The National Register.
London, England, 1815-08-20 00:00:00

TIM NATIONAL REGISTER.

holnee you to violate your oaths to the King, mut to
join liiiimaparte tOr the purpose it overthrowing his Majesty's Go.
verinnent ?—The answer to that question belongs to my ►lefence
before the Coutteil of War.

In this examination the prisoner simply designated himself a mi.
jitary person ; but betiire the Capitaine Rapporteur he called him-
self a Gcncral Officer. Officer of the Legion of Honour and of the
'lron Crown. The fo.lowing kan extract trout the latter examina.
tioti :

Wily do you call yourgelf a General Otheur?-11ecause that rank
wag given me on the 10th of March List by the Emperor. 1 have
koowledge of the King's ordolinauee relative to officers in my
situation

Did not the Gen. Devillieres, on the 7th of March, make repre-
sentations to you to prevent you from joining Napoleon, and to re-
wind on of your family counections and the interest of the cotto-
ny I formed my reso;ution according to my country's interests,
as it appeared to me in the foisting state of titiewza.

Are you the author of a Proclamation from the 7th regiment of
Vic line to their brothers in arms ? the 7th and 11th of the
Lac, the 4th horse artillery, and the 3,1 sappier, having,.matle ad.
dre,ses, the Major-General (Bertrand) requested me to publi.sii one

After this interrogatory, the prisoner said, " I should wish to
have ail persons called as witnesses who can give precise informa-
tion en the circumstances which preced►d and followed this trans-
setio”. The, law permits witnesses to be heard for the verification
of farts : does it not also authorise their examination as to the le-
gitileacy of fachl?"
After these papers had been read, the prisoner was introduced.
The• PaustnENT.— What are your names. your age, pint rank,
211,1 the place of your birth ?-1 am called Charles Angelique Fran-
cois Hochot de Labrdoyere, I am .6,9 years of age, a General Offi-
cer, and a native of Paris.

What rook did you hold on the Ist of March 1815?-4 was Lieu-
tenant-Colonel of the 7th regiment of the line.
From whom did you hold your Commission?—From the King.

What flag did your regiment receive?--A white flag ornamented
%%jilt fletirs-de-lls.
ll'here was the flag received ?—At Chaniliery; I wag not present.
An Oath was taken with the flag ?-4 snitpo4e so ; I WB4 not there.
What decorations had you ?—I was an Officer of the Legion of
Ilonotir, anti a Knight of the Iron Crown. _ _

Had von not likewise the Cotss of St. Louis ?—I never received
the Crop' of St. Lonis.

Where did yon learn the embarkation of Throimparte ? —At Cliam.
brry, where I received from Field Marshal Devilliers orders to pro.
ever! kith ins ree.iment to Grenoble.

Where was your regiment placed?—lt bivouacked on the rani-

parts.
By what order did it quit its post to proceed towards Gap, by
which route Bitonaparte xrrived ?—By no order except mine.
Whit word did yon give.on orderieg the regiment to march for-
ts ? Fire l'Ensperttir

Wlien did you present the Eagle to your regiment?—On quitting
the Edubourg of Grenoble.
Did you not tear off your white cockade and assume the tri-
coloured one?—No, I had no tri-coloured cockade-

not General Devil Hers 'mite') after you, and use both per-
llosive and authoritative measures to bring you to your duty %
Yes, General Devilliers spoke to me of the bonds which I was
breaking, and the prohnhle consequences of my proceeding ; but I
answered that the interest of my country prevailed over ell other
consideral ions.

