The National Register. — London, England, 1820-08-20 00:00:00

- - "IP' , ~ 7v,;'9il ! '-.., - utir Iri_ationat Our Sing, ConOtitution, anb Katol. No. 1,261.—V0L. XIII.] PROCESSION OF THE QUEEX TO ♦ND NOON Till HOUSE OF LORDS. The agitated state of the public mind on the subject of the momentous and unprecedented proceedings now actually commenced against the Queen of England was never so decidedly and powerfully expressed as it was throughout Thursday by the crowds of persons ()revery description who thronged the principal streets of West minster. At an early hour in the morning workmen were employed in completing the double rows of strung timber fences thrown up from St. Margaret's Church to the King's Bench-office on the one side, and the upper extremity of Abingdon Street on the other, so as to enclose the whole area in front of the House of Lords, and the whole line of the street we have mentioned, and preserse it exclusively open for the carriages of Peers to and from the principal entrance of the House of Lords. Within this extensive area a very large body of constables were stationed under the orders of the High Bailiff, and Mr. Lee, the High Constable, who were in attendance before seven o'clock. The orders were, that no persons without official permission, should be suffered to pass the barriers at either extremity alter 10 o'clock. A very strong body of the Foot-guards were posted in the King's Bench Office, the Record Office, and other apartments in front of the street ; Westminster Hall was also appro priated for the accommodation of the military. All the passages which led from St. Margaret'schurch-yard into Parliament Street were carefully closed by strong timber partitions. The Police hulk and the gun-boats defended the river side of Westminster Hall, and the civil and military arrangements presented an effectual barrier at the opposite side. At nice o'clock a troop of Life-guards rode into Palace Yard, and formed in line in front of the principal gate of Westminster Hall. They were shortly followed by a large detachment of the Foto guards, who at first took up a position next the Life guards, in front of the Hall, but soon afterwards changed their station, and formed under the piazza of the House of Lords, where they piled their arms. Patrols of the Life-pods were theu thrown forward, in the direction of Abingdon Sre s etriii . ty"occasionally formed near the Kings entrance, and at intervals paraded between the temporary barriers. At half past nine o'clock a body of the Surrey mounted patrol rode over Westminster-bridge, from the adjoining livery-stables where they were stationed, and continued for a short time parading Par liament Street, Whitehall, and Charing-cross; they afterwards drew up near the barrier at St. Margaret s church. Up to this time of the morning the crowds which had been slowly assembling in the neighbourhood of Parliament Street, were occupied in taking up such convenient positions as they could command to see her Majesty pass. A rumour was circulated, probably with a view to divide the attention of the crowd, that the Queen, who slept on Wednesday night at Brandenburgh House, was to come to the House of Lords by water.— This had the eftect of fixing a throng upon Westminster Bridge. At half-past nine o'clock the avenues between St. James's-square and palace-yard were occupied by large bodies of people, the greater part of them respectably dressed. The windows and tops of the houses were filled by fashionable and respectable persons, chiefly ladies, who manifested the greatest anxiety for the ap proach of the Queen. Every carriage that appeared in the distance was the object of much attraction, in the hope that it indicated the approacii of the illustrious lady who was the cause of so much interesting and URI.. MI in pled solicitude. Mr. Sheriff Parkins, in his state carriage, frequently passed beck wards and forwards. We understood lie was waiting for Lord Erskine, to present the remora:lances of the Common Council to the House of Lords for re jecting their lot tiler petition. Mr. Sherd' . Rot ti well was also in Old Palace Yard, to jot') iu prescotiog the re monstrances to Lord Erb!:loc.; the two Sheriffs met his Loraship iu Ellis's otue. The Peers had been, from an early hour in the morn ing, gradually arriving at their house. The Lord Chan cellor came before eight o'clock. The Monsters were equally early in their attendence ; and several Peers who arrived on horseback were cheered by the people. Ills Royal Highness the Duke of York rode through the Horse Guards, soon after Moe o'clock, attended by a single groom. His Royal Highness was, of course, dressed in full mourning, and rode without attracting particular observation until he got into the crowd which filled Parliament-street. The Royal Duke was then recognised by the people, and universally and enthnsia astically cheered. His Royal Highness appeared at lust surprised at these warn in irks of popular attachment. He repeatedly bowed in acknowledgment of them, and appeared extremely anxious to pass quickly tl gh th.