The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-12-13 00:00:00

THE TRIAL OF MARSHAL BAZAINE.

General Poorest brought his speech for the proisecu-
lion of Marshal Bazaine to a close on Saturday. In
even stronger terms than he be I used before, he re-
pudiated the position that Bazaine, unde4 the pretext
that he had taken the oath of allegiance to the
Emperor, WM justified in not fighting against the in-
vading enemy of France. The puhlic prosecutor dwelt
upon the tact that Itazaine otfitially recognised the
Government of September 4, which he afterwards pre-
tended to ignore and that he was ready to go to the
extremity of civil war to restore the power which had
dmapueared amidst the disasters of the country. Ile
criminally deceived hie own generals, who., cannsel
he affected to tyke while nmscealing the truth from
them, and fell into the trap laid for hint by the enemy.

A French COITelp0101? 1110? he I tines. it. writing on Marshal
Bunnies trial, nuder date the nth met , sari :
Alter two months of an unprecedented trial, aftte
the impoatuts corflge of witnesses, after the crowd ef
spectators whicis for two 1,.111.t.b- br c me on increasing
drily, General Pocrott, the Po mu, Prosecutor, at
isngth rites to sum up the case against the Masehal.
Nothing c;Ln Rite an idea of the appearance of the
hall when General Potucet rote to read his speech—
of which the terms converge 7,t,h powerful logic
towaros the conclusion—calling for toe application
of the 202.11 and 210th Articles of the Military Code.
In an impromptu Sr a spoken speech chance may he
counted for something. If the public are inclined to be
indulgent, they may attribute the vigour of the
premisses and the couchesi. tn to the fact that the speech
was extemporary ; but here there is nothing of the
lied. General Pcurcet, after having examined the
decieions of the G tuned of Inquiry, alter having
studied the indictment, after bawng heard the exami-
nation of the "situ...ores, anti after having meditated on
all those elements, conceived and wrote his speech in
the ;ciente f his study ; and it is with his manuscript in
bia hand that be riles to demand the rigorous applica-
tion of the law. In that toe mil able speech, then, nothing
islef t to thence; nor xpreseion has es ;sped unawares from
the lips of the speaker, and what be advances and
demands, he advance mid demands after having
long and coolly meditated on the consequences of the
conclusions he will draw. The people, too, who crowd
the court s. em to be aware of the significance of the
words they bar. When General Pourcet rises, deep
silence reigns throughout the court; the Judges,
the public, and the accused seem to prepare them.
eel yes to folio w attentively and weigh maturely the
words which will be pronounced. The reserved box
behind the Marshal, anti which was almost at his
roe disposal, remained empty. It is said that
those who usually came there to listen to the trial
feared to-day to hear the revere words whi.th were to
fall from the lips of the Public Prosecutor. In all the
other p.rte of the Court the crowd is immense, atteu•
the, aluaoat sombre. They feel that the page which
will be unrolled before them belong. to a pat, ful mo
ment in the life of the nation; they I el that, fully
or ion went, he name of 13!!z doe will henceforth be
attached to the saddest path nal memories
At the very outset of hie 'perch Geners! Ponrcet
p iota ont how he means to judge Marshal Bazaine's
conduct. lie says
Nattrely dtvoted to hie noble unlealrn, superlrr to all
party mint, t.very thought of seln•ltiou, the General-In-
Chief should hsve ter the only object of his alerts the
honour and Independence of his country, the glory and
safety of his anny. To dl cbsmeihOsedoUss, which demand
She sacrifice of every peteenal thought, and even of life, In

Blurt Omen intelligence, warty, and patriotism ; he must,
above all, possess an he era '
Agehi he toys :
" If hirtory glorides the cornmauders of ambles who have
dey,Ud th.ui elves ta the Interest. of tl elf COM try, lire
s•-rves, on the other hand, Its I.olt with.ro g repr.okthee for
lon Germ! eh°. heedless Ids duty. not senrUl Inc thr
t... 11 re of hie country to his own personal design., hat not
feared to id 09 to crltolool IIISL034•11111to of:mount the alll2 of
a selfish ambition." .

After four sittings devoted to the readiog of this re•
walkable doctunent:General Poureet commented upon
the proceedings by means of which Bszaine was able to
abandon to the German Army part of the flags be-
longing to the Army of France
What Is the flag gentleman? Need I repeat It a'ter you
have been told by so many, who., tears, more dOgElknt than
words, you have trot flow? Aasuredlr the flag I. something
as web hell, a pl ,ice in Vie he eta of f he, est, ono breve men,
since they were ended by their moll .0 at the mere thong at
of those hours ul angulso during which sea iinwor•hy Intrigue
was enfolding them, and concealing fr m their ostchful eyes
the trophies which now • tons the palaces arid beadier. of
Berl's. Some have to Id you that Eh, ire fl as, io,ceelei from
• very lye In waggons, were as it appeared to tneni, • put of
Ci eir hon. ur, • portion of their soul snatched from them, and
those who escorted them seemed to be Vie pallin were el their
f atherlant. it was, is der-d, the Mural elate glory < rd,
Its happiness lost Yes, Male, d the gag, as has bee. said, Is
ti e Image of France it Is the Image of what she loves.
admires, and roost honours, for It is the ernly!em of mod-
Ace. It speaks to all a firm, clear language, understood by
the lowly as well as by the ereatoar. It moat be followed
*hen it advanors, raised lilt falls, and csrrb d still on-
ward. That is simple, and that suffices. That flag
which has bteu abandoned Is bound to the triumphs
of France, and, alai ! to her disasters to, ; to her Joys as
weii aa to her suftvings. it has war, d over our speudours
and our rules, ever h ,floured, stimulating like • promise
our fallen courage in days of oldie-est and setting larnlmerlo
Monett e road I.f duty ior the generations who stineeded
each other benoath lea shrub w. I hue boned to our destinies,
that grand and simple Image of fatherland, the tru.
symbol of its Imperiskable grandma, eppe -re to us so full
of burning memories and exalting Mopes that It Ilia with
her, Ism the constantly renewed ranks of th,se who press
rou .d It. But if to die bravely, with arm. In one's hands,
for the islet), of that flag, is for each of us the
grta'ut of dirks and the highest of honours, It moat
he admitted that to ascrillce to personal cosofideranious the
flags of the army one commands, to iii:it them try • disloyal
manmovre fr.m enfeebled and decals, d soldiers, to lay them
down docilely and humbly at the feet of the od.tgueror, a, d
by that hire splendour to heighten a too easy victory, is to fall
sis tows, any ,ine can tall by neut. ct f duty aol f orgetful •
nese et honour. Now, the law ss e sirs tons both of duty unit
honour. 1-,m wilt meditate up .11 it, gentlemen, upon that
law of Wets, and you will hear in your consclencea the in-
evitable desire of the law-maker."