The Sun.
London, England, 1848-09-28 00:00:00

FRANCE.

[The following appeared in our Fourth Edition of
yesterday]:—
After Prince Louis Napoleon had concluded his
speech, the admission of M. Achille Fould, as one of
the representatives of the department of the Seine,
was decreed. The motion for the admission of M.
Raspail gave rise to some discussion. The reporter
stated that the Committee appointed to consider the
validity of the election of M. Raspail had received
from the Attorney-General a requisition demanding
an authorization to continue the prosecutions com-
menced against that citizen, now a prisoner at Vin-
cennes. The Committee had found the election un-
exceptional, but declared itself incompetent to decide
upon the objection raised by the Attorney-General.
M. Denjoy next contended that the magistrates
would not continue the prosecutions against M. Ras-
pail, unless they were authorized by the National
Assembly. M. Raspail had acquired a right by his
election. The Assembly should begin by admitting
him, and the Attorney-General might then come
forward and demand the authorization necessary to
prosecute him.
M. Raspail, who followed, invoked the justice of
the Assembly in favour of his uncle. He had been
confined in the dungeon of Vincennes during the last
four months, on a mere warrant of a Judge of In-
struction ; the charges against him had not been sub-
stantiated, and until then he should be considered
innocent. The Minister of Justice had declared that
the lists of the new jury could not be ready before
the month of November, and as he (M. Raspail)
knew that the prisoners of Vincennes would not ac-
cept the old jury, it was probable that their trial
would not come on before January. lle accordingly
demanded that M. Raspail be liberated, and that the
Assembly should not pronounce on the authorization
until he was allowed to defend himself from the
tribune.

M. Corne, Attorney-General, said that he had
addressed his requisition to the Committee after con-
sulting the Minister of Justice. He had done so
because he wished all the fractions of the Assembly
to know that the judiciary power was determined to
vindicate, under all hypotheses, the rights of justice.
M. Corne further stated that M. Raspail had been
arrested en flagrant dait ; that he had been the ob-
ject of an inquiry, and of an arrest warrant; that
the law was equal for all ; that the Assembly had
maintained it and covered it with its sovereignty;
that if M. Raspail was the only accused, his trial
should have long been over; that the number of per-
sons originally arrested was 300, and that 130 would
probably be brought to trial.
M. Deville, who spoke next, maintained that the
jury alone had a right to decide on the offence im-
puted to M. Raspail, if guilt there was—
[M. Deville was here interrupted by loud cries of
" Order ! order !" and M. Marrast reminded him that
M. Raspail had violated the National Assembly, and
that he could be guilty of no greater crime.]
Had the Minister of Justice (continued M. Deville)
performed his duty, M. Raspail would bane been li-
berated four months ago. M. Raspail was as respec-
table and estimable a citizen as any member of that
House. He had sacrificed his liberty and fortune, and
had been at all times ready to offer his life for the
cause of liberty. In conclusion, he demanded that
the election be validated, and that M. Raspail be re-
stored to liberty, in order that he might come for-
ward to defend himself from the tribune.
Several other members were afterwards heard for
and against the validity of the election, and the Pre-
sident having put it to the vote, the Assembly pro-
claimed the admission of M. Raspail, not, however,
without a most boisterous opposition.
The President then rose and read a requisition
which had just been laid on the table by the Attorney-
General. It stated that M. Raspail was implicated
in the attempt of the 15th of May, which had for its
object to destroy or change the form of government,
and excite civil war; and, finally, that he had been
arrested en flagrant delit of rebellion on his way to
the Hotel de 'Ville.

M. Marie, Minister of Justice, having asked that
the prosecution of M. Raspail be authorised dwrgence
by the Assembly,
M. Marrest observed that the 63d article of the
rules of the House provided that when a Minister
claimed the urgency of any measure it should be put
immediately to the vote. He accordingly consulted
the Assembly, which admitted almost unanimously
the urgency of deciding at once the question.
M. i%larrast afterwards asked the Assembly if it
consented to authorise the prosecution of M. Raspail,
and the same majority granted the authorization, not
more than twenty members having risen against it.
The greatest agitation followed that vote, and when
it had subsided the Assembly resumed the discussion
on the Constitution. M. Charles Dupin was left at
the tribune.
General Le Flo hes been elected representative of
the department of Finistere. Ile had 24,016 votes,
wb;lst bis opponent, M. Lacoste, had only 7,992 The
nutnbs of electors registered for the department W 135
11*,786, so that little more than a fourth exercised
the"- electoral right.