The Sun.
London, England, 1864-04-01 00:00:00

THE SENTENCE ON MAZINNI,

The Court of Assizes of the Seine yesterday tried
Mazzini, by default, for his share in the plot against
the life of the Emperor, for which Greco and his
accomplices were condemned in February last.
After reading the indictment, which was in substance
the same as that against the others, and which was
given in extenso at the time, the Avocat-General,
M. Mervailleux-Duvignaux, addressed the Court as
follows :—" Messieurs : The crime imputed to
Mazzini is established, and we have therefore no
occasion to adduce any further proofs. You are
still under the impression of the words pro-
nounced from this very seat, some weeks ago, by
the venerated chief whom we had the honour to
assist, and whose task, so painfully interrupted, it
is now our duty to complete. At the same time as
the guilt of the accused present was established, so
was that of the one absent ; but it is expedient,
especially on account of the audacious denials which
the latter has published in foreign journals, to give
a rapid and instructive retrospect of the past.
Using the right given to us by Art. 470 of the
Code of Criaiinal Procedure, we repeat, with the
act of accusation : ' preceding attempts on the
life of the Sovereign have had the same originator,
Mazzini; the conspirators received from him in-
structions, money, and arms.' When, in 1857,
Tibaldi and several other Italians appeared before
this Court of Assizes, accused of a plot against
the life of the Emperor, they had Mazzini for
their accomplice; a complete investigation had
clearly demonstrated that Tibaldi, thenorganiser
at Paris of the plot formed abroad, and the pos-
sessor of the arms prepared for the execution of the
crime, was himself merely the instrument of
Mazzini. To the circumstantial details given on
that head by the prisoners Grilli and Bartolotti, was
added the still more decisive proof derived from
the correspondence seized. Several documents
written by Mazzini, which have been already read
in this court, and which we reproduce now, contained,
under date of 10th June, instructions at once precise
and cautiously drawn up, given to Massarenti and
Campanella by the real chief of the conspiracy.
Mazzini indicated to the conspirators the two
principal centres of action : at Paris, the residence
of Tibaldi; at London, the house of James Stens-
feld and his wife, whom he designated as 'James,
the friend at the brewery,' and Caroline.' It ex-'
pressly resulted from these papers that the two men
most recently admitted into the plot would find the
rtquisite funds at Stanafeld's, and direc►ions and
arms at Tibaldi's. At the same time two letters,
also seized during the investigation, addressed to
Mazzini, signed Caroline (the baptismal name of
Mrs. Stanafeld), and bearing the post-mark of
Walham •Green, the quarter where Stansfeld's
brewery is situated, contained, along with private
matters which left no doubt as to the origin of the
letters, the following passages : the first, of the 16th
June, said :—' I have received your dear and anxious
❑ote by Mr. Nathan, who brought it himself.
The second, of the 19th June, began with these
words:--' I have received the money, and James
will of course carry out your instructions.' Mrs.
Stansfeld wrote thus in reply to a letter from Maz •
zini, dated the 11th, containing a remittance, the
forwarding of which was announced by a letter from
the same, dated the 10th, which was also seized, and
is included among the written evidence. Lastly, in
Tibaldi's possession was found a memorandum-book
containing the address of the brewer, James S tans-
feld, and he confessed that when in London he had
been in communication with that intimate friend of
Mazzini. Your high jurisdiction regarded Mczzini's
guilt judicially proved, and the sentence of transpor-
tation was pronounced against him by default. In
DLc., 1858, a man named Donati was arrested at
Paris on a charge of plotting against the Emperor's
life. Overwhelmed by the evidence against him, he
confessed his criminal design, and after having at-
tempted to maintain that he had not received in-
structions from any one, lie was ob'iged to ac.
knowledge whose instigation he had obeyed. In
the course of May Mezzini had given him a ren-
chzvous at Stansteld's brewery, and a conversa-
tion there took place on the projected attempt,
and on the time and place where the crime might
be most easily consummated. A few days later,
at the same place, the plot received its definitive
organisation. Donati committed suicide i❑ prison
its January, 1859, thus giving a sad guarantee
of the sincerity of his revelations. Lastly, in the
late trial, Mazzini again appeared, choosing
among his confederates the conspirator whom he
considered possessed of most energy, giving him, in
May, 1863, instructions to address his letters for
London to Rosselly, 58, Middleton-square, the resi-
dence of the banker Nathan, drawing up with his
own hand a detailed note, wnich was, as it were, the
vocabulary of the plot; then, in Sept., 1863, re-
suming the enterprise after a momentary suspen-
sion; giving again, in his own hand, the new ad-
dress, Flower, 35, Thurloe•squere, which is the resi-
dence of Stansfeld, directing the choice of the inti-
mates whom Greco was to accept as accomplices ;
sending arms, and lastly, procuring, through the
medium of the Nathan whom you a:ready know,
the money which was to facilitate the flight of the
assassins after the attempt. Such are the facts
which it is important that you and the world ehoula
know. It is now incumbent on you, Messieurs, by
a solemn judgment, to proclaim the truth respect-
ing this conspirator." Tne court then retired to
deliberate, end afterwards delivered its judgment
in the following terms :-
1 Whereas it is proved by the procedure that Mazzini,
in 1863, was guilty of a plot having for its object an attempt
on the life of the Emperor, the said plot, determined be-
tween several persons, having been followed by an act com-
mitted or begun for preparing its execution ; and
Whereas the guilt of the said Mezzini results princi-
pally from the declarations and confessions of the con-
demned prisoner Greco and from two papers found on the
person of the latter, written by Mazzini, and which are :
1. a no a beginning with the words, "Da Parigi a Lundra,
to Mine. Rosselly, 58, Middleton-square," and ending with
these ; 1, a piano by Broadwood ;" 2, a note thus worded :
" Mr. Flower, 36, Thurloe-square, Brompton, London."
Whereas, likewise the crime of which Mazzini is declared
guilty is punishable by Arts. 86 and 89 of the Penal Code,
which have been read ;

Applying to him the said articles, the court condemns
Mazziui to the punishment of transportation, and conjointly
to the costa of the trial with Greco, Trabucco, Imperatori,
and Scaglione."

ENTERTAINMENT EY THE CHANCELLOR OF TEIE
EXCHEQUER TO WORKING MEN.—Mr. and Mrs.
Gladstone yesterday afternoon entertained at luncheon 20
of the exhibitors at the recent South Londcn Exhibition,
headed by the Rev. Newman Hall and Mr. Murphy. They
were invited to take with them some specimens of the exhi-
bition, which was generally done, and Mrs. Gladstone ac-
cepted with evident pleasure some of the articles—including
a case of stuffed birds, exhibited by Mr. Hawkins, a drug-
assistant ; a picture of Mont Blanc in a snow storm,
by Mr. Broughton, a self-taught artist; an 4 a porcelain
flower-basket from Mr. Hopkinson. The company were
conducled by Mr. Gladstone through the museum of pic-
tures and other works of art, and separated very much
pleased with their novel entertainment,