Washington sentinel., 1853-10-16
The Case Of Hon. Mrs. Norton.

The honorable Charles Norton, in his recent
attempt to blacken his wife's character in order
to evade the payment of money due her,
brought into one of his letters, unfortunately for
him, the name of John Bailey, his counsel in
the original case, in connection with Mr..
Baileys change Of opinion-he now siding with
the lady. Mr.. Bailey has published a letter in
the London Times, in which the Hon. Charles
Norton is skinned alive. Mr.. Bailey's first
opinion was founded, he says, upon Mr. Nor
toms erparte statements, in the firm belief that
every assertion he made was true. But snbse-
quently, from an understanding of the facts,
his opinion was changed. Mr. Norton appoint
ed Mr.. Bailey as arbiter between him and his
wife. He accepted the appointment with the
belief that Mrs. N. would reject him because Of
his position as counsel for her prosecutor, but
she at once acceded to the proposition. Mr..
Bailey then learnt, for the first time, her side
of the question. He says:
"Iffound by documentary proofs in her pos
session that had been advising Mr.. Norton, not
on his real case but series ofinvented fables
which he had strung together and consulted me
upon. Nearly every statement he had made TO me
| turned out to be untrue. found Mrs Norton
anxious only point, and nearly broken-heart-
ed about il; namely, the restoration of her chill
dren. She treated her pecuniary affairs mat
ter Of perfect indifference and left me to arrange
them with Mr.. Norton as thought fit. found
her husband, on the contrary, anxious only about
the pecunary part of the arrangement, and OBJ
viousy making the love of the mother for her off
spring means Of barter and bargain, that wrote
to him | could be no party to any arrangement
which made money the price of Mrs. Norton's fair
and honorable access to her children found his
history Of her expenses and extravaganza to be
true and that, even while he made that complaint
| he had detained all her wardrobe, jewelry, and
books in short, every article of her personal pro-
perty, under threat of selling them"
He found, besides, that Mrs. Norton had Of
fered to pay her own bills, but that Mr.. Norton's
solicitor had replied that even if she did there
was no undertaking that her property should be
returned. He found, under Mr.. Nortons own
handwriting, confessions Of the grossest per-
sonal violence towards his wife, and that on
one occasion he had kicked the drawing-room
door from its hinges, and dragged her out Of
the room by force, she being then in condition
requiring the greatest care and tenderness. He
found the real cause of the trouble between the
parties to be the taking the children away from
their mother; that the greatest offence she had
committed against her husband, by his own
confession, was in saying she would never live
with him; that the original trial inculpating his
wife This own confession likewise) was brought
"against his Judgment and that he had a full
"belief in his wifes innocence of the charge he
had brought against her and Lord Melbourne
which belief Mr.. Bailey likewise found expressed
in series Of letters addressed by Norton to
his wife under the signature of "Greencre.
Upon this evidence Mr.. Bailey changed his
mind, and expressed his belief that Mr.. Norton
had done his wife the most cruel injury that
man could ipfict, and advised him to make
every reparation in his power, which he refused
to do, notwithstanding he bound himself by
writing, conformity with his wife, to abide by
Mr.. Bailey's arbitration.
Mr.. Bailey concludes his letter to the Times
by saying that he considers there never was
more deeply injured woman than Mrs. Norton,
and that her husbands conduct to her has
been marked by the grossest cruelty, injustice
and inconsistency that ever any man displayed.
We are gratifed to see this letter. II goes
far to remove the stigma which has too far
rested upon the fair fame Of woman whose
writings have placed her among the immortals;
in comparison with whom her husband appears
coarse and unmitigated boor. Throughout
the recent trial and the previous one, wherein
she was legally exonerated, and throughout the
recent public correspondence, the most miser-
able selishness and meanness has been appar-
ent in the conduct of the Honorable Mr.. Nor
ton. The most contemplate spite has appeared
to be the prevailing characteristic Of his mind,
and Mr.. Bailey's manly letter may set him
right, az well a. the public.--Boston Post.