Queen and Prince Albert were
driving in a low carriage up Constitution Hill, about four or
five in the afternoon, they were shot at by a lad of eighteen
years old, who fired two pistols at them successively, neither
shots taking effect. He was in the Green Park without the rails,
and as he was only a few yards from the carriage, and, moreover,
very cool and collected, it is marvellous he should have missed
his aim. In a few moments the young man was seized, without any
attempt on his part to escape or to deny the deed, and was
carried off to prison. The Queen, who appeared perfectly cool,
and not the least alarmed, instantly drove to the Duchess of
Kent's, to anticipate any report that might reach her mother,
and, having done so, she continued her drive and went to the
Park. By this time the attempt upon her life had become generally
known, and she was received with the utmost enthusiasm by the
immense crowd that was congregated in carriages, on horseback,
and on foot. All the equestrians formed themselves into an
escort, and attended her back to the Palace, cheering vehemently,
while she acknowledged, with great appearance of feeling, these
loyal manifestations. She behaved on this occasion with perfect
courage and self-possession, and exceeding propriety; and the
assembled multitude, being a high-class mob, evinced a lively and
spontaneous feeling for her--a depth of interest which, however
natural under such circumstances, must be very gratifying to her,
and was satisfactory to witness.

Yesterday morning the culprit was brought to the Home Office,
when Normanby examined him, and a Council was summoned for a more
personal examination at two o'clock. A question then arose as to
the nature of the proceeding, and the conduct of the examination,
whether it should be before the Privy Council or the Secretary of
State. We searched for precedents, and the result was this: The
three last cases of high treason were those of Margaret
Nicholson, in 1786; of Hatfield, in 1800 (both for attempts on
the life of the Sovereign); and of Watson (the Cato Street
affair), for an attempt on the Ministers in 1820. Margaret
Nicholson was brought before the Privy Council, and the whole
proceeding was set forth at great length in the Council Register.
There appeared no entry of any sort or kind in the case of
Hatfield; and in that of Watson there was a minute in the Home
Office, setting forth that the examination had taken place
_there_