The Sun.
London, England, 1823-02-25 00:00:00

LORD PORT lOUTR'S CASE.

EXAMINATION tfnikt the RING'S COMMISSION.

FREEMIAOWb' HALT') .NONDAY, FEB. 24.-13Tu DAY.
The COUrt opened at ten o'clock this morning, and imine-
diately proceeded to business.
Mr. John Hobinsou examined by Mr. ADAM—Has been
for twenty years a Magistrate of the county of Hants ; had a
continued intercourse wjth Lord Portsmouth from his first to
his second marriage ; has frequently met Lord P. at the As-
size and county balls • has been for some years a Governor
of Middlesex Hospital; his Lordship was also a Governor,
and by reference to the books found Ins Lordship to have been
frequently in the chair; is a Commissioner of the Property
Tax ; remembers Lord Portsmouth making an appeal to the
Commissioners on an alleged over estimate of his English and
Irish estates; he has had much conversation with his Lbrdship
on the subject, who always conversed perfectly rational; lie ap-
peared, indeed, rather well informed than otherwise ; there
was certainly a singularity in .the countenance and general ap-
pearance of Lord Portsmouth ; bating that circumstance, ob-
served nothing different from other men in the conduct, man-
ner, and language of his Lordship ; considers him as compe-
tent to the affairs of life as any other gentleman ; believes him
of perfectly sound mind.

Cross-examined by Mr. WETHERELL—Cannot say possi.
tively whether Lord P. was present when the Commissioners of
Property Tax took his Lordship's appeal into their considera-
tion—should think he was there, but could not say that he was;
certainly had a long conversation with his Lordship upon that
subject about the time it was brought under the notice of the
Commissioners.

By Sir Tuos. BARING—Cannot consider Lord P. a man of
as strong a mind as the generality of men—nbver saw him act
or speak incoherently—never recollects his Lordship having
been- desired to leave the Chair at the meeting of the Governors
of the Middlesex Hospital.; thinks Lord P. was perfectly com-
petent to the management of his affairs at the time lie knew
him intimately ; he was as well able to decide upon the pro-
priety of letting a farm, of the responsibility of the tenant, or
the advantage to be derived from a more or less extended period
of years, as any other gentleman.
By Mr. 0. BatixEs—Thinks his Lordship a competent
judge of the zeal and ability of his servants in the discharge of
their duties.

By Mr. Thin c--Never heard his Lordship talk of black
jobs, or ringing of bells.
By other: urors—Has not been intimate with his Lordship
since Mr. Coombs has resided with him; thinks Lord P. tole-
rably well infOrmedin the farming and agricultural business.'
James Farquhar examined by-lqr. C. F. WILLIAM:I-11as
known Lord Portsmonth upwards of twenty years. Witness is
a Proctor in Doctor' Commons. His Lordship came to him to
take out the license for his first marriage ; has not seen his Lord-
ship for the last three years—had not seen him for some time
before he went to the North ; remembers his Lordship's second
marriage ;. has frequently met his Lordsliipin society, at dinner.
'Should certainly consider him as a man of weak mind—more
likely to be amused by, than to contribute to the amusement
of; society. Thinks his Lordship of a perfectly sound mind ;
:never saw any thing in his Lordship's conduct that might be
deemed on any account irrational..
By the Jury-:-Has received a letter from Lord Portsinonth,
in answer to a letter of condolence written by witness to his
Lordship, on the subject of his family unpleasantries.—(Put in
and read.)
" King-street, Edinburgh, 29th Dec. 1821.
"My dear Sir—i have received your kind letter—the inclos-
ed has been forwarded-I-we did not intend when we left to ex-
tend our Journey ro far north, but Lady Portsmouth has been
in a very bad state of health, and was desirous of consulting a
medical gentleman of Edinburgh. We have now been here
many weeks, and her health has received much assistance, and
we shall shortly be bending our course homeward. We are
delightedi with thitt fine town, and if we turd visited this town at
any other season of the year, we should have taken a trip to the
islands. Lady Portsmouth and self offer our kind regard to
Mrs. Farquhar.

