The Sun. — London, England, 1831-12-27 00:00:00

their mouths 'without giving offense to some of the worshipful body. The merchant in the Artotan Nights, who was eating nuts and Throwing away the husks, was terrified by the sudden appearance of a raging giant—a sort of Laneas.likre gentleman—who desired him to pre pare for instant death. The poor man corn p.orted himself like Lord Althorp, spoke most Civilly, disavowed intention of offence, and begged to know wherein he had displeased " Wretch !" cried the giant,—" you have dashed out the brains of my beloved son with your accursed nut-shells." The merchant was as much at a loss to understand the connection between the husks of nuts and the destruction of a giant's son, as was Lord Althorp to comprehend the relation of Mr. Hulton's displeasure to the words he had dropped ; and his pain was the greater, as he knew, that though he renouPted nuts, he never could be secure against Vining giants' sons, whose forms were SQ 6.ue as to be imperceptible to the eye, and destructible by husks. The giant, as every one knows, proved in the end more placable than Mr. Hutton of Hulton Park—perhaps because the giant was giant was not great man enough to have a park—perhaps because he had never been in am Commission of the Peace, which makes a gentleman understand his right to be angry, This story illustrates self-knie, that vast passion, whose objects of affection areso small-- against the wounds of whose minute and fragile offspring we can never; be secure. The sons of giant pride are about in all directions ; and though Lord Althorp be not husky in his speech, though his words fall soft as Rakes of snow, yet shall he brain the first-horn, the joy, the pride of the Gogs, and be stunned with their complaints of wrong and threats of vengeance. Throw but the stone, however, and the giant dies—aye, were he ten times as big as Hutton of Hutton Park. Giantship, whatever it was formerly, when beasts could speak, is now conventional ; if we allow men to lay down their own proportions of con sequence, they will fill them with insolence. By aking their just measure, we bring them down is their modisties or propieties ; hence it is that the inflated fools this ;s: the visits of tailors so dangerous to stakstnen. We have not a doubt, that had our aforesaid merchant filliped a nut sharply against his bullying giant, instead of begging and praying, he would have knocked him down to insignificance, for the chip showed the softness of the block. TRIBUNAL OF FIRST INSTANCE. SUIT FOR ANNULLING THE WILL OF THE DUKE OF BOURBON. THE PRINCES DE ROMAN V. THE DUKE D ' AUMALE AND THE BARONESS DE FEUCHERES. Preeid►.ncy of M. de BELLEYME..-Hearing of the 23d of December. M. Lavaux, Counsel for Madame de Feucheres, addressed the Court as follows . It is now more than a year since the violent death Hof the Duke of Bourbon spread terror throughout his chateau of St. Leu. The fatal and unexpected event was but too well understood and explained by those who were witnesses of it. The view of the body, the absence of all marks of violence, the state of his clothes, the perfect order which reigned throughout the chamber, the impossibility of gaining access to the chamber from the outside, or from the interior of the Palace,--all these circumstances left no doubt upon the minds of his numerous atten dants. Every body was convinced that the Prince had not been able to overcome the profound emo tions which had been remarked in him since the events of July ; and this conviction was strengthened, when they saw his own physician, the physicians of the district in which he dwelt, and the most skilful medical practitioners of the capital, unanimous respecting the cause of the misfortune which every one deplored. In addition, the inves tigations of justice, if they were severe and minute, were at least not doubtful in their results. A writ ing of the Prince himself revealed his fatal design, and the efforts of his faithful servants were directed towards enveloping in mystery an event so lamentable. Grief, however, did not absorb their minds for any length of time. The Duke of Bourbon had a Court, gentlemen, aides-de-camp, and squires, at tached to that Court, and he had also a large number of servants. It was hoped that the future prospects of so many families had been an object of the Prince's solicitude; the knowledge of his last wishes was anxiously expected; and, because the liberality of the master disappointed the hopes of a few courtiers, tears gave way to complaints, and explosions of grief and attachment were succeeded by reproaches. There was a lady who had been from her infancy the object of the affection of the Duke of Bourbon, and she had justified this high murk of favour by a devotedness which has occupied her entire life. It was desired that she should repair the wrongs which it was pretended the Prince had committed, and that she should carry to the foot of the throne the complaints of the retainers of the Prince's house. She refused to undertake a mission which the justice and the equity of the heir of her benefactor rendered useless; and soon the basest calumny was organized against her. It is now time to unveil this mystery of iniquity, and to show with how much perfidy the Princes de Rohan have profited by the disposition of ingenious persons, in order to fatigue our criminal tribunals with their unfounded accusations, and artfully to get up the scandalous suit which is now before the Court. This task is by no means above my power, but I must confess that it is not without disgust that I enter upon it. One is struck with shame when one perceives to what a man may be made to stoop by the workings of cupidity and party spirit, when these vices are hidden beneath the mask of a chival rous devotedness; and one feels it impossible to understand how the pretended revengers of the memory of a Conde could have brought themselves to lay open his private life to the gaze of public curiosity, and, as though that were not enough, to call to their assistance also the aid of libels and de famation. I will candidly confess to you, gentlemen, at the very outset of this business, that I experience a de gree of emotion which I am unable to overcome. How many times, since the death of the Prince, have I myself been witness of the despair which has afflicted the lady who is now so outrageously at tacked. With what anxiety has she awaited the day in which her voice might be heard, and she have the happiness of publicly confounding her accusers ? We owe many thanks to the Counsel for the Duke d'Aumale, who has permitted me to be heard before him. But we had a right to expect this from him. My client was the person whom they desired to crush with their calumnies, and