tions of my friends, and left me no choice between a degrading acquiescence in injustice, and a retaliation which is necessary to secure to me my own respect."

No. I. purports to be a letter from Mr Ryland, Secretary to Sir James Craig, to Mr Henry, dated from Quebec, the 26th January 1809, and desiring to know whether he would undertake a secret and confidential mission to Boston.

No II. contains the general instructions from Sir James Craig to Mr Henry, dated on the 6th February 1809, respecting his secret mission. The following is the most material parts of them :

"It has been supposed that if the Federalists of the eastern states should be successful in obtaining that decided influence, which may enable them to direct the public opinion, it is not improbable that rather than submit to a continuance of the difficulties and distress to which they are now subject, they will exert that influence to bring about a separation from the general union. The earliest information on this subject may be of great consequence to our government, as it may also be, that it should be informed how far, in such an event, they would look up to England for assistance, or be disposed to enter into a connection with us.

"Although it would be highly inexpedient that you should in any manner appear as an avowed agent, yet if you could contrive to obtain an intimacy with any of the leading party, it may not be improper that you should insinuate, though with great caution, that if they should wish to enter into any communication with our government through me, you are authorised to receive any such, and will safely transmit it to me."

No. III. is Sir James Craig's credentials to Mr Henry.

No. IV. V. contain fifteen letters, among which are, a letter, No. 6. from Mr H. to Sir J. Craig, stating, he had sufficient means of information to judge the proper period when the Governor-General of British America might open a correspondence with those citizens of the United States who were in opposition to their own Government.-A letter, No. 8. from Mr H. contains a project by which the nonintercourse act might be rendered in-operative.-A letter, No. 13. from Mr H. seems to consider the hopes of the separation of the States as considerably lessened.—A letter, No. 14. that the change of affairs in America led him to think that his residence in America would be unprofitable May, 1812.

to England. Letter, No. 15. from Mr Henry, dated Montreal, announces his return, by the desire of Mr Ryland, into Canada.

No. VI. Mr Henry's memorial to Lord Liverpool, inclosed in a letter to Mr Peel, dated June 13. 1811.

In this memorial he alludes to the ob ject of his mission, which was to promote and encourage the federal party to resist the measures of the general Government; to offer assurances of aid and support from his Majesty's Government of Canada; and to open a communication be tween the leading men engaged in that opposition and the Governor-General upon such a footing as circumstances might suggest;-and, finally, to render the plans then in contemplation subservient to the views of hisajesty's Government.

The undersigned undertook the mission, which lasted from the month of January to the month of June inclusive, during which period those public acts and legislative resolutions of the assemblies of Massachussetts and Connecticut were passed, which kept the general Government of the United States in check, and deterred it from carrying into execution the measures of hostility with which Great Britain was menaced."

The memorial concludes with saying, that "the appointment of Judge Advocate General of the province of Lower Canada, with a salary of 5001. a year, or a Consulate in the United States, sine curia, would be considered by him as a liberal discharge of any obligation that his Majesty's Government may entertain in relation to his ser vices."

The letter to Mr Peel requests that he will examine the documents in his office, in order to decide upon his claims, or consult Mr Ryland, the Secretary of Sir James Craig, who is now in London.

No. VII. js a letter from Mr Peel, by desire of the Earl of Liverpool, to Mr Henry, dated Downing Street, January 28. 1811. He says, his Lordship has directed me to acquaint you, that he has referred to the correspondence in this office, of the year 1808, and finds two letters from Sir James Craig, dated 10th April and 5th May, transmitting the correspondence that has passed during your residence in the northern states of America, and expressing his confidence in your ability and judgment; but Lord Liverpool has not discovered any wish on the part of Sir James Craig, that your claims for compensation should be referred to this country;

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nor, indeed, is allusion made to any kind of arrangement or agreement that had been made by that officer with you.

"Under these circumstances, and had not Sir James Craig determined on his immediate return to England, it would have been Lord Liverpool's wish to have referred your memorial to him, as being better enabled to appreciate the ability and success with which you executed a mission undertaken at his desire. Lord Liverpool will, however, transmit it to Sir James Craig's successor in the Government"

No. IX. consists of a letter from Lord Liverpool to Sir G. Prevost, inclosing Mr Peel's letter to Mr Henry, bearing testimony to his ability, and expressing a conviction that the public service would be benefited by his being actively employed.