" I am, my dear Sir, yours,
" Jas. Farquhar Esq. • "*PORTSMOUTIL"
Charles Edward Farquhar,
examined by Mr. WlLDE—Rftides
at Bognor ; was first acquainted with his Lordship in February,
1820 ; waited upon his Lordship in consequence of having re-
ceived .• a mos Sage from him, expressing his desire to take a
house belonging to witness. A conversation took place upon
the subject between Lord Portsmouth 'end witness ; his Lord-
ship said he liked the house, and would, take it. The terms
were agreed upon. His Lordship remained at Bognor until
January, inn Dined frequently with hint—his conversation,
manner, and conduct, were those of a perfectly sound mind.
Cross-examined by Mr. IbtonottAst—Saw Mr. Alder at
Bognor frequently during his liortlship'tcutty there—;never was
introdticed to Alder, end therefore did not invite him to dinner
When Lord and Lady Portitnouth visited him ; Miss Hanson
accompanied them. Lady Portsmouth and Alder frequently
left Bognor together for some short time; returning together.
Lord Portsmouth sat with him in his library, and engaged in
conversation for a considerable time. 'thought him a man of
perfectly sound mind—he conversed very rationally—never
spoke of funerals, black jobs, bell-ringing, lancets, red tapes,
slaughtering oxen, or dung-carts.
Re-examined by Mr. WI subjects of conversation
were the passing topics of the thtY.
By the Jury—After Lord Portsmouth had agreed for the
house, Alder called upon witness—his Lordship .did not enter
upon the house, living in Another.
James Waugh examined by Mr. Apam.—ltt an attorney re.
siding at Basingstoke; recollects his Lordship being Steward
of the Races in 1.813 ; he called upon witness to desire him to
Make the usual arrangements; remembers attending at the
Manor Court of Whitchurch eight or ten years ago; saw
Lcird PortsmouTh then : his Lordship conversed with several of
the gentlemen there, with Mr. Poulter in particular; Lord
Portsmouth dined there, as did witness. His Lordship con.
ducted himself as any other gentleman would have done. Lord
P. officiated as a steward.

Richard Paul Joddrell, Esq. examined by Mr. C. F. Wit.
LlAMS—Resides in Portland-place; first knew Lord Ports-
mouth about 18 years ago; received an invitation- to dinner
from the late Countess; his Lordship paid every attention to
his guests, consistent with rank and politeness ; his Lordship
afterwards joined in the dance with great whit. Had once a
conversation with his Lordship, as to an intended improvement
in the gardens of Lincoln's Inn-fields, where his Lordship
then resided. Ile was opposed to the improvement, fearing it
might prove a convenient harbour for thieves ; met his Lord-
ship at Batt's Hotel, in December, 1814 ; made an affidavit
as to the nature of his conduct at that time ; it was perfectly
rational and correct, Never had any reason to question the
intellectual capacity of liiiLerdship.
Cross-examined by Mr. TYNDALL—LOrd P.'s remarks were
always rational, pertinent, and connected with the subjects.
By the Jury..-Never had any conversation with his Lord.
ship upon literary subjects ; does not consider his Lordship as
a man of either very strong or very weak mind.
Jelin Cross Crooks, Es,q. examined by 8140Ws I. —Resides
in Upper BerkeltV-street ; has known Lord Portsmouth 14 or
15 years; has hstl frequent communications with his Lordship
In Hampshire and in London, until within about two years ;
has had occasion' conversations with him upon agricultural
Subjects ; is a landholder in Hampshire, and held a farm upon
his own hands daring the period alluded to ; has had one or
two conversations with Lord Portsmouth on the subject of the
purchase and sale of corn ; thought Lord Portsmouth a man of
weak mind, but not insane ; his observations were quite rational;
he had some 'acquaintance with agricultural subjects ; the
topics of conversations were generally the news of the day, and
the occurrences of the time • did not discover any-the least
marks of unsoundness of mind in his Lordship; in public com-
pany his Lordship conducted himself in a gentlemanly and
proper manner.
Thomas Halls, Esq.—Ts a police Magistrate, and a nephew
of the late Dr. Garnett ; was acquainted formerly with Lord
P. • has not seen hint otherwise than casually, subsequently to
1815; has frequently met Mr. Paltrier, the solicitor of Lord P. ;
accompanied that Gentleman and his' Lordship to flurstburn,
in 1814, for the purpose of assisting to take depositions ; re-
meined at Hurstburn for about a week. .Lord P., was there ;
had occasion to see. his Lordship every hour of every day ; had
muchconversation with hint as to the nature of the testimony ;
lite also furnished him with lists of witnesses he wished to be
examined; had had frequent conversations with and was much
in the
,company of his Lordship, for several months prior to
going to ilurstburn ; never saw any thing in his Lordship's
Conduct or. manner having the least appearance of unsoundness
Of mind ; .considers himself perfectly competent to say that his
I.
Lordship was of sound mind, never having observed the least
Symptoms of unsoundness.
Cross-examined by Mr. Baouu itA,lll--,ls connected with the
Hanson family by the marriage of his sister with Charles Han-
son in Dee. 1816 ; is down to this period very intimate with his
brother-in-law; was very intimate with the Hanson family be-,
fore 18L ; has been less so since that year;, the intimacy with
Lord Portsmouth began at his Lordship's marriage ; was ac.
whose energies rise with the
roaritinstledlio
awinithanhiosf laostirdinsdhilisnitbideftitre that thne considers his
increasing importance of the occasion.
of mind and propriety
of 'col Ynedirt cj vt tu :rye —coli ileftordiiBsh lir; so
upon etherg death—the melancholy
dentli—of the late Mrs. Hanson ; thinks Lord P. a man of con.
Siderahle feeling ; did not consider the circumstances under
which the second marriage took place as Proof of the Vag.
Once of that feeling ; thinks Lord P. a man of great energy of
mind ; did not consider the execution of the deed of assignment
Sc a proof of an energetic mind; his Lordship aid not always