she therefore chiefly stands in need of a prompt and triumphant re parer ion. Madame Dawes is of English extraction. Durin g the period of his exile the Prince selected her, while yet very young, from the bosom of a numerous fa mily. He was struck with her attractions —with her amiable dispositions, and it is from this early period that we are to date a profound attachment, and that tenderness which at once occupied, and was essential to, his existence. Sophia Dawes justified this glorious affection. Providence has so ordered it, that an immense correspondence remains to demonstrate the inexhaustible kindness of the Prince, and the gratitude of her who was the object of that kindness. It is by reading those letters, in which one hardly knows which to admire most,. the nobleness of the sentiments or the delicacy of the lsnguage,—that I propose to repel the odious insinuations which, in the criminal process, 'Madame de Feucheits withered with her contempt. In 18 i3s Dawes was at Paris. She desired sittr ed those hopes of marriage which she cherished in her heart. She consults him whom she calls her benefactor, and here is the answer which the Duke of Bourbon addressed to her on this subject " Graon, Sept. 3, 1817. " M. Barry tit pir'f. 4 .l l :-.'eri your commission with great punctuality, hil, as you may naturally suppose, we have chatted ttgether about it a good deal; there are so many details in such an affair that it is very difficult to give de cisive advice, and, indeed, on such a subject, no one, after having examined the for and against, can pronounce defi nitively, except the parties intetested and their relatives. M. B. has been more aniions than I have to be acquainted with your inclination on this subject at the present mo ment, and will sorely have said to you all that: biro heart has ilvviiya dictated to him for youi io,4)iness and your interests. Entertaining towird You the same sentiments of interest and friendshi'r Which you necessarily inspire by a demeanour whk'a does you the greatest honour,—em bracing every opportunity in your power to please,—it is im•tessible for me to do other than yield entirely to the gond advice which he will have given you. We can neither of us do any more in an affair of this importance. It reonitts, then, for you al i with a pretty person and a well-regulat e d and e n li g h m i n d, to we i g h care f u ll y the enjoyments on one side the troubles on the other, which may attend a marriflaarely of inclination. Now, my dear Madame Dawes, lbeejlt about rain and fine weather ' iv, This project, t f hia f t successful, and in a hee"..nd letter of tta ovember, 1817, tht Prince says further on ect,— " I see with pain that your e not been realized for the present in their full extent; ut you do not enter tain any doubt of the interest - may contribute to your happiness. yon have known me to entertair which you so well deserve wher and of your mind ate duly apps your person, your looking gli what must be thought of that I read this letter, gentle , ject ; because, in the midst of an immense corres pondence, it was necessary to fix clearly the con nexion and intimacy which existed between the Duke of Bourbon and Madame de Feuchcres. When I spoke of a benefactor whose advice was begged, I see that this letter is the most complete demonstra tion of what I advanced. The remainder of the cor respondence will throw the fullest light on this position. The Duke of Bourbon returned to Paris in 1818 ; he brought back with him his sister, who, as you know, came to continue in France that austere mode of life which she had so long led in England.* A man of distinguished family, and of a military re putation, which had been long appreciated, sought the hand of Sophia Dawes. His affection was great, if I may estimate it by a correspondence, the entire of which I cannot read. Who could oppose such a marriage ? The Prince was again consulted. The marriage took place : it was celebrated at London in the month of August, 1818. The Prince gave Madame de Feucheres a dowry of 7,200 francs. It is a fact, notorious to all the inhabitants of Chan- tilly, that during four years, this marriage was one of complete happiness. Madame de Feucheres fol lowed her husband wherever his duties called him. He had become aide-de-camp to the Prince. It is sought, by the most odious attacks, by the most perfidious insinuations, to cover Madame de Feucheres with calumny. More than 200 witnesses have given evidence. Nothing in the world, in the examinations, was capable of raising a supposition of the truth of these perfidious insinuations, which it was difficult to tell how to combat. In the mean time, at the end of four years, M. de Feucheres, who had been made a Colonel, as he de served to be, conceived some jealousy. An impru dence committed by one of his friends had the effect of disquieting the whole interior of the family. Dis closures, which I know not how to explain, brought about one of the most painful condition of affairs. Madame de Feucheres offered to place herself at the disposal of her husband, and to abandon the Prince. I will not enter into the details of these deplorable disputes. What, however, is to be deplored, what is certain, and what, therefore, I think I may say, is, that M. de Feucheres, in this conjuncture, had not courage enough to treat calumny with the contempt it deserved. On the contrary, he succumbed to it. He abandoned his wife. He abandoned her, and made it notorious that he had done so—in order, probably as he thought, to save his honour. The notoriety of this step was such, that these are the terms in which he wrote to the Prince in 1824: " Paris, March 6, 1824. " In the position in which 'I voluntarily place mrelf, and intending to prove to the public that the most com plete disinterestedness accompanies my resolution, I re nounce entirely the favours which your Royal Highness has bestowed upon me ; and I have the honour to beg that your Royal Highness will receive nay resignation of the post of gentleman of your household (gentilhomme ordi noire de sa (A. R.) maison), together with that of the functions of Aide-de-camp to your Royal Highness. As a soldier, I address an application to the same effect to the Minister of War. " I consider myself, Sir, from this moment, as ceasing to form part of your Royal Highness's household, which, for the honour and repose of all, I ought never to have entered." There was something in the last phrase calcu lated to wound the feelings of the Prince. His answer shows the real situation of his mind. " March 8, 1824. " My dear Feucheres, for I shall never speak of you in any place, at any time, or under any circumstances, ex oept as the most sincere, the most frank, and the most loyal