The Sun.
London, England, 1870-02-23 00:00:00

TEI E SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 23, 1870.

LAW 11%1TELLIGENCE.—This Day.

THE AIORDAUNT CASE.

The inquiry into the sanity of Lady Mordaunt, in
connection with the divorce suit Mordaunt v.
Mordaunt, Cole, and Johnstone, was resumed this
morning in the Divorce Court, before Lord Peu-

zance and a special jury.
The entrance to the court was thronged for a
considerable time before the opening of the doors,
the increasing interest in the case having attracted
even a larger number of persons to the hall in the
hope of gaining admission to the court than on the
preceding days of the inquiry. But in consequence
of the instructions issued by Lord Penzance but
few persons were admitted to the gallery. Among
these were Sir Charles Mordaunt, General Arbuth-
not, the Rev. Mr. Caiogan, and a number of
ladies.

The first witness examined was Mrs. Herbert
Murray. She said—My husband is a relation of
the Moncrieffe family, and he is also connected
with the Mordaunt family. On the 17th September
last I went to Bickley to see Lady Mordaunt, and
stayed in the house until the 28th. I dined gene-
rally with Lady Mordaunt and spent the whole of
the day with her. Went with her to the Crystal
Palace on the 21st December. I said to her on one
day, " I hope you will come to London in the winter,
so that I shall see more of you ; it will be so dull."
She said, " I hope I shall ; I do not want to be dull."
After further remarks she said, "What business
had Charlie to go jabbering about to other ladies ?
Do you call yourself a lady?" I said, "I hope so."
She said, " What do you come ferretting here for?"
I said, "I do not come ferretting here." Witness
entered into further details, which, owing to the
almost inaudible voice in which they were given,
could not be heard. She further said: When I said,
" What could make you do such a foolish thing ;
surely you could not have cared for all those men ?"
she made no reply. On one occasioned I mentioned
a divorce case which had been before the public.
She said :—" It is we who have to bear all the ig-
nominy." I had numerous conversations with
her. She spoke quite rationally. I never noticed
anything wrong except that she would not answer
very quickly. On the 28th Lady Mordaunt came to
my house with her maid. She was with me and
my husband all day. My husband had gone out
when she arrived. I asked why she had come in a
cab, and not in her carriage. She said nothing
about it. She went up stairs, took off her things,
and came down again. She went out for a walk
with my husband. When they came back General
Arbuthnot had arrived. I heard Lady Mordaunt
talking with General Arbuthnot. Mr. Herbert
Murray and Mr. Fynes came into the room. I
should think General Arbuthnot was there a quar-
ter of an hour. I heard Lady Mordaunt say,
" How is it that you did not introduce me to Gen.
Arbuthnot?" During the whole day she appeared
perfectly rational. On the 23d November and
afterwards I noticed a change in her.
Cross-examined by Dr. Deane—Lady Mordaunt
behaved perfectly rationally except in one particu-
lar. She wished to sit down in a weighing chair.
She afterwards sat down on the ground, but got up
when told by Bird. This was on the 21st October. '
Mr. Fynes walked out with Lady Mordaunt ou the
day that she was at my house. He made a com-
munication to me about her manner.

Re-examined by Sergeant Ballantiue—She never
found any imperfection in her memory. On one
occasion she spoke to her about the relationship of
those gentlemen whose names have been intro-
duced in this case. She did not know that Dr.
Wood was coming to the house. We read together
in the morning, and she appeared to take great
notice of some particular passages.
The case was proceeding.

ROLLS' COURT.
PEASE V. EARL SPENCER.

This case had reference to the rights of common-
age on Wimbledon Common, and an application
was made to-day for the- appointment of an addi-
tional commoner to protect the interests of the
commons generally in the litigation that is pending.
His lordship acceded to the application.

FOREIGN NOTES.

THE DUKE OF MONTPENSIEB.

The Duke of Montpensier has written a letter to the
Marquises of Campo Sangrado and Mendez Vigo, who
had informed him of the result of the elections in Astu-
rias. The Duke thanks them for their communi-
cations and although the result has not corresponded
with the hopes of his partisans, he is gratified
by receiving the votes of 35,000 electors, and hopes one
day to be able to give public testimony of his Spanish
sentiments, and his affection for the province of Asturias.
Although born in another country, many of his ancestors
were Spaniards ; he has - had the honour of
marrying a Spanish princess, and his children
are Spaniards. Whatever the vicissitudes of the time
he will never cease to co-operate in efforts on behalf of the
prosperity and the aggrandisement of what is by tradition,
adoption, and affection his only country. His partisans
have complained, with reason, of the party element
infused into an election which he had not solicited.
"Standing aloof from all political parties," says
the Duke, " but respecting all opinions, I believe,
nevertheless, that the Constitution of 1869, sin-
cerely practised, may make the happiness of
Spain." The Duke goes on to say that he is firmly
convinced, if all the electors knew his Spanish feelings,
they would not cherish the unfounded suspicions which
have offended his followers. A people which has
preserved so many traces of its hidalgos and
heroes, which rose in 1808 and in 1820 to
defend at one time its independence against
a foreign invasion, at another its liberty against
an oppressive government, may perhaps be mistaken in its
course, but must always merit the respect of the civilized
world. He authorises his partizans to make what use
they like of his letter, and concludes by repeating his
thanks for their generous adhesion.

SPIRIT OF THE PRESS.

THE CONSERVATIVE LEADERSHIP.

The Times remarks that the Conservative leadership in
the House of Lords may prove as difficult to fill as the
Spanish throne itself. It has been resigned by Lord Cairns,
it is now declined by Lord Derby, and no other peer
equally combines the necessary qualifications of personal
capacity and party influence. When Lord Derby pleads
a want of the former qualification as the sole ground of
his own refusal, he attaches what appears to us
an undue importance to " habit and tempera-
ment." He is not a born party leader, but, having
been designated as such by the most influential Conserva-
tive Peers, he would have been sure to acquit himself of
the duty with honour. There are still intellectual
Liberals who look to Lord Derby as their future leader.
We venture to predict they will be disappointed. It is
only in this country, and in this age, that we have learnt
to associate certain aspirations which Lord Derby is sup-
posed to hold with certain other aspirations which are
distinctive of the Liberal creed, In other ages and
in other countries men have been Liberals within the
sphere of thought and Conservative within the sphere of
action, and Lord Derby maybe a thorough aristocrat in
spirit, though possibly in favour of complete religious
cluality and unsectarian education. At the same time,
it is not unreasonable that he should wish to postpone
aTiuming the lead of his party in the House of Lords till
battle is about to be joined on some issue where he is
heartily in accord with them.