Then follows another memorial to Lord Liverpool, from Mr Henry, dated from Leicester Square, June 23. 1811. It is to the same effect as the previous memorial (N. 6.) He says, that "the information transmitted by him to Sir James Craig, and by Sir James Craig to Lord Castlereagh, met with his Lordship's approbation." He alludes to the mission undertaken by Sir James's desire, and adds," that he spent five months in the aetive and zealous discharge of the duties connected with it (an erasure here of 20 or 25 lines) which deterred the general Government from the purpose already mentioned, and from a coalition with France, while the information which he transmitted to Sir James Craig, probably saved the trouble and expence of arming the Canadian militia. All this the undersigned performed without ever showing his commission or appearing as an authorised agent-from a thorough conviction that a discovery of his mission would furnish the French party with the means of destroying the influence of the party adhering to Great Britain in every quarter of America, and to enable the general Government to go to war upon popular and tenable ground."

Then follow some letters from Mr Ryland to Mr Henry, dated Quebec, May 1809, requesting him to return to Quebec, Mr Erskine's arrangement having rendered his mission no longer necessary.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

The message and documents having been read, a motion was made by Mr Rhea to print them.

On this motion an interesting debate took place. No gentleman opposed the printing, but each speaker expressed his

sentiments on the tansaction. The motion to print was unanimously agreed to.— The message was referred to the commit tee of foreign relations.

On the question to grant to the committee power to send for persons, papers, and effects, if they should, on consideration, think proper so to do, a division took place. There were 104 votes in fayour of granting the power, and 10 against it. So the committee were invested with power.

SENATE.

One thousand copies of those documents were ordered to be printed, and a resolution was passed directing the Secretary of State to lay before the Senate the names of any, and all persons in the United States, and especially in the state of Massachussetts, who have, in any way or manner whatever, entered into, or most remotely countenanced the project or the views, for the execu tion or attainment of which John Henry was, in the year 1809, employed by Sir James Craig, then Governor-General of the British provinces in North America, and which have been communicated to the Senate of the United States.

The official paper of the American Government mentions. "that, when those documents were read, they produced a ge neral burst of indignant patriotism in both Houses of Congress."

SWEDEN.

His Royal Majesty's Speech to the Estates
of the Kingdom, in the Parliamentary
Chamber, on opening the Diet at Orebro,
April 20, 1812.

"I have called you together at a moment when great and important occurrences, out of our native country, seem to threaten Europe with new misfortunes. Guarded by her situation from the forced obligation of paying obedience to foreign sway, which possibly might not accord with her own interest, Sweden has every thing to hope from unity, valour, and conduct--every thing to lose if she gives herself up to intestine divisions and conscious fear. It is by the bond of union between me and you, by my son's sword, rich in honour, by the valour of our youth in arms, by the powerful will of the Swedish people, that the prosperity of your laws and the honour of your liberties are secured. It is by the high and valuable example of an undisturbed confidence between the King and subject; by firm and manly decisions, in the midst of tempestuous times, that the

powers

powers of Europe should be convinced that the independence of Sweden is not solely defended by the seas which surrounded her coasts. At such a decisive moment for proving the general sentiments, when it may be probable that foreign calculations have been made with intent to destroy my exertions and your's, I ought to endeavour to shake off every thing that might have effect on the freedom of your deliberations. Different causes of great moment-confirmed me in the resolution of transferring the extraordinary meeting of the Diet, which was to have been holden at Stockholm to this place. If the situation of doubt and suspense which, about two years since, was the chief occasion of taking a similar step on my side, has now given a greater space for steady order, and that the loyalty and attachment which the respectable citizens of Stockholm have at all times, as well as in the before-mentioned circumstances, shewn for their King and laws, an attachment which, with equal pleasure and truth, I find myself obliged to give the inhabitants of my capital, I nevertheless feel assured, that every unprejudiced man, only by referring to the circumstances of the times, will perceive the reasons that have given cause for removing the seat of the Diet, and find the sole intention to be the security and dispatch of the business by the estates of the kingdom."

The speech then goes on to praise the conduct of the Crown Prince (Bernadotte) during the time of the King's illness, and to point out the wisdom of his administration. He says,

DOMESTIC INTELLIGENCE.

ASSASSINATION OF MR PERCEVAL.

We have this month to put upon record a transaction the most unparalleled and attrocious, namely, the cold-blooded murder of the Right Hon. Spencer Perceval-the prime minister of the country, and a man, whose manners, even his political enemies allow, was so mild and unoffending, as rather, one would have thought, to disarm, than draw upon him the black vengeance of an assassin.

