In “The South Wales Baptist College” by Prof. D. Mervyn Himbury he apparently refers to the letter written by Micah Thomas to Lord Normanby dated 22nd January, 1840,
pleading for the life of the Chartist, John Frost. In it he says that he has
ever been an unflinching and devoted advocate of Reform and of both Earl Grey’s
and Lord Melbourne’s administrations. He denies any personal connection with
Chartism or Frost of whom he says: “Probably in his best days, he was too ardent
and enthusiastic in his political zeal, even when his aims were truly liberal
and praiseworthy, and he evidently was a man of inflexible resolution and
indomitable courage, which courage seems never to have forsaken him except, I
would earnestly wish to hope, when, to him, the unlooked for attack of his
deluded associates on the Westgate Hotel, transpired!”
David William also refers to the letter in his John Frost A study in Chartism.
He refers to the great public interest in Frost's case and then continues
South Wales naturally shared in this activity, and among its petitions was a very remarkable one from the Reverend Micah Thomas, for thirty years the principal of the Baptist Academy at Abergavenny. It was couched in humble terms, yet it glowed with conviction in the justice of his plea. He had been a keen advocate of reform, but had always abhorred violence, he said. His personal acquaintance with Frost was slight, but he knew of him as a man of inflexible resolution and indomitable courage, which had never forsaken him until the unlooked-for attack of his deluded associates on the Westgate Hotel. The failure of his courage then implied something favourable on the score of intention. He had a fair and honourable reputation in private life and was justly reputed for his humanity. Personal and local prejudice against him raged and predominated, said the petitioner, and the Tories, in their hatred of the government, would gladly sacrifice him on the gibbet in order to drive the people to desperation. A pardon alone would pacify the country, and would be in the interests of the government itself.
Frost owed his life to the intervention of the Lord Chief Justice, who had vainly tried to save him at Monmouth. Possibly the Home Secretary was not uninfluenced also by Micah Thomas, for he took the unusual course of informing him personally of the change.
David William also refers to the letter in his John Frost A study in Chartism.
He refers to the great public interest in Frost's case and then continues
South Wales naturally shared in this activity, and among its petitions was a very remarkable one from the Reverend Micah Thomas, for thirty years the principal of the Baptist Academy at Abergavenny. It was couched in humble terms, yet it glowed with conviction in the justice of his plea. He had been a keen advocate of reform, but had always abhorred violence, he said. His personal acquaintance with Frost was slight, but he knew of him as a man of inflexible resolution and indomitable courage, which had never forsaken him until the unlooked-for attack of his deluded associates on the Westgate Hotel. The failure of his courage then implied something favourable on the score of intention. He had a fair and honourable reputation in private life and was justly reputed for his humanity. Personal and local prejudice against him raged and predominated, said the petitioner, and the Tories, in their hatred of the government, would gladly sacrifice him on the gibbet in order to drive the people to desperation. A pardon alone would pacify the country, and would be in the interests of the government itself.
Frost owed his life to the intervention of the Lord Chief Justice, who had vainly tried to save him at Monmouth. Possibly the Home Secretary was not uninfluenced also by Micah Thomas, for he took the unusual course of informing him personally of the change.
