The Sun. — London, England, 1812-05-12 00:00:00

Ftve his arm would be brolien, and that he then Said, " You need not press me, I submit myself to Justice." tettAtt. SEXTON, a journeyman bookseller, re siding at No. t 2 ,China-row, Lambeth, deposed, that he was in the Lobby at the time the shot was bred. Ile sa w two g ent l emen coming from the House (L ord F. GiBORNE and Mr. COLBOORNE), and saw th em mak e way, as he thought, for a gentleman w ho was entering the lobby, and whom he after wards understood to be Mr. PERCEVAL. He heard the repo r t of the pistol ; saw Mr. PCRCEVAL walk r ' r7 lards i n the middle of the lobby, stagger and fall. Il e heard him exclaim, " Murder !" or "I am Murdered I" and . saw bun carried into the Secre tary,s toorm He also witnessed tie pressure, and circutnstances which took pla . ce about the prisoner, an d heard him say, " I am the unfortunate man t hat did it. Mr, CoLuoullNE next gave his testimony—he was leavin g the House with Lord Fa ANCIs 0•;BORNE, and in pas s i ng through the lobby stopped to talk v : 1111 a Person w h o accoste d them—at that moment 1 ll ' ar ti the report of a pistol, saw Mr. PEPCEVAL alllva: 'ee inwards the House and fall, and immedi 2,,telY ra r' to his as s i s t ance an d supported him into the Secretary.', rOoln• Lord F. vsBORNE corroborated the testimony of the last witness in every particular. FRA NcIi PHILLips ; of LorTgszlit-hall, near Man ,cneitr, deposed, that he was ,standing near the fire- P l ace in the lobby, ;A hen he heard the report of a He saw Mr. PERCEVAL walk forward, stag ger, and fall on his knees, and heard trim exclaim, / can nfirdereclf." twice—be rushed forward, Z i s t lght him in his arms, supported his head upon shoulder, and assisted in carrying him into the se cretary's room, where b e soon a f ter di e d i n hi s : ris 'it Might be ten, five, or fifteen minutes, he S O extremely agitated, that he could not state th e Prec ise time. He did not hear him utter a o rr i from the time of his first exclamation until his '4ea[ll. o ! akN elS nomiLty, a clerk with a gentleman at Cower -street, was standing, in the lobby by ; 34 of the p iil ars on t h e r i ght o f t h e d oor o f entrailve the House ; he saw the Prisoner and two other ' ets° ns standing t o g e ther on that side of alt. lobby te i xt tha fire-place, and near the door. / He saw \ ".• P.ERCEVA L e n t er , and the door shut. He then 4.1 .k ‘" 1 two flashes of fire from a pistol held above him. t • PaßcEvAt, advanced, and lie thought he was c)t ,, W " on arrivin thled, till, upg 6, in the centre of the tn -un Y, he suddenly stopped, cried out, " / am o rdered staggered, and fell. He heard the villkitter declare that he was the perpetrator of the Crime ' and saw hi m searc hed an d-secured. t JEtioA N , of Cromwell Cottage, Old Bromp witness' was. th e next w i tness exantined.—.He stated th te : t i a f ew minutes after five o'clock he was pro tng up the stone steps, frou the place where the e tilber s lea; their great coats, to the doOr of the t °lll3 Y Mr. PERCEVAL way immediately before t llll.-- he saw hitn push open the lobby door and tif ilt El ets "imost nstantaneoosly he beard the report - Pivot within the lobby, and rushed forward to e s P ° t• He saw Mr. PEacEvAL. Walk slowly to m a e c entre of t h e l o bby, s udd en ly s ta g ger, and sink Seeing sevweral persons run to raise and lilr 'Pnrt him, he ,direaed his attention to thepri s:et' who was , pointed our by some person, 0 exelaimed, " That is the man !" Mr. Peat :vAL cried, " j am murdered, and uttered two arc a , a nd . s 'lte also clapped his hand to his breast, " was subsequently borne to the Secretary's 11 %41 . In the mean time, witness seeing the ttsOner wholly unsecured, and retreating to :lards the bench, seized him by the collar, and wer quitted his hold till he was conveyed into the ii °6se of Commons. The witness did not believe )at a ny persons quitted the lobby by the stone i lf e P s Conse quent upon tile firing of thepistal, and a nY per..., AM I.qiiro it, heteanceived it must have e'Y the side door, which communicates wi t h the e : use of Lords, .at which there was considerable : -"t ision and bustle. He Raw Mr. BURGESS take the ti q°l which h a d b een di sc h arge d f rom t h e h an d o f we Prisoner, as well as the other things from his allitenat-pocket. U pon many M em b ers runn i ng - ‘ , 1*()41 t he House, and calling out—" Who did it ? jo l° did it ?" t h e pr i soner rep li e d , " I am the un writtinate man--I wish I were in Mr. PERCEVAL'S' repeated, more than once; " I am the hn f (4t orlate man." Upon the great pressure around h e said " I submit myself to the laws, or, I 41 s ~ bnltt to justice." Witness also saw Mr. Dom.