The Sun.
London, England, 1841-10-30 00:00:00

TRIAL OF “THE NATIONAL."

THIRD PROSECUTION.
When the Assize Court was opened the President bade
the Advocate• General, M. Nauguier, speak. He began,
as usual, by reading the article which was the object of
the present action ; it was an article written on the day
after the late acquittal of that paper by the jury. The
article was as follows : _ .

" We, with all France, have been present at the trial
which has just taken place in the Court of Assizes. We
do not say so from a personal sentiment, nor to flatter
our advocates ; but because the discussion which took
place, and which the President has so rightly called
eloquent and animated, has presented to the public, as
well as to the Government, all the interest of the greatest
political question. The article submitted to the Jury
was published in the month of December last.. The
trial had been several times adjourned, on account of
the painful illness of our gerant, M. Delaroche ; but,
if the article is old, the question it treats of
is always new. The National, witness of the re-
crimination of M. Guizot against M. Thiers, and of
M. Thiers against M. Guizot, thought it might
repeat, in its turn, what every one has said, what the
orators of the Chamber, and papers of every opinion had
expressed. The National thought it might attribute to
the influence of personal government the cause of that
policy which seemed to us to debase and ruin the coun-
try. The article accused had no other sense. Its ex-
pression was melancholy, but firm. It said to M. Guizot
and M. Thiers, and to all those who have held the reins
of State, " You are all accomplices, but we know who
is really the guilty one. France knows it also, and pos-
terity will name him." It is in that article, and par-
ticularly in those words, that the public accuser has seen
two offences—an offence against the person of the King,
and a breach of the King's irresponsibility.
" M. Partarieu Lafosse developed with great talent the
constitutional principle of Royal inviolability ; he
showed its necessity, and after having established
that this principle had been created, not only in the
interest
of of Royalty, but in the general
of order and public peace, he took up the National,
and proved that the pith of the article might be said
in' a few words, viz., That the policy which had been
followed since ten years was one of shame, de-
, basement, and ruin. But the men who have, had the

management of affairs were not responsible ; they were
only accomplices. The guilty person is the King.'
The Advocate-General then easily showed that the Na-
tional had committed the double offence imputed to it.
Then seeking to anticipate and refute beforehand the
system of our defender, he pretended that M. Marie
would seek refuge in 'equivocation and miserable sub-
terfuges ; that he would try •to prove that, the King
not being named, no offence had been committed ; that
this offence was the result of the inferences of the public
Ministry, and that it was an offence by inference. M.
Partarieu Lafosse spent much logic in refuting a priori
this system of defence, which he had found very easy
to foresee, and which he triumphed over so easily.
But it was pains thrown away. It did not suit either
the character of the advocate nor the dignity of our jour-
nal, to shelter ourselves behind a discussion without
sincerity and without truth. What we meant was evi-
dent ; our expressions plainly showed it. It was the
King we spoke of, and our readers could not but know it.
A denial of it would have been a real insult to the good
sense and intelligence of the jury ; it would have been a
lie on our part. In supposing such an intention, M.
Partarieu Lafosse denied at once the sincerity of our
principles and the conscientious habits of our defender.
Yes, it was the King we spoke of, and all the circum-
stances in which we were placed when the article was
published gave us the right to do so, and justified the itt-
tack. This is the thesis which M. Marie has developed
with a power of reasoning, an agglomeration of facts, and
an elevation of thought which bore conviction to all minds.
This doctrine was sincere and bold, and for that very
reason it became perilous. But, whatever danger there
might be since the occasion presenteditself fir discussing
before the justice of the country that burning ques-
tion . of personal government, it was necessary that
justice should be interrogated with sincerity, and that
it also should answer with sincerity. The answer was
complete. The Jury, after ten minutes' deliberation,
brought in a verdict of acquittal on every point. We
declare, with entire good faith, that if we are rejoiced in
our own interest, we are much more so in the interest of
the public. Must not Government remain within the
limits which have been traced for it ? Does the law,
which forbids us to attack the inviolability of the
King, permit our adversaries to present the King
continually as the author of a system? Is the
irresponsibility of the Royal person a dogma with-
out condition? Will M. Guizot be allowed to say
that it is the King who has decided the Eastern
question, who has wished for peace, and who is to
have the glory of it? And are we to be forbidden
to declare, that if this question has been ill re-
solved, if peace brings a shame, it is to the King
that the responsibility is left ? If there is a party which
goes on its knees to personal government, which praises
and adores it, is it not lawful for another party to attack
that Government, and to prove to what misfortune and
disorders it may bring us ? If the public, finally, leaves.
unpunished all those who uncover royalty, who make it
descend to the level of political realities, can it loya
lly
demand the punishment of a paper which applies respon-
sibility, when the author of such an act or system of go-
vernment is shown ? Either the law is unequal, and,
then it loses the character which commands
obedience ; or it is equal, and than it obliges every
body, those who like monarchy, and those who do
not. Either those who violate it must be made to ob-
serve it, or it must be suffered that those who have fol-
lowed your example should find in the equity of the
Jury the justice which you have refused. All these
thoughts have been developed by M. Marie in that
admirable pleading which left no hold for doubt, no re-
source for a reply. He gave in a few words the history
of the last years. That personal government attacked
by us, he has shown attacked by M. Guizot, M. Thiers,
M. Barrot, and all the political' men who took an active
part in those irritating debates."
The rest of the article, and the pleadings which fol-
lowed it, were nothing more than developements of its
leading idea. The question then went to the. Jury, who
without hesitation, returned a verdict of " Not Guilty.;

FATAL ACCIDENT.—We regret to state that
a melancholy accident took place at the Crewe station on
the Grand Junction Line on Thursday. A passenger,
while attempting to alight from the train on the parapet,
fell down head foremost on the rail, and a carriage passed
over the back of his neck, and killed him on the spot.
On searching his papers, a card was found with the name
" Mr. Thomas Lowe, solicitor, Hamptwich."
EFFECTS OF THE LATE HEAVY RAINS.—

On Thursday afternoon the Ravensbourne was observed to
rise with great rapidity. The sluices not being deemed
sufficient to carry off the torrent, the flood-gates of the
Kent water-works were opened ; but to no purpose, for
in the course of an hour the river overflowed its banks,
and upwards of 1,000 acres of pasture and garden
grounds belonging to Mr. Wyatt, a market-gardener,
were speedily under water. The path leading from
Deptford to Lewisham was stopped by the flood, and a
pleasure-boat was sailing about in the fields. The loriver
part of Lewisham was in a dreadful condition, the oad
for a considerable distance being completely inundated,
and the houses *on either side some depth in water. N
i Tt.ihne
tide in the Thames rose to a great height, being
and i it
two steps of the landing-place at Greenwich pier,
was apprehended that a recurrence of the
lately presented itself would take p
lacei Several of the
nary hish
old watermen prognosticate that an eii.'eningraordi next, with
tide may be expected on Sunday c ' seenewhich so
what truth remains to be seen. ,
remainthe begainning
bl t Munich
of
BERLIN, OCT. The Kings journey to
November. The Queen
22.
Munich appears to bewpi
juitprooffbatilyl
King. The C of
to Berlin with the
and then return
till after the 13th of November,- which is her birthday,
Nassau is expected to return from Holland in the course
of next week.
SUDDEN DEATH ABOARD SHIP.—On Tnup-
day evening an inquest was -held before Mr. Baker, the Co.