Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.
MURDER OF LORD NORBURY
6th January 1839.
Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and returns his best and warmest thanks for the very kind and gracious communication which he had the honour and pleasure of receiving from your Majesty yesterday evening. Your Majesty will have seen in the newspapers that Lord Norbury was shot at in his own grounds and dangerously wounded.5 Lord Melbourne learns to-day by a letter from Lord Morpeth that Lord Norbury is since dead. This is a shocking event, and will, of course, create a strong sensation, much stronger than the death in the same manner of several persons of inferior degree. It is almost the first time that an attempt of this kind has been directed against an individual of that rank or station....
Lord Melbourne has seen Sir Henry Halford,6 who says that his pulse is low and his system languid. He has prescribed some draughts, which Lord Melbourne trusts will be of service, but he feels much depressed to-day. He dined yesterday at Lady Holland's, where he met Mr Ellice,7 civil and friendly enough in appearance, but Lord Melbourne fears hostile at heart, and a determined partisan of Lord Durham. Lord Durham has not yet made to Lord Glenelg the promised communication of his report and plan, but it is said that he will do so soon....
Footnote 5: At Kilbeggan Abbey, County Meath. The murderer escaped.
Footnote 6: The celebrated physician: he attended George IV. and William IV., as well as Queen Victoria.
Footnote 7: Son-in-law of Lord Grey, as was also Lord Durham.