Star. — London, England, 1822-08-13 00:00:00

F ~I , ,1 r 1 ! . ek t„ is' .‘ kj~= i ~, 1 4 • : . e , s 1 tia .1 LAMENTABLE DEATH OF THE MARQUIS OF .LONDONDERRY. /ROM A MORNING PAPER. The deepest sensation was created yesterday, wham the account of the death of the Marquis of Losnow' nettav was received in town. So utterly unexpected was such an event, that for some time it did not ob--i tarn belief. All doubt, however, was soon removed. and the melancholy certainty of the fact excited a strong feeling of mournful kindness,..not only among those who were favourably disposed to his Lordship, from political bias, and the ties of official employ ment, but among the great mass of the people. Death indeed is a great conciliator—and he must be indeed a relentless partisan in the rear of• politics, whom death does not disarm of his resentments —at least for a time. His Lordship's life has been so entirely public, from his very boyhood, that little can be said of him which has not appeared in the passing history of the ' last thirty-five years: of Ireland, the country of his birth, up to the Union, and of England, since that important political measure, in the carrying of which he had so great a share. , The first occasion in which he played an active or conspicuous' part was the disastrous one of the Irish rebellion. We will net enter upon this topic, either to exculpate or accuse, further than barely to express our belief that,when the atrocities of that period shall come to be impartially told (should that time ever arrive), it will be found that Lord CABTLERBAGII re ceived more than his proper share of the odium justly excited by the barbarities of that rebellion. The Se cretary was the visible and acting arm of the Go vernment—upon him was heaped the odium of all that was done by the ruffian satellites of the Gover nment, in authority beneath him, and of all that was resolved in Council above. We shall not take upon us to measure out his Lordship's share in these un happy transactions; but we will say that he has been the victim, on this point, of obloquy and injustice. It was remarkable that this was the only topic which ever rued his temper in debate. An imputation upon him for his share in Irish po litics at that period, thrown out from the Opposition benches, instantly called the blood into his cheeks, and drew from him such an answer as apprised the assailant he was treading upon more delicate and perilous ground than that of ordinary political con tention. His participation in the Union is another accusation against him. To examine this point would be to examine the measure itself, which we are little disposed to do at this time of day. Since the Union, , his political life has been constAntly under the eye of the British Public The most interesting light in which he can he viewed is that of a speaker in Parliament: with few qualities of an orator, he was an effective, and some times even might be called a shining debater. The engaging nobleness of his person and manners gave weight in him to what would have dropped unno ticed from another. His imperturbable sangfroid, and tine tact, whilst they prevented his committing himself, gave him frequent advantages over the coarser perceptions and less governed temper of an adversary: be sometimes, too, obtained a triumph in pure dialectic., by discovering a fallacy or a weak ness in the matter of his opponent's speech, or by an unexpected and hard retort. But his general manner was bad. From an early and unhappy affectation of Mr. Pirr's amplified and invalued, but still clear and powerful declamation, he adopted, or rather con tracted, a habit of obscuring his meaning in a cloud of words—parenthe s is within parenthesis—imperfect I and incongruous metaphors, and a loose and inap propriate, and even whimsically forced use of the vocabulary of the English language. He seldom turned a period—but either abandoned it unfinished, or closed it with something wholly alien to its beginning. Another defective peculiarity in him was, that his oratory was utterly illiterate. He appeared as if he had never read anything in print— except the papers printed for the public service, or the use of the House. He sometimes developed an important proposition for the consideration of the House in a comprehensive and even luminous man• ner, in spite of the habitual looseness of his style.