About a quarter before five in the afternoon of Monday the 11th instant, Mr Perceval having walked from his house in Downing Street, was entering the lobby of the House of Commons, where a number of persons were standing, when a man of the name of John Bellingham, formerly a Liverpool merchant, who had a short time previous placed himself in the recess of the door-way, drew out a pistol and shot Mr Perceval in the lower part of the 'left breast. Mr Perceval moved forward a few faltering steps, nearly half way up the lobby, and fell; the only words he uttered were "Oh! I am murdered;" and the latter was inarticulate, the sound dying between his lips. Mr Perceval was instantly raised, and conveyed into the Speaker's Secretary's apartments, but before he reached them all signs of life had departed. The ball, which was of an unusually large size, had penetrated the heart, near its centre, and had completely passed through it.

The deed was perpetrated so suddenly that the man who fired the pistol was not instantly recognized by those in the lobby; but a person passing at the moment behind Mr Perceval, seized the pistol, which the assassin surrendered without resistance, retiring towards a bench to the left. On being asked if he were the villain who'shot the minister, he replied, "I am the unhappy man;" but appeared quite undisturbed. He was taken to the bar of the House, and being identified as the assassin, underwent an examination before Messrs M. A. Taylor, Aldermen Combe and Curtis, &c. Though cautioned by Sir J. Hippes ley not to criminate himself, he said: "I have admitted the fact—I admit the fact,

thing in my justification. I have been denied the redress of my grievances by Government; I have been ill treated. They all know who I am, through the Secretary of State and Mr Becket, with whom I have had frequent communications. They knew of this fact six weeks ago

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through the Magistrates of Bow-street. I was accused most wrongfully by a Governor-General in Russia, in a letter from Archangel to Riga, and have sought redress in vain. I am a most unfortunate man, and feel here (placing his hand on his breast) sufficient justification for what I have done."-Being again cautioned by Lord Castlereagh that he was not on his defence, he said, "Since it seems best to you that I should not now explain the causes of my conduct, I will leave it until the day of my trial, when my country will have an opportnnity of judging whether I am right or wrong." He was then hand-cuffed, and conveyed to Newgate.

The coroner's jury having found a verdiet of wilful murder against Bellingham, and the Grand Jury of Middlesex having also found a true bill against him, his trial came on at the Old Bailey on the Friday following, before a full bench of Judges, and a Court crowded beyond all former example. Mr Alley acted as the prisoner's counsel; and having put in a plea of insanity, he moved that his trial be postponed till he should have an opportunity of producing witnesses to this fact. He brought forward several affidavits; but the Judges did not consider them sufficient to induce them to grant his request; and the trial accordingly proceeded. The At torney General after detailing the circumstances of the murder to the Jury, proseeded to examine witnesses for the prosecution, who gave evidence to the facts above mentioned; and the prisoner's confession of the deed was recorded in Court. The prisoner was then called on for his defence, when he replied in the following words:

"Gentlemen of the Jury-I feel under great obligations to the learned Attorney General, for setting aside the objection made by my counsel, in the plea of insanity, because it is far more fortunate for me that such an assertion should be unfounded, than that it should be established. That I am insane, I assure you I am not aware, with the single exception of an instance that took place in Russia."

The prisoner here became much confused and agitated, and expressed his hope that indulgence would be granted him, as it was the first time he had ever spoken in public. He continued" I am a compulsive volunteer, if I may use the expression, at this bar; for it is not to be supposed that I could deliberately take a pistol and shoot Mr Perceval, without very strong inducements; and if I had, I should consider

myself a monster not fit to exist in this world or in the next. Circumstances justify every thing-and I have now to unfold to you a scene of oppression and iniquity, established by original documents laid before Marquis Wellesley, which if not so proved, would have been incredible. The learned Attorney General has candidly stated to you, that up to this time, when the fatal catastrophe took place, which is a matter of sincere regret to no inan more than to myself, not even excepting the family of Mr Perceval, he has no imputa tion against me. I hope I shall now be able to set the affair in its true light.”

The prisoner then proceeded to transac tions commencing in 1804, at which period he went to Russia, for the purpose of conducting mercantile concerns. He stated that he was suspected of having sent intelligence to Lloyd's, that a ship had been unfairly wrecked in the White Sea, in conse quence of which the underwriters refused to pay the insurance; that he was therefore subjected to an unmerited persecution in Russia; that he was imprisoned at Archangel, but being afterwards released, he was sent to Petersburgh, when he made his complaints to the Russian Government, but was again, upon a false charge of debt, thrown into prison; that he applied to Lord Leveson Gower, who afforded him no assistance, but that he was marched past his house daily with common malefactors: that he again represented his distress to his Lordship, but was treated with neglect, though in an affair respecting only two roubles for pilotage, his Lordship four times brought it before the Emperor; that his wife, only 20 years of age, with an infant in arms, and pregnant, was at this time obliged to make the voyage to England unprotected. Here the prisoner burst. into tears, exclaiming, "Lord Gower saw and permitted so much misery. Oh, my God, what must his heart have been made of! Gentlemen, I appeal to you as men, as fathers, and as Christians, if I had not cause of complaint!" After he had recovered himself, the prisoner said he was kept in a miserable condition for six years, bandied from prison to prison; at length, through the interference of a benevolent Russian, and when he was deserted by his Britannic Majesty's representatives, he obtained a revisal of the corrupt proceedings against him; but could procure no pecuniary compensation.