• crowd. His Royal Highness's appsrent intent ion was frustrated by the enthusiasm of those who pressed around him, and who with reiterated cheer. accompanied him so the edge of the barrier, through which he passed on his way to the House of Lords. Thi., mark of popular attachment to his Royal Highness was universal, and cannot fail to be gratifying to the Royal Family. The Duke of Sussex, who drove down his ehattot, was egnatly the object of loud cheering. . SUNDAY, AUGUST 20, 1820. As the hour of to approached the anxiety for the Queen became intense; it was then known that her Majesty had arrived at her residence in St. James's-square, from Branderbtugh House, soon after nine o'clock, and that her new carriage was in readiness at the door to receive and convey her to the House of Lords. The greatest anxiety was at this period manifested by the crowd to obtain a sight of her Majesty. After a short pause the Queen presented herself at tbe window, and her appearance and deportment called forth from the surrounding multitude the most unbounded marks of applause. At a little before ten o'clock, another of her Majesty's carriages drove up to the tlnor, and Sir W. Gell and the Hon. Keppel Craven, her Majesty's Chamberlains, who arrived from Naples on Wednesday, were aumoiniced.— 'flue Hon. lieppel Cran vcalighted from the carriage, and joined her Majesty, Lady Hamilton, and Mr. Alder man Wood, who were then in the rrrawing-room. Sir NV. Gell continued in the carriage. At a quarter before ten o'clock, an universal cheering in the direction of Charing-cross announced to the as sembled and anxious multitude, which almost blocked up the approach to the Houses of Parliament, that the Queen was then approashing. Her Majesty left her residence in St. James's-square, accompanied in her new state carriage, drawn by six beautiful bay horses, by Lady Ann Hamilton, and preceded by Mr. Alderman Wood in one of the Queen's travelling carriages, drawn by four horses. The Queen was dressed in black, with a rich white lace veil, which (lowed gracefully over her shoulders, and hung like an antique vestment over her dress. Her Majesty's appearance was commanding and dignified; she repeatedly bowed to the people, who rent the air with their acclamations; her countenance, though pale, and seemingly care-worn, from the anxiety and grief of winch her mind has been so long the seat, had yet an expression of great dignity and fortitude. She appeared, as it were, to have it constitutionally the means of rallying within herself sufficient spirits to meet her unptralleled difficulties. The Queen's carriage moved slowly on, owing to the immense crowd that preceded and accompanied it: It -entered Pall-mall ; and as it passed Carhuovalace the. people. loudly awl distinctly cheered. 'The aetittiffli on duty itiVrOlit'stfiet a momentary pause, presented arms to their Queen, and were loudly greeted by the crowd. Whether this tri bute of respect was tl:e result of specific order, or ma i tutted from the impulse of the moment, we know not. The precession moved oil through Cockspur-street, Charitircross, tile Admiralty, sod Whitehall, into Par liament-street. Both at the Admiralty, and one or two other places where sentinels were stationed on the line, they presented arms, but the soldiers at the Treasury did not. It is impossible to describe the universal emotion produced by the approach of her Majesty to Parliament street. •The shouts of the immense multitude which accompanied her, and which, from the appearance of those who composed it, might be said to be a fair repre sentation of the different classes that constitute the frame of society in this country, were the loudest we ever heard. They were joined by all the persons who thronged the windows and covered the roofs of the houses on the way: the ladies universally waved their handkerchiek, aril thousands of voices exclaimed— " God bless her! "as she passed. In the midst of this immense throng, composed as we have already describ. Cu! it, her Majesty appeared in her wonted dignity, and Mr the first time, we may almost say, since the early days of her untoward marriage, with au equipage fur nished by Government, arid suited to her rank in the state. %Viten the procession cline to the barrier which xtended from St. Margaret's church to the Record office, the strong fence yielded in two or three parts al most in an instant to the immense pressure of the crowd, and the people ;lad the gratification of moving onwards with their Queen to the very threshold of Parliaineni.— I twitediately after the carriage, in whien Mr. Alderman Wood was, eutered PalaceTtril, loud shrieks were heard, as if a womao was in agony, which lad to the auppo salon that some female had beets hurt either by the pres sure of the crowd or the advance of the carriage. A rush Was instantly made to discover whether the suppo sition was correct or not. Fortunately, it was not : the shrieks arose from the police-officers endeavouring to force a woman to give up her hold of the worthy Alder man's harness; she made so violent a resistance that it was difficult to judge whether the screams were the result of injury she sustained, or of alarm at her peril ous situation. It Was, however, soon discovered, that the woman was determined to retain her situation, and accompany the Queen to the door of Parliament. She perseverliaily succeeded in accomplishing her purpose, and kept her place next the carriage until it reached i:s final destination. The military stationed in front of the House of Lords immediately presented arms to her Nla , jesty, and it was pleasing to see that in this suddeuly uuxed throng of the people and the SI/Idlers the utlllost order prevailed. tier Majesty alighted at live minutes past ten o'clock. Her . Alajesty was received at th e d o o r by Sir Thowat Tyrwintt and Mr. Brougham, who immediately con ducted her to the apartment provided for her reception. As the time approached when the Lords wet e expected to as:jcurtl, the: vs iuslows, balconies, and parapets of the 41 111 . r+, [Piicz 94d. Kouses, again became filled by ladies of distinction.