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

TIE NATIONAL REGISTER.

,02

LUPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS.

r

MONDAY, MAY 11.
Their Lordships proceeded to the reading of several Bills on the Table;
when on a sudden a tumultuous noise was heard in the lobby of' the
House of Commons, and several voices were heard distinctly crying
out, " He is shot, he is shot, and murdered !" and instantly the awful
and melancholy tidings were spread through the House, that a murder
was perpetrated. and that "Mr. Perceval, the Prime Minister of the
Country, was assassinated."
A simultaneous horror was visible on the face of every person, and
after a pause of some time it was agreed upon by their Lordships, that
immediately the House should take pulqie. notice of the trans,.ctiou, and
accordingly his Royal Highness the: Duke of Cu sa atilt r.AN in his place,
stated, that he had just returned from the Speaker's Chamber of the
House of Commons, and there beheld the body of the late Right Hon.
Spencer Perceval, upon a chair supported by assistants, lying dead from
the eff.-cts of a wound.
A general murmur and conversation ran through the House; but their
Lordships after a few observat,ons front Lord ELLENBOROUGII, agreed
as to the necessity of having legal evidence before them that the,wounds
were inflicted by violence. On this suggestion their Lordships sent for
a witness to prove the fact, and Mr. Taylor, chief door-keeper to the
House of Commons, was produced at the bar of the House, and being
sworn, testified as follows, viz.—" •I'h.it at about ten minutes past five
o'clock. he was in the execution of his duty, he saw Mr. Perceval enter
the lobby, and proceeding on his way into the House, when a man pre-
•sented a pistol ; he saw the fire, and heard the report, and instantly be-
held Mr. Perceval fall on the ground, crying out, " I am murdered! I
ant murdered !"—The witness was ordered to withdraw.
The Earl of Loma pool. then moved, that an humble Address be
presented to his Royal Highness the Prince Regent, acquainting his
Highness of the horrible assassination and murder of the late
Right Ploti.Spencer Perceval, Chancellor of the Exchequer, this even-
ing; and praying that his Royal Highness would graciously please to
order such steps to be taken as would bring the perpetrator or perpetra-
tors thereof to condign punishment.
On the question bring put, Earl GREY, hi language deeply expressive
of his sorrow for the fatal event, and of lamentations for the loss of so
valuable and good a man; seconded the motion; adding, that he was
certain that be only echoed the 5, use of the whole House in saying that
it was a motion that would p.t, !inanintously:—The motion was then
put and carried nentine dissentl/2±e.
The Earl of LivraPOOL thtll 1110veti that the said Address should he
forthwith pr.:sewed to his Rt.% e.l I I clines,, which was also carried.
He then moved that the fo!i...).wiz,g Pcvr.i do present the same, viz. the
Earl of Radnor, Earl Bathurst, E.,;rl Ciimlen, Earl Grey, the Earl of
C' iiehe,ter, the Earl of Westrmi et. And, the. Earl of Rosslyn, "the Earl
of Lauderdale, and Lord Mult.,rive; And on the motion of Lord Ellen-
borough, :!:e Earl of Livervool lu Iseliw:is also added. Their Lordships
then instantly proceeded to Carlton house.—Adjourncd.

MAY 17

promptitude in complying with his recommendation to atfoi <l assistance
to the widow and family of Mr. Perceval, was ordered to be printed
and published.--Adjourned.
••••

"MIDAS?, MAY 15.
No business of Importance, and the House adjourned till WednesdAy,

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

MONDAY, MAY 11.
Lord G. L. GOWZIt presented a petition from several Journeymen
Potters in Staffordshire against the Orders ht Council.
The House then resolved itself into a Committee, and proceeded to
the examination of witnesses respecting the Orders in Council, whin
the business was interrupted by the alarm of Mr. Perceval being assas-
sinated, the particulars of which dreadful event we have given in an-
other part of our Paper.

TUESDAY, MAY 12.

