eople. Nothing could exceed
the horror of the few people in London at this event, or the
despair of those who looked up to him politically. It seems to
have happened in this way:--While the Duke's car was stopping to
take in water, the people alighted and walked about the railroad;
when suddenly another car, which was running on the adjoining
level, came up. Everybody scrambled out of the way, and those who
could got again into the first car. This Huskisson attempted to
do, but he was slow and awkward; as he was getting in some part
of the machinery of the other car struck the door of his, by
which he was knocked down. He was taken up, and conveyed by
Wilton[7] and Mrs. Huskisson (who must have seen the accident
happen) to the house of Mr. Blackburne, eight miles from Heaton.
Wilton saved his life for a few hours by knowing how to tie up
the artery; amputation was not possible, and he expired at ten
o'clock that night. Wilton, Lord Granville, and Littleton were
with him to the last. Mrs. Huskisson behaved with great courage.
The Duke of Wellington was deeply affected, and it was with the
greatest difficulty he could be induced to proceed upon the
progress to Manchester, and at last he only yielded to the most
pressing solicitations of the directors and others, and to a
strong remonstrance that the mob might be dangerous if he did not
appear. It is impossible to figure to one's self any event which
could produce a greater sensation or be more striking to the
imagination than this, happening at such a time and under such
circumstances: the eminence of the man, the sudden conversion of
a scene of gaiety and splendour into one of horror and dismay;
the countless multitudes present, and the effect upon them--crushed
to death in sight of his wife and at the feet (as it was)
of his great political rival--all calculated to produce a deep
and awful impression. The death of Huskisson cannot fail to have
an important effect upon political events; it puts an end to his
party as a party, but it leaves the survivors at liberty to join
either the Opposition or the Government, while during his life
there were great difficulties to their doing either, in
consequence of the antipathy which many of the Whigs had to him
on one side and the Duke of Wellington on the other. There is no
use, however, in speculating on what will happen, which a very
short time will show.

[7] [Thomas Grosvenor Egerton, second Earl of Wilton.]

Agar