Gen. Labedoyere wished to submit to the Council an observation
connected with his interrogatory. The law, said lie, ordains the
hearing of witnesses concerning the fact ; it.i‘ silent on the hearing
cd,witnesses relative to the eh ennistances witich might have deter.
ouli! about such oc an action ; hut it orders that mi.

litAry prisoners should be tried by the Councils of War of their re.
pecthe divisions in order to facilitate to them the means olmorat
justification in the very places where the crime imputed to them
may have been committed : the last ordinance of his Majesty appeal
to deprive prisoners of the benefit of the law ; can they demand it ;
this is the question winch I wish to submit to the Council
The Tribunal proceeded to the hearing of the witnesses.
Count de L'Agoult, shal, and Thjor•Colonel of the Body
Guisid ; Messieurs J. B. Felix Bonnet ; Hyppolite Adrie, Advocate
of Grenoble; Henri Ducrony, a royal chasseur, deposed, some as
ocular witnesses, and others on hearsay evidence, the following
facts :—M. de Labcdoyere, whose tegiment (which armed at (ire-
noble on the moruitiz of the 7th of March) was stationed on the ram-
ioarl, held a very animated convi.rsation with Lientenent.General
Count Marchlud, Superior Command nit, and quitted him w pest
discontent. Abort three o'clock he gave-orders to march tOrwartl,
and was scarcely out of the town when he drew his sword and ex-
claimed, Vire L'Empereur! He caused a chest to be searched, front
which he took a gilt eagle, which he Waved at the head of a braisell
of willow, and the same evening enter 2;renoble in the suite of

Field Marshal Devilliers deposed in his turn, that having beard an
extraordinary noise on the ramparts, he proceeded thlthe ; where
he saw that the 7th regiment. comntanded by its Colonel, hal
abandoned its post to go and meet linonaparte. He fastened on
Not by the road the regiment had taken, met a horse by chance,
galloped after the deserters, made a hundred go back, but when he
reached the head of the corps, neither his orders. nor prayer., nor
menaces stele heard. '4 I spoke," said Gen. Devillirrs, to M. de
Libedoyere of honour and country. He replied to me.. country
and honour.' But apparently he did not understand the words in
the same manner that I did, and I could get nothing from him."
The depositi;ms of several other witnesses added nothing to the
wriolit of the facts, which the accused never denied.

The Reporter now 'rose.—The attempt of Colonel Labeaoyere
now holds the first ranks amongst the crimes that for s.veral months
deprived France oilier legitimate King, carved the Invasion of our
country, and co..ducted the county to the brink of a precipice, the
depth of which one trembles to lathotn. It is to his defection that
we owe all other defvetions the revolution of the lOth of Mar Cir,
the defeat of Waterloo, and the invasion of our provinces.

The Reporter proceeded to recapitulate rapidly the conduct of
the accused, whirls wa.4 criminal as a Frenchman, as a soldier, as a
chief of a 'corps—he is enilty of rebeilion towards his supriior offi-
cers, of treason to the King. M. Viotti repelled Rll political eonsis
derations which might be adduced to excuse or palliate the °drum
of the Colonel. The tribunals charged to maintain the discipline
(.f the armies look only to facts, and not to results and roos.liseneei.,
Let M. Labedoyere dare to contemplate the scourge he has not
spared to bring upon his country—let him behold our provinces
beat down beneath the weight of foreign armies—let hire see the
situation of France and judge. Let not this maxim be allyeed the
application of which would be false and dangerous, that whelp the
number of guilty is immense, pardon becomes accessary. The first
accusation, the first punishment, ought to fall tivn the firi• who
guilty. What ! if Colonel Labedoyere had been alone guilty of des
faction, there would be no hesitation in punishing trim. fi.cao•e,
therefore, his guilty example hos found inlitatoits—beranse his crime
has led to the most terrible results, shall lie be absolved? No.
In his severe but just inflexibility, M. Viotti, organ of the law,
avenger of society, concludes, that Culonel Lalsedovere be derive:l
guilty of rebellion and treason, for having aided nod assisted tli. is!-
vasion of Bonaparte-- that ha be degraded from Los rank, depris
otitis decorations, and punished with death,
M. K xon, who appeared as tile Council of the accused, coofn-
himself to these expressions :
Gentlemen—l3(l re I resolved to lend some An/sport to the lei-
eery of Colonel Labedoyere, I endeavoured to know him and to
dive into his soul. I Mond there gratideor no:dunes- . aua I
thought that his defence could not inspire you with so much intern
from any other mouth as his own.
Labedoyere now rose and read Isis defence, which appear .1
to be wiitteu in haste and without method upon of pper