The National Register.
London, England, 1812-05-17 00:00:00

HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL ACCOUNT
OF ?HZ LA FE

RIGHT HONOURABLE SPENCER PERCEV AL.

The bolts of Divine wrath had hitherto smitten our
enemies alone. Confirmed in her independence, enlarged
in her dominions, and increased in power, England tower-
ed among the nations, like the oak of our forests, green
and vigorous in, the midst of trees withered by age or
rent by whirlwinds. The storms which we encountered
only served to brace and display our strength. Empires
sunk beneath their violence ; whilst we rose above the
wrecks of States—the refuge of the fallen, the stay of the
weak, the ally of the brave! Placed in the post of watch
fulness and danger, with experience to guide, and might
:o assist others, we never shrunk from our difficult and
always perilous task ; but performed it with zeal, firm-
less, and fidelity. Every nation that dared to defend its
rights and territory against the spoiler of the Continent,
became our friend and shared our resources. Even foes
claimed our aid : hands raised for nearly an age in hos-
tility against us, were now lifted in supplication—men,
went to curse us as outcasts of Christiall;:i dof God,
called upon us to protect their liberties and religion,—nor
called in vain. J f success did not attend aiwav our conjoin-
ed exertions, it was because, in ;lie corruption of European
Cabinets our antagonist found his strongest arm. The
poople, frequently betrayed by their rulers, were enslaved,
and armies sold by their own Commanders, perished.
Eat when true patrio;-km invoked our assistatice : when
natiens sought really to be free, aid fought the cprit
of freedom, our treasures we Lot expended, nor blood
was not shed in vain. Portugal .blessed her delive:ers,
and Spain hailed the dawn of reviving independence. Al-
ready bad the keys of her enslaved provinces, Ciudad
Rodrigo and Badajoz, been wrenched by British heroism,
from the grasp of her lawless invaders.—Already had the
i common enemy collected all his force to oppose our pro-
gress, and been compelled to fly back on every side, when
the man, whose energetic and provident rn.nd doubled
our means by calling every latent spring of power into
action ; whose skill wielded those means so effectually as
to repel the hostility of a world in arms, and to rescue na-
tions from servitude—the man, who seated at the helm of
public affairs at a time of unusual difficulty and danger,
raised his country to an height of glory unequalled in the
annals of mankind, as a reward for his eminent services—.
fell, basely murdered by an assassin !—The consequences
of such a fall the world will long feel, and sincerely
lament. The enemies of human freedom will rejoice ;
for those nations that looked up with confidence to our
Government for powerful aid in their struggles against
v ni. V. Mo. CCXX7X.

'.la*C4
1-"'4

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4.

their oppressors, will be struck with despondency ant;
may. His unshaken firmness was the pillar of thei
hopes : and on whom can they now securely rely, win
it may happen that his opponents, who ever urged tle
abandonment of our Allies, or the curtailment of on
assistance as a matter of necessity, succeed to his post an
change the whole political system of our country ?
murder of CiEeita restored a momentary gleam of liberty
to Rome, and yet it has always excited more pity tha'
admiration. The assassination of PER/TN-AL plunges
whole nation, which it deprives of its ablest Minister, ir!,
mourning, and will be remembered throughout all age
with unfeigned regret and abhorrence of the deed. Borl
perished in the Senate. But the former was a conquer
dyed with human blood, and surrouuded with the spoil•
of freedom. The latter N‘ts the friend and faithful set-
vant of his country and his King—the champion of Eu
ropean independence. CIESICS private character belie(
his martial glory, and presented an infamous debancbee,
clad in dictatorial purple. PEIWEVAL'S virtues, as a ma:
equalled his abilities and patriotism as a Minisnr. A tete
Cl.ristian, an affectionate hosband, father, end friend—faire
towards his God, and love for his fellow-creatures, dwell
with unstained purity in his heart—whilsi Charity towaeti,
the poor, sincerity, and benevolence towards all, formed
the other features of his amiable and excellent character.
Lo-t to this world, to which he presented so bright an ex-
ample of public and private virtue, he has now exchanged
political cares for heavenly joys, and transitory
l'or everlasting fel;city. his grateful country has adopted
his children, Estery shall repeat his name, and posterity
will honour it.

Power is generally deemed, not only the idol, but the
reward of Public Men. Fascinating at a distance, no.ie
but those who possess it can know its real nature. It is
then that the gem of envied lustre grows dirt,, and the
diamond which sent forth such brilliant light, is proved
a coal. It is then the burden would often be gladly
thrown aside, but is retained through a sense of public
duty. g, To an upright Minister (f Great Britain," says
a Statesman, whose authority few will be disposed to
question, the Right Hon. GEORGE ROSE, " zealous fol.
the interest and honour of his country, there is no reward
of profit, emolument, or patronage, which can be
esteemed a compensation, for the labours, the privations,
the anxieties, or the dangers of bii situation. It is in the
approbation of his Sovereign, and the suffrage of his
countrymen, added to his own conviction, of having done
every thing to deserve it, that he must look for that re-
ward, which is to cransole him for all the cares and trot,
bles of his station ; the opposition of rivals, the misrepr. -

