ively, either to find an absolute verdict of
guilty of murder, or to acquit on the ground of insanity.

MacNaghten will be charged with the offence of murder, and every
effort will be made to bring him to condign punishment.

His counsel will probably endeavour to establish his insanity.

Nothing can be more collected and intelligent in many respects than
his conduct in prison. He was conversing with the gaoler, and seemed
not disinclined to unburden his mind, when he suddenly stopped and
enquired from the gaoler whether such conversations as that which he
was holding went beyond the prison walls.

On being informed that no security could be given that they would
remain secret, he said he should hold his tongue, but that all would
come out by and by.

Sir Robert Peel takes the liberty of enclosing for your Majesty's
perusal a note which he has just received from Miss Emily Eden, sister
of Lord Auckland, and of Mrs Charles Drummond.

If it should be in your Majesty's power to assign apartments at some
future period to Miss Drummond, who lived with her brother Edward, and
was mainly dependent upon him, it would be a very great comfort to a
lady of the most unexceptionable conduct, and most deeply attached to
her poor brother.

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

BROCKET HALL, _25th January 1843._

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your Majesty. He has been
much gratified this morning by receiving your Majesty's letter of the
23rd; he has determined upon following your Majesty's advice, and upon
not hazarding the throwing himself back by coming up to London and
attempting to attend the House of Lords at the commencement of the
Session. The assassination of Mr Drummond, for Lord Melbourne fears it
must be called so, is indeed a dreadful thing. Lord Melbourne is
not surprised, for people are very apt to turn all their wrath and
indignation upon the man from whom they actually receive an answer
which they do not like, without in the least considering whether he
is really responsible for it. Lord Melbourne used often to be himself
assailed with threats of personal violence. Sometimes he took notice
of them by swearing the peace against those who used them, and having
them bound over in sureties. Sometimes he disregarded them, but he
does not think it either prudent or justifiable entirely to neglect
such intimations. Lord Melbourne does not wonder that this event
brings to your Majesty's recollec