— His speech on proposing to open the trade to India was much praised, at the time, for the soundness of ir.) general commercial principles, and its detail of facts. But still vagueness and obscurity formed the prevailing character of his speeches. Sometimes, perhaps, he was designedly obscure, as if he thought with the French epigram, that the use of language was to conceal our thoughts." Eulogy was his most successful walk in public speaking. Some of his speeches, on moving thanks to our Commanders and troops during the late war, were in an elegant taste, and marked by a happy choice of topics. In moving thanks after one of the British victories, lie stated the following trait :—After the battle, some Eaglish and French soldiers, who happened to seek the same rivulet to slake their thirst, upon meeting on opposite banks, shook havals across the stream in mu tual congratulation of their valour. His mention of this incident strongly affected the sensibility of the House. His temperament was peculiar—at once im passive and intiepid—..nothing provoked, nothing daunted him. He had that steady disregard of per sonal danger, which is the spring of enterprize, and without which a public man s tenure of public cha racter is uncertain indeed. In private life he is said to have been estimable and amiable. His intercourse by letters with some of his early private friends in Ireland was kind and engaging, and without the slightest change of tone from his elevation in this country. He has never been what may be called a popular Minister, and in Ireland opinion once ran violently against him. But within a very few years a great change had taken place in the feelings of ilia Irish towards him. He bad even, obtained some d♦ grce of popularity, which seemed to have given him remarkable gratification. His Lordship was only in his fifty-fourth year, and has left no issue. He is suc ceeded by his brdther, Lord Szawaan in his for tune and titles. -. His Lordship was making active preparations for proceeding to the Continent, m order to be present at the approaching Congress. He had even appo in t e d M hursday next for his departure, and a steam-packet was engaged to convey himself and suite on that day to Calais. On Sunday he observed. to some persons about him that be felt chilly, and that be feared h e had taken a fresh cold. Thole itympteems.lowevara • seemed to leave him towards evening, and he retired to rest apparently in good health. Yesterday morning .be rose at his aspl hour and causuclovrn to breakfast, bat he had not sat more than a quarter of an hour, when he was seized with what seemed to be a violent spasmodic affection of the stomach, and in ten mi nutes he was a corpse. FURTHER PARTICULARS. It gives us great pain to add the following particu larly melancholy account relating to the death of the Marquis of LONIXINDIRRI, received froim a Tarter we can depend on : The Marquis was observed tole very kW-spirited on Friday and Saturday last, and would often say that he was surrounded by spies, and inquire who was in the house, as he was sure there were people watching him; and on being informed that his Pri vate Secretary was down stairs, he said there were other people as well. Last Sunday he took a walk; when he came home he was very incoherent in his conversation. His attendants removed every means of self-destruction out of his reach. His pistols were taken away, and it was supposed that nothing was left in his reach of a destructive nature. On coming ' out of his room yesterday morning, and going into his dressing-room, Dr. BANKHEAD followed him ; and just as they got in, the Marquis said, " It is of no ase," and immediately fell into the Doctor's arms, and was a corpse in a moment. It was discovered that he had cut the carotid artery, which leads to the brain, with a small penknife, with the point , turned the reverse way to what they usually ate, which he had taken out of his writing-desk. He was expected to go to Vienna, to the Congress, the latter end of this week, which• preyed on his mind very much.— He observed to a Gentleman at the House of Com mons, on Tuesday, that the very harassing Session, they had just finished, would be the death of him. NORTH CRAY—Monday—Ten o'Clock at Night. Up to this moment all has been alarm and confu sion at this place.. The melancholy catastrophe of the morning, Lady LONDONDERRY'S sufferings, and the lamentations of the domestics, present a scene of-the most heart-:ending affliction. Every instant arrivals from town take place, and messengers are dispatched thither. We have been anxious to procure the most authentic information, and although the greatest secret) , is observed, and the strictest caution issued to prevent communication, we have with the deepest lures to announce, with confidence, that the worst ofAhe reports ,in circulation since t he morning are, unhappily, too true ; and that the Mai quis of Lox- DON Dittlir, in a fit of delirium, has deprived himself Of life I The fatal event was accomplished during the momentary absence of his dotnestics ; and, though an instantaneous discovery took place, and Dr. BA NE ugAv(who was in the - holse) hastened to his Lord ship's assistance, nothing could be done to preserve existence. Most of the reports state that the instru ment of destruction was a razor. On Friday last the Marquis was in London to take leave of his MAJESTY, and on his return home com plained of illness. Some of the persons in