those to whom their education was entrusted, to provide for them in some measure according to the rank, talents, and character of their father. It had been thought by his Majesty's Government, that in making the proposed provision, it would be desirable, in the first instance, to vote a grant of a substantive sum of money, as, if no provision were made but by an annuity, the death of the individual on whom the annuity was settled, might leave the children unprovided for before they attained years of maturity. He should, therefore, first propose the grant of a sum of money for the support and education of the children, meaning afterwards to move a grant, by way of annuity, to Mrs. Perceval. When they looked to the family which Mr. Perceval had left, it must be seen that the sum was necessary to place the individuals of it in that situation which could be wished, but it might be doubted if this could be done consistently with that economy which it was necessary should be consulted by Government in the present situation of the country. On this point Government were controuled, not only by the considerations of economy to which he had referred, but by the family of Mr. Perceval, whose wish it was, that whatever was done on the subject might be framed on a scale calculated to conciliate the approbation of all parties. (Hear, hear, hear!) The House, while making a provision for Mr. Perceval's family, would feel that though bound to consult economy, they could have no wish to make a grant that was wholly inadequate to the purpose for which it was made, which would be in some sort superfluous, as it would not mark the act which they deplored with that sense of public feeling which it was desirable should be expressed, to convey a proper lesson to posterity, and, if possible, to prevent the recurrence of a similar calamity. The amount of the sum which it had occurred to Government it might be proper to grant in money, was 50,000l. to be appropriated to the use of Mrs. Perceval in the first instance, and afterwards to be divided among the children, under such regulations as the House might think necessary. With respect to the provi sion to be made for Mrs. Perceval exclusively, he conceived that a smaller annuity than 2,000/. per annum would not be suitable to the situation of lite in which she was placed; these were the propositions which he had to submit to the Committee. He thought it unnecessary to detain them longer, and should therefore move, "That a sum not exceeding 50,0001. be granted to his Majesty, to be vested in VOL. III.-1812. K

the hands of trustees, for the twelve children of Mr. Perceval, and to be applied in such manner as his Majesty, or the Prince Regent in behalf of his Majesty, should direct." The noble lord thought it necessary to state, that the provision which Mr. Perceval had left for his family was so moderate, that it would not enable Mrs. Perceval to live in the manner required by her situation; and it was also proper to state, that his family were at present in possession of no income arising out of the fruits of his exertions. It must be known to them all, that from the period of his becoming a servant. of the Crown, he had devoted the whole of his time to the public service. His family had therefore nothing now but Mrs. Perceval's family fortune, which was such, that if distributed at Mrs. Perceval's death, it would not be sufficient to furnish the means of enabling her children to enter into any profes sion suitable to their rank in life.

The Resolution having been read,

Mr. Home Sumner declared, that the sum of little more than 40000. each to the children, was wholly inadequate. He appealed to every father who heard him, whether it was possible to educate a child for that comparatively trifling sum?—Heur, hear!)-The very expences of clothing and nutriment at home, from his infancy, would exceed that amount. Such a grant would really be putting the children barely above want (Hear!) Was such the situation in which Mr. Perceval's labours would have left them if he had pursued his profession? Had he not, for the service of his country, deserted the service of his family? At a time when he had attained the loftiest eminence in the law, he might have died possessed of a large fortune. He held the high office of Attorney-General, and had a vacancy occurred, he would have been exalted to the high station of a Chief Justice or a Chancellor. (Hear!) Was it to be believed, that in such a case the situation of his family would not have been incomparably more affluent than under the present circumstances he had left them? By the vote proposed, the House was not acquitting the debt it owed to Mr. Perceval. He would long live in the grateful and affectionate remembrance of every man, and his family ought not to fall. He (Mr. Sumner), instead of this paltry proposal, would have wished to have seen the House, with a warmth of feeling that became it, address the Throne, praying the Prince Regent to exalt in rank the representative of Mr. Perceval.(Hear, hear!) He should have thought it but justice that

the same provision should have been in this case made, which Parliament had recommended in other instances of signal public services, that an annuity should be given for one or two lives. The least that could be done, he should think, was to have appropriated 6 or 7000l. to each of his children. The House was not called upon to do an act of generosity but of justice, and it would degrade itself in the eyes of the world, if it were guilty of such unworthy par simony.

