Thomas Daniels, the person named in the Pamphlet hereunto annexed,Intitled, "The Affecting Case of the unfortunate Thomas Daniels &c."maketh Oath and saith that the said Pamphlet (containing twenty-fourpages) is a just and faithful Narrative of his Case; and that the sameis published at his particular desire of having the Public trulyinformed of the whole and every circumstance of his case, with a view tothe removing all unfavourable prejudices against him.
The calamitous circumstance of having been condemned to death by thelaws of his country, for the most hateful of all crimes; and his mostextraordinary deliverance from an ignominious fate, and being restoredto liberty unconditionally and free! will naturally render the case ofThomas Daniels a subject of eager curiosity and warm debate. Thatpersons in the superior stations of life should sometimes find means toevade the punishments incurred by infringing the laws of their country,and by disturbing the order of society, does not greatly excite ourwonder; an experience of the manners and customs of the world, occasionsour hearing such instances as things of course; we make a naturalreflection or two on the occasions, and think no more of them. But whena person in one of the lowest classes of mankind, by a fatal accident,appears before a court of justice with apparent evidences of guilt,sufficient to influence a jury of his impartial countrymen to sentencehim to the most severe penalty the law can inflict; when this man,meerly from the advantage of a good character in the narrow circle ofhis acquaintance, and from a re-examination into the probability of thefact, for which he was condemned, shall have the inferences drawn fromthe depositions on his trial, totally invalidated, so that the sentencepassed on him is freely remitted! it is such a sanction of hisinnocence, that it would be cruel and unjust, in particulars, afterwardto retain any suspicions injurious to him.
It ought to be principally attended to in this affair, that his Majesty,whose regal virtues are so generally known and acknowledged, cannotappear in a more amiable view, than in the attention with which he issaid to have endeavoured to discover the merits of the intercession madefor this poor convict. An instance which, as it may be deemed tootrivial to engage any particular share of princely consideration, yet iscertainly one of the truly par