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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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On the 26 th November , 1824 , Mr . Angelini , Professor of Languages , came before the Lord Mayor at the Mansion House , and made a statement to the following effect : My Lord , he who has violated the law ought to perish by the sword of justice . Mr . Fauntleroy ought to perish by the sword of justice . If ,
however , another takes his place , I think justice ought to be satisfied . Now , I devote myself for Mr . Fauntleroy . I take upon myself hi 3 crime , and I wish to die to save him . He is a father , he is a citizen , his life is useful . Mine is a burden to the world . I am in good health , my mental faculties are unimpaired . I do not ask this in order to get my action spoken of , but I apply for it as a favour .
Mr . Angelini proceeded to support this request to die on the scaffold , with great energy of manner and uncommon external manifestation of sincerity . The Lord Mayor expressed his surprise at so astonishing an application , and stated his doubts as to the soundness of the petitioner ' s faculties . —Mr . Angelini vehemently assured his Lordship of the perfect condition of his understanding . " Accordez moi cette grace , " said he , "j ' ai tout mon
tete * " He was informed that it was contrary to all justice , and to all practice too , as a man of his education might have known , that the life of an innocent person should be taken as a substitute for that of one who was guilty , however disposed the innocent person might be to make the sacrifice . —Mr . Angelini pleaded the example of Jesus Christ dying in the room of the guilty , and other considerations without effect .
On the day following he introduced himself to the Ordinary of Newgate , saying , that he had come to take the place of the convict , as he was very anxious that that person's life should be saved in consideration of his wife and family . Such is the historical fact , as narrated in the public prints of the day . Now supposing the conversation with the Ordinary to have been prolonged , might it not have been to the following purport ? We by no means allege that any such conversation took place ; for
the truth is , that the Ordinary was then about to administer the Sacrament : and after remonstrating with Mr . Angelini on the absurdity of the application , on finding that the more objections he stated , the more noisy he became , he left him , desiring one of the officers to talk to him on the subject . Angelini , after some expressions of regret at not being allowed to die on the scaffold , suddenly quitted the prison , into which he had gained admission upon the strength of the Lord Mayor ' s name .
For the elucidation , however , of the principles of Angelini ' s application and , the Lord Mayor ' s refusal , without presuming to take the smallest liberty with the Reverend Ordinary , we shall suppose the conversation to have proceeded with a fictitious personage holding his important office .
The Reverend Ordinary and Mr . Atyyelini . Scene—Newgate . Ordinary * Upon what principles is it , Mr , Angelini , that you persist in making this very extraordinary application ? $ r , Anyelim , V ^ ry ex trapr < Jipary application !
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VICARIOUS PUNISHMENT .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), July 2, 1827, page 487, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1798/page/14/
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