The Express.
London, England, 1851-09-01 00:00:00

FRANCE.

PARIS, ITILIVLY Evzsixo.
The eoart-martial at Lyons h, id its final sitting
Thaniday. The result is th. it seven of the
accused have been sentenced to to importation for
life, 36 to various periods of insprisoi invent, and 12
have been anaittea. Of the Dunhee 0,, ondemned 11
ware not posostit, having made their seeps, and
Wit prommomeod in contempt of alert. 9 lire° only
assist ',boa the severe sentence of trans P°, rtatm
warn pored were present at the trill t. sae
011111 wand guilty specially of being the t *num it
the asoariessy—Ode, and Longoatariaso. Bet it the
sandamsal prisoners and their counsel have k 7reall
cause to repent of the rash resolution in virtue of
which the latter threw up their briefs. There neN "et
was a case in which a methodical temperate satin g
of the evidence by a practised advocate was more '
necessary to the ends of justice. It cannot be said
that the court was predetermined to convict, because
it has acquitted 12 prisoners, although the public
prosecutor persisted in the accusation to the last
against all but one. Moreover it is clear that the
court must have undergone some painful straggles I
amongst its members in coming to a conc:usion for
of the 43 men who were found guilty, the verdict '
was unanimous in respect to 12 only. With respect
to the others, the court was divided in opinion. A
strong majority, it is true, supported the verdict of
guilty in most instances, the division being gener-
ally 6 to 1, or 5 to 2, but in two cases the division
was 4to 3. Giving the members of the court credit
for the best intentions, it is impossible not to feel the
extreme probability that their judgment may have
miscarried. The immense length of the proceedings,
extending over more than 20 days, the nature of the
evidence, much of which was hearsay of the worst
description, and the quality of the witnesses, many
of whom were the vilest informers that were ever at
the service of au unscrupulous police,—all ren- '
dered the case one in which it was desirable '
that the judges, and above all military judges, should
have had every possible assistance. As it is, there is
every reason to think that a business-like, profes-
sional speech—not indeed a political declamation—
would have changed the fate of many of these men.
Their interests have been sacrificed to a misplaced
and lamentable esprit de corps. This is an illustra-
tion of the evil of the system under which a French
advocate identifies himself personally with his client,
instead of coolly presenting the law of his case to the
consideration of the court. In England Daniel
O'Connell chose for his counsel in the House of
Lords a tory lawyer, Sir Fitzroy Kelly, who obtained
his acquittal. Here in France a political prisoner
invariably chooses for his advocate a violent mem-
ber of his own party, whose very appearance at the
bar createsa proludice against his client. The resolution
of M. Michel (de Ilourges) and his brother advocates
to abandon the defence was taken in hot blood after
dinner, and not without a warm debate. It was
finally carried only by a majority of 12 to 5, M.
Mather de Mont au energetically resisting it. In the
morning the whole party felt so doubtful of the
propriety of what they had done, that they would
probably have changed their minds, had not the pri-
soners themselves entreated them to adhere to their
mointion.