friend I have in the world—in the name of God, in the name of your mother, in the name of all you hold most dear, come and see me for a moment. That engages you to nothing ; and you will, at least, enjoy the satisfaction of having, by this step, solaced the heart of a friend, oppressed by the misfortunes of every kind which overwhelm him. Do not he afraid of meeting your wife in spite of your self. The poor unhappy lady is i❑ her bed ill, and knows nothing of the letter which I am now writing to you. Come, come, my dear Feucheres, come and talk with your friend." _ . It is impossible to understand, gentlemen, how, with such a letter as this, couched in terms so affec tionate and so pure, any one could have ventured to suppose that dishonourable connexions had ever existed. These explanations not having satisfied Feucheres, and the Prince having found him immoveable in his resolution, wrote to him thus : " It is with deep regret, my dear Feucheres, that I accept the resignation you have sent me, having always been satisfied with your good and loyal services. Rely, my dear Feucheres, upon the constant and sincere friendship which I have professed for you." Immediately afterwards Madame de Feucheres quitted the Palais Bourbon, and took refuge in a convent. She had taken the firm resolution of flee ing from the Court and the world. It must, how ever, he acknowledged, that the instances of the Prince pursued her in her retreat. It is, moreover. a notorious fact, that Madame de Feucheres yielded but to these instances. Afterwards, it became necessary to regulate the interests of the parties. M. de Feucheres mani fested that he was embarrassed; and it is here, gen tlemen, that you will listen with the deepest interest to a letter of Madame de Feucheres, when pe cuniary transactions form the chief subject of consi deration. " March 10, 1824. " In the different propositions which have been made to me to bring about a separation between my husband and myself, it would have been most pleasing to me to find that they were worthy of a man of honour ; but, unhap pily, since the day on which he abandoned me, I have found, on his part, no other recompeuce far years of affec tion than persecution and falsehood. Now, to finish the matter, he m a k es me di s h onoura bl e proposa l s . I wou ld rather die than ever consent to recover my liberty by vile concessions. What ! when lam innocent, and when I have nothing to reproach me with, ought I to suffer my self to be falsely accused? No, I should prefer to be reduced to beg my bread. " As to my income, if my husband has so little delicacy that be will hinder me from touching it, and desires to appropriate it to himself, well. I sacrifice it rather than vilify myself. " I have thought it necessary to make this answer in • The sister of the Duke of Bourbon had Liken the veil, and occupied a convent in England. On her return to France she built a convent on the site of the Temple, where so many cruel ties were committed during the Revolution. Thither she retired. Pie was often visited by the Duchess of A nouleme, writing; leering it to the pleasure of M. Tripier to coin. raunicate it or not to the person who is charged with the management of the affairs of M. de Feucheres."_ Here, then, gentlemen, is what, up to 1824, was said and written between the parties; here is what was destined to remain a profound secret ; but here, gentlemen, you see the real position of the parties. M. de Feucheres complaining, yielding to the blows which calumny has dealt, not being willing to pro tect his wife, and not being able, from his military character, to encourage perfidious insinuation : the Prince, ccAvineed of the purity of Madame de Feucheres, making useful efforts to protect her, trying by every means in the world to bring back her husband,—the husband persisting in the resolu tion he had taken. I have nothing to add to this picture. The letters I have cited are sufficient to avenge Madame de Feucheres for the accusations which have been brought against her. The Duke of Bourbon remained deeply hurt by these manoeuvres, which were for the time unre venged, and from this period the benevolence of the Prince naturally began to increase in favour of Madame de Feucheres, who sacrificed to him even her consideration in the world. He was desirous that that consideration should at least be protected by a sort of freak of fortune : he put into her hands in April, 1824, the will which I am now about to read : " Palais Bourbon, April 1, 1824• " I give and bequeath to the Baroness de Feucheres my property at Saint Leu, consisting of the chateau, with all .he furniture therein, and the other buildings which apper sin to it. " I also give and bequeath to the Baroness de Feu )erea my house at Boissy, with all its appurtenances, such they are set down in the contract of sale, by which it , as made over to me, and moreover the wood of Boissy; .he said chateau, buildings, house, and wood, to be pos sessed by the said Baroness de Feucheres, from the mo ment of my decease, as her full and entire property, and to be delivered and made over to her free from all duty what soever, which the said legacies may carry with them. " After having read my present holograph will, which I have written entire with my own hand, I have approved of it, and have signed it." The following year, Madame de Feucheres made a journey into the south. Her health had been in jured by the torments with which you are ac quainted : she could not resist the pleasure of see ing Italy. I must here read to you the delightful daily correspondence during the period of this jour ney, in order to make you acquainted with the na ture of the connection which existed between Ma dame de Feucheres and the Prince. At Florence she met with a very singular adven ture. It is related in the two letters lam about to read to you : " Florence, July 26,1825. " There is great truth in the saying that one must travel i❑ order to see extraordinary things; for, assuredly, nothing cao he more extraordinary than what has just taken place here. Can you, dearest, figure to yourself the Archbishop of Paris coming to make me a visit, with two of his grand vicars, in an inn at Florence !—(General laughter.) It must he confessed, dearest, that it is only to me that such things happen. A man who has even re fused to come into your Palace because I was an inmate of it ! For the rest, dearest, I should tell you that he be haved very charmingly (qu'il a ete fort amiable)—(Re sewed laughter.) He remained here only 24 hours : he is returning from home, and hastens to reach Paris before the feast of the 15th of next month. " When M. and Madame de Choulot learned that the Archbishop had arrived at the inn, they went to see him, and then it was that he was informed of my being in the house. After all that had passed at Paris, you will easily imagine, dearest, that I would not make him the first visit. At last, all that was well settled. When he took his departure he came again to take his leave, with a nose gay in his hand, which he left us as a little remembrance of him (un petit souvenir), he said.