— The appearance which they presented was elegant in the extreme, and the interest manifested by them did ho nour tu their feelings. At four o'clock Use bustle among the Peers' carriages, add anxiety to press forward to the outer door, indicate d: the tertnitialion of the day's busi ness in the House. A tooN the firtisagiassubat 40o* off was that of his Roval Merles. The Dille of Glou cester. The Royal bake was loudly cheered by the people, and his Royal Highness repeatedly bowed in return. His Royal nighties, the Duke of York rode from the House in the same manner as he arrived there, attended by his groom. The crowd pressed closearound hint and a patrol of the Guards made a movement as if to dear a passage, but his Royal Highness waved his hand as if to avoid the interference of the military. The multitude received the Duke with the same enthusiast's which marked his arrival in the morning. Shouts of " Long live Frederick I" " Lon; live the Queen !" were re-echoed from all sides. His Royal Hignitess repeatedly bowed as he passed through the crowd, which continued to address him in the most flattering manner while lie remained within sight. The next personages recognised by the people were not so fortunate as to meet with a similar reception; they were the Duke of Wellington and the Marquis of Atiglesea. These distinguished personages were on horseback. The crowd particularly passed around the Duke, and shouted " We must have the Queen—no foul play, my Lord—the Queen for ever!" Others exclaimed—" The army for ever, my Lord."— and one person, who was on horseback, rode alongside the Duke, and said " The Qaceii and the army." His Grace rode on apparently indifferent to the surrounding bustle ; he occasionally smiled at those of the crowd who pressed the nearest to him, and said " Yes, yes." to the reiterated exclamations of some of the most persevering among them who continue. ' . to vociferate" Long live the Queen !" The Marquis of Anglesea did nut manifest the same command of temper: he spurred his horse, and seemed anxious to get rapidly through the crowd.— 'lneir Lordships rode through the horse-guards, the gates of which edifices were immediately closed as they passed, and the crowd prevented front entering St. James's Park. Earl Grey, Lord lloliand, ant! several other Peers, were loudly cheered. But few of them had driven oft when the Queen's carriage approached the door at which she had alighted; and her Majesty again took her seat in it, and departed (coin the house in the same state which marked her arrival in the meriting.— The immense ltitaide who surrounded her was, if possible, greater than in the morning—their enthusiasm the same, for it could not possibly be exceeded. The shouts of " Long live the Queen 1" were universal and deaf g. The ladies waved their handkerchiefs, and the demonstrations of popular attachment were loud and general, and each class of society seemed to vie with the others in an anxiety to pay homage to their Queen its this hour of her trial. pier Majrnty appeared somewhat exhausted by the fatigue and anxiety she must have sus mined throughout the day. She repeatedly bowed to the people, and appeared deeply sensible of the extra ordinary interest they manifested in her behalf. The Queen was escorted back to her residence iii St. James's Square by the Hon. K. Craven, Sir W. Gell, and our. Alderman Wood. The sante military honours were paid her as she passed the sentinels at Carlton Palace, and she alighted at her house exactly at live o'clock. St. James's Square was thronged to excess by carriages filled with personages of distinction, who seemed anxious to see her M.oesty return. The crowd continued in front of the Queen's residence until a late hour in toe evening. We meter remember to have seen a crowd concregated for such a length of time less disturbed by tumult or dis order of any kind. The police were stationed in every direction, and expresses were hourly passing to and from the 14th regiment of Dragoons and other corps stationed at Greenwich, Deptford, Lewisham, and the neighbour ing WWII,. The following orders were issued and delivered to the several messengers and officers of the House, for the guidance of their conduct : " House of Lords, Aug. 17. " The entrance for members to the House of Com mons is cough the long gallery only. " The dour-keepers have strict directions not to anow any i terson whatever to pass the outer door, where stran gers are admitted, without a Peer's order." When the decision was to take place in the House of Commons respecting the impeachment of Lord Melville, Pitt reckoned upon Sir Gerard (theta Colonel) Noel, whose name now stands before the public in so favourable a light), as the son-in-law of Lord Barham, who was at that time First Lord of the Admiralty, voting with the Ministry, awl made sure of a majority, however small. Contrary to this expectation, Sir Gerrard, who always votes as an independent country-gentleman, according to his conscience, gave his vote fur the impeachment, which brought the votes equal, instead of givin g Pitt a majority of two. The Speaker's vote decided it.-- .'Thus it may be said that the uprightness of Sir Gerard Laubcd the atbption of LILL. . t, ' fix ' ,/ • • .:6,0 "--1 " - s • • 12 \ :.. t ice''