his esta blishment, that day, remarked that his looks seemed to betray great agitation of mind. Dr. BANKIIEAD, who had been for many years his Lordship's Physi cian, was immediately sent for, and continued in at tendance to the last. On arturday his illness seemed to increase, accompanied with much fever. On Sun day a n.ore favourable turn took place, and, as we have heard, on Sunday night he slept well, and ap peared early this morning considerably better. It is said, that at seven o'clock this morning' he was so much recovered, that the Marquis called for breakfast, of which he pa; took .with appetite and apparent sari faction. At eight o'clock, when the Marchioness left the apartment fur a moment, the act of destruction took place. It was • instantly dis covered, and one of his footmen supported him until Dr. BANKIMAD was called. After some struggles of expiring nature, a glimpse of reason appeared to re turn. He pressed Dr. BANKIIEAD'S hand, and said, " Doctor, I die a happy man." Dr.l.lmircuEato, with another Gentleman, imme diately proceeded to London, from whence the former returned about seven in the evening. It is impossible to describe the anguish of the Marchioness. She rushed to the body of her dear Lord—clung to it in spite of all resistance, and it was not for some time, and without much difficulty, that she could be rescued from thepainful scene. We understand that she has continued almost in a state of delirium during the day. The sister of the Marchioness,• Lady &F -rump, has been staying at North Cray since the pro rogation of Parliament. Her services at this moment of affliction are invaluable, and we sincerely hope that they may be effectual in restoring the peace of, her sister's mind. Miss FITZROY and Miss NAPIER have also been for a short time domesticated here; so that all the valua ble aid of female attentions are fortunately at hand. Lady Mown. EDGCUMBE arrived at five o'clock. Mr. PLANTA, the private secretary to the Marquis, was on his way from Hastings to London, and having heard at Bromley of the melancholy event, he came instantly across the country, and arrived at the house at twelve. This Gentleman's presence, so unlocked for, yet desirable, was considered of great value in the delicate circumstances of the moment, Lord CLANWILLIAM was busied during the day in consul tation with Mr. PLANTA, and in making the neces sary arrangements. Mr. Gamic, the confidential So licitor of the Marquis, was sent for without delay, and he reached North Cray at six o'clock. He then remained, for some time, in consultation with Lord CLANWILLIAM and Mr. PLANTA. Until Mr. GIIOUS'S arrival nothing definitive could be arranged. The Marquis had been for a long time suffering under the oppression of a plethoric habit, and deter mination of blood to the head. On Friday these symptoms increased, and became oppressive. With a view to relief, his medical adviser ordered him to be bled, and en Saturday to be cupped. The latter appeared to give considerable ease, and it was hoped that a restoration of health would ensue. Whatever may have been the opinion of the world as to his political character, however applauded by friend . : or defam e d b y enem i es, i n this sweet retreat of private the bosom of his family;-..in this retirement, the late Marquis was the most amiable i and beloved of men. Mete he was the benefactor of the poor, the consoler of the 'Alicia, and the distri butor of charities unbounded. To his domestics he was the kindest master. 44 Masi Sir," was the ob i servation of each of them this evening, « we have, lost the best friend we ever had: we were toe happy , in his service." To the village of Foot's Cray he' was a liberal contributor in every improvement. The few inhabitants it contain: WA upon his death as the greatest calamity that could befal them, and they are loud in the tapression of their farrows. We have seldom witnessed a more unaffected display of grief than was presented on all the roads in the :Leigh hourhood of dui place. The people kept up hope to the last—they dreaded that the reports would be confirmed. and when the fatal truth could no longer be concealed, heart-felt sorrow and lamentation per ,rided them all. It was impossible to find a more amiable object of private life than the Marquis ex• hibited at this place ; hither he fled from political contests. Harassed in the world by enemies to his measures, he seemed determined at his home to make every one round him a friend, and well and fully has he succeeded. In every act of kindness, in every step of bounty or of charity, the Marchioness of LON DONDERRY was his constant companion, and now prayers for her, and invocations of blessings on her head, accompany all the expressions of sorrow from the people for his Lordship's loss. THE E YEN ING STAR. LONDON. TUESDAY, AUGUST 13, 1322. STOCK EXCHANGE, TWELVE O'CLOCK. Consols opened at 80 to j, and kept steady at the above price till about - eleven o'clock, when an eminent Broker came into the market and sold £lOO,OOB at 80, which immediately turned the market, and up to this hour Consols are 791 to 80, which is a fall since yesterday of 1 per Cent. Reduced is 801. STOCK EXCHANGE, ONE O'CLOCK. Within this half hour the market looks heavy, and ti :e Com missioners have purchased Consols at 80. Foams, Fvxns.