The Express.
London, England, 1858-04-19 00:00:00

THE BERNARD TRIAL.

(711011 OUR OWN

PARIS, BintaAT Evnture.

It is impossible to describe the stupefaction in
government circles occasioned by the verdict of the
jury in Bernard's case. The Mutitear, which all tbe
week has given full reports of the trial, now
sulks in silence, and does not even pub-
lish the telegraphic news of the result. This
abstention as to a matter of fact is childish in the
extreme, but it is a very characteristic symptom of
the " situation." Amidst the fury and vexation whirl
the announcement prodsoed at the Tuileries, it was
impossible to decide at once upon the way in which
the matter was to be officially represented to the
French public. Whether indignation, indifference, or
expectation of help from the British legislature are to
be exhibited is yet doubtfuL The surprise at the ver-
dict is at least as great as the disappointment. The
worst that was expected was that, after
a verdict of guilty upon the facts, the
fifteen judges would have declared that the
Act of Geo. IV. did not apply to the case,
and then the ministry would have had a fair ground
for asking the parliament to supply a cases onaissus
in legislation. But better than this was hoped for.
A French government writer in the Nord of Brus-
sels says, " If a verdict of guilty be returned, Lord
Derby's government feels confident that Lord
Campbell and the judges will find means to pass a
capital sentence. Lord Campbell's zeal and
loyalty in the matter are highly approved of."
This is certainly a font libel upon Lord Campbell
and the judges, and, I should hope, upon Lord
Derby's government also. But the thorough inde-
pendence of English courts and juries can seemly
be realised by a French mind. However, in the pre-
sent state of the case, the main ground for calling
for an alteration in the law of England is cut away,
The verdict of the jury shows that the presumed
hiatus in our laws is not proved to have yet arisen.
Oar legislators must look at any application for sa-
tisfaction on the part of the French government in
precisely the same light that it would have done if
Bernard had never been accused as an accessory to a
I murder. Mr. Edwin James's speech is a great po-
, litical event. The home truths which he proclaimed
under the sense of responsibility without rebuke by
, the judges,will produce more effect in Europe than •
thousand leading articles in newspapers. French-
men who can read English are flocking to-day to all
the reading-rooms and cafes where English jburn•ls
are taken in, for the purpose of reading the speech.
Of course only a garbled version of it is given in the
French papers. The Mkt, honestly says that the
general tone of the speech is such that it cannot
venture to print it at aIL The Indepsadonce Beige
says:

We feel compelled to suppress a part of this eloquent de-
fence, because we fear to bring ourselves within the purview
of the recent penal legislation in our country concerning
libels against foreign sovereigns.

The government takes excessive pains to have as
little said about the elections., possible. The Sleds
of this morning only ventures to say that it has sent
to the prefecture to know the names of the can-
didates, and has not yet received an answer. The
Debar does not in any way allude to the subject.
The news which I sent you yesterday, that MM.
Lionville, Jules Fevre, and Picard, are the three
opposition candidates, is certain ; but it appears that
the Presse was quite mistaken last night in
announcing that General St. Amend and M.
Lepel': were government candidates. The
three government candidates mentioned by the

Pays and 71,,tr4 are those whose names you were
long since informed of—General Perrot, M. Eck, and
M. Ferret. The Presse of this evening not only
abstains from correcting its own mistake, but does
not speak of the elections at all. The Patric asserts
that the candidates who have taken the oath, and
complied with the requisite formalities are twenty in
number. There is no confirmation in any quarter of
this statement, which seems to me very improbable.
The Patric mentions no names besides those
already known.