The Press.
London, England, 1858-11-27 00:00:00

THE PRESS, NOVEMIIERf, 27, 1858.

1150

ment" the chronicles of antechambers, the atmosphere
charged with servile and corrupt miasma," and
whether he did not mean by saying that he went " to
breathe an air more pure, and take a life bath in free
England," as an attack on the institutions of his
country. M. de Montalembert said he meant no
attack in the sense implied by the law ; he merely
stated certain facts, and it could be only by misin-
terpretation that such meaning could be attached to
it. He was asked whether in another of the incri-
minated passages he did not mean an attack on
universal suffrage, and on the rights the Emperor
held from the Constitution. M. de Montalembert
declared that his meaning was quite clear ; he meant
merely what he said—that he did not want to con-
vert "men of progress" who differed from him—and
those who thought with him : he merely stated a
fact, and nothing more.
He was asked whether he did not mean to affirm
that France had lt.st her freedom, when he says
that "In Canada a noble French and Catholic
race of people, unfortunately torn fton. our country,
but remaining French in heart and in manners, owes
to England the preservation or the acquisition, with
entire religious liberty, of all the political and muni-
cipal liberties which France had repudiated," &c. He
said he simply stated an historical fact, with which
every one was acquainted, and which no one could
deny. Surely there was no attack on the Imperial
Government by saying that it was France herself
who repudiated those institutions !
He was asked whether he did not mean an attack
on the laws, in the sentence ending, " where no one
speaks but by permission, with the salutary terror of
an avertissement if he venture ever so little to cen-
sure the ideas of the Government or of the mob."
He said that be simply stated the fact that aver.
tissenaents were given by authority in the cases alluded
to. He was ask 1 a few more questions to the same
purport, and then was allowed to resume his seat.

undertake the task as he could not speak of himself in
the terms in which he ought to be spoken of. It is
fur us to fulfil this duty ; it is for us, who have been
mixed up (metes) with him in the great agitation and
the great scenes of political life; fur us, who in dif.
ferent camps, on opposite benches, have sometimes not
been able to agree as to the course to pursue, but who
hold it an honour to declare that on all occasions, as
well as to-day, we have desired to maintain the funda-
mental principles of order and liberty, of which he
was the eloquent defender. Yes, in the midst
of political terrors, we were fully united. We
had the same feelings—to save society, but save
liberty likewise, and it is with the same motto, the
same battle-cry, t'tat I come to repel an unjust, un-
founded, imprudent, and ill-timed accusation : I was going
to add rash. It will be an easy task for me, gentlemen, to
lead you to the fulfilment of your duty, as 1 shall endea-
vour to perform mine. We need not fear that, during this
trial, the first, you are told, which has occurred doting the
Empire, that any consideration could induce you to forget
the sanctity and independence of the majesty of justice
which is intrusted to you. The publication of Id. de
Montalembert, " A Debate upon India in the British Par-
liament," is the object of a prosecution taken altogether in
its details. Assuredly, when it is intended to try a work
so extended and of so serious a character we should not
stop at a single word or a detached phrase, that may be
misinterpreted, altered, disfigured, and exaggerated—it
should be taken altogether. To judge of a work it is not
sufficient to place yourselves in the point of view of the
prosecution; you must try the man himself, his principles,
and his life. That life has been engaged in every struggle
during thirty years, and that life has been exposed to the
gaze of all. He was still young when France, escaped
from the sufferings and diagrace which the three tyrannies
of the Convention, the Directory, and the Empire had
inflicted on her, and was resting under a constitutional
monarchy—a Government strong and free.

M. Berryer then recounted the early life of M.
Montalembert, his progress in the noble cause he
entered upon, and the service be rendered to his
country ; he enlarged on his great talents, which he
admired, and his character, which he ever did justice
to even when sitting on the benches of the Opposi-
tion. M. Berryer's speech lasted for two hours, and
seldom did two hours appear shorter. When he sat
down a burst of applause rose in the more distant
part of the hall ; it was rapidly extending to the
whole audience, but was at once checked by the
Court. The burst, I believe, was involuntary. The
President again delivered a severe reprimand, and
declared that on the next manifestation of the kind,
he should order the expulsion of the whole of the
audience from the Court.

M. Dutaure then addressed the Court on behalf of
his client, the director of the Correspondant, in a
speech which was admitted to be a masterpiece of
forensic reasoning.