At four o'clock there were between four and five hundred Members
present. At half-past four Lord Castlereagh appeared at the Bar, and
delivered the following message from the Prince Regent :
GEORGE. P. R.
The Prince Regent, deeply impressed with the severe loss his Royal
Highness mid the Country have sustained in consequence of the murder
of the Rt. Hon. S. Perceval, and being desirous of marking his sera: a
the public and private virtues of Mr. Perceval, and of affording. relief
and assistance to his numerous and afflicted family, recommends to the
House of Commons to enable his Royal Highness, in the name an.l on
the behalf of his Majesty, to make such provision for the widow and
family of the Right Hon. Spencer Perceval, as to the justice and liberal-
ity of Parliament may seem proper.
The message was re eived with unanimous cries of Hear, hear !
As soon as it had been read from the Chair, Lord CAS rLzr Eno'
rose, and in a low tone, and in great agitation said, that it might easily
he conceived a more painful duty could not fall to the lot of any man
to discharge ; that the feelings of his Right Hon. Friend (Mr. Ryder,
we suppose,) were so totally overpowered as to prevent him from do-
ing that which he was himself about to perforin • that the present was
an insulated act, and could not be a stain on ;he national character,
Government having no reason to suppose any other person was impli-
cated ; that the horrible f ite which his lamented friend had met web,
had fallen upon him in consequence of the conscientious discharge of
his duty, in refusing to allow a demand upon the public, which (lid
not appear to be founded in justice.—(Hear l)—That whatever differ-
ences of opinion there might be, still all must agree that a man falling
in the cansciencious discharge of a public duty, had a well-grounded
claim usual the public--(Hear!)—that Mr. Perceval bad quitted his
lucrative profession so!- :y from a sense of public duty—that he hid
always acted so as to soften animosities, to conciliate even his political
enemies, and that he did nut believe the individual had one personal
enemy in the world—(Hear, hear! from all parts.)—At present he
only proposed to move an Address to the Regent, declaring the readi-
ness of the House to make such provision—the mode would be a sub-
jeet of future consideration; but he thought it adviseable to provide
tor each of the children individually, that all might not be lest iv;
placin it on the bead of one who might not live ; and to provide she
suitably for the afflicted widow, whose happiness in this life had closed.
Lordastlereagh concluded by moving—
That an humble Address be presented to his Royal Highness the
Prince Regent, to return his Royal Highness their grateful thanks fur
his Royal Highness's most gracious Message.
To assure his Royal Highness they deeply participate in the severe
loss his Royal Highness and the country has sustained in consequence .1
the murder of the Right lion. Spencer Perceval, First Commissioner :-:
his Majesty's Treasury, and Chancellor of the Excly.luer, of %silica
most atrocious act, committed within the walls of Parliament, they
cannot in terms sufficiently trong express their abhorrence ; and leag
desirous of marking their sense of the public ar.d private virtues of Mr.
Perceval, and of affording relief and assistance to his numerous and
of family, they beg leave humbly to assure his Royal Highness,
that they will feel it a grateful act of public duty, under the melan-
choly. circumstances of this afflicting case, to enable, his Royal High•
ness, in the name and on behalf of his Majesty to make such provision
for the Widow and Family of the Right Hon. Spencer Perceval as may
be consistent with the justice and the liberality of Parliament.
Mr. PON SON BY cordially concurred in the motion proposed. ,
Mr. CANNING expressed his entire concurrence in the. 11-lodate .. ~,,1
paid a most eloquent tribute to the public and private. virtues of "Ssr.
Perceval. . „ el
Mr. WHITBREAD said., that having been one of the most tA.3I
opponents of Mr. Percival, it might be expected that he wool,l A:L:',
t
few words. He said it was unnecessary to say any thing ahuti.n.ve
amiable private character of the late Right Hon. Gentleinaii—i :..
were not two opinions abow. it in the country. With respect t'ot.;.
public measures, he certainly differed; but there was one rart,itl• 14
public character which he hoped Would affect all publie men in l ".
and that was, the liberal and amiable controul ot teneacr whisii ht 2.1
sessed amidst all the warmth and violence of publ.c iaiacasers- Li-