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The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol.III. / From the Accession of George III. to the Twenty-Third Year of the Reign of Queen Victoria cover

The History of England in Three Volumes, Vol.III. / From the Accession of George III. to the Twenty-Third Year of the Reign of Queen Victoria

Chapter 575: TRIAL OF COLONEL DESPARD.
By Edward Farr
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About This Book

The volume traces British political, parliamentary, and military developments from the accession of George III through the early nineteenth century, chronicling changes of ministry and cabinet, debates over colonial taxation and the American conflict, parliamentary controversies involving figures such as Wilkes and Warren Hastings, questions of Catholic relief and slave-trade abolition, and responses to the French Revolution and Napoleonic wars, including major naval and continental campaigns, the union with Ireland, and domestic legislation on finance, civil liberties, and parliamentary reform.

TRIAL OF COLONEL DESPARD.

A.D. 1803

During the month of November in the preceding year, a conspiracy against the king and government was discovered. This originated with Colonel Despard, an officer of courage and ability, who, having been reduced in circumstances, on account of the abolition of an office held by him on the coast of Honduras, organized a society in London for the subversion of that tyranny which he attributed to the ministers of his sovereign. In the scheme proposed by him, his objects were the constitutional independence of Great Britain and Ireland; an equalization and extension of rights; a liberal reward to all who would exert themselves in the cause of the people; and an ample provision for the families of those who might fall in the cause. Despard, however, with twenty-nine of his followers were arrested in the act of deliberating on the execution of their designs; and in the month of February of this year were tried by a special commission. The colonel himself was found guilty, and executed, as were also six of his associates; the rest were either acquitted by the jury, or were pardoned on their recommendation.