- 1) :' whom h e k nows , searc h t h e poLkets of the l ie s i tl er, and t a k e f rom - one an o p era - g l ass , w hi c h to la nded to w it ness ; an d a ft erwar d s a sma ll pi s t o l, tait 're V'oding i n s i ze with that which had been eti bY Burgess—this he understood to be lo a d ed• • • bOW LING was t h en ca ll e d ; h e pro d uce d th e d°teade„, Pistol which he had taken from the small „‘. Iret, 41 h Pocket of the Pr soner, and which he had is possession, and had never lost sight of, though he had put it into the tranai of a Member at the bar of the House. [From the latenes of the hour (the exaMinationS having now tasted until past eight o'clocl:), it was not deemed evential to purspe the investigatiOri any further, and particularly as the fads dikl6ed . §eetile3 to make out the case completely.] The papers, as brought from the piisoner's lodg ings, were produced, tied in a handkerchief, by Vickery, the Bow-stteet officer, and consigned to the charge of Lord CASTLEREAGH, in order that they might be submitted to the Privy Council. The witnesses were then bound over to give their evidence hefore the Grand Jury, and thereafter at the Old Bailey, in the event of a true bill being found against the Prisoner " For the Wilful Mur der of the Right Honourable Spencer Perceval," the Members of Parliament in the sum of 2001. re cognizance; Mr. Burgess, also in 2001. Mr. Jer dan in tool. and the other persons in 501. each. The exa►ninations having been brought to a con clusion, the prisoner was asked what he had to say against the faal with which he was charged, and again cautioned by Sir JOHN HIPPISLBY not to say any thing that would be injurious to himself. The prisoner spoke to the following effeet " rhave admitted the fa6t—l admit the fad, but wish, with permission, to state something in my justification. I have been denied the redress of my grievances by Government ; I hare been ill trewed. They all know who I am, and what I am, throngh the.Se.cretary of State and Mr. BECkET, with whom I have had frequent communications. They knew of this fait six weeks ago, through the Magistrates of Bow-street. I was accused most wrongfully by a Governor-General in Russia, in a letter from Arct.angel to Riga, and have sought redress- in vain. lam a most unfmtunate man, and feel here (placing his hand on his breast) sufficient justification for what I have done." • Here Lord CASTLEREAGH interfered, and inform ed the prisoner that he was not then called on for his defence, but merely to say what he had to urge in contradietion to the fa& with which he was charged. Any thing he might feel desirous of stat;ng in extenuation of his crime, he had better reserve for his trial. The Prisoner said, "Since it seems test to you that 'should not now explain the causes of my coo duEt, I will leave it until the day of my trial, when my country will have an opportunity of judging whether.l am right or wrong." Upon being again questioned, be repeated, " admit are fad;" which admission was accordingly entered upon the record. The Bow-street Officers were then called in ; and the Fisoner having heen permitted to dress, was handcuffed by Vickery and Adkins. He now made an application for his money, which, having been left in the possession of Mr.Bußoass, who had withdrawn, Nirr.WEHTBiIEAD assured hiM he should have it 'returned to him in the morning. and•diirfiled . the Officers to pay him every attention. He :also asked, whether he should be allowed an Attorney and Counsel ? when Mr. WHITBREAD Signified to him that Mr. HARVEY CO MBE would take care that every necessary in dulgence should be allowed him consistent with his situation. Mr. Witt TRR-EAD then suggested the propriety of the prisoner's being condut - ted down stairs by one or two of the Magistrates and the officers, his com mitment to his :Majesty's jail of Newgate having been previously made out ; and that the Gentlemen present should remain in the room, that no crowd might lead to confusion below. This plan was ac ceded to, and the prisoner taken out. At a quarter off` an hour before eight o'clock, a carriage was sent for by the order of the Magis trates, which immediately occupied the attention of the populace. The prisoner was taken from the Committee-room, and guardcd by the Mes sengers and Police Officers, to the southern en trance into the House or Commons. One of the Officers entered the carriage, and the opposite door was immediately opened, and the populace cheered. Ilse carriage drove off in the most rapid manner. The Officers returned to the prison room, .and in formed .the Chaim In, that they did not think it secure to proceed with the Prisoner, without The aid of a military force. A troop of the Horse- Guards were sent for, and arrived at nine o'clock. Before their arrival, the prisoner was reconduEled to the prison-room, where he found much fault with Vickery, one of the Officers bolonging to Bow-street, for having inquired from some female something relative to his private .affairs. He did most calmly say, he knew the consequence of the a& he had committed, which he did not consider of a private nature. On Vickery's