Sheriff's Court, Red Lion...
The Times, 1824-07-27T00:00:00

'ittc tollowingare accurate copies of the letters which were 'read in this Court on Friday last, on the inquisition to assess damages I against the defendant for cri7n. cont with Lady Louisa Erskine:- COPY OF Slit JAmrS ErSEsK;E'S LETTER TO GENEERAL SIR GEOROSE MsURRAY. Edinburgh, 4, George-street, Jan. 18, 1819. c TO GENERAL SIR GEORGE XSUJRtAY. " Sir,-Frorn an occurrence wlhich has lately taken place, I am imperiously called upon to deman of you to declare upon your ho. noar whether you have ever carried on a secret or clandestine corre- spondence wvith Lady Louisa Ers'.;inc, vwith a view of its being kept concealed fiom mse, or if you have ever introduced into any letter you may bave written to h2er sentilents or expressions derogatoryto my honour. " I am, Sir, your obedient humble servant, "JAM1ES ERSKINE." coPY OF sIa GEORGE .MURRAY'S LETTER. ' Locknell-house, Jan. 25, 1819. "Sir,-I have received, this afternoon, your letter of the 18th instant. It is writtea in a style vhich appears to mu to preclude my msaking any otheranswer to It, it so far as it concerns myself only,1 than my merely acknowledging the receipt of it. *That I may not leave for a moment, however, any opening for surmises which might he prejudicial to another person, and which would be whollv groundless, I rake lt)is opportunity to declare, that in any intercourse which may havc taken place between Lady Louisa Erarkne and myself, nothing has ever occurred iniunous to yourl honour, cr which ouht in the slightest degree to affaect that of Lady I,oui9a herxself. *- I am, Sir, your obedient humble cervant, "G. MURRAY. To Sir James Erkine, Bart., Edinburgh." COPY OF SIrX ROHERT LILSON'S XETTER TO SIR JA;IES ERSKICCE. " Charles-street, April 11, 1819. " My dear Erskine,-In putrsuance of your wish, I saw Sir George Murray this morning, and having stated the object of the interview, 1 had the satisfaction to have all my hopes conrnned, by an imme- diate declaration on his part, that in no letter which habits of friend- ship mnay have permiitted him at any time to send a certain person, was matter of suclt description introxduced, as could render him per- sonally desirous such letters should be concealed trom you, to avoid the indliction of a wound on your honour and happiness. " Sir George regretted that the tone of your correspondence had iouposed on hntu a degree of reserve in his communications, which appears to have renlered incomplete that removal of misconception, which lie was desirous to effect in justice to another person, whose sense of dluty andti sincerity of afiection towards you would never have permitted zny trespass of the nature to which allusion has been made. " I assure you that no conversation could be more satisfactory,and I feel authorized to require that yot henceforth dismiss the subject of correspondence r'rom your minld, except wheni reference to this proof of misconception may dispose to a more favourable view of the whole case, and its total burial in the tomb of oblivion. Y Yours ever faithfully, " R. WILSON. P.S. It is due to Sir G. Murray to add, that he authorized me I to say, that the evplanation was iitenided to be most frank, candid, and unreserved; and therefore, if the terms in which I have ex. pressed his feelings and declarations, should appear in any way con- tracted or dlubious, you must ascribe the conciseness to my lan- guage. ['rhe foUowving letter has beeH addressed to the Editor of an Evening Paperj : 29, Upper Berkeley-street, Jttly26. "Sir,-I hastez to correct a mistakc which ithas,since,becn proved to my satisfaction I committed in giving my evidenee in an imnport- ant cause (Sir James Erskine v. Sir G. Murray) which wyas de- cided in the Sheriff's Court, on Fritlay last, the 23u instant. " Int my said evidence I stated,that In the coutse of a visit which I had natle to the plaintiffand his lady, at an hotel in Clifford-street, beforc they went to Paris, I thought that I had perceived some, chatige in their manner towards each other; whereas it now ap'l pears, that the visit in question took place, not before they went to, but after their return from Paris. '- The Attorney General0s allusion to the above circumstance in his addlress to thc jury, first suggetted to my mnind the probability iat at tha*histance of tine I might be mistaken. I accordingly, in coming out of t'se Court, comnmunicated that suggestion to the p laintff's solicit9r, and have only to add, that various circumitances which have in the mean time been brought to rmy recollection by Other persons, have conclusively satisfied Mny mind, that the apprec bendedI miitake was really committed upon my part, and that I was consequently bound to take this ehrly, and (I trust) effectual step to rectify it. Ihave the honour to be, Sir5 your rnost obedient humble servant, "A. MACDONALD." SHERIFF'S COURT, RED LTov0SQthur.- J.TnTv M SIR. JA3ES ER'SKNLE C.RT.. V. .njR GIanRrP. >;Tr. .- nA M