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apprized of the Criminal's being a Roman Catholic, when I granted
him a Reprieve; but really if I had, I do not think I should have
ordered him to be executed purely on that Account: For, tho' my
own Principles, as well as Duty, will incline and oblige me to coun-
tenance and encourage, as much as lies in my Power, the Propaga-
tion of the Established Religion; yet, I cannot promise you, that
either in administring Justice I will distinguish one Sect from
another, or that when a Person appears, or may be represented to
me, as a proper Object of Mercy, it shall be my first Enquiry,
Whether he is of the same Sentiments in Religion as myself. What
has been already said, would, I am inclined to think, convince every
impartial Person, that you have not even yet elucidated the First of
the Three particular Facts, which were, according to your Account,
notorious Instances of the Prevalence and Power of a Popish Fac-
tion, and of Partiality shewn them. But, lest you should be dis-
pleased at my having hesitated to believe what you advanced in your
first Address on this Subject, till you should produce some extraor-
dinary Evidence in Support of the Facts, then barely asserted, I
shall communicate to you what I know for certain in Relation to this
Affair, and am not without Hopes, that you yourselves will, on
perusing it, excuse my Incredulity: After Edward Caster, the Of-
fender mentioned so often, had been convicted of Felony, and there-
upon condemned, his Wife came to Annapolis, and in the most
pathetic Terms implored Mercy for her Husband, and intreated me
to pity herself and Family, who, by the Execution of the Sentence
pronounced against him, would be reduced to the utmost Distress
and Misery. I must acknowledge I could not see and hear the
wretched Woman without some Emotion; and, tho' it should be
deemed a Fault, I will not deny that I told her, if she could get the
Judges, who condemned her Husband, to make any Representation
in his Favour, I should, perhaps, be prevailed on to extend my Mercy
towards him: Upon this, the poor affectionate Wife hastened to
throw herself at the Feet of the Gentlemen, by whose Intercession
alone she found her Husband could be saved; and, addressing her-
self to them severally, as she had done to me, at length prevailed
with them to shew that they were not insensible or destitute of
Humanity, and to take such a Step as tended to alleviate her Afflic-
tions, and expose themselves (as it has proved) to the Censure of
some who were pleased to take Offence thereat. As M.r Key seems
to be more particularly hinted at in your Address than the other
Gentlemen, I must do him the Justice to observe to you, that he was
the last that signed the Petition, and moreover, wrote to me, desiring
the Criminal might receive no Benefit therefrom, unless he should
immediately depart the Province, and never return again; which
Condition, I presume, was accordingly complied with.
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L.H.J.
Liber No. 48
April 24
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