CHRONICLE. 



73 



consigned to the charge of lord 

 Castlereagh, to be submitted to 

 the privy council. 



The witnesses were then bound 

 over to give their evidence before 

 the grand jury, and thereafter at 

 the Old Bailey, in the event of 

 a true bill being found against the 

 prisoner " For the wilful murder 

 of the Right Honourable Spencer 

 Perceval." 



The prisoner v/as asked, what he 

 had to say against the fact with 

 which he was charged, and cau- 

 tioned by sir'John Hippesley not to 

 say any thing that would be injuri- 

 ous to himself. 



The prisoner spoke to the follow- 

 ing effect : — 



«' I have admitted the fact ; I 

 admit the fact, but wish, with per- 

 mission, to state something in my 

 justification. I have been de- 

 nied the redress of my grievances 

 by government ; I have been ill- 

 treated. They all know who I am, 

 and what I am, through the Secre- 

 tary of State and Mr. Becket, with 

 whom I have had frequent commu- 

 nications. They knew of ihis fact 

 six weeks ago, through the magis- 

 trates of Bow-street. 1 was accus- 

 ed most wrongfully by a gover- 

 nor-general in Russia, in a letter 

 from Archangel to Riga, and have 

 soughtredressin vain. lam a most 

 unfortunate man, and feel here 

 (placing his hand on his breast) 

 sufficient justification for what I 

 have done. " 



Lord Castlereagh informed him, 

 tliat he was not then called on for 

 his defence, but merely for what he 

 had to urge in contradiction to the 

 charge. Any thing he might feel de- 

 sirous of stating, in extenuation of 

 his crime, he had better reserve for 

 bis trial. 



The prisoner said," Since it seems 

 best to you that I should not now ex- 

 plain the causes of my conduct, I 

 will leave it until the day of my 

 trial, when my country will have an 

 opportunity of judging whether I 

 am right or wrong. " 



Upon being again questioned, he 

 repeated, " I admit the fact;" 

 which admission was accordingly 

 entered upon the record. The 

 Bow-street officers were called in, 

 and the prisoner having been per- 

 mitted^to dress, was handcuffed by 

 Vickery and Adkins. He applied 

 for his money, which having been 

 left in the possession of Mr. Bur- 

 gess, who had withdrawn, Mr. 

 Whitbread assured him he should 

 have it returned to him in the 

 morning. He also asked whether 

 he should be allowed an attorney 

 and 'counsel ? when^ Mr. Whit- 

 bread signified to him that Mr. 

 Combe would take care that every 



should be 



necessary indulgence 

 allowed him, consistent with his 

 situation. In no part of the pro- 

 ceeding did he betray extreme agi- 

 tation ; but at the moment that 

 one of the witnesses said, *' I sup- 

 ported Mr. Perceval into the secre- 

 tary's room, and in a few minutes 

 he died in my arms, " the prisoner 

 shed tears, and seemed much affect- 

 ed. The pistol with which the act 

 was perpetrated is a small pocket 

 pistol, about six inches long, the 

 barrel rather better than two 

 inches in length, witli the cock on 

 the top, and a stop to the trigger. 

 The calibre is nearly half an inch 

 in diameter, and the barrel very 

 strong. The pistol taken from his 

 breeches pocket was primed, and 

 loaded with one ball. 



Before the arrival of the life 

 guards he was re-conductqd to the 



prison- 



