HOUSE OF COMMONS.

New Zealand Colonist and Port Nicholson Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 24, 21 October 1842, Page 3

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

THE ATTEMPT ON THE QUEEN’S LIFE

While Lord J. Manners was speaking, the tidings reached the House of the attempt which had just been made against the life of her Majesty ; and when, upon the question of the third reading of the Property Tax Bill, Mr. Baring began to address the House against the measure,

Sir R. Peel interposed, and recommended that, considering the necessity of his own immediate attendance upon the examination of the assassin, who was in custody, and the difficulty of proceeding to a deliberate consideration of so important a question as that of the then pending Bill, under the feelings of excitement

which prevailed in the H6use, the discussion should be adjourned till next day. Lord John Russell expressed his concurrence, and the House immediately separated.

ADDRESS TO THE QUEEN ON HER PROVIDENTIAL ESCAPE.

A message from the House of Lords having been received, expressing the desire of their Lordships to have a conference with the Commons, “ on a subject materially affecting the safety of her Majesty’s most sa’crcd person, and the happiness of her peoplea committee of conference was appointed,, who received the address agreed to by the House of Lords (which will be found in the report of the proceedings in the Upper House). The address was brought up by Sir R. Peel, and was read by the clerk at the table. Sir Robert Peel then rose and said—“ I feel it my duty to propose that this' House should concur in the address which the other House of Parliament has adopted, and I anticipate but one unanimous feeling respecting the proposal which I have to make. (Loud cheers.) Scarcely two years have elapsed since I had the painful duty of seconding a proposal of a similar nature made by the noble Lord, and it is with mixed feelings of shame and indignation—{loud cheers) —that, after a lapse of two years, I now rise to discharge a similai* duty. (Hear, hear.) I should have thought that the natural feelings and sympathies of human nature would have been protection sufficient against so atrocious a crime. (Loud cheers.) That our young Queen, seeking for innocent recreation from the cares and toils of business, m the presence of her beloved husband, should be a second time exposed in this country to an attempt like this, fills me with feelings of shame and indignation. (Loud cries of “ Hear, hear.”) If the natural feeling of humanity would not have prevented such an attempt, I should have thought that the burst of loyal affection which had been called forth from all classes of her Majesty’s subjects by the first attempt, and of indignation and abhorrence against the author of it, would have constituced an additional guarantee to prevent the repetition of such an atrocity. (Loud cheers.) It has not done so. Yesterday evening, a little before six o’clock, as her Majesty was returning home in the company of her beloved husband, having 1 , I believe, taken the precaution that no other female life should be exposed to danger but hei own—(continued cheering)—relying with confidence in the generous loyalty of her people—(immense cheering)—with a determination not to be confined as a prisoner in her own palace (loud cheers) — I say,, yesterday evening, on [her Majesty’s return to the palace, a shot from a pistol was discharged at the carriage in which her Majesty was sitting, and I have, at least, the 1 satisfaction of stating that the person by whom that pistol was discharged was immediately arrested, and is now in confinement. There is every reason to believe that this crime had been meditated on the preceding dayat least a person, answering in every respect the description of the appearance of the person apprehended for the offence of yesterday, was observed to point a pistol at the carriage in which her Majesty was seated on her return from church, and was heard to express his regret that lie had failed in effecting his object. This- person so charged has been committed for the offence of high treason, and is now before the judicial tribunals of the country; I shall, therefore, abstain from any further comments on the offence with which he has been charged; but lam sure I shall be justified in anticipating that the country, from one end to the other, will candur with us in our expression of abhorrence at the crime—(cheers) —and gratitude to Almighty God for the renewed protection of her'Majesty from this second attempt on her life, and will offer up an earnest prayer to the same Divine Disposer of events, that lie will continue to vouchsafe his protection to her, and long preserve a life so justly dear to all her Majesty’s subjects.” (Loud cheers).' The only motion he should make was, that the House clo agree to the addresses, with the adtion of the words, “ and the Commons.” Lord John Russell seconded the motion, and the address was agreed to unanimously.

Suicide of Lord Congleton. —We regret to announce that Lord Congleton (formerly Sir Henry Parnell,) put a period to his existence yesterday evening, at his residence, in Cadoganplace, by' hanging himself with a handkerchief. From the late hour at which the melancholy occurrence took place, no authentic particulars have transpired. The deceased Henry Brooke Parnell, Lord Congleton, who was raised to that dignity by the Melbourne Ministry, in 1841, was the second son of Sir John Parnell, Bart., by the second daughter and co-heir of the Right Hon. Sir Arthur Brooke, Bart. He was born in 1776, and was consequently 63 years of age. lie married in 1801 the eldest daughter of the first Earl of Portarlington, by whom he has left a son, the Hon. John Parnell (now Lord Congleton), and five other children. His late lordship succeeded his eldest brother to the baronetcy in 1812. He was chairman of the finance committee in 1828. In 1833 he was appointed a member of the Excise inquiry commission, and filled the post of Secretary of War in 1831.

In April 1835, he was appointed PaymasterGeileral of the Forces and Treasurer of the Ordnance and the Navy, which offices he continued to hold until June, 1841. He represented Queen’s' county in Parliament from 1803, to 1833, atid Duhdee from the latter period till 1841. His lordship was author of a well-known work on financial reform’, and of a great number of pamphlets on currency and banking ; also of a work upon r6ads and road-making. His lordship was a descendant of Parnell, Archdeacon of Clogher, the. author of the admired poem the “The Hermit.”

We attended the race at Petoni, of which an account will be found in another column. It is to be regretted, that whilst we possess the finest opportunities of improving our breed of cattle, so few horSes of any superior description have been introduced. Even Figaro owed his success mainly to the superior seat of his rider, the best but one to be found in the colonies. Calmuc Tartar is a strong' afiimal, but requires a fine land. Marksman is too light for the Petoni ground, but his rider is one of the best and most elegant horsemen We have seen out of England, or New South Wales. Perhaps the firmest seat was held by Mr. Penny in the bye race.