THE ATTACK ON THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 425, 10 December 1868, Page 3

THE ATTACK ON THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH.

Mr Parkes has again addressed his constituents in New South Wales. He said that two statements made by him when last before his constituents, and he thought he could remember them faithfully, were, that the Government had reason to suppose that some attack would be made on his Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh before that attack was made. The other statement was, that he had in his possession evidence attested by affidavit, which left upon his mind no doubt not only that the attack upon the Duke was premeditated, but that some person who was privy to this intention, and whose fidelity was suspected, had been foully murdered. Those were the two statements, and he thought that he had stated them with perfect fidelity. Ho repeated them. Parliament met next Tuesday. As a member of Parliament, as a citizen with considerable public character at stake, possessing the confidence he verily believed, of as largo a number of his fellow citizens as any man in the country —feeling all this responsiblity, he repeated those statements. He accepted the fullest responsibility that in reason and justice could attach to him ; and he was prepared at any time and in any place to defend what he had said. (Cheery.) He hoped that after that there would be no more idle talk, that he was afraid of facing these statements, or about these statements slipping from his lips unguardedly The words were uttered deliberately. Every word was studied. He adopted them as he wasreported to have uttered them, and he was prepared to defend them. He would not have any fabricated story fathered upon him ; and he did not think he could reasonably be expected to adopt any ridiculous story, which some impatient writer to a newspaper thought proper to attribute to him. He was not going to say any thing disrespectful of their local journals, but one of them he thought urged the case thus : If what he stated was true, namely, that the Government knew beforehand that there would be some attack made upon the life of the Prince, how was it that they did not take precautions against that attack ? He replied : How did tins sagacious writer know that we did not take precautious? The fact was that all practicable precaution was taken. When the Prince landed no leas than five hundred special contsables were sworn in. Officers of the police were directed to ride in the line of his body on either side throughout the line of procession, and all other precautions were taken that appeared necessary to secure the safety of our illustrious visitor. lu these matters the Government had to respect and uphold the character of the country and had so to conduct their transactions as not unnecessarily to irritate public feeling.