The National Register. — London, England, 1812-05-24 00:00:00

INLAY 24. went for the loss of her had been in consequence resisted. No satisfac tory proof was adduced against Bellingham, and he was acquitted of this charge. But before the termination of this suit, he attempted to quit Archangel, and being stopped by the Police, who he resisted, he was taken to prison : but was soon after liberated, in consequence, I believe, of a second application to the Governor from Sir Stepben Shairp. About this period I quitted Russia, and I have no r collection of hear ing any thing more of John Bellingham, till after my arrival at St. Pe tersburgh upon my second embassy. He came running into my house one evening, and solicited me to allow him to remain all night, in order to avoid being re-taken into custody by' the Police, from whom he bad escaped. I complied with this request, though I could not upon any -round assume to myself the power of protecting him from leg al ar rest. It appeared that the award of the arbitrators of Archangel had been confirmed by the Senate, to which body Belliagliain had appealed ; and he was in consequence delivered over to the custody of the College of Commerce (a Tribunal established for the special purpose of taking cognizance of commercial matters relating to British subjects, and whose authority was recognized in the Commercial Treaty between the two countries) there to remain till he discharged the debt of the two thousand roubles. The custody was not very strict, fur he was allowed to walk wherever he pleased, attended by a Police officer be longing to the College. He came frequently to my house, and a: various times, received from my private secretary small sums of money, to sup port him through his confinement. Confined as he was by the legal authorities of the country, I could, on no pretence, make an application for his release; but I rememher well, in conversation with the Niinister for Foreign Affairs, expressing sely personal wish that the Russian Go vernment, seeing no prospect of recovering the sum of money required from him, would liberate him from prison, on condition of his imme diate returning to litigious'. Very soon after this conversation, all diplomatic intercourse ceased between the two Courts; and the cours;: of public events necessitated my quitting Russia in the abrupt manner with which your Lordship is well acquainted. I am, my Lord, with great respect, Your Lordship's most obedient humble servant, (Signed) GRANVILLE LLVESON GOWIR. The Viscount Castlereagh, &c. BELLINGIIAM THE ASSASIN. FURTHER PARI ICUL ARS. The more we contemplate the charatter of the atrocious assassin Bel lingham, the more are we confounded, and perplexed to discover by what strange combination of ideas he could have worked up his mind to the commission of such a detestable and horrid deed. Surely never before was the human mind so strangely, so diabolically perverted ! Should there be a doubt as to the truth of this remark—let the follow ing facts bring the question to the test. The public have already been informed that on the very morning of the day upon which this dreadful murder was committed, the assassin accompanied his landlady and her young daughter to the European Museum. After some time contem plating one of the pictures with the deepest attention, he called the young girl to him, that he might explain to her the nature of the sub ject. "'[his, my dear," continued he, " is a picture which you wlll not he able to comprehend without explanation. Observe it well. It . is a representation of the Day of Judgment. That figure which you see in the centre floating in the air, is our Saviour Jesus Christ, the only Sou of God, who came into the world fo save sinners. Those persons that you see upon his right hand are good persons, such, as by their faith, and good works in this world, have insured to themselves eternal hap piness; on the contrary, the miserable and wretched persons which you observe upon his left hand, are the wicked of this world, such, as by their atrocious actions have drawn upon themselves just condemna tion and everlasting punishment." Sometime after, the party quitted the room together, when he accompanied the mother and daughter as far as Cranbourn-alley, he then said, with great coolness, " Madam, you will now be enabled to find your way home without any difficulty, I must take my leave of you, as I have business to do at Westminster," ending with this speech, the monster departed with the fatal weapon, ready loaded in his bosom. Such is the rotten fruit of religion when learnt only by rote in cur ri per years. Let us indulge a hope, then, that our regenerated and new Schools, as now carried on according to the principles qf the Established Church, will give an entirely new form to the rising generation; when, instead of that ignorance and vice which now so universally prevail among the lower orders, we shall, in due time, behold religion and vir tue shine forth conspicuous, to the hononr and happiness of our coun try, and to the salvation of souls innumerable. Bellingham, after his condemnation, was allowed only bread and wa ter. All means of suicide were removed—he was not permitted to be shaved. He complained seriously ut this last prohibition, as he thus could not be able to appear as a Gentleman ! The Ordinary of New gate, and two other Clergymen, visited him several times in the course of Saturday and Sunday. He appeared naturally depte ssed by his situa tion, but persisted in defending what he bad done. l'here was no con temned sermon on Sunday. The Ordinary attended at his cell between eight and nine. :Bellingham seemed considerably thjected : but on be- THE NATIONAL. REGISTER. 