Mr. Wilberforce, while he entirely participated in the feeling which dictated the last speech, differed in the opinion it expressed. He admitted that it was not possible to consider the vote suggested an adequate remuneration :-in point of value it was not, perhaps, one-millionth part of the worth of Mr. Perceval. (Hear, hear!) However opposite might be the political opinions of many, none ever refused to pay a merited tribute to the private character of that great man they acknowledged the rectitude of his motives, however erroneous they might deem his views. In considering a subject of this nature, another subject was to be taken into view-the necessity of shewing in what estimation virtue was held, that others, seeing the reward it received, might be induced to walk in the paths his late right hon. friend had so long trodden. No man was more disposed to allow that differences of sentiment in his adversaries arose from the purest conviction; and no man was disposed to step further to reach the hand of conciliation. It was highly desirable that a vote of this kind should be unanimous; and he trusted that gentlemen would abstain from resistance on this occasion, although on others the delicacy of their conscientious scruples might lead them to dissent. However unanimous the House might be in the propriety of most amply providing for Mr. Perceval's family, it should be recollected that in the country his political opinions had many strenuous opponents, who might think too large a sum wholly misapplied. When the noble lord was censured for proposing the vote in question, the difficult and painful situation in which he was placed ought not to be forgotten. He had to consider, on the one hand, their reverence for the public measures of his deceased friend, and the private attachment to his person and family; and on the other, he was to pay regard to the general sense of the nation, and to the propriety of obtaining an unanimous vote, (Hear, hear!) All things taken into view, he (Mr. Wile

berforce) thought that the just medium had been discovered. Having long known, and as long valued and admired Mr. Perceval, he wished to bear his public testimony to his virtues. Although he had frequently felt it necessary to differ from him, he could declare, with perfect sincerity, that of all the men he (Mr. Wilberforce) had ever known, he had never been acquainted with a single individual who appeared so instinctively to obey the impulse of duty. (Hear, hear!) He had known him nearly thirty-five years, and he had often said in private what he would now repeat in public, that he never saw an individual placed in such a high and, dignified situation, who so instinctively obeyed the impulse of duty and conscience. One of the highest tributes that could be paid to man, had been given last night by an honourable gentleman (Mr. Whitbread). It did equal honour to the individual who spoke it, and to the individual of whom it was uttered. (Hear!) With natural liveliness of temper, and a great flow of wit, he never had said any thing that could give the slightest sensation of pain beyond the moment. He (Mr. Wilberforce) had heard Mr. Perceval frequently speak of those who had treated him with unkindness or injustice, but any other person was willing to go further in their censure than he was inclined; he seemed to be ever on his guard in that particular, by the spontaneous result of nature, and not by the forced contrivances of art. (Hear, hear!) | A man of more real sweetness of tempera man more highly blest by nature, was never known, or one in whom goodness of disposition was more deeply rooted. On the whole, as the sum recommended by the noble lord was most likely to ensure the approbation of all, Mr. Wilberforce thought it better that a little violence should be done to the feelings, rather than object to it; it was, in truth, a higher question than any that concerned a few thousands. (Hear!) (Hear!) The family would doubtless be much more highly gratified in obtaining a smaller, frank, warm, and unanimous vote, than in receiving a larger amount, which might be deemed, even by a few, unnecessary and improper extravagance.

Mr. Gibbs reminded the House that Mr. Perceval bad declined receiving his salary as Chancellor of the Exchequer, which was 2800. If he nad received this, his family might have been better off by 12 or 14,000l.; he therefore thought the grant ought to be extended, and that they ought at least to give his children 5000l. each.

Mr. Whitbread would confine himself to stating the conclusion to which he had come, without stating the reasons which had brought him to that conclusion. He thought with the Member for Yorkshire, that the unanimity of the House was of more importance to the family of Mr. Perceval, than a sum something larger than that proposed, if voted with reluctance. He felt himself bound to say, that entirely concurring with that which, after due consultation, had been proposed by the noble lord, if any thing beyond that sum was proposed, the vote of the House would not be unanimous.

Mr. C. W. Wynne was of the same opinion. He could have wished the House had been favourable to a larger grant, but at the same time he must observe, that the vote of that Committee was not all the patrimony the children of Mr. Perceval would derive from their father. They had the inheritance of his virtues, and those, whatever situation his offspring might be placed in, would ensure them the respect and assistance, when practicable, from persons of all parties.

Mr. Bankes moved, that the following words should be added to the motion :-" The said sum to be paid without fee or deduction."

The question on the original motion, with the addition of the words proposed by Mr. Bankes, was then put and agreed to, with one dissentient voice, that of Mr. H. Browne, whose opposition had of course for its object the substitution of a larger grant.

The question was then put again, and carried nemine contradicente.

Lord Castlereagh moved that the annual sum of 20001. be granted to his Majesty out of the Consolidated Fund, to commence from the 11th of May, 1812, to enable him to grant an annuity to that amount to Mrs. Jane Perceval, widow of the Right Hon. Spencer Perceval, for the term of her natural life.

Mr. Sumner felt it to be a duty he owed to his constituents to move an amendment to continue the annuity to Mr. Perceval's eldest son. If doing this he sacrificed unanimity, he felt that he sacrificed but a form, as he had no doubt of his motion being carried, if it did not meet with unanimous support.

Sir M. Wood suggested to the honourable Member whether it would not be better to let the Resolution of the