The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1839-10-11 00:00:00

availed myself of the circumstance to clear Lady Flora's cha-
racter, and to have relieved myself from a very embarrassing
position. The second is, that I told Lady Flora that she
must submit to a "medical examination." I not only never
used such an expression, but never heard it employed for
what it has been assumed to imply till after the unfortunate
matter was over ; in fact, I then believed that a full external
examination would prove sufficient to decide the matter.
Everything, consecluently, which has been asserted, about a
" medical examination" having been suggested by the ladies,
or by me, is utterly groundless.
The only other parts of Lord Hastings's correspondence
which require notice from me are two charges brought for-
ward by his lordship. The first consists of a statement said
to have been received from Lady Flora's own lips, that the
examination was conducted with more than ordinary disre-
gard to delicacy, and to her feelings." In corroboration of
this charge, his lordship has referred to a deposition on oath,
by Lady Flora's maid, " That the conduct of Sir James
Clarke and Lady Portman was unnecessarily abrupt, indeli-
cate, and unfeeling !" I notice this charge in passing merely
to give it a peremptory denial. The other charge is in the
following words :--" Some questions having been put to my
sister and answered, it was suggested that the inquiry ought
not to proceed further, and that they might now feel quite
satisfied. Sir James Clarke objected, and stated that the
ladies of the Court would not be satisfied without the strict-
est examination ; and that if Lady Flora knew her own inno-
cence, she could have no reason to oppose the most complete
scrutiny." The simple reply to this is, that no such sugges-
tion was ever made, and no such objection ever urged. Upon
what authority Lord Hastings made this statement he has
nowhere mentioned, and I am utterly at a loss to conceive,
unless, indeed, it be on that of the foreign maid to whose
oath he before refers, and whose knowledge of English may
not have been sufficient to enable her fully to understand
fully what was passing. But I cannot avoid expressing my
regret that his lordship-did not procure the testimony of the
only witness during the whole consultation—Sir Charles
Clarke—before he made such grave charges. Had he fol-
lowed this course, I'ventare to'affirni they never would have
been made. Sir Charles Clarke, although he might not have
thought it proper, to discuss with Lord Hastings the details
of what passed at the consultation, could not have hesitated,
had he been appealed to, to refute such groundless accusa-
tions.

It remains for me now only to repeat my sincere regra.
that I was unable to relieve Lady 'Flora Hastings at once
from every suspicion. No one has felt more acutely than
myself, during the whole of this painful affair, the distress
occasioned to Lady Flora arid her family, whether arising
from the original 'circunistarices, or from the matter being
afterwards forcedititO public notice. ' '
Deeply painful as it has been to me to see my name so long'
associated with killege-d. acts and motives at which my very
nature revolts, the consciousness of my own rectitude, the
friendship of those who, from long and intimate acquaintance,
know toe to be incapable of the -conduct impute 4 tome, and
a firm reliance on-justice being ultiniafely done to all parties,
,have supported me under an accumulation of attacks such as
few professional men can have been.iiubjected to.
JAMES CLARK, M.D.
George-street; October 7, 1839.