Portrait of William Davidson.William Davidson (d. 1820) was one of the men arrested for involvement in the Cato Street Conspiracy of 1820. The conspirators had planned to assassinate the entire British cabinet; but were arrested at their hideout in Cato Street; London; having been betrayed by a government spy. Davidson; shown here in an engraving after a portrait by Abraham Wivell (d. 1849); was the son of the former Attorney-General of Jamaica. Davidson maintained his innocence throughout his trial but; having been convicted of committing high treason; was asked by the judge why he should not be sentenced to death. Invoking Magna Carta; Davidson likened his co-conspirators to the twenty-five barons nominated in clause 61 to uphold the Great Charter. In Davidson's view; the King's ministers could be called to account if they breached the rights of the people; and this did not amount to.London: Thomas Kelly; 1820.From: George Theodore Wilkinson; An authentic History of the Cato-Street Conspiracy; with the trials at large of the conspirators for high treason and murder; a description of their weapons and combustible machines; and every particular connected with. the horrid plot. With portraits of all the conspirators. and other engravings.6495. aaa. 42 plate opposite page 339London; British Library.