Prince Regent.
"With Speed.

Windsor.

You will naturally ask, "why all these "precautions; and especially, why a mili tary force to aid in the execution of a man "condemned for murder?" I have already given you some account of the behaviour of the people assembled round the "His Royal Highness, for the better parliament-house. The same spirit mani- "apprehending and bringing to justice the fested itself in several parts of the country. 66 persons concerned in writing and sending When the news arrived at Nottingham (the "the anonymous letters above-mentioned, capital of Nottinghamshire), great crowds. "is hereby pleased, in the name and on are said to have assembled, and the joy of "the behalf of his Majesty, to promise his the people is said to have been expressed "Majesty's most gracious pardon to any by the ringing of the church bells, making one of them (except the person who acof bonfires, shouting, &c. &c. "tually wrote the said letters) who shall "discover his, her, or their accomplice

The re

66

or accomplices therein, so that he, she, or they may be apprehended and convicted thereof.

joicing at this place was, it appears, put an end to, or, at least, interrupted, by the calling out of soldiers to disperse the people. In several other parts of the kingdom, open R. RYDER. demonstrations of the same spirit have been "And, as a further encouragement, a stated to have been shewn, especially at "reward of ONE THOUSAND POUNDS is Leicester (the capital of Leicestershire)," hereby offered to any person making and at Truro, not far from the Land's End "such discovery as aforesaid (except as is in Cornwall. In London it was stated," before excepted), to be paid on the conthat there were written against the walls,"viction of any one or more of the of"Rescue Bellingham, or die;" while some "fenders by the Right Hon. the Lords persons were sending threatening letters to "Commissioners of his Majesty's Treathe Prince of Wales (now the Regent)" sury." himself, and to him through his Secretary, Colonel M'Mahon. Two of these letters (for there may have been more) have been published by the Government, accompanied with an offer of a reward for discovering the offender. The whole of this publication was as follows:

* COURIER, 18th May, 1812.

You will easily guess how great the alarm of the government must have been to have made them resolve upon giving these letters to the world in an official form! Before they did this, they must have had very good reason for believing, that the letters spoke the sentiments of more than one or two or three people! Hence all the precautions as lo troops, as

to not clearly designating the place of ex- retired into another adjoining, at the reeculion, and many other precautions taken quest of the Lord Mayor, who with the upon this occasion. To any of the reflec- Sheriffs and five or six other persons, tions, naturally excited by the existence of a went into the room, when the following necessity for such precautions, I shall not communication with the Prisoner took give way. It is hard to restrain myself; place. Mr. SHERIFF BIRCH, after some prebut, I am engaged in a narrative of mere vious remarks applicable to it, said," The facts, and will not suffer myself to be" public mind, Mr. Bellingham, requires drawn into an expression of feelings and "to be satisfied upon a most important opinions. point, whether any other person was in While the troops were marching to their" any degree connected with you in this stations; while hundreds of special con- "dreadful deed, and whether it was perstables, sworn in for the occasion, were "petrated on any public ground?"flocking to the scene of death; while the Bellingham, who stood very firmly, and carpenters and smiths were, from half-past who, with an unaltered countenance, attentwo o'clock in the morning, disturbing the tively and respectfully listened to what was neighbourhood with their dreadful prepa- said, replied in a firm tone of voice, rations, he, who was the cause of all this Certainly not." -SHERIFF HEYGATE. anxiety and turmoil, was sleeping sound in "" Then it was your own affair-it was his cell, and," upon being called between" from personal resentment."—Bellingham "six and seven, said he was called too appeared hurt at the latter expression; and "" soon." after repeating the words" personal re

66

66

66

In about an hour afterwards, the two Sheriffs, Messrs. BIRCH and HEY- sentment," with an indignant, or rather GATE, accompanied by the Lord Mayor of dignified tone, said, "I bore no resentment London and about twenty other persons, "to Mr. Perceval as a man-and as a man chiefly of the nobility, who had, it seems, "I am sorry for his fate. I was referred obtained permission to be present upon this "from Minister to Minister, from Office to occasion, came to the prison and went into "Office, and at length refused redress for the yard into which the door way to Bel-" my grievances. It was my own sufferlingham's cell opens. He soon afterwards "ings that caused the melancholy event; came out with Dr. Ford; and, it being a " and I hope it will be a warning to future very wet morning, he, looking up, said," Ministers, to attend to the applications with perfect coolness, "Ah! it rains" and prayers of those who suffer by cp"hard!" He then (says the published "pression. Had my Petition been brought account which I now follow), by desire of " into Parliament, this catastrophe would one of the Turnkeys, placed his foot firmly "not have happened. I am sorry for the upon an anvil, in order to have his irons "sufferings I have caused to Mr. Perceval's struck off, which were uncommonly heavy. family and friends.". -Mr. SHERIFF While the man was striking the bolts out, HEYGATE." It would be right they he repeatedly said "mind, mind-take" should know you feel so much regret."-"care, take care," as if feeling pain from BELLINGHAM." You may communicate the blows of the hammer. Frequently he" it-I wish them to know it."--SHERIFF looked up to the sky.In knocking off his irons, the man who performed that office, at one time experienced much difficulty in driving the rivetted bolts through one of the rings which encircled his feet; man ought to do."- -SHERIFY HEYupon which Bellingham, with the greatest GATE.- You know, that to take away the composure, said to him-" strike in the life of a man unlawfully, is a heinous 66 centre, and more firmly, and then you "crime."-BELLINGHAM." The Scrip"will accomplish it."-While this was tures, you know, Sir, say that."doing, he several times eyed the Noblemen "SHERIFF HEYGATE." I hope you have and Gentlemen who were standing round," made your peace with God, and that by with great steadiness, and with a dignified" your repentance you will meet the Alair. His face possessed the same cha-"mighty with a pure soul."-BELLINGracter and colour as on Friday during HAM. No one can presume to do that, his trial-No emotions of fear or compunc- Sir. No mortal can be pure in his tion were visible. After he was liberated" sight; only our Saviour went from this from his fetters, he returned quickly, but "world into his presence with a pure spinot at all hurriedly, into the room, when "rit." Here he seemed desirous of quitmost of the spectators in the yard "ting the room to meet his fate, and turn

