The Express.
London, England, 1864-11-26 00:00:00

FRANCE.

A new and important int in the law of arrest
for debt was decided on Wednesday. MK William
Arthur and Co., of the Rue Rivoli, being creditors of
an Englishman for *simple contract debt of 7,000 f.,
arrested him on mane process. The defendant
moved the court for his discharge, on the ground
that the plaintiff, William Arthur, being himself
an Englishman, was not entitled to the privilege
which the code gives to French subjects of arrest-
ing a foreign debtor. But the court ruled that when,
as in the present case, the foreign creditor acts, not
in his own name, but as a member of a firm estab-
lished in France, and in which there is a French
partner, the privilege exists. The defendant was
therefore sent back to prison, and condemned in
costa.

A singular case of acquittal on the ground of
monomania has occurred in the Maize Court of La
Veudde. A peasant girl named Bilking, of good
character, some time since brought • charge of
violation against one Auvinet, a small fanner.
Her evidence was not believed, and the authorities
refused to prosecute. Shortly afterwards she set
fire to one of Auvinet's haystacks for no other
conceivable motive than that of avenging herself
for the outrage, which she persisted in saying had
been perpetrated upon ber by Auvinet. She was tried
for the arson and acquitted, the jury really believ-
ing that she had been ill-used. A few days after she
came out of prison M. Dubois, the landlord of
the Hillairet family, and also of Anvinet,
gave the former notice to quit. The girl,
under the impression that K Dubois lad espoused
the cause of Auvinet against her, set fire to • wood-
stack belonging to Dubois. For this second fire
she wu tried the other day. According to the me-
dical evidence produced by the prosecution she was
of • low order of intellect, but not insane, although
it was to be feared that if released she would again
commit incendiarism. The mad doctors distinctly
said the state of her mind was not such as to jus-
tify them in detaining her in a lunatic asylum.
Under these circumstances the public prosecutor
pressed earnestly for a conviction, otherwise, he
said, • revengeful criminal would be let loose
upon society, encouraged by impunity, and
a judicial certificate of irresponsibility, to
commit fresh crimes. The counsel for the de-
fenoe, however, pleaded monomania produced by
unredressed wrongs. He admitted the great pro-
bability that his client would, if she remained in
her native village, set fire to more stacks, but said
there was • hope of her being cured if she could
be removed to some distant spot. The jury ac-
quitted the prisoner, and the court ordered that
she should be immediately set at liberty. •It is a
great defect in French jurisprudence that an ac-
quittal on the ground of insanity does not necessa-
rily differ in its consequences from a "pure and
simple acquittaL" The jury, when pronouncing •
vert of not guilty, has no power to put upon
record its opinion as to the state of mind of the
prisoner. In practice it generally happens that
mad doctors are found upon the spot to sanction, li
notwithstanding an acquittal, the locking up of a
man who has in reality committed a great crime—a':
murderer, for instance. But here we have • case
of a person not mad enough to be kept from doing
mischief, and yet so mad as to be irresponsible for 11
the mischief which she is almost sure to commit
This is a distressing anomaly.

EXAMINATIONS AT THZ INCOSPOZATXD LAW So.
osarr.—lfiskutheas Tern, 1864.-121sal Kiatniaatisa.—At
the ezamiaatioa of mallards. for admission ea the roll of
attorneys and solicitors of the mipsriar sour* the "'s-
amisen taccarmeaded the followiag gamismea, order the
age of 28, as being estitled to heasrary distinalion, sad
they were awarded prises of books : —l. James Philip Dodd,
seed 21, who served his clerkship to Messrs. Lirech sad
Kemal% of North Shields. 2. Jobs Gilbert Etraillary,
sr* 21, who served his dsrk.bipto blensra. Tyadell, Job..
sos, aadTysdall, atDinah:sham. 3. Lewis Mari=slz
egad 22, who served his clerkship to Moors.
sad Behar, of Ln Norm. aod Messrs. Gregory arid Rowelifer,
of Loodon. 4. Phdbrick. aged 21. who served his
clerkship to lir. Prodk. Monseeld MAMA, of Goldman. ;
sod News. Ilium sad Bon. of Leedom. 5. Fmk Bewley
Pular, sgsd 22, who award kis elsrkship to Messes. Sharpe
sad Parker, of trades ; Mr. Alaskan WOliam Passe,of
Wipe ; sad Mr. Henry awn, of ansarbridas. & Pride.
tire George egad 21, who mrved his elsstakip
Mews. Dishy and of Laid... 7. Jobe Booth, aged
23, who esrved his clerkship to Mr. Deihl liksglisa Buttes,
of Barges' ; aad Mr. Balkan Compboa eshiAbl/2 M Loads&
The number of aurdidasse moaned is this tam ass 138;
ai Ikene, 121 mare pealed, sad 15 pralpemed.

[Stamped, Id. Additional.]