—(Renewed laughter.) You will say, dearest, what is she doing at Florence on the 26th of July ?' I feel as well as you, dearest, that that is not as it should be, but I have not the resolution to leave this country without seeing all I can. What, however, gives me most pain is to forfeit my word." The Prince replied : " Chantilly, Aug. 7, 1829. " Yes ' dear Sophia, having so good an opportunity of seeing that wonder of the world (Rome) without forgetting altogether to kiss the foot of our Holy Father the Pope, I should have done exactly as you have done ; and then Blanche would nay, we must see these beautiful pictures of all the schools, and then St. Peter's, the Capitol, the Tiber, &c. ; and then dear Sophia will he satisfied, and then we can talk about it all : I may say frankly that this pro longation of the journey had already run in my head ; I am very glad of it on your account, but I wanted courage to advise it. Let us now talk of the g allantry of the Arch bishop, who has acted like a preux chevalier, and I con gratulate him upon it ; the bouquet g iven with such ex quisite grace ! Clumsy as he was at Paris, he was every thing charming at Flcrence."—(A laugh.) Something has been said about the difficulty which the Duke de Bourbon experienced in walking during the latter years of his life. This allegation in the process has been one of the expedients of the ad verse party. The Duke de Bourbon, however, was at Rheims at the time of the coronation ; the throne was placed upon a very high platform. This is what he wrote : " Rheims, May 30, 1825, 8 o'clock, p. m. To-morrow I know not whether the poor dear will get through the business with credit. Figure to yourself the ascent of the throne, ascend and descend three or four times, as steep as a parrot's perch, with 28 very narrow steps, with a famous mantle to carry and to manage, still uncertain whether I should take my cane, for what would become of me if it failed me, being obliged to us both my hands to prevent my legs twisting,—an event which would be the most embarrassing of all. However, a mi racle, like that of the sacred ampoule, may perhaps come to my relief." Next day he wrote again. "June 1, 1825. "The great day is over my dear Sophia, and the poor dear got through it charmingly, prancing up the steps of the throne like a chamois, descending them in the same manner, without tottering, without a stick, and all to the satisfaction of numerous spectators who were astonished at his agility. James, who had an excellent place, and not far from me, complimented me upon it. He told me he would also write to you, and give you the particulars : all went off ♦ery well, and in perfect order : it lasted only four hours. At noon we were in the house. I lay down an hour after taking off my mantle, and returned at one o'clock for for the banquet, where we all, the four crowned heads, pretended to eat, and our family-dinner took place at the usual time. My head was a little distressed by the crown, which was too narrow; but, after a night's rest, I hope I skall to-morrow be in a condition to redouble my efforts for the ceremony of the cordon bleu, which they tell us will last much longer." Allow me, gentlemen, to make a few more quota tions, which will enable you to perceive the ties of affection which subsisted between the Prince and Madame de Feueheres. She was in London in 1826, and in her absence a man who will play a considerable part towards the end of the affair, the physician, Boni, brought to the Palace a female whose presence was very perplexing. The following is the account which the Prince gives of it : " Chantilly, June 29, 1826. " Boni has paid me a visit ; he always has a great deal to say about the Baroness; there is always something running in his head about placing his lady in the chateau when he visits it. He pretends that she is necessary to him for his arrangements in pharmacy, &c. Under these circumstances, knowing that this is not your wish, I cry scandal, and have consequently broken off. Nevertheless, having lost the thread of this intrigue, I conceived a brilliant expedient, and told him he ought to marry her. But, Monseigneur,' be exclaimed, how am Ido this? She has a husband and I have a wife.' Consequently my advice fell to the ground, He might have added, You are a great ass, Monseigneur.' "—(General laughter.) I quote, gentlemen, another letter of the same pe riod, which will be found of great importance.— You will see by it that times are much changed. This letter is from Prince Louis de Rohan.— (Symptoms of curiosity.) " It is only a few days since, dear Baroness, that I re ceived your charming letter of the Ist of May : it has been following me in all the journies I have been obliged to make, but has happily reached me, and I hasten to ex press to you my gratitude, that you have not forgotten me, and that you have given me a proof of it with a certainty which I dare not hope. You give me good news of him for whom my attachment can dispute with yours only on the ground of antiquity. Be careful of him always, and if you believe that during your absence 1 can be of any use to him, write me word, and I will set off, nothing shall stop me; if I can be of no use whatever, I shall probably "*ft , remain in this country till the end of August, to endeavour to arrange my affairs here, which is as difficult here as elsewhere. But I perceive that I think more of the plea• sure of talking with you than of the vexation which you may experience in deciphering me ; I therefore say no more, but request you to communicate my regards to those to whom they are due, and to keep a large portion to yourself, if you will accept of it. " From an old Chateau in the midst of a deep valley in the Botena, June 8, 1826. You see, gentlemen, that at this period, Madame de Feucheres was not an object of that reprobation which it has since been attempted to cast around her. Observe at what time she is written to, and remark that the warm affection of the Baroness for the Prince is denoted there by Prince Louis de Rohan. I —(Sensation.) We now come to 1827; here two great events, in which Madame de Feucheres is about to play a more particular part, require, before they are detailed to vou, that her character should be well understood. You have been told the last day "Do you see this proud Baroness with the Duke of Bour bon at her feet ? &c." It is well that these demon strations of feeling on the part of the audience should be appreciated at their true worth, and brought to the test of facts. Let us again refer to the corre spondence. (The Advocate here read to the Court certain letters relative to the sale of the Palais de Bourbon, and the removal of an individual who scarcely deserved to be admitted to the Palace of the Prince ; these letters breathe the deep interest which Madame de Feucheres took in whatever concerned the honour and the satisfaction of the Prince. Corn ing to the private character of his client, the Advo cate continued thus ;—) It has been said,—it has been repeated,—it has been printed in libels circulated every where, tha• Madame de Feucheres was the terror of the Prince's house,—that every one trembled before her—that she regulated despotically the will of the Prince. Well, we shall see by the evidence which passes suc cessively before your eyes if these extraordinary as sertions are entitled to credit. M. de Surval who made the will, who subse quently has circulated such injurious statements against Madame de Feucheres, entered the Prince's service by her intervention. He began by inspiring M. de Gatigny with the strongest repulsion, to use an expression which I heard at the last sitting. Observe in what terms on tke 23d of May, he wrote to Madame de Feucheres to testify to her the pleasure he experienced at the appointment he had obtained : " On my return from Chantilly I have just received the letter which you did me the honour to write to me on the 21st. You overwhelm me with your kindness, and I know not how to express my gratitude to you : it is as deep as it is durable ; and I shall never forget that it is to you I shall be indebted for the new favour which Monseigneur has appeared disposed to grant me," &c. The Counsel then cited the letters of M. de St. Jacques, M. de Belzunce, and M. de la Villegontier, all of which speak of services performed, and end by an expression of the most lively gratitude. After these quotations, M. Lavaux proceeded in these terms :—I might have cited other letters to show you the character of Madame de Feucheres, her de votedness to the Prince's person her kindness to wards all around him. It would be easy for me to refute the odious calumnies circulated against her on account of Madame de Reuilly. • I have letters ; but Madame de Reuilly was the daughter of the Prince; I will not reveal secrets confided to the discretion of friendship. In 1827 the health of the Prince began to excite some alarm. The desire entertained at that period by the public was no new thing, as well as that it wus also the wish of the Royal Family to see the Duke de Bourbon adopt one of the sons of his Royal Highness the Duke of Orleans. Meanwhile you understand, that in this Court of St. Leu every body could have his own secret design, his own pri vate project. The dispositions of the Prince were, as you will see by and by, a matter of the highest importance : for, in the first place, there was to be settled the nomination of an heir ; and, secondly, the fate of all those families who surrounded the Prince. As to Madame de Feucheres, her destiny had been decided ever since the year 1824. Every body at the Court of St.Leu appeared to wish to be busy re lative to the Prince's will. General Lambot, first of all, had conceived a strange idea with regard to the choice of the heir of the Duke de Bourbon. He could not certainly point out the Duke de Bourdeaux, for whom a throne seemed destined. He took it into his head to go as far as Naples, and to seek in the family of the Duchess of Berri whether he could not meet with some person who might have merited so bril liant a favour. His choice fell upon a brother of that Princess. He thought that this brother might be induced to come to France; he even thought that it would be possible to instil into him constitu tional ideas—(Laughter)—and to place him near the throne as a supporter of the Duke of Bourdeaux. He did not address himself to Madame de Feu cheres; he betook himself to Charles X., and be hold how he recounts this interview in the work he has published : " .1 attended according to the King's orders. In a con versation of considerable length, his Majesty communicated to me the desire he entertained that the Duke of Bourbon should adept one of the song of the Duke of Orleans. The King charged me to speak specially on this point to Ma dame de Feucheres, and to tell her that she would do what would be pleasing to him, by engaging the Prince to decide upon this adoption."—(Emotion amongst the audience.) The design of General Lambot had preceded every idea of the will. He had thought, and it was according to etiquette that he ought to speak re specting it to the head of the family ; he accordingly solicited an audience of the King. The first thought of Charles X., you see, was to testify his desire that the Duke of Bourbon should adopt one of the sons of the Duke of Orleans. The opinion of King Charles X. was speedily known ; how, then, could Madame de Feucheres refuse to employ her influence towards deciding the Prince upon an adoption which united the wishes of the Royal Family ? Who could inherit with dignity the name of Conde ? Was it the Duke of Bordeaux, whom a throne then awaited ? Was it the Prince de Rohan ? " When the question of the Prince's will was agitated," says M. de Lambot, in page 68 of his pamphlet, " I tried to sound him as to the sentiments he might feel towards the Prince de Rohan, and I said something to him with this intention. The Duke expressed himself in these words, ' When a man has been all his life-time without seeing some people, and when all at once they come to you, and do not quit you'_He then stopped, shrugged up his shoulders, and left me to draw what conclusions I pleased." Now let us examine whether it be true that the Prince of Conde felt towards the Orleans family that repulsion which was spoken of at the last sit ting of the Court. Let us see if it were not usages of etiquette, which were the subject matter of those family relations, which have been disfigured with so much indelicacy. Read, then, the correspondence. Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Orleans was on the eve of her lying-in. A courier arrives at Chantilly. See here the details which the Prince gave to Madame de Feucheres : " Paris, July 31, 1824. " As I was about to sit down, dear Sophia, to break fast, and then to set out to a buck-hunt, the courier ar rived with a letter from the Duke of Orleans announcing that the Princess was in labour. Immediately I counter manded the hunt, and was a t e l ev en o'clockin my car riage with James on the road to Neuilly. Near St. Denis I met the Baron, who was coming with another letter from the Duke of Orleans, announcing that her labour lasted only half an hour, and that the Princess was very safely delivered of a boy, to be called by the King's order the Duke of Montpensier. I did not for all that stop my journey. The Baron expressed a wish to accompany me; and James, who was well pleased with this circumstance, as he could do some little business at Paris, took the Ba ron', cabriolet. I found the Princess as fresh as if no thing had happened ; the child a superb one, the Prince content, the godmother delighted : walked about for an hour in the garden, and returned to Paris at five o'clock." Some time afterwards the Duke of Bourbon came to the King's cord party. The Duchess of r Orleans kept him at her table ; she lost, the Duke won, and here is his letter : " The assembly of the King's card party was conducted with much order : no crush, no inconvenient crowd, in snite of the 1,700 old friends who surrounded us. The Duchess of Orleans kept me, in order to talc* a hand at reversi with Madams de Blacas and the Sardinian Am ba•sador. She fixed the play at a centime a fish ; I won 300. They came to hasten us, sayiug, that the King's game was finished. She searched for her pure, amidst her diamonds and trinkets ; but seeing that she did not find it, I told her to pay me with a smile, and so the affair was settled admirably." Are these, then, amongst those letters which con tained an invitation that could not consistently be accepted ? Was it Madame de Feucheres that added to these letters every thing that was obliging or af fectionate ? Is there not, on the contrary, to be discerned, that warmth of attachment, that delicacy of feeling, which animated the Duke of Bourbon to wards the Orleans family ? " Say particularly," again wrote the Duke of Bourbon to Madame de Feucheres on the 6th of February, 1327, " to the Duke of Orleans, that I shall look upon it as a real mark of friendship upon his part to put off his journey hither until the weather is more mild, and that I can have a little the use of my legs. So be it, Sophia, I embrace you from my heart and soul." What could then prevent Madame de Feucheres from accomplishing the wish of Charles X. ? She ought to fulfil the will of the King, and communi cate it to the Orleans family. Listen, now, to the answer of the Queen to this communication so inte resting to her : " Neuilly, Aug. JO, _1827. " I have received, Madame, through M. the Prince de Talleyrand, your letter of the 6th of this month, and I em anxious to testify to you myself, how much I am touched by the desire which you have expressed so positively to see my son, the Duke d'Aumale, adopted by M. the Duke of Bourbon. I was already informed of your intention to advise the Duke of Bourbon to make that adoption ; and since you have thought it right to address me directly on the subject, I, in my turn, feel it right not to let you re main in ignorance how much my maternal heart would be gratified by seeing perpetuated in my son the illustrious nasne of Conde, so justly celebrated in the annals of our house and in those of the French monarchy. " Every time that we heard this project of adoption spoken of,—and that has happened more frequently than we could have wished,—we have formally declared (the Duke of Orleans and myself) that if M. the Duke of Bourbon was himself determined to realise it, and that the Is deigned to approve of it, we should be very eager (empresses) to second his views; but we have also thought it due to M. the Duke of Bourbon as much as to ourselves to stop there, and to withhold ourselves from every proceeding which could have the appearance of pro voking leis choice, or of seeming to press it. We have felt that the more advantageous that a !option would be to our children, the more on that account it became us to observe that respectful silence in which we have enclosed ourselves to the present moment. The painful reminis• cences of which you speak, and which it is so natural our excellent uncle should be tormented with without inter mission, furnish us with an additional motive to preserve it; notwithstanding the temptations that we sometimes experience to break it, in the hope of thereby contributing to sooth his anguish ; but we think it better in every man ner to confine ourselves to trusting to 11,s excellent heart, and the friendship which he has constantly evinced to wards us as well as to our children, for all that can be hoped for on that score. " I am very sensible, Madam, of what you say of your anxiety to bring about this result, and that you exert your self as before to fulfil the intentions of M. the Duke of Bourbon. I assure you I shall never forget it ; and he 3ssured that if I am so happy as to have my son made hi, adopted son, you shall find in us, upon all occasions, and in all circumstances, for you and yours, that support which you would ask of me, and for which the gratitude of a mother ought to be your surest guarantee. " I thank you, Madam, for the communication you make me with respect to the marriage of your niece with the Marquis de Croi. The King and the Princesses, my seniors, will, no doubt, receive her presentation with all the respect due to the family which she is about to enter ; but I must inform you that we cannot depart from the rules established at the Court for presentations. We can not receive them in any other way than that in which they have been received by the King and the Queen, when there was a Queen, or by Madame the Dauphines.; and by the Princes and the Princesses, who precede us i❑ the order of primogeniture ; and it does not lie with us to choose the ladies by whom the presentations are made. Believe, however, Madame, that the forms from which my situation forbids me to depart, make no alteration in those sentiments in your favour which I have not expressed, and of which, Madame, I beg again earnestly and sincerely to assure you. " MARIE AMELIE." And you triumph, you smile, at the reading of this letter ! You, doubtless, discover in it the prin ciple of an odious traffic; and you do not perceive the delicacy and sincerity which prevails in the sen- timents which it expresses. In 1828, the Duke de Bourbon placed in the hands of Madame de Feucheres, or rather directed M. de Surval to do so, the very ran who now at tacks us, the project of a will. M. de Surval, man of business as he is, does not appear to be quite at home in the drawing up of a will. M. Robin, the notary, who had come to St. Leu, was the person charged with the drawing up of this instrument. It had been said that in 1829, Madame de Feu chetes wished to have the Forest of Montmorency, and that she had urgently asked it of the Prince. Chance has furnished us