The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-01-29 00:00:00

TRIAL OF M. ROCHEFORT.

M. Rochefort and two of hie coilesgues on the
Marscillaiac were tried on S.iturilay. None of the de-
fendante appears in court, M. Rochefort himself
being all the day in the Legislative Body. The
Public Prosecutor suggested that the punishment
inflicted should he as light as possible con-
sistent with a vindication of the respect due to the
law. M. Rochefort, M. Pascal Grouseet, and M.
Derenre were each sentenced to six months' imprison-
ment, with fines amounting to 3,000 f., 2,000 f., and
600 f. respectively. Tiers was is large crowd outside
the court, and cries of " Vire Rochefort" were raised.
No disturbance took place.

Upon M. Rochefort's trial, The limes' Correspon-
dent remarks:—

You are already acquainted with the result of the Roche-
fort trial That worthy, while announcing in his revolu-
tionary journal, of which the language has become somewhat
tamer, that he should not appear in court, hut let Judgment
go by default, indulged in gloomy anticipations of the fate
reserved for hint. Front his tone one might have supposed
Ile expected five years of a damp dungeon, with bread and
water, a straw bed, the iron entering into his soul, arid
all the other aggravations painters and poets are apt to
bring together. Nothing of the kind is the case.
Condemned by default, be might well have been
sentenced to the maximum penalty, but there was
evidently • wish not to be hard upon him, or to
exclude him front that Chember In which (M. °Meier
lately informed him with a courtesy galling to the
sensitive demagogue) the Government were content to
see him and listen to his °rattly. M. Rochefort areatlY
exaggerates his importance. ilisseetence does not involve the
forfeiture of his political and Gird tights It is no more revere
than tnat passed at the Caine time on Messrs. Grommet and
Dereure, insignificant martyrs. condemned like himself for
seditious libels. It did not came the population of the
Fanimurgs to erect barricades and hoist the crimson nag. A
lighter sentence would hardly have justified the readiness of
the Chamber to sanction by an immense majority the
prosecution of one of its members, When the law sending
item offences before a jury shall be passed, as it probably
will lie very soon, 31. Rocuefort, with Groused t and a led of
either small fry of the incendiary Press, who have just been
sentenced to various terms of Imprisonment, will bs am-
nestied. Prebib'y the hero of Belleville will not even com-
mence the six months' captivity to which he is sentenced.
As for the 3 WM. flue, should lie decline -upon principle," as
is common Mauch cases, to pay it, some of his admirers will
doubtless subs ribs the anne...it. Or, perhaps, be may get off
that too. People begin to feel rather ashamed of having
matte such • fuss about such a very mAliocre person.
M. Rochefort thus comments on his sentence :
" I was cited before the tribunal for inciting to rebellion.
Now, from the standpoint of the Government which prose-
cuted me there can oust no more hate! ill crime than to urge
citizens. satisfied and content with the way in which they
are governed, to take up arms against their benefactors.
New, ill have really incited the people to rebellion against
an 'adored Govertintebt,' I have attempted to deluxe Paris
with blood, put a stop to trade, drive away all the wealthy
foreigners, the delight of ees (taw*, 4t,.. Now, I will kllk
the most indulgent of Frenchmen is it not a perfect farce to
suppose that an Attempt to break up society as at present
constituted is adequately ptudshed by six menthe imprison-
ment ?"

M. Rochefort is quite right It is ft farce, and if
such was to he the end of the prosecution the Govern-
ment had much better not have stirred in the matter.
The quasi impunity thus accorded to M. Rochrf rt
and his acolytes has encouraged them to e yen bolder
II ghts. The It," forme publish,s, [rem the pen of
" Citoyen " Gambol), an "address to a bullet." The
bullet in question is that which killed Victor Noir, and
aime of the passages in the at ticle were so strong that
the Riforme thro not print them; an opinion may be
formed of what they were like from what the Bcfortne
does print:—

"You [the bullet] were found, mix Imprisoned— I menu
put in a safe place. You are about to appear before the
grand Jury and the high court. If you were a mere vulgar
bullet, your ease would be plain enough. The assizes and La
Roquette. But the bullet of an Imperial II igloo se ! that is
quite another kettle of HAL Common Justice is good enough
tor Common fellows. Eat princes require guarantees tiC3iLlft
the haired rod the fears of the rabble. The grant jury is
requisite for big banditti. the Justice of the Eupde knows
well enough what it is about len are not a French bullet,
you are a Corsican bullet—vendetta lead—a family heirloom
—a crown Jewel—a New Yeses present fee in his Mad eaty to
al oasilde(nit. Well, of coerce you will be acquitted . . .
In honour of your exploita you will rest on your laurels.
You will beer 'brined in the E nperor's noiseum—Wesred
by the Pope, or figure in a locket round the heck of the
Era, rest."

In alluding the other day to the silken fetters with
which Prince Cierre is bonnet in the Tower of the
Conciergerie, the Radical papers drew a fearful picture
of the Lorton, of Ste. Fria tie, where journalists are
confined; but of thii fevers discipline enfoic- d in
the latter may he judged front the fact that gentlemen
are seldom refused leave to dire in town, provided they
return home at a seasonable hour—M. Rochefort, in the
Alarseillaille, warns the Government that should be
happen to die of corsumption during his confinement,
Lit constituents will surely accuse the anthorities of
having poisoned him. M. Edouard Lockroy, an
intimate friend of M. Rochefort, was shut up in Ste.
not long ago, but on complaining of his chest
he was immediately transferee I to a maison de sant&
and still lives to abuse the Government very wittily in
the columns of the/it-Titer.