Star.
London, England, 1818-02-16 00:00:00

PRIVATE LETTERS.

" PARIS, FEB. 12.

" On the night of the 10th instant, as his Grace
the Duke of Wellington was returning from the ha-
ban Opera, in Paris, attended by his Aide-de-Camp,
and a Spanish Officer of high rank, who has long
been the companion of our illustrious countryman,
and has attended him through all his campaigns, the
crowd was so great, that the progress of his Grace's
carriage was for some time impeded. During this
period a villain was observed pressing forward to-
wards the spot where the Duke's carriage was situa-
ted. Fortunately, however, for that time, his inten-
tion was frustrated, by the activity of his Lordship's
coachman, who whipped up his horses, and drove
rapidly in the direction of the Place Vendome. It
appears, notwithstanding, that the assassin reached
the Rue St. Honore, before the carriage of his Grace
arrived there, and It the moment it crossed, on the
way to the Champs Elysee, fired at the Duke ; so
sure was his aim, and so deliberate the act, that no-
thing could have preserved the life of our great Hero,
had the window of the carriage been down, which
was the case but a moment before; the hand of his
Grace's Aide-de-Camp being still on the holder, after
raising it, when a rifle ball struck the strong plate-
glass, and shattered it to pieces. The Duke imme-
diately, with the greatest coolness, directed that the
coachman should be ordered to stop. His Grace
alighted, and perceiving a figure gliding round the
corner of the Rue St. Honore, with an intention, as
it would appear, of escaping towards the Barriere de
Elysee, his Grace promptly advanced upon him.—
The villain instantly started, flung the rifle from his
hand, and with the rapidity of lightning, darted to-'I
wards the Thuillcries, by the gardens of which, and
over the Pont Neuf, he is supposed to have made his
escape. His Grace then, with that collected firmness
for which he is so remarkable, directed a few Gen-
darmerie, who, alarmed by the report of the rifle,
had assembled on the spot, to go in pursuit of him,
and returned to his carriage as if nothing had taken
place. His Grace is even reported to have been fa-
cetious on the circumstance of there being no glass
to preserve them from a drizzling rain that was then
falling, and which occasioned its being at first drawn
up. A considerable sensation arose next morning in
consequence. The Parisians were to be Seen muster-
ing in strange and grotesque groups at the various
Caffe's, and reports the most extravagant were in
circulation."

ANOTHER LETTER.

d 4 I have just received further particulars relating
to the above atrocious assault :

--- -
~ The sentinels were under the gateway (Port
Cocherel of the Duke's hotel. His Graces coachtnan
has declared, that at fifty paces from it, opposite the

Hotel d'Abtantes, he saw a man of middling sta-
ture, who a to be dreised in dark blue, and
running the carriage, as far as the door of the
Duke's hotel, and stopping at the side of the sentry-
boa, he fired off a pistol ; the horses were already
under the gateway, but the coachman was still
without ; the pistol was aimed behind him. The
footman also saw the assassin, bat only at the mo-
ment when he fired, and the pistol was let off in the
direction between him and the coachman. Two of
his Grace's servants, who where supping in an ad-
joining public-house, say that they heard the report
of the pistol at the moment they came out ; they saw
a man who Appeared to be coming from the Duke's
hotel, but who was walking very quietly, which un-
fortunately did not induce them to seize his person:
they agreed with the coachman and footman as to
his suture, but it appeared to them that he wore
mustachios, which the others did not notice. As the
ball has not been found, some persons think that the
pistol might only have been loaded with powder.
" One of the Duke's Aid-de-Camps has said, that
a disbanded foreign officer, who had served under
his Grace in the Peninsula, twice presented a petition
to him to deliver to the Duke, and had shewn much
moroseness of temper. at not having been able tO
succeed in his demand; the description of this man's
person corresponds with that riven by the Duke's
servants. His Grace was alone in •the carriage."