with an answer, for to chance we owe all our documents. Madame de Feucheres is an Englishwoman, and did not under stand the importance of the questions which we asked of her. The English, by whom she was sur rounded, said to her,' What business have you with papers, documents, and 'justifications ? There is the testament : the law is for you ; what more is necessary ?" It was necessary to reply to an atro cious calumny, the object of which was to deprive Madame de Feucheres even of her defender. No hesitation has been shown in stating, in an in famous writing—" See her agitated to find a de fender in the new process, which is about to burst upon her; consulting every one who has a cele brated name, and offering him all that he could de sire for his assistance. Instead of enjoying the liberality of the Prince, she doubtless proposes to share it with him who has the eloquence and address to get it ratified; professing her confidence to all, arid yet disguising the truth from them." I consider that in a matter involving such serious consequences, zeal must be allowed to take the place of talent. We found in 1828 this project of a will. In this project the disposition in favour of M a d ame d e Feucheres appears to receive a remarkable extension. In the will of 1824, the Prince gave to Madame de Feucheres, Saint Leu, and Bsissy. Saint Leu was only a place of pleasure; it cost the Prince 40,0001., and contained his domestics. He doubtless was not desirous that Marianne de Feucheres should at the moment of his death be reduced to the necessity of selling the object of his generosity. This explains the new dispositi on ma d e b y t h e P r i nce, w i t h out the s olicitation of Madame de Feucheres. It was then that M. Robin drew up the following will. " This is my will " I, the undersigned Louis Henry Joseph de Bourbon, give and bequeathe to Madame Sophia Dawes, Baroness de Feucheres, first, the demesne of St. Let!, with all its ap purtenances and dependencies ; 2d, The pavilion of Boissy, with the park adjoining ; all the furniture of the chateau of St. Leu, and of the pavilion of Boissy. 4th, The wood of Boissy. All the possessions proceeding from the extra demesne, purchased by me in 1819, within the hereinafter named forest. And, 6th, The forest called D'Enghien, or the High Forest, such as it is, and such as my ancestors and I have enjoyed it. All these possessions, in such manner as they shall be found at the day of my decease, without exception or reserve. " The abovementioned legacy is made with this condi tion, that—first, neither the property bequeathed nor its produce and revenue shall be added to the property which Madame de Feucheres and her husband enjoy in common, on the contrary it shall remain expressly apart and be ap propriated to the legatee exclusively ; secondly, that Madame de Feucheres shall administer to the property alone, and after my decease, and shall receive the produce and revenue upon her own discharge. " (Made at St. Leu, the ----") M. Lavaux then read several letters, which prove that Madame de Feucheres was far from imposing her desire upon the Prince. All these letters, he stated, precede the signature of the will, which was afterwards executed without ~i. the intervention of Madame de Feucheres, unacquainted with the dispositions until death of the Prince (it was M. de Surval qua l i n nt s ei e l p ‘ t v e i m th be th r, em lB . 24, alone who kn e w th e m), an d w h o was yet M. de Surval, then' dant of the hou se , was di recte d b y the Fri° draw up his last dispositions. This drawing tli rise to much discussion, for it was necessari solve several questions. The choice of the was agreed on, but the Prince was very about adopting the Duke d'Aumale. He 11 notwithstanding all that was said, to p et pettls name of Conde by the aid of an adoption. lawyers, whose names there is no reason to ee M. Dupin, Counsel to the Duke d'Orleio Tripier, Counsel to the Duke de Bourbon' consulted, and they decided that the a d o ption not take place. From that time the mind c Prince was greatly embarrassed. The Advocate gave an account of this por t ' cause, and read some new documents, and l' larly a letter of M. d e S urva l , o f t h e d ate 0' August, which proved that he was also ell with Madame de Feucheres, in drawing up tbt of the Prince. The Advocate, after pointing out all the it s . ance of the marginal n o t es wr i tten b y t h e 1 3 ‘, 4 ; Conde, gave some details of the illness whir tacked him in 1828, a n d d ur i ng which Se: Feucheres showed him th e most ten d er s ites He read a letter dated th e fi rst o f M ay , 1829 ' ; we have already published, and in which ) 1k ~, de Feucheres mentions to th e P r i nce t h e Pe' of making his will. It seems, continued M. Lavaux, that in lq,‘ this letter, Madame d e F euc h eres f oresaw t h e , nate process which now occupies us; and tion has not failed to be seen in this letter; at the same time, an obstinate blindness is sb° ll all the noble and gene r o us sent i ments it C 0 °s Does Madame de Feucher e s as k any t hi ng `' self? Does she want money ? No. What then she desires ? The affection of the Prioe e , his high and powerful patronage. I would 0' more on this point, gentlemen, if I h a d to e % i l the matter only to y ou ; b ut , f or some time i public opinion has been cruelly deceived, it bas misdirected by the publication of infamous lib e : d , scribing Madame F e uch eres as a woman e - covetous and criminal. M. Herinequin—l may be allowed in mf interrogate my a lversary. The Court, wi" e ;o the last sitting, heard him when he interrupte,:, will hear me in turn. I was p repare d f o r tn", sults of Madame de Feucheres' defender. I expect such indignities, but it is important n ° o direct your attention to a fact, in order to po t you from falling into a snare . D ur i ng t he 115 :1 weeks a writing faithf u lly d rawn up an d s ign me has been circulated, and has now reached ° 0 cond edition. It is circulating at the present ment France and through out t h e w h o l e °EP:i t It derives its power from its impartiality. was a fair mode of answering me, not by e r l ; rated denials which cann o t b e ver ifi e d in . th's tr but by a calm and dignifi e d re ply wort h y o f our e fession,—by a written statement,—by doe uTil „p calculated to enlighten public opinion. This has not been resorted to, and it is hoped th 3l d , lence will do in its stead. I say now that Mit a , Feucheres' defe n c e was p ower l ess f rom t he ol°7 beat to ar t that no reply was given to a writing under the of which she remains crushed.