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PUNTED AND PUBLISHED AT NO. 5, PICKETT-STREET) STRAND, NEAR TEMPLE BAR.
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1 N°. 229. SUNDAY, MAY 17, 1812. PRICE 9d.
''
e HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL ACCOUNT their oppressors, will be struck with despondency an .. i
e _
OF THZ LAIR may. His unshaken firmness was the pillar of thei 4.
, RIGHT HONOURABLE SPENCER PERCEV AL. :.-.
hopes : and on whom can they now securely rely, whi - •„
—.i.e.-
it may happen that his opponents, who ever urged tle .:
The bolts of Divine wrath had hitherto smitten our
~
enemies alone. Confirmed in her independence, enlarged abandonment of our Allies, or the cuttailment of on
assistance as a matter of necessity, succeed to his post an
in her dominions, and increased in power, England tower-
e: change the whole political system of our country ? 'TT
~ ed among the nations, like the oak of our forests, green •
and vigorous in, the midst of trees withered by age or i murder of CIEeAR restored a momentary gleam of liberty
s, rent by whirlwinds. The storms which we encountered ii to Rome, and yet it has always excited more pity tine • .
e •
only served to brace and display our strength. Empires n
' admiration. The assassination of PERCTX.II. plunges
sunk beneath their violence ; whilst we rose above the II whole nation, which it deprives of its ablest Minister, il•'
,
wrecks of States—the refuge of the fallen, the stay of the 1
1 mourning, and will be remembered throughout all age
weak, the ally of the brave! Placed in the post of watch I with unfeigned regret and abhorrence of the deed. Bet!
i,'• fulness and danger, with experience to guide, and might perished in the Senate. But the former was a cotiquere•
;-... to assist others, we never shrunk from our difficult and ,I dyed with human blood, and surrounded with the spoil. .•
• always perilous task ; but performed it with zeal, firm- r' of freedom. The latter sys the friend and faithful ser ,
ness, and fidelity. Every nation that dared to defend its 1 vans of his country and his King—the chair:Teel of Fed , ±
against rights and territory the spoiler of the Continent, I ropean independence. CIESAR'S p rivate char-et:tie- belie( -. .
i•
became our friend and shared our resources. Even foes his martial glory, and presented an infamous deloancbee,
4 claimed our aid : hands raised for nearly an nee in hos- I clad in dictatorial purple. PEIWEVACS virtues, as a ma: ~
;11 e,
p, tility against us, were now lifted in supplication—men, ; equalled his abilities and patriotism as a 'VII. Inist..!r. A trie ..
Christian, an affectionate husband, father, end friend—fait]: 4:.
went to curse les as outcasts of Cbristiari;:e ..!'d of God, 1, et;
-o, - „..
0. called upon us to protect their liberties and religion,—nor :' towards his God, ena love for his fellow-creatures, &so— ez
eeso
called in vain. J f success did not attend always en,- conjoin- i with unstained purity in his heart—whilse Charity toward' -
.
;ed exertions, it was because, in :lee corruption of European r the poor, sincerity, and benevolence towards all, for:ned
..4. Cabinets our antagonist found his strongest arm. The n the other features of his amiable and excellent character. ..
people, frequently betrayed by their rulers, were enslaved, Log to this world, to which he presented so bright an ex- „II,:
~.
and armies sold by their own Commanders, perished.
,° ample of public an.l pi iyete virtue, he has now exchanged :,..
i 4 lint when true patricoism invoked our assistance : when political cares for heavenly joys, and transitory harp:tee::
‘,..--,
!or everlasting fel;city. his grateful country has adopted 7•;.'
....,, natiens sought really to be free, aod fonglit wnh the sisn:it
4of freedom, our treasures wele not expended, eer niood it his children, histery shall repeat his name., and posterity .
ee will honour it.
, was not shed in vain. Portugal .blessed her deliverers, 1
1;e and Spain hailed the dawn of reviving independence. Al- Power is generally deemed, not only the idol, but the
,
v ready bad the keys of her enslaved provinces, Ciudad reward of Public Men. Fascinating at a distance, meie ......
Rodrigo and Badajoz, been wrenched by British heroism, but those who possess it can know its real nature. It is
4' from the grasp of her lawless invaders.—Already had the then that the gem of envied lustre grows din,, and the ;'.'..
common enemy collected all his force to oppose our pro- diamond which sent forth such brilliant light, is proved
gross, and been compelled to fly back on every side, when a coal. It is then the burden would often be gladly ;.,1
~
, the man, whose energetic and provident mind doubled thrown aside, but is retained through a sense of public'
Our means by calling every latent spring of power into duty. g, To an upright Minister of Great Britain," says o
„:'.4;*
action ; whose skill wielded those means so effectually as a Statesman, whose authority few will be disposed to 1.7....
:to repel the hostility of a world in arms, and to rescue na- uestion, the Right Hon. GEORGE. ROSE, " zealous fol. --1,,
~' tions from servitude—the man, who seated at the helm of the interest and honour of his country, there is no reward `...:
Public affairs at a time of unusual difficulty and danger, of profit, emolument, or patronage, which can he • '''''
raised his country to an height of glory unequalled in the esteemed a compensation, for the labours, the privations,'-'"
annals of mankind, as a reward for his eminent services— the anxieties, or the dangers of bie situation- It is in the 'i''''
fell, basely murdered by an assassin !--The consequences approbation of his Sovereign, and the • suffrage of his : .
of such a fall the world will long feel, and sincerely countrymen, added to his own conviction, of having done r'.'
lament. The enemies of human freedom will rejoice ; every thing to deserve it, that he must look for that re- e..
" for those nations that looked up with confidence to our ward, which is to console him for all the cares
and
wee. ~_..
--; Government for powerful aid in their struggles against bles of his station ; the opposition of rivals, the misrepe. _ 44;
it'd- V- Mo. CCXYJX.