answering, that he had only spoken in general terms to the female, and she told him she•had in her possession amemo randum of 201. due by a Mr. Wilson to him. The prisoner, 'in the most unconcerned manner, replied he knew what it was ; it was a bill that he expelled would have been paid this day, at half-past nine o'clock. The Horse Guards changed their position to Palace-yard, opposite the avenue leading to the Speaker's house, through which the prisoner was !ed, and pia into ^. carriage, attended by the mili tar'y, folowed by the crowd. The remains of the CHANCELLOR of theExcEiE• qUEK were first lodged in the Speaker's Secre tary's room, and after an hour, removed to the Speaker's house. Mr. Stirgeon LYNN was called in immediately after the fatal wound, but the spark of life was extinguished. We had a view of the body---the ball entered under the left breast. The aperture Was apparently small. It is alMost impos sible to describe the melancholy scene. The corpse was laying on a Sofa, and Lord ARDttZ and the SPEAKER niourning . over it, manifesting the deepest Melancholy and regret. During the whole period after the commission of this murder, the prisoner (Bellingham) appea'ed much more calm and colleted than could well ba imagined of a person in his situation. There were no signs of insanity, or want of a proper appre hension of every thing that had been done, and was doing about him. In no part of the proceeding did he betray extreme agitation, but at the Mo ment that the witness, Phillips,rsaid, " f support ed Mr, PERCEVAL in the Secretary's room, and in a few minutes he died in my arms." Upon this the prisoner shed tears, and seemed touch af, feaed. The result of the inquiry which took plaCe in the Committee-room is to form the ground-work of the Coroner's Inquest, which is to be held this day before Lord ELLENBOROUGH, the Grand Coroner of England. After the examination, when the hackney-coach was brought to the iron gates in New Palace-yard, to convey away the prisoner, the crowd, which was at first composed of decent people, had been gradually ,swelled by a concourse of pickpockets and the lower orders, who mounted the coach, and were so exceedingly troublesome and even dangerous, that it was not deemed advisable to send him to Newgate in the manner intended. We heard with pain, repeated shouts of applause from the ignorant or depraved part of the crowd, as it they were hailing some oppressed but innocent vi aim ; some of whom even mixed with their shouts, the cry of " Burdett for ever !" and attempted to open the opposite door of the coach, as if to give the mur derer an opportunity of escape. A party of Life Guards arrived about this time, and formed a semi circle in Lower Palace-yard, by which the mob kept more at a distance. It was, however, thought more prudent to send him away by another outlet, and so avoid all confusion. He was therefore taken oct by the Speaker's entrance. A Cabinet Council was summoned, and the de par ore of the Post delayed, till dispatches could be made out, and instruatns prepared for the Civi l and Military Authorities in every part of the. United Kingdom, in order that seasonable steps may be taken for preserving the peace throughout the coun try, and particularly in those distrias where an in flamed and infatuated muititnde'have committed the most savage barbarities. We have every reason to believe that the measures taken will be effeaual, as the military power in the disturbed counties is en trusted to a most vigorous and yet humane Officer, the Honourable General MAITLAND, in whose sa gacity, firmness, atcl exertions, the public may have the most entire confidence. The Earl of DERBY and Earl of STAMFORD have also left town for their respeaive distrias, to exert their authority as Lords . uentenants, to. restore tranquility, The Committee concluded their examination of the assassin at half after nine o'clock ; and a notice was sent to Mr. NEWMAN, the Keeper of Newgate, to prepare for the reception of the delinquent. Mr. Sheriff HEYG,tTE went himself to Newgate, and gave particular direttions that the murderer, when received into the gaol, should be watched in such a way as to prevent the possibility of his perpetrating suicide, The Cabinet Connell sat to a late hour, and be tween twelve and one o'clock this mo►ning he was conveyed, under a strong escort of Dragoon Guards, in a coach, to Newgaie. The commitment was signed by MxcnAßL AIcOE- Lo Loh, Esq. who accompanied him in the coach to Nevvgate, attended by Mr. Ross, one of his Ma jesty's Messengers, and two Officers of the Poli6e. The troop of horse was under the command of Colonel BARTON ; the cavalcade did not arrive at Netvgate till one o'clock, and by order of the Ca binet Council two Wen were ordered to sit Lip in the cell with him. • • r The nature of the man's claims, we understand to be no other than, that he imput es t o our Mi n i s te r s i n Russia the ‘N ant