The churchwardens of Manchester have lately in-
terfered to prevent a collection at the cathedra an-
nounced to be made without their sanction. In order
to promote cordial co-operation between clergy and
laity, they have now appealed to the bishop to decade
whether or not a clergyman has any right (except
with the consent of the churchwardens) to direct any
collection to be mode other than those prescribed by
the rubric or authorised by her MAJEsTY's letter.
We contend (say the churchwardens) that he has no such
authority, and that in fact the only collections which the
church has recognised are those to be made during the
reading of the offertory sentences, the disposal of which
rests with the minister and churchwarden jointly, subject,
in ram of diff,rence, to appeal to the ordinary.
The bishop's reply is careful, and supported by re-
ferences to acts of parliament and the rubric. His
conclusions arc :
That, under the authority of royal letters patent, collec-
tions may be made for any object recommended in such let-
ters patent. That by composition the minister and church-
wardens may dispose• of the sums collected for say pious and
charitable uses which they may think fit ; but this gives
an equal power to each, not recognising any authority " in
either alone to dispose of a collection "
On the subject of the offertory the bishop says
that, after a careful examination of the subject, " it
appears to him" that this was intended by the framers
and revimem of our liturgy to be used on every Sun-
day and holiday. He is " unwilling," however, to
see it. use revived against the wish of any con-
gregation, and adds significantly, that " those who
seek to revive the offertery. by collection must seek
to revive it with its liabilities, and subject to the
consent of both parties entitled to be consulted."
Now, we beg our readers to observe the complete
divergence of the two views entertained on a subject
which is intimately connected with the very ele-
ments of the constitution of the church by these two
clergymen. and then further to consider the utter
impossibility of any efficient deliberative as-
sembly being formed out of a body of men
who arc at issue as to the very nature
of the corporation they represent. Mr. Mu,
Lae believes the church to be a divine gift
of Gott, the hierarchy for the time being . having it
in their power to dispense spiritual blessings. fhe
Bishop of MANCHESTER believes the church to be an
institution which is divine or not, according
.as its
ministers and people are actuated by the spirit of
their divine Master. Mr. MILLER considers the
giving of alms at the offertory, incumbent on all
Christians as " the divinely appointed system of self-
sacrifice." The bishop considers the offertory as a
purely human regulation—enunciated, indeed, by the
founders of the reformed church, and therefore
worthy of respect, and in his own opinion proper to
be realored, but the restoration of which must be eon-
siderel thoroughly subordinate to the question of how SUNDAY MOl,ll NO.
far its use may be acceptable to the congregation. Some few of the councils-general have added co
Mr. Metilat considers pecuniary sacrifices are a ne- their resolution in favour of revision, the expression
emery arts of worship —that they ',nut be offered of a wish that the period of the general eleatieme
up by all " who would secure to themselves a title to should be advanced as much as possible. The.
the promises and blessings of Christianity that is pant, however, for an election so early as Deaoir,
or even January, is viewed nide the utmost disfavour 1
to say that almsgiving, through the medium of the
church. constitutes a part of the price that we pay in Paris. 'I he workmen in the fieubotogs are Melignant
for our salvation—a rank popish doctrine. The at the avowed motives for the project, and the shop-
bishop comes to the more protestant conclusion that keepers arc equally hostile to it, on grounds of oh-
no external regulations should control a Christian in vious self interest. The new year, and the month
the exercise of Christian duties. Mr. MILLER talks before and after, is the momactivetimein all branches
in fact, of " worshipping GOD with your money" in of retail commerce. 1) re, tailors, bonnet makers, '
so many words; the bishop would, we believe, give jewellers, and haberdashers, expect to sell more in
it es his opinion that so far as any meaning can be those two months than in all the rest of the year. ,
attached to such it phrase, it is downright heathenism The amount of business done at this. period by coo.
.
Now. with the peculiar value of the separate views feetioners, " bon-bon; and toy shops is almost incee-
dibk. Parisian habits during new year festivities. an-
entertained by the priest and the bishop, we have
nothing to do. This is a theological question, not a luridly tend to a temporary forgetfulness of politics.
political one. What we have to point out is the ab. But the forced excitement of a general eleetion—
enrditv of supposing that the parties represented by and especially one that should last six weeks. under
Mr. 'MILLER and the bishop can ever meet together the surveillance of bayonets, would produce the
with any well-grounded expectation of performing worst possible effect upon the usual trade; and the
the duties of practical legislation. A deliberative apprehension of it has already led ninny shopkeepers
body of representatives can never effect much until , to speak of petitioning the Assembly upon Its meet-
they arc tolerably well agreed as to what they repre- tux against the measure. Probably, however, this
sent„as to what are theirpowers.andasto what is their and many other projects yet to bo hatched will be
ultimate aim. If any one needs a corroboration of forgotten before November.
thew• remarks let him look at the French Assembly. ' Gent and his fellow prisoners who are sentenced
In convocation, were it assembled at the present day. to transportation are round guilty of an offence I
it would not, as is so often asserted, be matters of for which the punirdiment was *death, according
detail that would be discussed, but first Principles. to the penal code in operation before the revo-
The men who would discuss them stand on different lotion of Dile, They owe their escape to the ,
grounds, use different weapons, aim at different re. decree of the provisional government—incorpo-
salts, employ a different language. 'There would be rated into 'he constitution—whereby the pu.
ao common court of appeal, no universally acknow- nisliment of death for political offences was oho-
.: ledged text book. The Bible and the prayer book fished. But the transportatiou to which they are
would be appealed to on both sides indeed, but to sentenced, which would formerly have been nominal,
each of these in the hands of the o • parties has been rendered real and severe by a law of the
might be applied what WZILLNYELS said of first : sth of June, 1510. It was thereby enacted that, in
laic fiber est, in quo, quisqsla sea dogmata "wit, 1 cases where transportation was pronounced as a
Inman et puitsr, dogmata goblins sat substitution for capital paniahmeat, abolished by

The following manifesto, at once jesuitical and
legitimist, which is now extensively circulated with
impunity in the western provinces, is an instance of
the confident encroaching spirit which the ultra-
montane church party exhibit more and more every
day.

From the 214 August to the 29th September. Project
for forty vows and prayers to St. Michel for the safety and
happiness of France.
St. Michel, whose name Michael which is, like unto God,
has become the rallying word for the armies of faithful
angels, pray for us. St. Michel, standard- bearer of the most
holy Trinity, pray for us. St. Michel, prince of the celestial
armies, pray for us. St. Michel, formerly the honour and
the support of the kingdom of France, protect us. St.
Michel, the strength of the combatants under the banner of
the cross, strengthen us. St. ltemi, first shepherd of our
kings, pray for us. St. Louis, King of France, pray for
us. St. Genevieve, patroness of Paris, pray for us. St.
Henry, pray fur us. Oh Lord, by your archangel
Michael deliver him from all sin. Deliver him from the

snares of his enemies, oh Lord, m that recalled by the
national wish he may !riga for the good of religion, for the
glory and prosperity of the French pLople.

The resolutions of 29 councils general, in favour of
revision, are now reported. That of the Drilate is
the only one yet known to have negatived the pro-
posal. Total and legal revision is, however, what is
generally asked for, and very few of the councils
have voted with an especial view to the prolonga-
tion of the powers of Louis Napoleon.
It is reported in various quarters to-day that the
aandidatcship of the Prince de Joinville is now
known to be officially declared. To some objections
to have been made by members of his family he is
said to have replied that it was better to be beaten
than to be a nonentity. The Ordre, replying to
M. Lamartine, says that if the prince were elected
he would religiously keep the oath which he would
take to respect and defend the constitution. Yester-
day and to-day a political reunms of conserva-
tives of various shades has been held by Count Mole,
at his house at Champlitreux. MM. Bmyer,
sot de Montebello, de Noailles, avid do Vamy were
of the party.
M. Nlagne, the French minister of pablic works,
arrived at Berlin on the 27th.
At the Bourse to-day the Five per Cents. fell 50 c.
closing at 94f. ; the Three per Cents. fell 3c.
and closed at 56.40.