319 ing spokrn to on religious Subjects, expressed himself in the same vague and insemible manner as before, - talked of the promises of the gespei. inquired the hour and place of execution,—said that life hod been a weary pilgrimage to hint,—the bliss- fleeting and illu.ory, the Misery real and permanent, and in laying it down he had no vain regrets !o make. He conversed in this strain for a considerable time, and - closed by hopes of a blessed immortality, and a resolute denial of any guilt In his crime ! If it were possible that the manlier of this man's death should excite any commisseration, it would be done away by all that we have learned of his earlier life. He aippears to have been a turbulent, untraceable, profligate adventurer. His expertness in commercial transactions had early in life procured the confidence of some respectable houses engaged in the Rtes is trade. He went to Russia, drew bills on, his principals to the amount of ten thousand pounds, never made any shipments, hut squandered the money. 1-le was preparing to return to England, when he was arrested in Russia for private debts. Lord Levison Gower, who was applied to by him for his liberation, found that the matter was not within his province, and of course left it to the Russian tribunals.— Bellingham never had any capital of his own. In prison he once or twice wished that he had sent for his wife, to have a parting interview with her : yet his conduct to her had been for many years neglectful and unaffectionate. They have lived separate for a considerable length of time, and Bellingham seldom visited her but fur the purpose of obtaining money, which he spent in London in urg ing his foolish claims on Government. Hi 3 wile is a milliner in Liver pool, and, we believe, a respectable charactered person. On Sunday night, about eleven o'clock, Mr. Newman went into the Celt with Mr. Butterworth, the respectable bookseller of Fleet-street, whom he was very glad to see. On this occasion he requested of Mr. Newman to let him have pen, ink, and paper, which Mr. N. promised to ivies him %yin nhe returned for Mr. Butterworth, in an hour. Dur ing the time he spent with Mr. Butterworth, he entered on religious • conversation, and pointed out two or three places in Scripture, which.. he argued on with great zeal. He said, in a few hours more, he ghoul(' be in a better country than this—for it was a miserable place. Mr. Lutterworth then asked him to answer one question; he said, " tell you any thing you wish to know." " Then, did you or did you not, have some tatter person or persons concerned - with you in the murder of Mr. Perci:val ?"--" No: I do most solemnly declare there is not." " Pray, Sir, in what manner did you procere these pistols ?" " bought there on Ludgate-hill, at Mr. Beckwith's." Mr. Butterworth thanked him f• r thi inferreation, and went to prayers. Mr. Beflingkain thanked hire for his goodie.ss, and said, lam going to write a letter to my dear svift." Mr. Newman came to the cell for his friend, Mr. Butterworth, and they parted. He then asked for a crust of bead, and laid down aed slept about an hour; put hi: hand in his pocket and gave the last shilling to Mr. Walker ; said he wished it was a guinea for hi.; kind atteetioe : he then lay down and contbmed dosing till a quarter before six in the morning. When he was let out of the cells into the press-yard he requested to have his boots on, and wash himself, he then chntinued walking, and appeared perfectly resigned to his fate, He also on Sunday night wrote a letter to his wife, of which the fol. I.,wing is a literal copy.— vi R Y —lt rejoiced me beyond measure to hear you :re IiI:e1y provided fur. I am sure the Public at large will p;rii,•!pate in, and mitigate your sorrows; I assure you, my love, my saficer:.st endeavours have ever been directed to your welfare. As we shell not meet any more in this world, I sincerely hope we shall do so In the we rld to come. " blessing to the boys, with kind remembrance to Miss Stevens, for whom have the greatest regard, in consequence of her uniform aff , :!ction for them. With the purest of intentions it has always been my misfortune to he thwarted, misrepresented, and ill-used in life; but, how:_veit, we feel a Llppy prospect of compensation, io a speedy translation to life eternal. It's not possible to be more calm or placid than I feel, and nine hours more wiil waft me to those happy shores where bliss is without alloy. 4 4 Yours ever affectionate, " JOHN BELLINGHAM. ! 7 •lnday night, 11 o'clock." Dr. Ford will forward you my watch, prayer-book, with a guinea and note.—Once more, God be with you, my sweet Mary.—The public sympathise much for me, but I have been called upon to play an anxious card in life." _ _ _ Nothing, perhaps, can mark more strongly the frightful distortion of the man's mind than the following note w•r.tten on Sunday night at 12 o'clock. 64 Twelve o'clock. lost my suit solely through the improper conduct of my Attorney and Counsel, Mr. Alley, in not bringing my witnesses forward (of which there were more than 9.0); in consequence, the Judge took advantage of the circumstance, and 1 went of Loni the defence, without baying b: ought forward a single friend—otherwnie I must inevitably have be e n acqu►ted. •' J. BELLINGHAM." THE EXECUTION. About six o'clock on N'Tett(lay BELLI NOIII. at rose ant dressed himself with great composure, and read for half an hour in the Prayer hook. Dr. Foa b, the Ordinary of Ner:gate, being then Announced, the prisoner shod: him m 6 qt cordiAily I,y tt:r2 ?.Ai..', and Lett his cell 1 - o . 3t n ,alluttc , d C )1) Cln ci Cplated i,.e 4:1:.r A. Pm' 4,