The Sun.
London, England, 1850-07-04 00:00:00

TBE LATE SIR R. PEEL.

It is impossible to exaggerate the feelings of prc-
found emotion with which the mournful intelligence
of the death of Sir Robert Peel was received yester-
day in every circle of the metropolis. At first a
feeling of incredulity was created by the startling in:
telligence ; but when this had been removed beyond
all doubt, the next very natural desire was for more
ample information than the suddenness of the occur-
rence had hitherto admitted of. In order to satisfy
this very natural anxiety, it will, perhaps, suffice if
we embody the leading incidents connected with the
calamity in the subjoined narrative, the materials for
which have been gathered from sources of unques-
tionable authenticity :
Sir Robert Peel had called at Buckingham Palace
and entered his name in her Majesty's visiting book
only a few minutes before the accident. Proceeding
up Constitution-hill, he had arrived nearly opposite
the wick gate leading into the Green park, when he
met Miss Ellis, one of Lady Dover's daughters, on
horseback, attended by a groom. Sir Robert had
scarcely changed salutes with this young lady when
his horse became slightly restiff, swerved towards
the rails of the Green Park, and threw Sir Robert
sideways on his left shoulder. Two gentle-
men who were close to the spot ran forward and
raised him, holding him in a sitting posture. Dr.
Foucart was the third gentleman to render assistance.
Re saw the accident from a distance of 150 yards,
and hastening forward reached the spot just as Sir
Robert had been raised by the other two gentlemen.
Sir Robert, on being raised, groaned very heavily,
and in reply to Dr. Foucart's question, as to whether_.,,
he was much hurt, replied, " Yes—very much."
During the few moments
which elapsed before acar-
rive was procured Sir Robert became unconscious,
in which state he remained until after he had been
*misted into the carriage. He then slightly revived,
and, again in reply to Dr. Foucart, said, "I feel
better." The carriage was then ordered to drive
slowly through the park to Whitehall-gardens, Sir
Robert being supported by Dr. Foucart and the two
gentlemen who bad first raised him from the ground.
They had not proceeded more than thirty yards when
Sir James Clarke met the carriage, and, having heard
of the accident, came up to see if he could render any
assistance. Dr. Foucart requested Sir James to
accompany him in the carriage to Whitehall, which
Sir James consented to do. In a few minutes
after he had entered the carriage Sir Ro-
bert became much excited, and endeavoured to
raise himself up, Which it was thought necessary to
prevent. He then again sank into a state of half-
unconsciousness in which he remained until his ar-
rival in Whitehall-gardens. On being lifted out of
the carriage he revived, and walked, with assistance,
into the house. On entering the mansion, Sir Robert
'WU met by Lady Peel and the members of his family,
who had been awaiting his arrival in painful anxiety
after having received intelligence of the accident.
Lady Peel was overwhelmed with emotion, and would
have flung herself into her husband's arms had not
Sir James Clarke and the other gentlemen in attend-
ance removed her. The effect of the meeting upon
Sir Robert was extremely painful. He swooned in the
arms of Dr. Foucart, and was placed upon a sofa in
the nearest apartment (the dining-room). From this
roam Sir Robert was never removed, and so extremely
sensitive to pain did he speedily become that it was
only after very considerable difficulty that he could
be removed from the sofa to a patent hydraulic bed
which had been procured for his use.
Sir James Clarke having consulted with Lady
Peel, it was arranged to send at once for Sir Ben-
jamin Brodie and Mr. Caesar Hawkins. Dr. Seymour
and Mr. Hodgson' the family physician and surgeon,
were also sent for at the same time. Sir James
Clarke and Dr. Foucart remained in attendance until
Mr. Shaw (Sir Benjamin Brodie's assistant) came,
When the former left. At length Sir Benjamin ar-
rived, and a consultation took place between the six
ge.ntlerhen whose names are above given. A for-
antdable difficulty presented itself at the very outset
of the case, from the distressing fact that Sir Robert's
sufferings were so acute that he would not permit any
minute examination of his injuries to be made by the
medical men. The slightest touch in the vicinity of
tile injured parts gave him intense agony, and the
cllly manner in which he could be treated under the
circumstances was to assume ' that the comminuted
fracture of the clavicle (which was evident to the eye,
on the clothes being removed) was the only one, and
that the ribs were uninjured. After the consultation
: Was determined to reduce this fracture, but owing
_. the extreme sensibility of the patient, the opera-
tion
was not completely performed, and, at the expi-
ration of a few hours, the sufferer entreated that he
might be released from the bandages, and they were
according) y taken off.
mitred Saturday evening Sir Robert was per-
im to see Lady Peel and the members of his
r Ily ; but after this time it was thought advisable
of
exclude all strangers from the apartment, for fear
passed fproducing any additional excitement. Sir Robert
aibilit a restless night on Saturday, his extreme :m-
-altogether
to touch increasing hourly, and his symptoms
...._ . becoming very alarming, which at first,
eueenenelteve, some of the medical gentlemen in attend-
;nil did not consider them to be. On Sunday even-
atonduninety, at
g' the Pulse having increased from between eighty
some
epwbiardl which it had ranged after the accident,
of 100, it was deemed necessary to take
Twentyn(l'u, with a view of reducing the inflammation.
leeches were accordingly applied to the left
shoulder b
large quantity of
blood Dsr.F Foucart, and a . . .
