The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1850-07-02 00:00:00

ATTACK UPON HER MAJESTY.

The intelligence of the attack upon her Majesty,
which it is our painful duty to lay before our
readers to-day, will be received with a feeling of
burning indignation in every portion of the world
where an Englishman is to be found. The parti-
culars of the assault are briefly told. Her Majesty, ac-
companied by her children and Lady Jocelyn, called on
Thursday upon the Duke of Cambridge, about six o'clock
in the evening. About the same time, and while the car-
riage was within the gates of Cambridge-house, a man,
respectably dressed, and to outward appearance a gentle-
man, was observed loitering about the entrance, and as
though waiting for the departure of the Queen. No no-
tice was taken of so common a circumstance as that a
gentleman should interrupt his walk for a few minutes in
order to see the Queen drive past. A little after six the
carriage drove cut, and just as it was passing into the
road, and was proceeding at a slow rate to turn the cor-
ner, the man above mentioned, by name Robert Pate,
sprang forward, and with a small stick struck a smart
blow at the Queen's face. The blow took effect neon her
Majesty's cheek, and crushed her bonnet over her fore-
head. The ruffian was instantly seized by the bystan-
ders : his stick was wrested from him, and he was con-
veyed to the station-house. The Queen proceeded to
Buckingham Palace, and has received so little injury
from this dastardly assault that she was able to appear at
the Opera in the course of the evening. The ruffian who
made the attack gave his name at the station-house as
Robert Pate, of 27, Duke-street, St. James's. It appears
by the army list that he was appointed to a cornetcy in
the 10th Hussars on the sth of February, 1841, and be-
came a lieutenant in the same regiment on the 22d July,
1842. At the station-house he refused to give any ex-
planation of the motives which had induced him to make
this dastardly attack.
The prisoner was brought up for examination at the
Home-office on Friday, in custody of a superintendent of
police. He was dressed in a blue frock coat and light
trousers. His face and forehead are indicative of intelli-
gence, but his eye is somewhat vacant. He is of slender
make, and stoops slightly. He appeared to be quite col-
lected, and even indifferent. Altogether his appearance
was prepossessing and gentlemanly. The investigation,
according to all former precedents, was conducted in pri-
vate. Inspector Field, of the Detective Force, was in
attendance, and had charge of several articles found at the
lodgings of prisoner. There were present at the ex-
amination. Sir George Grey, the Attorney-General, Mr.
Cornwall Lewis, Mr. Maule, the Solicitor to the Trea-
sury ; Mr. Hall, the Chief Magistrate of Bow-street
Police office. The following witnesses were called :
Colonel Grey, Equerry to Her Majesty; Robert Renwick,
serjeant footman to the Queen; Silver, sergeant in the
police ; and Mr. Cowling, bookseller, Northwhich-court,
Fetter-lane ; who deposed to the facts attending the
assault. At the close of their evidence, and upon the ap-
plication of the Attorney-General, the prisoner was re-
manded till Friday next, at twelve o'clock. The prisoner
was then removed in custody.

It is stated that the prisoner was a member of the army
and Navy Club until the commencement of the present
year, when he ceased to be a subscriber.
It was stated to the reporters by one of the inspectors
of the police, that he had for the last eiehteen months
frequently observed the prisoner lounging in the West
End neighbourhood, and had often remarked that he
swung his right arm while walking. in a very peculiar
manner, so as to describe nearly a semi-circle; but he
always appeared to be cool and collected, and gave no
appearance of insanity.
It is said that he has been estranged from his family,
and from his father particularly, for some time past. The
unfortunate man's demeanour, during the whole of the
examination, is said to have been respectful and gentle-
manly. He walked to the cab without a faltering step,
under the care of a policeman, and was immediately con-
veyed to the House of Detention at Pentonville. His
exit from the Home-office did not excite any manifesta-
tion of feeling on the part of the public, as but few per-
sons were aware that his examination was concluded,
until he had been 'driven away.
_ _

Mr. Pate, sen., father of the prisoner, arrived in town
on Friday afternoon, and waited upon the authorities in
reference to his son's painful position. This gentleman
is highly respected in Cambridgeshire, for which county
he filled the office of high sheriff only the year before last.
The prisoner was educated at Norwich in a school kept
by the Rev. Mr. Currie, one of the clerical dignitaries of
that city. It appears that before entering the army he
had made a voyage to Malta, and it is said that his health
suffered very much from the heat of the climate. While
in custody at the Vine-street station, the prisoner recog-
nised one of the inspectors, who is a member of a highly-
respectable family resident at Wisbeach. In the course
of conversation the officer remarked, " I wish to heaven
I had been at your right hand yesterday, and then this
should not have happened." The prisoner replied empha-
tically, " I wish you had." He afterwards added to the
same officer, "that he had felt very low for some time
past." He made no allusion to the crime with which he
stands charged, but appeared rather anxious to avoid the
subject.

The prisoner has lodged for some time over Messrs.
Portman and Mason's premises, at the corner of Duke-
street and Piccadilly. The person who has charge of the
house describes him to have been of a very absent turn of
mind, and states that be would sit for hours at the window
without reading or occupation of any kind. Her apart-
ments are very elegant, and the cap and sword belonging
to him when in the Hussars are suspended on one of the
walls. His wardrobe is described as being most extensive
and valuable, and the manner in which he kept it extremely
orderly. His habits were regular.
It is stated that the prisoner was in difficulties about
two and a half years ago, from which, however, the
payment of his debts by his father relieved him. He has
since more than once sought an increased allowance from
his family. The prisoner is an only son. He has a
mother and two sisters living.
The defence to be set up will beinsanity.