h o he of h or of interference in adispute w hi ; ) fi n' the Consul of Arch angel, by which- he incurred a loss of seven or eight th o usand pounds, but in which the B r iti s h ' pte d o d :i i Government had nothing to do. He was imprison ed in Russia in consequence of his violence ; and on his arrival here, he. pplied to all the public 'offices, even those which had nothing to do with any such business; anti was lola by - all of the, that they could not take cognizance of his private affairs. He saki that he was driven to despair he, three weeks ago; bought the pistols for the liofrid deed, which he has ar last perpetrated. BEt.t.tivoitAth is a tall, large-boned man, about 40 Years of age, with a thin, long visage and aqui:. noses his eyes are'sunken, arid, hiS complexicin i at the time we saw him just after the asSat6nation, of a ghast!y, pallid hUe. After committing rid deed he quietly sat hiinself down era the bench near the tie in the lobby; but before he was taken into the "Blouse; he appeared greatly agitated arid clasped his hands, although he was far from sop placating pity. His principal anxiety Seemed to be, tO persuade the wondering spectators that the a& was jtistifiable froth the prcA'ocation he had re coived. ' We have little to add to the tieart-rending state ment whi'h we have laid before our readers. Foi marly,hourS after the news was communicated to Mrs. PERCEVAL, she remained in a state of coin- plete insensibility. This Morning she has, fortu= nately, found some relief in tears. All her children atee With be-. We shall not 'attempt to describe their situation. The body of Mr. PERCEVAL was ra Moiled from the Speaker's house to Downing-street between one and two o'clock this morning. Th 4 Coroner's inquest had not Set when this paper w. 31 put to press. 7 —We shall not att 'mpt, in the pre sent slate of our . feelings, to give.an elaborate chi tAet Of thiS lamented Statesman, but we should be inexcusable if we omitted to state, that in all the relations of ptivate life, he was one of the niost amiable men that ever existed. As a husband; father, friend, he was affeElionate and benevo lent ; his piety was Warhl, and unatTe6led, and his charity unbounded. As a Statesman, he was the firm supporter of the genuine principles • of the Constitution; and at no period of our history have the arms of this country ever attained more glory than under his Administration. His , alents in debate were very great; without possessing the pow erful and commanding eloquence of Mr. PITT, he was more than a match for any of his opponents; his replies were actite, argumentative, witty, and sarcastic ; even these who most frequently and most severely felt the effeBs of his eloquence, were ready to acknowledge his powers--powers Which seemed al wayt to increase with the difficul ties with which he had to contend. B Houses of Parliament will, it 1 expeaed, adjourn this day for a week, in order to give time for those arrangements which will be necessary in conseqUence of the death of this great and good man. The Right Hon. SPENCER PERCRYAL was second son of the late Lord EGMONT, -by CATHERINE, third daughter of the Hon, CHARLES C991P1'01 , /. He was born on the Ist of November, i ; 62, and was therefore in the 50th year of his age. • He was married in August, 1790, to JANE, second daughter of Sir 'ftiomAs Wusos, Bart. by whom he ,had twelve children. SECOND ENTION. SUN-OFFICE—Two o'cLocit. Disiatches from Eari WELLINGTON were meth-- ed by Government this day ; but their contents had not been i'isued in any official bulletin when this Paper was put to press: These Dispatches, ‘ce hear, were dated the 27th ultimo, and we un- derstand that his Lordship had moved northward from Alfayantes. in the direelion of Ciudad Ro, dui o, in consequence of a seeming threat from NIAIcvoNT of an intention to attack that fortress once more. We received Lisbon fivers this day ; which add that his Lordship intended to move southward-4 ag3in, in pnr,uit of SOULT at seviile, as soon Is,llo had placed Ciudad Rodrigo in perfect security. The Coroner's Inquest assembled this day at I t o'clock, in the public-house at the end of Downitiv. street, and proceeded to Mr. PERCEVAL'S house s to which the body of that Gentleman had been removed. After a due examination of the body, assisted by Dz. CLARKE, they returned to the same public house, arid having fully exgtnined the several wi.nesses, brought in their Veldia WILVUL MURDER, at ha f aler Iwo The FRINc REGENT, we Understand, (torn speet to the character and memory of Mr. P,CRC.:E. VAL, means to order a Court Motaning. Lisr OF THE lOROAS.—W. Tarte, MuckloWtMann, White, Smith, Harrison, Boys, Randall, Dawes, Walker, Gaunt, and Edgard. Wit N ZSSES-131itgess, Catcoyfie, Hume, and Lynn. L. ANTHONY GELL, Ccronet. tßEtAb.—to-day the Lord Mayor and -Aldermen, pr!cr iippetting the Rettiros, ordered it to contil at the present prices.—Quartera Loaf, is.eid.