IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Colonist and Port Nicholson Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 24, 21 October 1842, Page 2

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS. Monday, May 30. THE ATTEMPT ON THE QUEEN’S LIFE. At this moment a communication was made to the Duke of Wellington, upon which his

grace started up and left the House very suddenly, followed by Lord WharnclifFe, Lord Fitzgerald, and other peers. The Lord Chancellor likewise quitted the woolsack very hurriedly (his place being occupied by the Earl of Shaftesbury, as deputy speaker), and left the House. It became immediately known that her Majesty’s life had been menaced, whereupon all business was instantly suspended; the peers rose from their seats and collected round the Lord Chancellor, who had returned, and who appeared by his gesticulations to be describing the occurrence. The effect produced, indicating the utmost anxiety and apprehension, was very striking. The House then immediately adjourned. At a few minutes past five o’clock, the attendance of peers being then very numerous, The Duke of Wellington addressed the House.—“My Lords —Your lordships must have learned, with feelings of deep regret and indignation, from the reports which have been in circulation, of the attempt made on the life of her Majesty last evening. These reports, my Lords, have been unhappily true, and it now falls to my lot to perform a duty on the part of her Majesty’s government, and to state to your lordships the facts as they occurred. An attempt was made on the life of her Majesty last evening, as she was returning in her carriage, accompanied by her royal consort, to Buckingham Palace. That attempt which, by the blessing of Divine Providence, has failed, was made by a person who was stationed a short distance from her Majesty’s carriage, and who fired a pistol at her Majesty. My Lords, I thank God, that by the blessing of his Divine Providence, her Majesty escaped unhurt. (Cheers). The person who committed this act —this atrocious act, I may call it —was immediately taken into custody. His case is now undergoing a course of legal inquiry, and in due course he will be brought to justice. My Lords, I purposely avoid on this occasion entering into any detail of the painful circumstances of this atrocious attempt. (Hear, hear). I state the general facts of the case : I shall then move that an humble address of congratulation be presented to her Majesty on the failure of this atrocious and treasonable attempt on her Majesty’s life, which attempt has been defeated by the interposition of Divine Providence.” His grace concluded by proposing an address, congratulating her Majesty on her providential escape, and moved that a conference be desired upon the subject with the House of Commons. The Marquis of Lansdowne said, that in every word and sentiment expressed by the noble duke he fully concurred. They would all, he was sure, find an echo in the bosom of every . noble lord present, and indeed of every man in the country. Lord Portman said, that he should not be justified in allowing the question to be put without taking the opportunity of stating a fact which had come to his knowledge, and of a nature to adhere her Majesty still more to her loyal people. It was this, that in her reliance on the protection of Divine Providence against any risk or danger to which she considered she might be exposed, she would not allow others should be exposed to any such risk; hnd, therefore, on her going abroad for her usual ride in her carriage yesterday evening, she would not permit the attendance of those ladies whose duty it was to wait upon her on such occasions. (Hear, hear). A committee was then appointed to manage the conference with the Commons, who communicated the address to which their lordships had agreed, and left it with the Commons. A message from the Commons was afterwards brought up by Sir R. Peel and others, stating that the House of Commons had unanimously agreed to the following address, as the address of the Lords and Commons:— Most Gracious Sovicueign,—Wo, your Majesty’s most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons in Parliament assembled, beg leave humbly to approach your Majesty’s throne, to express our abhorrence of the late treasonable attempt against your Majesty’s sacred person, and our heartfelt congratulations to your Majesty and our country, on your Majesty’s happy preservation, from the danger to which your Majesty has been exposed. “Attached to your'Majesty by every sentiment of loyalty, and by a sense of the benefits which we derive from your Majesty’s just and mild government, we acknowledge with gratitude and humility the merciful interposition of Divine Providence which has been manifested on this occasion ; and we make our earnest prayer to Almighty God that He will confer on your Majesty every blessing, and that He will continue to watch over and guard a life so justly dear to us.”