HEYGATE." I hope you feel deep contri"tion for the deed?"Upon which the prisoner, assuming an attitude of considerable dignity) said, I hope, Sir, I feel as a

66

66

"tant.

66

"ing to the Sheriffs, with a mild but firm that they proceeded from the very bottom tone, said, "Gentlemen, I am quite ready." of the soul. After hanging an hour (being He had now to shew himself to the pub-the usual time) the body was cut down, lic for the last time; and he did it with the and, as it sunk from the sight of the peosame calmness and intrepidity, which had ple, a considerable number exclaimed, marked his conduct in every stage of the Bellingham for ever! So auxi last week of his life. He went from the ous," it is stated, were many persons jail door to the scaffold (only a few paces)," to possess some relic of the deceased, which he mounted (about ten feet from the" that the great coat in which he was exground) with firm step; with a counte- "ecuted has been sold for ten pounds, and nance perfectly cheerful, but having no air" that the other parts of his dress have of carelessness or obduracy; he looked at-" been bought at a price equally exorbitentively at the people, who were assem"It is a singular fact," says bled to the amount of many thousands, who another public print, "that after the body filled the opposite windows and the para- "of Bellingham was opened, it was nopets of the houses, and who, notwithstand-"ticed that his heart continued to perform ing an almost continual heavy rain, crowd-its functions, or in other words, to be ed the sort of triangle which the streets here" alive four hours after he was laid open. form, as thick as they could well stand The expanding and contracting powers upon the ground. The prisoner was ae- "continued perceptible till one o'clock in companied on the scaffold by the ordinary" the day; a proof of the steady, undisand the executioner, the former of whom "mayed character which he preserved to now asked him if he had any thing more to "the last gasp. It is said of some men, say; when he again began his complaints" that the heart dies within them, but about Russia; but, being reminded that he here the energies remained when life had nothing more to think about in this was extinct.' world, and being asked how he felt, he answered, "that he thanked God for hav❝ing enabled him to meet his fate with so "much fortitude and resignation." After this, the executioner was proceeding to pull down the cap (which is put on upon such occasions) over Bellingham's face, against which the latter is said to have remonstrated, wishing, apparently, to die without his face being hidden. This wish, however, could not, without violating a general rule, be complied with, and the executioner proceeded to pull down the cap. It was now, at the moment that he was going out of the world; at the moment when he was expecting every breath to be his last, that his ears were saluted with, "God bless you! That you and your's and all our friends "God bless you! God Almighty bless you! may enjoy every earthly blessing, and, "God Almighty bless you!" issuing from above all, that you may continue to enjoy the lips of thousands. It has been said, in and justly to prize that greatest of all blessthe London news-papers, that these bene-ings, LIBERTY, without which life is not dictions were uttered by about twenty persons. I, my friend, tell you the truth, when I say, that the whole assemblage appeared, at least, to have but one voice; and when I tell you, that the earnest, the anxious, the heart-rending looks, together with the sound of the voice, with which these blessings were pronounced, proved

Thus, my friend, have I given you what I am convinced is a perfectly true account of this memorable transaction. I have confined myself to a bare narrative of facts; and I have, to the best of my knowledge and ability, placed those facts before you in their true light. As to the act of assassination, in itself considered, let who will be its object, it cannot fail to excite horror in every mind not inured to blood; and, notwithstanding the demonstrations of the people of England upon this occasion, I am persuaded, that they have as great a horror at the shedding of blood as have the people of Pennsylvania themselves.

worth having, and of which I have (for
you know what) so long been wholly de-
prived, is the sincere prayer of your
friend,
WM, COBBETT.

State Prison, Newgate,
Friday, 22d May, 1812.

Published by R. BAGSHAW, Brydges-Street, Covent-Garden.
LONDON: Printed by J. M'Creery, Black-Horse-Court, Fleet-street.

VOL. XXI. No. 22.] LONDON, SATURDAY, MAY 30, 1812.

"It was my own sufferings that caused the melancholy event; and I hope it will be a warning "to future ministers, to attend to the applications and prayers of those who suffer by oppression." —Bellingham's dying words.

The letters, which I, some time ago ad-years; he states that he was, in one case, dressed to your Royal Highness, have, I am inclined to believe, produced a due share of effect, and this belief encourages me to address you again. The subject upon which I then wrote was of great importauce; but, that, upon which I now propose to write, is of far greater importance.