Outrage On Mr. Brougham.
The Times, 1824-06-12T00:00:00

At a quarter past four o'clock. yesterday evening, as Mir. Brouagham was passing through the lobby of the House of Commons to attend his duty in Parliament, a person who walked behind Iiim, and held a small wtip in his hand-7 which he flourished, was heard by some to utter, in a hur- ried and nearly inarticulate manner, the phrase-"c You have betrayed me, Sir; I'U make you attenid to your duty." M%1r. Brougham, on encoumtering this interrption.ttmited round and said, " lVho, aIre you, Sir ?"-" You know me] well," roplied the assailant. *Mr. .Brougham perceiing the person still prcssinj upon him in a rude manner, passed on tl> the door of the House of Commons, and took no further nlotice of the assailant. The bustle, however, excited upon the occasion, attracted the attention of the constableg in at- tendance, and, we understand, of Mr. Litdeton and Sir George Robinson, who were entering theHouseof Commons at the moment: the consequence was, that the individual was taken into custody by Cooke the constable, and the whip taken out of his hand. The prisoner stated his nusne to be Robert Gourlay,-one with which the public have for the three last years been cooversaht in the reports of Parlia- mentary and Chancery proceedings. He at one time pre- sented petitions which excited discussion in the House of ('ommons, complaining of oppression from the local autho- rities in Canada; he was afterwards heardl of in Wilshire, asbeing employed on theroadsin parochial labouring work. He has lately been engaged in a Chancery suit with the Duke of Somerset about the-tenure of a farm. From the appearance of the individual yesterday, coupled with the eccentricity of his recent conduct, an inferenice would arise, more of a pature to excite a feeling of compassion for this person, who once moved in- a different situationrof life, than to point hitn out as a fit person to be held sternly re- sponsible for his actions. His appearance is decayed and debilitated; and wvhen removed into one of the committee- rooms of the House of Comnmons, in the custody of the constable who apprchended him, ard Mr. Gifford, the mes- -senger, he let fall his head upon his hand, as a person labouring under the relapse incidental to violent excite- ment. He complained of some neglect of Mr. Brougharm's respecting the presentation of a petition froin Canada, which we understand has no foundaTtion; hud the course taken by Mr. Canning in postponing the consideration of the breach of' privilege, supports the inference of the irre- sponsibiity of the individual, for a reason apparent from the very fooli6h nature of the act itself. On being in the course of the evening told that if he would express any con- trition for his outrage, Mr. Brougham wvould instantly move for his disebarge, he refused to make any apology tto Mr. Brougham, but said he had no objection to petition the House. He added, that he was determined to have a fight with MIr. Brougham, because he had sbamefully deserted his cause, and taken up that of a dead missionary. It is hardly necessary to add, that Mr. Brougham is totally un- conscious of the alleged desertion, and that Gourlay labours under a complete and melancholy delusion. In the course of the evening he wasvisitedby Drs.Morris and Sutherland. - UTRAGE 0X MR. BROrCIAM.-