Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1816-08-24
EORElGh.
SHERlEF'S CoURT-CnIM Cow.
.s,inior. General Lord @. II. Beresfara, VS.
De Emit ofBecaire.

.iiajor- General Lord @. \. Beresf0rd, VS.
tie Eart of Bectire.
Saturday, at halt. past o'clock, the De
puty-Sherif' Of Middlesex and Special Ju
ry met at the Sheriff. Office, Bedford Row
to assess the damages in a case in which
Maor-G General Lord George Thomas Be.
resiord was plaintiff. and the Earl of Bee,
tive defendant, for criminal conversation
with the plaintiffs wife. judgement was
suffered to go by default, and the plaintiff
damages were laid at 30,000l.
Mr. Curwood read tue declaration.
Mr.. SERGEANT Best opened the case and,
after stating generally to the Jury, tire va
rious considerations which they were bound
To take into their enquiry in cases of this
kind, namely, the rank of toe paroles, tue
terms OH which the husband and wife IL
we'd, and the nature OF the seduction, pro-
ceedcd TO state what was the rank Of the
parties in this particular case. The plain
tiff was the son of tie Marquis of Water
| ford, the defendant the son Of the Marquis
Of IIeadIort, and the heir 30 large estates
in Ireland. The former was Il Major Gen
erGl in the army, and had been married TO
the lady who was one of ac unfortunate
parties whose conduct created the present
| irquiry. BY her he had children, S of
whom are now alive, and all daughters.
| When lie mentioned that those now unfor-
! tunate children were all females, it was OBJ
vious that he did so to shew what must be
tie situation OF their father, to fird them,
by an act OF seductian, deprived of the per-
son OH whom their education the more par
4 ticulahy deyolyed, and through whom he
had a right to expect that hereafter they
should be introduced into life. la the last
case IN which he was concerned in thai
4 Court, there might have been some doubts
cast as 70 who wasthe seducer. In the pre-
sent there could be none; for he had be
fore him aietter in the defendants hand
writing, which clearly attached that base
5 act upon bin. lord Gesrge Beresfort
and the Earl of Beehive, together Will
their respective families. had been on terms
of the closest intimacy. The former was
in the course OF the last summer, absen.
with his brigade in France While there
he was informed that Lady George ha,
become deranged in her intellects. Th
, intimation induced HIN, without delay. I,
return home. Her ladysIiip, on the brit
Of her first child. had suffered an indispos;
ton Of this kind, 4 he, of course. suspecte,
4, that her present illness arose from simla
cause. Ii was deemed advisable that h
should not see her ladyship at once, les
, the shock OF the visit might increase he
fever. It became, however. necessary tla
he should lay his hands upon some iami
. tpapers, Cor which purpose he took posses
E sion Of the keys that his wife had previous
: ly held 10 pursuing this search. to hi
! lsurprize and agony, he found letter fror
. Earl Beehive to Lady George Beresfor
! which clearly exposed the nature of the il
. tercourse that had suhsisted between then
II The lrarned Serieaut here proceeded t
o read this letter, which was without dat,
Il 1t is as foiiows:--
y I" The wmeaniug Ievity with which
n spoke to you yesterday, though foreign [
!. nay heart, has made every hour since "
:. parted appear an age, aud other though
rushing on my mind, have contributed
make me unhappy. Can you love N
| with whom you say yGu do not undett
= tand Want of confidence must ,iini,
r. ISL 1--we. In you my dear Harriet,
;. have the most perfect confidence il ";
= not speech felt at heart when sal
: you might, in my absence, iiirt with an
&c ther; no man, prescriptions, con6den
: altfuI as he might be, would dare to thin
!. you lightly won. ! AIN sunk Ia melanchu
J. iy despair. lest sophistry even induce w
Al to thing lightly of a crime, which | pra
!. Heaven 20 consideration whatever may
ven lead you To commit with another
70 When L think what You have sacrifice
m for me, the peace of mind you have forte
,s ted, that recollection alone, indeDeiidei
:. of my love, my alteration for you. wou
" deter me from ncOnstancy.-Curses {
Of the character some have given me, but n
10 undeservedly. have been profligat
y deceitlul, and inconstant but never
" a being like my Harriet Womsn is 81
" and gentle as the mould N which she
10 iCrmed, till man destroys the 5eduteo
" work. To you, were it impossible to
N treachernus, my crime would he erroncou
70 have THIS feeling towards YOU. tina; il Il
W world, the London worlG, suspected o.
" tenth part the affection bear You it shou
ne deem 1t impossible for my thoughts to
ar distracted for a moment from you to anot
Is err woman, Search now dat bnsom, al
i. question it whether it loves bectiye as ",
l. as once he battered himself it did, al
still Matters hImselfit does. Has 40 fc
TO ling OF pique within the last three wee
ne essoned that regard 9-I am interrupte
If perhaps you are not sorry for it.-Far
e. well, my loye-my only love-only cheri
as my affection until YOU find me unwortj
d. oflt, and will sooner perish than give y
reason to Withdraw your regard"
The learned SERGEANT, alter eloquent
dwelling upon the euormity of the crr
o.. OF seduction, and pointing 6ut tie pecuii
he features it bore in tue present case, fro
n wy ihlhhacy between Inc parties, c0ncl