The Sun.
London, England, 1847-02-24 00:00:00

PROSECIT

ON AND ACQUITTAL

OF THE " NATIONAL!'
The trial of the Nationd for the publication of an article
on December 18, relative to the Montpensier marriage, came
before the Court of Assizes of the Seine on Saturday, in the
presence of a great crowd of spectators. The charges
against M Delaroche, the responsible editor, were, first,
offence against the King's person ; secondly, having blamed
the King for the acts of his Government, thus making
hire responsible for the same. M. Delaroche having
allowed that he had authorised the publication of the
article in question, M. Gallon, the Advocate-General, ad-
dressed the jury. After an exordium, in which he laid
down the law of the case, the Learned Counsel declared
that the incriminated article had gone out of its way to
connect the recal of M. Barbet, the Consul at the
Mauritius, with the Spanish marriages. Without waiting for
any explanation from the Government, the National bad
declared that circumstance to be a shameful concession,
made to England, and attacked with every form of outrage
and violence not only the Government for its conduct in the
Spanish marriages, but even the King himself. The Learned
Gentleman then read the article, commenting on it as he
went on, and dwelling particularly on the following phrase,
as a proof of the intention of the writer to attack the King :
" The _occasion presented itself to realise a considerable
profit ; the prudence of the father of a family imposed
silence on the fears of the statesman, and the dowry was
fingered with the secret thought that at an after period
means would be found to appease the resentment of the
English Cabinet" He inquired whether there could be any
doubt that when the National used such language as this,
before the circumstances of the marriages were fully knoWn,
and-before the Chambers had given their opinion thereon,
it did not intend to reflect improperly on the King, aril
possible to excite contempt against his person ? Could
any man doubt 'that when, the National represented 'the
King as wholly occupied with the desire of bringing to a
successful cruiinaticii a money speculation, and
anxious about fingering the dowry, it did not go beyond
the limits of fair discussion ? The Learned Gentleman
also referred to the expression—" We are now paying the
King's debt, and the recal of M. Barbet is the first pa.‘ ment
on account," and to the assertion that the marriages gave
proof of the "selfishness of a family," and were "to be
useful to the Orleans dynasty alone," as language of an im-
proper character, as attributing to the King the blame which
the National considered the marriages ought to call forth.
He also referred to the word "system," used by the
National, as an additional proof of its intentions; and called
the attention of the jury to the declaration made in the
article, that "when France was tired of seeing its honour
sacrificed everywhere and always, it would go back from
effects to causes, would not attack the Ministry, but over-
turn the system itself." He would appeal, he said, to all
honourable minds whether such insults ought to be
permitted—whether they were not calculated to in-
spire the most detestable resolutions? He concluded
by declaring that even if no law existed to punish
such offences, the honour of the country demanded
that the head of the state should be respected ;
and it was with a full conviction that such was the opinion
of the jury 1 hat ha called on it to give a verdict against the
journal in question.—M. Marie, in addressing the court in
favour of the National, declared that he considered the pre-
sent trial as one of the gravest attacks made of late years on
the freedom of the press. In the worst days of the Resto-
ration nothing worse (he said) was ever attempted. He
maintained that the National, and every other journal, had a
right to attack and overthrow every injurious political
system, whatever might be its origin. The Learned Gentle-
man then referred to the charge of making the King re-
sponsible for the acts of his Government, and reminded the
jury that for a length of time a discussion had been• going
on about what was called "personal government" and
" Parliamentary government." He quoted the language of
Duvergier de Hauranne to show that the two ideas were
notoriously matters of public debate. The system of per-
sonal government, the Learned Gentleman observed, was not
new. In 1832 it had attempted to get the upper band, but had
failed, owing to the firmness of Casimir Perrier. In 1837 it was
in full vigour, according to what was openly affirmed not
only in the press, but in the Chambers. A paper war on the
subject arose between the Journal des Debate and-the Consti-
tutionnel, and he could produce twenty articles from the
former journal openly treating of a famous question, and in-
sisting that " the King ought to reign and govern," thus sup-
porting the system of personal government. The Learned
Gentleman then showed that M. Guizot and M. de Lamar-
tine had openly spoken on this question in the tribune; and
then inquired whether the Nationa' was not perfectly justified
in adverting to the same question when it declared that a
bad system ought to be overturned. He maintained that the
National was fully authorised in asing the language it had
done on the point alluded to. Next, referring to the offence
against the King's person, he argued that the National had
not used language in the slightest degree stronger than that
employed by the Opposition Deputies in the discussions in.
the Chini" and by a number of other journals. He de-
clared, besides, that the National, in speakin as it did of the
affair of M. Barbet, bad been neither more nor less than the
echo of public opinion. He concluded by calling on the jury
not to give a vital blow to the freedom of the press by their
verdict.

The jury, after a short deliberation, gave a verdict of ac-
iuittal on both counts.

FIRE AT BURT ST. E hituin.--On Saturday
night, about twelve o'clock, a fireD broke out on the premises
of Mr. Oliver, grocer and tallowchandler, of Bury, and was
not extinguished until half-past three o'clock.
known that, among other combustibles, there was Itawas
con-
siderable quantity of gunpowder on the premises. The
adjoining premises (the
were Suffolk Hotel, with the long range
of gallery anddivided by a lath and
plaster partition, and thetlie ting full of inmates, ancl
several strangers, the utmost consternation. prevailed. The*
bankers (Messrs. Oaks and Co.) very kindly offered the
commercial gentleman to take 1:1 f
their
of extreme need; and everything was packedp"aaPedrtpy in case
repared
and the furniture of several adjoining houses was entirely
taken away. Providentially, however, with the extra aid -of
one large engine in the inn yard, the fire was at length o
dued before it reached the gallery of the Suffolk Hotel. _sub-
dued
much praise cannot be given to Mr. and Mrs. Everard,
the proprietors of the hotel, for their promptitude and pre-
sence of mind in directing the energies and exertions of their
!servants, whose conduct throughout the trying night was
above all praise.:
Tim LATE DUKE or NORTHUMBERLAND.
The remains of the late Duke of Northumberland la i
state for a few hours yesterday at Northumberland House,
Charing-cross; but although a considerable number ob-
tained admission, the ceremony was, comparatively speak-
ing, a private one. The large dining-room was appro.
priated for the solemnity, every portion of the apartment,
save that occupied by pictures, was covered with black
cloth. The coffin was placed in the middle of the room,
and enclosed by a state rail. It was covered at the top by
a large pall of black velvet, richly bordered, and which
displayed ocutcheons on either side; resting alone on a
velvet cushion was the ducal coronet of the deceased.
The room was lighted with tapers, in massive silver
candlesticks, on either side of the railing. The outside coffin
is covered with rich crimson velvet, with gilt mountings ;
on the covering are displayed the star and insignia of the
Order of the Garter, as well as the fallowing inscription on
the centre plate :—",Most high puissant and most noble Hugh
Percy, Duke and Earl of Northumberland Baron Lucy,
Latimer, and Warkworth, a Baronet, Lord-Lieutenant
and Custos Rotaloriun, Vice-Admiral of the county of Nor-
thumberlad and the town Cambridgetle-po Tyne, Chan-
cellor of the University of Constable of Lancas-
ter Castle and High Steward of Lancaster, one of the Lords
of her Majesty's Most Honourable Privyouncil, and Knight
of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, born 20th April,
1785; died llth February, 1847."
DESTITUTION or THE METRoPOLIS.—Upwards of
50,000 persons are now inmates of the London workhouges ;
60,000 are receiving out. dour relief ; and from 1,400 to, 2,000
nightly sheltered in the refuges for the hoodoo.