The Sun.
London, England, 1839-09-27 00:00:00

LADY FLORA IiAsTING.

The Marquis of Hastings has published in the
Morning Post the whole correspondence connected
with the illness and death of his sister, the late
Lady Flora Hastings, a step which we do not
regret in one sense, as it triumphantly refutes the
insinuations so basely promulgated against the La-
dies of the Court, Lord Melbourne, and her Ma-
jesty. We have hitherto. avoided alluding to this
unfortunate and " untoward" affair, but as faction
seems to delight in making a stalking-horse of the
occurrence, we shall once and for all advert to it.
The facts may be comprised in a nutshell, and are '
shortly these. Lady Flora Hastings, on her return
from a visit to Scotland, presented a certain corporeal
enlargement which led to the inference that she was
pregnant. Lady Portman, as in " duty bound" com-
municated to the Queen her suspicion that Lady Flora
was privately married, and while the matter was in
suspense, she was necessarily prohibited from at-
tending at Court. Was there anything improper
in this proceeding on the part of Lady Portman,
and was it not the duty of a virtuous heart to cause
Inquiry, and prevent malignant scandal from tar-
nishing the character of Lady Flora herself, and
every female member of her Majesty's household ?
A medical investigation then took place, when it
was irre fragibly demonstrated that the appear-
ance which had misled not only Lady Portman, but
even the medical attendant of Lady Flora Hast-
ings, was the result of disease, and of course
every suspicion against the honour of Lady Flora
was completely removed. After some amelioration
in the disorder a relapse took place, and Lady
Flora fell a victim afterwards to the same
disease, her death having been very probably pre-
cipitated by the awkward exposure which had taken
place, which must have grieved most poignantly a
high-minded and innocent woman. During the
embarassing denouement, the utmost delicacy and
honour was manifested by her Majesty and every
member of the Court, and the correspondence
published fully acquits Lady Portman and every
other party from designing, much less perpetrating
a cruel act. It does not appear that there was any
" plot"or "conspiracy" to traduce and injure Lady
Flora Hastings, and Sir William Follett and Mr.
Pollock have given it as their legal opinion that the
facts of the case did not afford any ground for legal
proceedings on the part of Lady Flora Hastings or
her family. It seems that before the matter became
unfortunately public, Lord Melbourne wished the
Marquis of Hastings to keep it private, and to con-
sult with the Duke of Wellington on the subject.
The Duke was consulted, and advised the utmost
privacy to :be observed, but the ''Alarquis has erro-
neously followed another course, and in his attempt
to criminate all and sundry, has most completely vin-
dicated the various parties he has vainly endeavoured
to condemn. The anxiety of Lady Portman to have
the affair investigated was honourable to her as one
of the Court, and there was no other way to solve the
suspicions and doubts which appearances justified
than the course adopted. The vindication of Lad) F.
Hastings from these suspicions has been clear and
satisfactory ; her death, under the peculiar circum-
stances, must fill the most apathetic with grief and
sympathy ; but the event itself, however much to
be deplored, was not caused by " baneful in-
fluences," nor can it afford grounds of aspersion
against any one. Her Majesty, Lord Melbourne,
and the Court are as undoubtedly guiltless of any
improper act as Lady Flora Hastings herself ; and
it is not a worthy tribute to the memory of the in-
nocent dead to attempt unceasingly to vilify and
traduce the equally innocent living.—Worcester-
shire Chronicle.