thin one week of
his perpetration of the fearful deed. Two days after the assassination
parliament voted L50,000 for the children of the sacrificed minister,
and L2000 to his widow for life. Subsequently another pension was
voted to his eldest son, as was also a monument for the deceased in
Westminster Abbey. The talents of Mr. Perceval were not splendid, but
as chancellor of the exchequer he displayed considerable skill in
augmenting the public burdens at a time when the war was conducted on a
scale of unprecedented expenditure. His advancement seems to have been
owing to his inflexibility on the Catholic question, at a time when a
majority of the talented members of parliament was in favour of some
concession. But if Mr. Perceval's talents were not of the highest order,
in private life few persons were more deservedly respected, and whose
death was in consequence more lamented. Sir Samuel Romilly, in his
"Diary of Parliamentary Life," remarks that he could hardly have
accompanied his refusal to listen to Bellingham with any harshness, for
few men had ever less harshness in their nature than he had. A recent
writer also says:--"We remember well walking through the populous
streets and suburbs of the capital on that afternoon and evening, and
seeing the mixed feelings of horror and pity expressed on almost every
countenance."

ADMINISTRATION OF LORD LIVERPOOL.

Considerable difficulty was experienced in supplying the vacancy
occasioned by the death of Mr. Perceval. Overtures were made to the
Marquis of Wellesley and Mr. Canning; but they refused to associate
themselves with government, assigning as their reason the avowed
sentiments of ministers on the Catholic question. An address was moved
to the prince regent on the 21st of May, by Mr. Stuart Wortley, praying
that he would take such measures as might be best calculated to form
an efficient government. This address was carried; and in his reply the
prince regent said he would take it into his most serious consideration.
The Marquis of Wellesley was the first applied to; and he proposed,
as the chief conditions on which the new cabinet should be formed, the
early consideration of the Catholic question, and the more vigorous
prosecution of the war in Spain. He attempted to form a ministry on
these conditions, but failed; and at length, on the 8th of June, Lord
Liverpool informed the house of lords that the prince regent had that
day appointed him first commissio