Wa3Yob
meat in tainea There was no positive improve
tion • '
and e condition of the patient from this opera-
throughout
Monday ni hhe continued in a very precarious state
the whole of Sunday and Monday. On
increased, g t the alarming symptoms were greatly
delerious
About seven o'clock Sir Robert became
In this state
attempted to raise himself up in bed.
of the ate he continued during the greater part
night, and at intervals he became much
exhausted that
his .
several times medical attendants were
survive
of hiss ufferings
through opinion that he could not
night In the paroxsyms
oldest and d
Grahameawree Sirtßheobert's thoughts were with his
and
re
friends, and the names of Har.dinge
o'clock on T frequently upon his lips. At four
sound sle,ep, 0
uesday morning Sir Robert fell into a
until eiwhich he continued uninterruptedly
Cm gnt o'clock. On awaking, his mind was quite
to red, and his medical attendants considered him
There
Fro much refreshed by the rest he had enjoyed.
pr Le was still, however, cause for intense anxiety.
em the
period of the accident up to this time
(nearly 70 hours) Sir Robert had taken no other
lorenaliCe than a glass of champagne and the yolk of
diffie egg beaten up, which he was induced with some
tecultYswallow. cine had been
)cued' as
h
at matter of course,Medi but throughout the m
same
gtened
period the system had remained perfectly
inactive. The pulse had greatly increased on Tues-
day, marking from 112 to 118, and becoming very
weak. At noon on Tuesday Sir Robert expressed him-
self to be a little easier. This relief, was, unhappily, of
short duration. At two o'clock far more dangerous
ymptoms than any which had yet been observed pre-
sented themselves. At this time Sir Robert began to
breathe stertorously, and his senses again failed him.
bte ceased to answer any of the questions addressed
w him, and appeared to be sinking into a comatose
state.
Sir Benjamin Brodie was again sent for, and
on his arrival agreed with Dr. Foucart and the other
medical gentlemen that the case now assumed a most
dangerous aspect. The pulse had become very weak,
and marked 118. From two o'clock to six o'clock
the change for the worse was progressive, the pulse
Stimulantsasng to 130, and becoming gradually weaker.
were administered, but had no apparent
affect" and there stertorous breathing became more and
more' pam.ful Ti,e relatives were now informed that
all the relief medical
nosciencehope whatever
could afford was ex-
hausted, and that
Robert Peel's life being proionwhatever existed of Sir
Rev Dr
for 24
Tomlinson hours. The
very old friend of Sir Robert's, was nuw,
Bishop of Gibraltar (the
Dr. ) a
sentfor,to
administer the last offices of
, the church. On the
• t waa mti
arrival of the prelate i nsated to Lady Peel
and the members of the family that they 111;0 no , without risk of increasing the dangerous condition now
the patient, be admitted to the apartment in which he
fa •
was lying. In a few moments the whole family were
assembled in the presence of their beloved relative,
whose exhausted condition at this time scarcely
enabled him to recognize their identity.
It is not the province of the journalist to violate
the sanctity of a scene like this, and therefore this
Portion of our narrative necessarily omits all matters
of detail. It is sufficient to say that the lamented
sufferer revived sufficiently during one period of the
interview to identify the features of those beloved
ones surrounding his couch—towards whom he at
length extended his faltering hand, and, in an atti-
tude
~ acs,,hesking the intensity of his feelings, whis-
Pa'Ae't in carcely audible voice—" God bless you!"
Ilar' the
termination of this distressing scene Lord
form
,Ige and Sir James Graham, who had been in-
t) tlei of the fatal result anticipated, were admitted
Both e presence of the patient, now rapidly sinking.
. gentlemen were painfully affected ; and well
might Lord Hardinge remark, on leaving the room,
dying e contemplation of his beloved friend upon his
ng Couch had
dangers he more unnerved him than all the
had enc
and Schrum, ounted on the plains of Moodkee
At 9 o'clock Sir Robert h i
as to be callous a become so exhausted
members of
to all external le-Tv ssions. The
the his family still remained near him, with
exception of Lady
feelings rend Peel, whose painfully-excited
her from .. e ered it absolutely necessary to remove
however, taho
fapartment. The sufferer's strength was,
casional new ar.exhausted that, although he gave oc-
the 'cations
. P"w'r of utter
of being sensible of their presence,
it soon became utterance h•ad altogether ceased, and
eviden
t that his end was rapidly ap-
S•
4 Robert cow to
exist at nine minutes after
•