Bellingham then went on to notice his fruitless applications to Mr Perceval, whom he wished to recommend it to Parliament,

but

but who refused. To whom then was it to be referred? It was a national case; and to the council of the nation he appealed. He afterwards was bandied from one public office to another, was reduced to the utmost distress, and without the means of obtaining a living for a wife and family crying for food. Justice was no where to be obtained. What then must have been his feelings, and what could be his alternative? Before he resolved upon the fatal act, as a last experiment he thought it right to give information at Bow Street, against his Majesty's Government, stating, that the course of justice had been obstructed. His notice contained these words :-" If this reasonable request be refused, I shall be obliged to do justice for myself, and shall be prepared to argue that justification whenever and wherever it is necessary." Being told by Mr Read that he could not inter. fere, he again applied to Mr Ryder and Mr Hill, gave him this carte blanche, "That he was at liberty to take such measures as he thought right."

"Gentlemen," said the prisoner, "I ain now coming to a conclusion. I have stated to you a history of my case, in the firm hope that it will prove some justification of the crime with which I am charged. Gentlemen, whenever I appear before the tribunal of my God, I shall appear there as innocent of the wilful murder of Mr Perceval, as they, who, after judgment, -are admitted among the angels of heaven.

The prisoner then proceeded to read a written defence, in which he contended, that he could not be found guilty of murder, as no malice prepense had been proved, to constitute felony. Justice, and justice only, was his object, and distress had reduced him to despair. He was told that he had no claim upon the public money.He knew that this was false; and his great object was, to try whether Government was not bound to listen to a case of great na. tional importance. Ministers had now to reflect upon the consequences which they had brought upon themselves. He concluded in these words :

"Gentlemen, my life is in your hands, Irely confidently upon your justice; I know not what your verdict may be; but sooner than suffer what I have done for the last eight years, five hundred deaths would be preferable. If I am destined to sacrifice my life, I shall meet my doom with conscious tranquillity; I shall look forward to it as the weary traveller looks for the promised inn, where he may repose his wearied frame after enduring the pelting of the pi

tiless storm.-Gentlemen, it will now remain between God and your consciences as to what your verdict will be."

The prisoner sat down in great agitation, but soon recovered himself, and refreshed himself by eating an orange, a chair having been given to him by order of the Court.

Several witnesses were then examined by the prisoner's counsel, one of whom deponed that the prisoner's father had died mad, and that the prisoner himself, ever since his return from Russia had been considered deranged in his mind, but could not say that he had ever been confined as a lunatic.

The Learned Judge, Mansfeld, then sum med up the evidence, and the Jury having deliberated about ten minutes, brought in a verdict of guilty.

The awful sentence of death was then pronounced upon the prisoner, which was carried into execution on the Monday following, in front of the Old Failey, at eight o'clock in the morning.

On the morning of the execution, the Lord Mayor, the Sheriffs and several other persons went into the room where the prisoner was confined, when the following communication took place.

Mr Sheriff Birch addressed Bellingham in a very appropriate manner upon his awful situation, and, after some previous remarks applicable to it, said," The pu blic mind, Mr Bellingham, requires to be satisfied upon a most important point. whether any other person was in any degree connected with you in this dreadful deed, and whether it was perpetrated on any public ground?"

Bellingham who stood very firmaly, and who with an unaltered countenance attentively and respectfully listened to what was said, replied in a firm tone of voice, “ Certainly not."

Sheriff Heygate." Then it was your own affair-it was from personal resentment."-Bellingham appeared hurt at the latter expression; and, after repeating the words- personal resentment," with an indignant, or rather dignified tone, said. "I bore no resentment to Mr Perceval as a man and as a man I am sorry for his fate. I was referred from Minister to Minister, from office to office, and at length refused redress for my grievances. It was my own sufferings that caused the melancholy event, and I hope it will be a warning to future Ministers to attend to the ap plications and prayers of those who suffer by oppression. Had my petition been

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