The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-10-22 00:00:00

LAST MOMENTS OF LORD SYDENHAM

The following account of the death-bed scene of this la-
mented nobleman is extracted from the letter of an eye

witness :
" For about a week after the accident (a fall on horseback,

by which his leg was broken, and at the same time a deep
and painful wound inflicted just above the knee) he appeared
to be going on tolerably well, and, although he himself re-
peatedly expressed doubts as to his recovery, there was no-
thing to lead us to suppose, nor did the medical men give us
to understand, that his presentiment was more than the na-
tural consequence of the lowness produced by weakness.
" On Monday, however, the 13th, spasms came on, first in
the leg, and afterwards in the stomach and throat ; yet still
we had no idea that a fatal result would ensue. The proro-
gation had at first been fixed for Wednesday, and subsequent-
ly, at the request of the assembly, postponed until Friday ;
and so little prepared were we then for what was to follow,
that during Thursday the Governor-General was employed
in giving his decision on the several bills which had been
passed, and in revising the draft of the speech which, at his
desire, had been prepared for him.
" On Friday morning his illness increased so much that he
was obliged to put off the prorogation, and after consultation
with his medical advisers, he determined to prorogue the
parliament by deputation. General Clitherow being the
senior military officer at present at Kingston, was selected
for the purpose, and prorogued the parliament on Saturday
morning, at twelve o'clock, giving, at the same time, the
royal assent or reservation to the bills which had all pre-
viously received Lord Sydenham's decision, and almost all
of them his signature. In the night of Friday occurred that
great change which made it evident that Lord Sydenham's
illness was rapidly approaching to a fatal termination. Every
one of his symptoms was fearfully aggravated, and even those
who had before hoped most were forced to confess that hope
Was now vain. He was perfectly conscious of his own state,
and about two o'clock on Saturday_ afternoon he, together

with all his establishment, received the sacrament.' He then
dictated to Mr. Dowling his will. To all his establishment
he left some token of his regard. He desired to be remem-
bered to Lord J. Russell, to whom he bequeathed a memorial
of his friendship, and when that part of his will was read over
to him, he exerted himself to say, with emphasis, though in-
terrupted by violent spasms in the throat, Dowling, Lord
John is the noblest man it has ever been my good fortune to
know.' He then took leave of us all individually, saying
something kind to each. To Mr. Murdoch, civil secretary,
he expressed a wish that he should write the history of his
administration in Canada. He repeatedly mentioned his
continued interest in this country, and his satisfaction that
the parliament was prorogued, the great institutional mea-
sures he had devised and proposed to parliament passed into
law, and the purposes of his mission accomplished. To his
private secretary he said, ' Good bye, Grey ; you will defend
my memory. Mind, Grey, you will defend my memory !'
He then spoke kindly to Major Campbell and Mr. Baring,
adding, (motioning his hand to all,) ' Now leave me alone
with Adamson (his chaplain) to die.'
" The rest of that day and the whole night were spent by
him in prayer and conversation with his chaplain. During
this period he suffered very much, but his mind never for an
instant failed, nor appeared to be clouded by his approaching
death. Once or twice his spasms were so severe that we
were afraid he was gone; but it was not until seven o'clock
on Sunday morning that we were summoned into his room to
see him breathe his last. At this moment all pain seemed to
have ceased ; his countenance had resumed its usual expres-
sion. He gave one long steady look up on us all around the
bed, and expired at five minutes past seven o'clock.
" I cannot conclude without adding my confident belief
that in Canada Lord Sydenham has not left one personal
enemy. and that his death in the service of his Queen and
this colony, for whose welfare he died a martyr (since there
can be no doubt that the severity of the two winters lie passed
here, acting on a constitution not over strong, alone rendered
him unequal to bear the effects of an injury, not otherwise of
a fatal character), will be hallowed to its good, that over his
untimely grave past differences will be forgotten, a spirit of
charity grow up and flourish, and all parties unite cordially
to carry out the policy and administer the laws which his
master-mind devised and his master-hand enacted.
" Lord Sydenham had just accomplished his forty-second
year a few days only before his death."