The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-03-15 00:00:00

DEFENCE.

Mr. JERVlS—OentlemenW the 74, after the Inflated speech
of my learned Fiend, this is his cue. Now, I shall not attempt
to address you in the style he has adopted, first, because I am in.
capable of his eloquence, and aeu.ndly, because I am incapable ofd
going out of my way for the purpose of distotting or exaggerating
tuts. If, Gentlemen, in awarding damages on; this occasion, you
are to take into consideration what my client has suffered from the
abuse of my Learned Friend on the other side, I really think your
damages will be extremely small; for I can conscientiously say,
that in the course of my short experience upon this circuit,,
which is only for thirty-one years, I never heard a defendant
so abused. To 31n. Peake I will du juatioe. She is
young, she is beautiful, and she is desirable, anti I trust
that, in estimating damages ow this' occasion, you will fairly
and impartially consider what she has really lost. She is little more
than thirty, and toy poor client is more than double that age.
Would it be fitting or proper then, after he had taken time to re-
leer, that he should marry a young, beautiful, and desirable
young woman? I say not; and his conduct would have been'
much worse if lie had persisted in his proposition to marry her.
You have had my client's letters read to you and commented upon.
I shall not read to yor Mrs. Peake's letters to him upon this occa-
sion. 1 ant not instructed to make her ridiculous in the eyes of
those who hear me; though possibly there are many present now 1
who would laugh quite as heartily at her !wen' as they did at Mr.
Wedgwood's, while my learned Friend (Mr. Campbell l was read-
ing thein.The Learned Counsel then went over all the letters pro-
duct& putting various interpretations upon them, and concluded
by submitting to the Jury than, though damages must be
given for the plaintiff on this occasion, yet they might m be
temperate, and he was sure they would be so, from the knowledge
he had of the grod sense of the Jury.
Mr. Justice Paste summed up the evidence to the Jury. Ills
Lordship went through the different topics urged by the Coun-
sel on both rider, and made some discriminating remarks as to
when they ought and when they ought not to weigh with the Jury.
Ile animadverted in very severe terms upon the conduct of the de-
fendant, and expressed his opinion that he hail acted in a most
gross and indecent manner. He thought thi4a case for consi.
dentate damages; but as that was a subject more peculiarly Le.
lunging to the province of the Jury, his Lordship would not in-
terfere with it, but left it to them.
The Foreman of the Jury then said that the Jury would lika
to have sonie evidence u to the wealth of the defendant, for he
was reputed to be immensely rich.
Mr. Justice PARK said that no evidence could be received after
Isis summing up; and he earnestly entreated the Jury to dismiss
from their minis every thing they might have heard in the way of
report, respecting either of the parties in this blue.
The Jury consulted for • quarter of an hour, and then found
foe the plaintiff—Damages 1,5410/.
Mr. Justice PARK then said, he could hare wished the ladies
bed been requested to retire, because many parts of this cause
wore exceedingly indecent 1 and he sat in pain to see so many
maim wan= preheat while revolting particulars were mode