—AU the Foreign Securities remain steady up to this hour,' and not much business doisig.—Old Spanish 64; New 63i; Old Prtieeiap 991 to 89; New 861; Russian 831; CbWan *ski; Danish 5Th #; Neapolitan 73i I ; Columbian 97; Scrip 871. PRICES OW STOCKS AT ONE O'CLOCK. 3 per Cent. Reduced 80 5 ,4 %44 3 per Cent. Consols 80 1 / 8 79% 80 % per Cents. 917/ 14— 4 per Cents. 99% % 4 per Cent. New 99%. % 3 /s Bank Long Annuities 21 203 i India Bonds 625.635.-3 per Cent. 1751, 79% Exchequer Bills of £l,OOO, 6s. Bs. Ditto Small 6s. 9s.—Consols for Act. 80 1 /i79% 80 When we yesterday announced the death of the Marquis of LONDONDERRY we were not uninformed as to the melancholy circumstances with which it was attended ; but, convinced of the evil contagion of example, it has been the invariable rule of the Con ductors of the STAR not to publish cases of suicide; and we have seen too many occasions to regret that a similar reserve has not been observed by our brother Journalists. There are, however, some occasions when, from the rank of the party, the publicity of the circumstance is so general and of so much importance as to render all attempt at concealment nugatory.— On such occasions only have we deviated from a course which we have pursued for upwards of thirty years. That the death of the Marquis of LosuoN DERRY should have been one of those painful occa sions is to us matter of deep regret, for while we have frequently animadverted strongly on the conduct of the Administration of which he was so distinguished a member, yet we have never been backward in doing justice to his talents; and we cannot but feel the deepest sympathy for the melancholy termination of a life which seemed to have little to wish for in the way of earthly enjoyment. * The particulars of this distressing event, that is, all that have yet transpired, will be found in our pre ceding columns. It would appear that his Lordship had been troubled with a depression of spirits, and with still stronger symptoms of insanity, for some days. This is said to have been occasioned by the incessant fatigues of his official duties and the busi ness of the last Session, with some aversion to his ap proaching mission to the Congress at Florence, which his Lordship could not but foresee would be an office of great difficulty and delicacy. Disease had weak ened a mind which but yesterday appeared in the fullness of health and vigour, and, in a moment of frenzy, his Lordship accelerated his death. Of the talents and political conduct of the Marquis of LONDONDERRY, very different opinions are held, His friends represent him as a consummate states man—Lis political enemies (for his Lordship had no personal ones), as a fortunate politician, whose tide in the affairs of administration being taken at the flood, led on to fortune. For our parts, we always considered the Marquis of LONDONDERRY rather as a clever than a great statesman. He had none of those bold and comprehensive views which a great Minister, with unexampled resources, would have adopted ; but having once fixed on a particular line of policy, he was unceasing in his endeavours to ac complish it, and on many occasions discovered con siderable dexterity. His Lordship has, perhaps more than any other Minister of modern times, had splen did opportunities of displaying the talents of a great statesman, which he has suffered to escape him ; and he has often been placed in situations of great diffi culty, from which be bas extricated himself with considerable ingenuity. That he was the most efficient member of the Admi nistration there can be little doubt, for, independent of the labours of the foreign department, the defence of the measures of Administration, in the House of Commons, very frequently almost entirely devolved on him. His Lordship ought be considered as the virtual Chancellor of the Exchequer, for, although Mr. VANSITEART ostensibly holds the situation, yet the great burden of the financial ilepartmest its the House of Commons has been sustabied by the Xtr. quis of Lonnounanay, ever since the death of Mr. PliCI VA L. Of his talents as a filancier we should feel dis poned to speak highly, and would refer to his annual expose of the state of the public revenue and expel. diture during the last five or. six Sessions of Parlia anent, and to his masterly 'speech in reply to Lord HIM/ Fare, when this Nobleman was Chancellor of the Exchequer during the ,ahort Administration of the Whigs: As a member of society, apart from office; we bear a willing tribute