The National Register.
London, England, 1816-02-19 00:00:00

LJIV INTELLIGENCE.

L'IMEL AGAINST LADY WEDDERDURN WEBSTER AND THE
DUKE OF WELLINGTON.
COURT OF COMMON PLI:AS, Wesrmotareo, FEB. 13.
WEBSTER 1. BALDWIN.
This was an action in mght by Mr. W' ED DE nnl7ll St WEBSTER and
Caaott II V. FRANCES, his wife, to recover damages fir a series aide:ls,
imputing to lady Weasai:n a criminal intercourse with the Duke of
Wei LINGTON: which libels appeared in The .9f. Jewel's elremakk,
a Newiqmper of which the Defendant is proprietor.
Mr. iserjeam BEST stated the case. Ile described Mr. Wedilerhurn
Webster as a gentleman of large famine, and allied to some of the first
families in the centime. His Lady was the daughter of the Earl of
Mountnnrris, about it rears of age, of great personal beauty—but that
beauty was lost sight of by those who were acquiiinted with her virtues.
In the commencement of the year 1513, during the short period of
peace with France, Mr. and lady Webster proceeded to Brussels, in
the neighlwmrhoieof which city they resided. • 'flie Earl of Mountnor-
Tib, the father of the Lady, and many other families of distinction, also
Need there. At this time, in consequence of the landing of Belong-
parte in France, an army was assembled near Brussels ; mid, happily
for the repose of the world, that army was commanded by the Onke
of Wellington. It was natural that "a Nobleman of his rank should
visit families of corresponding qualirice--among which were those of
the Earl of Mountnoms and Mr. Wcdderbum Webster, particularly
at both the individuals he had mentioned were previously acquainted
with the illustrious Linke ; but it would appear in evidence, that he
was never in his life alone with lady Webster. The period at which
those parties met together at Bonsels was about the time that the•bat-
tie of Waterloo was fought. At that time, Mr. Wedderbum Web-
ster was obliged to leave the Continent, in order to attend to some
family affairs in this country. On that occasion, Lady Webster lived
in a place the mat proper of all others for a person in het situation—
she lived with her father, in' the city of Broach. Mr. W. Webster
returned, after the battle of Waterloo, just in time to accompany the
Earl of tnorris to Paris, whither he was going to provide suitable
edu air his unmarried
seek; with reference to damages, that at this time Lady F. Webster
was seven months advenced in her pregnancy ; and she never had gm-
opportunity of speaking to the Duke of Wellington prior to her being
in that ittmation. That the Defendant was acquainted with her situa-
tion, could not be doubted--for he noticed the fact in one of his papers.
Being, aware of this fact, she should have been the last person to be
held up to public ignominy, asguilsy of a criminal and adulterous in-
teroatuse. Ildfore he rallsrl the serration of the itoy to the first para-
graph, it would be necessary to bring to their recollection the situation
el -Brunch irnmedidtely after the battle of Waterloo. There the
wounded of the British army were carried, and all were deligiaed to
hear of the attention that was paid to them. It was stated- in the
papers of that time, that the Duke of Wellington, after the battle, re-
puted to Brussels, in order to visit his wounded troops. Sony he was,
that there should be, in this cottony, any mind so given to slander, as
to impute a criminal motive to an illustrious individual. who acted
from the most humane impulse. But so it was. The following para-
graph appeared in the Defendant's paper
.. It was said, at Brutale, that when she Duke of Wellington re-
turned after the battle of Waterloo (which, ert paysaat, ought to be
called the battle of Mont St. Jean), he came to visit the wounded—
perhaps the wounded heart was meant. A word to the wise."
This was a loose and vague paragraph. It did hat point to any par-
tieu'ar perm ; but the following doggerel lines, which appeared in a
subsequent number of the paper, fully explained who was meant :-.-
•• In the letter W there's a charm half divine,
War Wellington, Wedderbura. Webster, and Wine."
Soon after War,
appeared, which still farther developed
the slanderous intention. It stated that—
.. The cannon of warfare has, in l'aris, enabled scandal to resume
'her usual influence on the public mind ; a report is very prevalent, in
the first Parisian circles, that a disiingsaished Commander has sal-m-
-atted himself captive to the beautifal wife of an Officer of rink, in a
enanr.er that rendered a very serious investigation necessary ; but it is
helped that this will turn out nothiug but a tale of malevolence."
In a day or two after, however, the Defendant treated this talc of
malevolence as an absolute fact. He )?uhlished another libel. The
Learned Serjeant here read the range:spa, which stated—
.. 'Chat the amour did not take pla.a: at Paris, but at Brussels, a day
or two after the battle of Waterloo. The husband had laid his da-
mages at aO,OOoL which the fortunate lover offered to pay ; but the
business was too notorious to be comp-ondeed—or the injured party
had too much sensibility to wear gild,s/ kerne."
Ina succeeding publication, the Defendant had copied into his paper,
a sort of contradiction of these slanders—but, to mark his own feelings
on the subject, he placed a paragraph beneath it, stating, that the lady
implicated in the amour with a distinguished Oflicer, was of Irish cx.
traction, evidently pointing at Lady F. Webster, who was the daughter
of an Irish Nobleman.
Mr. Henry Knott proved, that the names of Meath. Baldwin and
Moody were entered at the Suunp.office, as proprietors of .The .'t.
James's Chrotri3e. He also produced the papers containing the libels.
The Duke of Richmond, who was examined from the Bench, stated,
that he was at Brussels at die seine time with Mr. and Lady Webster,
During the absence of Mr. Webster from Brussels, she lived with her
father, mother, and unmarried sister. He was intimately acquainted
with die Duke of Wellington, who came to take the command of the
British Army while lie was at Brussels. Ile could not state the exact
day when LadyNebsterbecame acquainted with the !hike of Welling-
ton. He asked the Duke to dinner, and he (the witness) invited Lady
Wader to the same party. lady Webster was much in die habit of
the Thither of Richmond. The Duchess and himself were
40 ellialilt th'ir daughters to her. Her general deport-
wereexcellent. lie first mar the paragraphs in T'be
.. hroelok in Pads. After the paragraphs appeared, he
trielibistsse
tialir LaflitiVeister at die home of the Duchies of Wellington, in Paris.
Wha hidlll4l- th these paragraphs were true, he would
apt have ii. n'si. .. arsebetween Lady Webster and his family.
Ms. lissiseat lest was about* sat the line . George Griffin Stokes,
Is urea shale bola, as dew deposed On by the Dvke of Richmond;
leis Owe bid** be aaasessesay, since the character of Lady
Waisturarsit be asublesed as mumpeached, unless the detendart
itheas te aitiose etuastrirqpeasidast t.
the Jury on behalf of the defenders,
teleil4Phell=il,,Allehlt &OEN atastrition for his errata in apportioning
Abg Ogg% 111 lad all thew to kare out of thcia I:ol2Si4eEilliQa (1%-cry