Star.
London, England, 1818-04-08 00:00:00

STAR OFFICE, TWO O'CLOCK.

We stop the Press to state, that information has
just reached us of a most atrocious attempt haviug
~been made on the life of the Right Honourable the
Secretary of War, Lord PAGMIRSTON. His Lord-
ship was going up stairs to his Office, in the Horse
Guards, when he was fired at by some execrable
assassin who was in awaiting for his Lordship, and
!hot through the side. The wound, we are rejoiced
to understand, is not dangerous. The assassin is said
to he an Half-ray Officer, and was taken into cus-
tody on the spot,.

TIIREE O'CLOCK.

The Officer who fired at his Lordihip is stated to
be a Lieutenant. DAVIS, of the 62d Regiment, on
half pay. A gieat conccitirse of people are &WM-
bled in front of the Office in she Horse Guards.

FURTHER PARTICULARS.
Th.: assassin made no attempt to escape, but after
discharging the pistol gaie himself up to the Mes-
sengers in attendance at the War Office.-
On their expressing their horror at what he had
done, he-said, that ".if he had succeeded, It was.ouly
what he wished."

He was happily, however, so far unsuccessful in
his attempt, that his Lordship was able to walk_ to i
carriage, in which he immediately drove home.
Lavender, the Officer, being lent for, took the
prisoner into his custody, and conveyed him to the
Queen-square Police Office, where, after undergoing
a short examination, he was ordered by the attending
Magistrate, Mr. MARILLAND, to stand over com-
mitted to Tothillfields Bridewell, until Lord PAL.
SIERSION shall be able to attend to give evidence
against him.
He is a genteel looking young man, dressed in
black. He gave in his name at the Office as DAVID
DAVIS, Lieutenant on half pay ; and we understand
he avowed to the Officers, that Es object was to re-
venge some supposed injury he had received from
his Lordship in his official capacity.—" I had nothing
else for it," he said, 41 but either to kill his Lordship
or myself."
He had put forward, it:seems, a claim for the pen-
sion, on account of a wound pretended to have been
received in the service, but which had been wilfully
inflicted on himself, under circumstances of apparent

insanity.
The ball cut Lord PALMERSTON'S clothes through,
but only bruised the skin. It was found lying on
the stairs.

Thursday last the Commission of the General As-
sembly met at Edinburgh. Dr. DAVID 11.yronta
shortly stated the urgent necessity of having the pro-
posed legislative measure of the increase of churches
extended to Scotland.

Dr. Nicol. then read a printed report of the speech
of the Chancellor of the -Exchequer on the subject,
and from this inferred, that it was only necessary to
draw up a strong case of the very destitute state of
many parts of Scotland of religious instruction, to
obtain the concurrence of Government for the requi-

site extension of the Bill to this part of the island.
Dr. levsste of Little Dunkeldf in a short but most
interesting speech, stated, that it was consistent with
his personal knowledge that there were parishes in
the Highlands of 60 miles long by 40 broad, with
only one place of worship, and that he had met with',
persons of 60 and 70 years of age who bad only,
once, in the course of their lives, heard a sermon.,
That the ignorance of the people in many places was
consequently extreme. They were, therefore, the
ready dupes of the Missionaries of any superstitious
or fanatical creed with which they happened to come
in contact. That there had very recently arisen in
the Highlands of Perthshire anew sect, denominated
Freemen, who professed open hostility to all existing
denominations of Christians. In other parts the Ca-
tholics were gaining ground in a most alarming de •
gree ; and though the Missionaries sent out by the
Church of Scotland were very useful, yet their in-
fluence was necessarily of a far inferior description to
that of established Clergymen ; and the want of ac-
commodation was such, that he himself, when em-
ployed in that service, had usually preached under
a tree or a rock, in a cave, or a barn.
Sir H. Moarcaziro wished to have a Committee

appointed for furnishing particular information to
Government, and moved that the Commission should
draw up a memorial, to be transmitted to Parliament.
It was accordingly agreed that a Committee should
be appointed w draw up a memorial, to be submit.
tad to the consideration of the Commission.