to those valuable qualities by which his Lordship acquired sad preserved the affbctitini of his numerous friends. We pass by the mere accdin: plishments and elegancies which distinguished him, since to dwell upon them would be to depreciate his more solid virtues. The Marquis of LONDONDERRY was a man of unassuming manners, of simple tastes, and (so far as regarded private life) of kind and generous dispositions. Towards the poor he was beneficent : in his family mild, considerate, and forbearing. Ile was firm to the connections and associates of his earlier days, not only those of choice, but of accident, when not unworthy ; and to promote them, and to advance their interests, his efforts were sincere and indefatigable. In power he forgot no service rendered to him while he was in a private station, nor broke ' any promise, expressed or implied, nor abandoned any friend who claimed and merited his assistance. The death of the Marquis of LONDONDERRY ex. cited an unusual sensation yesterday, and our Readers will readily conceive the gloom which such unex pected and important intelligence will not fail to cast on his MAJESTY'S excursion to hid Northern king dom: and we cannot help remarking the singular coincidence between the communication of this event to his MAJESTY and that of the death of the QUEEN, which occurred, and was announced to the KING, on his visit to Ireland, under similar circumstances. But it is far more important to advert to the conjectures which are afloat as to the individual likely to suc ceed to the high offices which are now vacant.— Rumour will not fail very confidently to fix on Mr. CANNING, and we think there is much of proba bility in that expectation. As leader of the House of Commons, and as a consummate debater, we ',re sume that no Member on the Ministerial side will enter into competition with the statesman alluded tu. And as Secretary for the Foreign Department lie is no less qualified, having filled that high station al ready, before the Noble Marquis himself. There are, as is always the case on such occai.7n, a variety of rumours on the subject. One states tl:at Mr. PEEL will exchange the Home Department fur the vacant office of Secretary for Foreign ; and that be will be succeeded in his office by Mr. CHARLES GRANT. This we do not think at all pro bable; for Mr. PEEL, though a man of consk!erable talents, is better versed in our domestic than our fo reign politics: while we think Mr. (IRA \T qui:e the reverse, and recollect that he was the locum tenc:N of Lord CASTLEREAGH when he left this country for Ll.e conference at Chatillon, in 1814. Another report is, that Sir CHARLES STrART, our Ambassador at Paris, will be a l ,' ~; ntel to succeed the Marquis of LONDONDERRY ; ‘thich, as Si, CHARLES has the character of being a skilful dipl4- matist, is not improbable; though something mole than mere diplomatic tact is wanting in a Secretary of State. We are of opinion that the death of the Marquis of LONDONDERRY will occasion more extensive changes in the Administration than have been yet contem plated ; but, however, be the successor to the Foreign Department who he may, no time can be lost in his appointment, as the Congress now assembling at Vienna was about to be attended by the Noble Per son, now no more, before even another week would have elapsed. We understand that his MAJESTY, in the audience he gave the Marquis of LONDONDERRY on Friday, was the first to notice the alteration in his Lordship, and said to one of his attendants, 44 GOD bless me, my Lord Londonderry's mind is quite gone!" Yesterday morning Dr. BANKHEAD had an inter view with the Earl of LIVERPOOL, and laid before him a statement of the circumstances attending the death of his Noble Colleague. In the course of the day Mr. VANSITTART and se veral of the neighbouring Gentry sent their expre- Lions of condolence to the family of the Noble Lord. Many of his relatives had arrived at North Cray. The melancholy tidings of the death of the Noble Marquis was brought by Mr. Vim', the King's Mes senger, who arrived in town between twelve and one o'clock, having travelled with the greatest speed in I chaise and four. It is impossible to describe the con sternation that prevailed at all the Public Offices. — The LORD CHANCELLOR and Lord LIVERPOOL were the only Cabinet Ministers who were sufficiently near to come to town. The latter came from Combe Wood . —Mr. HORHOUEZ, the Under Secretary of State for the Home Department, sent off dispatches by Mr. WALTER, the King's Messenger, to the KING in Scot land, and to Mr. PEEL. Dispatches were also for warded to Earl BATEURET, at his seat at Cirencester. The Earl of Hataaows; the Duke of WELLINGTON, and Lord Measteoaevou, are out of England, hav ing left for the Netherlands. Mr. Femme% Private Secretary to the CHANCELLOR of the Escuautisk waited on that Minister at Blackheath, to acquaint bias with the awful event.