—(Applauses from the corners of the Court.) President—lf the Court shall be disturb ed marks of approbation or disapprobation, I twill t' it to be cleared. In an affair of this importan c° o in the most trifling affairs, the greatest latitude r i (From tl be allowed to the advocates; and the utmost sile k l i t , aals, Dec, is not less necessary for the freedom of defence ; c ontai thl We for the dignity of the Court. i ktill,tr, of have M. Lavaux—These plaudits which you hav fid, tt ;',oa tb t e h l e t3 heard are the strangest possible condernna l i e s cr`t city and the pamphlet in question. They afford prol,: e s r;, -a ri prepared ehsichwhpiucbhl calumnyic opinion h hasas m b a e d e e n , a m n i d sle o d f : „ 1 4 1 ' 0 1 e bills had the tent r t a o va ‘ g v publication of such a writing, I will declare it ,DoE fed not to t constitutes a cmplete dereliction of the dut' e 1 10 u fact' at our profession. Pending the criminal inforatece te eoun o t Al. Tht-ohooks parties to civil suits are alone allowed to ola lce o l# detael servations ; but these cannot deceive the magi str ill ; t iled 0 who have the pleadings before them—who he ir , 44 foructebein° report of the Age d' Instruction and the iii l ,P„d4 4 e 4 ,` 1 " . arm ' s. I : conclusions of the public prosecutor, who, defer b 1 re d into the I the interests of society, states the steps b!, if/ li:Thia morn taken to elicit the truth. If the accusation c 4 4 l° , ll a l Guard jected by the Court as calumnious and unfou n d l, St i . o u now un the observations and th e s t atements p r esente sq q4r ei 4 g niqu e t s the civil parties to the magistrates cons titute ° P oi the 4 ' and piece of inoffensive d e cl ama ti on , s i nce it rel li t o' tse s . - 0 ` )O P. is ea secret ; but after a solemn decree of acquittaltViio S i nce t he W k ill Pa the civil party publishes his c a s e , h ow i s it P il ?. Ivee P u z a the 2 for the accused to answer him o r to d e f en d hil t " . f if 4 tor o Since the original information is secre t and unic°°lie P (Prom th, to the accused party,—since that information , s. DEC, ther defamatory or otherwise, is f or eve r conc e l i I 2i1 4 ",e grand h e by the law from him whom it attacks,---s ti , d r i t4 t l 2 'euge y es t, proceeding is not only an attack on the indiv' .ofo at, are fit but tends also to bring public j us tice itself °e l ,,` L claY the 'I uc contempt. 4 t c ounsel o oded The President here requested M. Lavaux to adjutant himself for a few moments, and the case 0 56 11 , 44 tPr • h lt argurn pended for about ten minutes. t ie 4trttte„ robes this his argument, M. Lavaux cone lo t or h tl i s , -as this part of the subject,—namely, as to the, 4 L .l' s ;'" at Lye tion of free agency of the Prince when he mou e , FuNo will,—by reading the following examination 01 Jf 97f. h„: 6, st . • . Thi Surval. $l ,, • iqt, 751 You were charged by the Prince of Conde to ru f o r l'E th , 4 4 , ,, Tpi s et draught of his will ? Was it the Prince alone vo'b ° 1:0 ti,":l),L'e 58'.i aished you with the notes for making that draught? j ( 0 0 oo t 2 Ez °c•- you not also receive from oth e r p ers o ns , an d es pecia ll y Madame de Feucheres notes and other d ocume nts 101 purpose? I C( " Answer—No other person but the Prince direct'l it o timated to me th e m a tt ers w hi c h I was to i nse rt will. It is true that Madame d e F e ucheres ex r e- to t i wish that such a nd suc h mat t ers s h ou ld b e b equ eath s her ; but it was the Prince himself who gave the Pliot instructions to iuclude th e m in th e d raug h t 1 was 'V' cile' Did you alone draw up the will, or had not 3 ',' 0 1 , " vallot, one of th e principal p ersons o f th e P r ince's R" nP hold, some share in drawing it up?"-_" I alone de e p , the will, but as I write a bad hand, I had a fair copy out out by M. Chevallot. 0 Or. " Did not the Prince make several 60 01 tainly, several were drawn up b e f ore t hi s , but draughts were not adopted by the Prince." aid " What were in general the notes and documeo- h in making out the draught of hi s w ill, an d from 11 .. ." ' W were they obtained ?"—'c l have n e v e r h a d any °°"'. . 1 0 that purpose given to me, but thos e w hi c h were (itc hy the Prince himself." ,b e d " Do you not know of your own kn ow l e dge tha t ~t a t; were meetings and conferences concerni ng th e tester: o V disposition of the Prince's property at Madame de o g ' cheres' and elsewhere ? Can you state the nasne' ° tlP persons who took a part, either directly or ind' e , o o in these conferences, and is it true that these sorifa r ,' l , tit were held without the knowledge of the Prince, or vn, f t",: r i the knowledge of other persons of his family ?"---" 1- 11 never was any discussion of his will, or of the part' s ° O l bequests to be made, except between the Prince, bio lh i o de Feucheres, and myself, more especially after elle pressed a strong desire to s ee th e matter terminated." d " What were the results of these conferences? b i t was it not upon them, either in whole or in p a rt, these notes or memoranda, on which you drew the dr , oto of the will, were founded ?"—" As I said already, 1 ; 0 1 altogether ignorant of any conferences ou this subject those which took place between the Prince, Madarneoi Feucheres, and myself ; and in making the draught °f of will, by the Prince's instructions, I only r e quited, l notes which he had dictated, and the intentions whi r ' knew he entertained." IP' " Were the draughts of the will communicated t o ',o dame de Feucheres, and did she not herself commuo'cr them to whev,i, and had she not a choice of such coo° o o nication ?"—" Madame de Feucheres did net know hot contents of the will till after th e d eat h o f the P r i nc e, " 0 1 before his death, merely gave her verbally reason to di n / that she should get what she expressed a wish to hsf e ' t bo She was even iv - .0-ant, up to th a t t i me , o f s ome of bequests of the will." I hi. g , Was the Pri nce a l one w h en h e wrote an d sign'e' t r'• will? If he w ere not a l one , w h o were the per soro i r e sent, and what did they d o ?" " The Prince 1011.° It°P gill r ti Wti ce. : " l o tcßa vr et A nol h h i bt i . hie c hn h ß i el:nl . o uthe here, contin of M. Robin, t " My name is " Was it not aid when did th 1829 , the Prince restdent of the ' L° contai n hi s w il told me that he c kid 1 -! put many oer taining if it secret from the it kited to him tha c parcel that it `il'on it the folloi 'ne with M . •o g . , / 1 z i: .,i ll : ,,t i e d n t ti h o e n P to ri 'l 11:11:i'ltn-iiirie°'nuuenede°'r,aegl-aycnt:ohcoadsuNesoonni:pni°venretiot::ty ~:" 4 , I , llwi l 4t t 1 ‘ tvp : tr deed s oe t 'al i i i gn l l no : hfife t D rt thht i etii , r •tu e l it :""--" They I prepa re *ard p laced tl 'rely up the d, ', Pr Portement v ;,"ich the trail 1 : ' 4 ,Ved." Mt M. 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