The Sun.
London, England, 1870-03-31 00:00:00

THE FRENCH PRESS AND THE TRIAL OF

PRINCE PIERRE BONAPARfE.
The Siecle declares that the acquittal of Prince Pierre
Bonaparte hag revived the painful impression which was'
created by the first intelligence of the death of Victor
Noir. The principle of civil equality is daily violated in
France, but the blow which has been struck by the trial
at Tours has inflicted an irreparable injury. The contrast
which may be observed in the tone and the manner of the
magistrates when they are dealing with an ordinary
criminal and when they are in presence of the Prince is
the more offensive, because nothing in the antecedents of
the accused called for the consideration which was shewn.
Victor Noir was a simple citizen, and that was the reason why
the High Court considered it was sufficient for the Prince
to pay his family an indemnity of 25,000 francs
when he receives each year from the civil list a sum
amounting to double the fine. In spite of the Revolu-
tion of 'B9 there remains a great difference between a
simple citizen and a prince. The prejudices and respect
which men of the ancien Hjime entertain for high birth
are represented in modern society by men placed at the
head of great institutions, and this accounts for the con.
tinuance of the revolutionary sentiment, and may some-
times justify its existence. Such is the moral which can
be drawn from this trial.
The Patric declares that the Prince's trial has not
engaged so much attention as had been supposed, but
that public opinion will now have a far worthier subject
of contemplation in the new Senatus-Consultuni. Per-
sonal strife and violent recriminations will disappear, and
give place to serious studies, which will result in the
welfare of the country, so that gradually and without any
sudden shock, France can enter a parliamentary regime.
The Temps has neither time nor inclination to discuss
the verdict which was given by the jury at Tours. All it
can say is, that in their place it would not have arrived at
the same conclusion. Even according to the most in-
dulgent interpretation of his conduct, Prince Pierre
gave way to the most violent temper, and the result was
that a homicide was committed. It is possible that a jury
constituted after the ordinary manner might have returned
the same verdict, but the consequence would have been
better for the Prince. It was believed that a privileged
jury '*ould have exercised higher authority, but the effect
has been spoiled by the manner in which the
procedure of the trial was arranged. The custom of
having a special 'court to judge certain persons cannot
possibly survive the trial of. Tours. The Prince has been
acquitted, but the system has been killed.
• The acquittal of Prince Pierre, says the Constitv,tionnet,
is not an event so unforeseen or so fortunate that we need
greatly rejoice over it. We acknowledge that this judicial
anou,ement leaves us unmoved. The verdict of the jury
in no way repairs the misfortune that has happened. It
does not undo the facts, the shedding of blood, the death
of a young man, the popular excitement respecting the
murder, the surrender of the name of Bonaparte to the
most violent passions, and the intemperate apostrophes
of the prosecutors. To have made us rejoite the past must
have been undone, and a relative of the Emperor should
never have mixed so painfully in the affairs of the
democracy. As for the magistrates they appear to have
done their duty, and we, like others, have been struck by
the unremitting effort's they made to preserve strict im-
partiality. The error of the defence and of the greater
part of the witnesses at Tours, was in supposing they
could treat the Palais de Justice as they would the Paris
clubs, and instead of appealing to the touching features of
the case, the youth of the victim, his future hopes and
kindred points which might have moved the jury,
they startled them by invectives. Their manner
of speaking and acting might have sufficed to decide the
acquittal. The Republicans have made the most unfa-
vourable impression, and it is to be hoped they will see in
the judicial denoument of the Auteuil drama the inevitable
result of all those excesses of word and pen in which they
have indulged. The provinces have chosen the first
opportunity to manifest their repugnance to such conduct.
Is it to be hoped that the irreconcilables will profit by the
lesson, and be .henceforward more calm and more modest?"
The learseillaise (Rochefort's paper) is, as might be ex-
pected, in a state of virtuous indignation. The result of
the trial is conveyed in the following words, printed in
immense letters :
" Pierre Bonaparte is acquitted ; Victor Noir is in the
tomb; 'Ulric do Fonvielle is in prison ; Paschal Grcussct
is in the same position Henri Rochefort also ;as well
as Millie/0, Rigault, Bazire, Dereure. Pierre Bonaparte
is acquitted."
The Procurcur-Gen4ral, the writer argues, is bound to
prosecute M. de Fonvielle, since the High Court, by
acquitting Prince Pierre, has virtually declared on
acquitting
guilty of rerjiirv.

CONFERENCE OF CHURCH AND
DISSENTING MINISTERS.

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A conference on education has been held at Salisbury,
and presided over by the Bishop. Five hundred invi-
tations to attend the conference were sent out, and
the Dissenting- ministers of the diocese were asked,
as well as the Church of England clergy. The
Bishop, in opening the proceedings, said the system of
education they already had, admirable and excellent as
it was, had been a system of encouragement. It had done
a mighty work, for which might God give His blessing
upon the heads of those who had been so active in doing
it ; but he must say he thought the system of encourage-
ment had nearly reached its end. He did not think
further encouragement, larger grants, or anything
the Government could do in the way of en-
couragement, would go far towards dealing
with that indissoluble residuum which the system of
encouragement had hitherto failed to reach. The system
of encouragement, and encouragement only, had he be-
lieved, reached its term. It was his own personal opinion
—and he might be wrong about it—but he thought if people
were to be educated some system like that proposed by the
Government was inevitable—some system which should,
as it were, begin at the other end, and, he would not say
turn the stream—God forbid that it should turn the
stream—but fill up all those parts which the stream had
not by encouragement entirely reached. The bill, he
must say, appeared to deal with the present system
fairly, honestly-, and truly.

THE UNIVERSITY CREWS AND THE THAMES UON-
SERVANOI BOARD.—Mr. W. M. Benson and Mr. J. H. W.
Goldie, the presidents of the respective crews, write to
express their regret that they are unable, in consequence
of the action of the Thames Conservancy Board, to fur-
nish accommodation to all their friends who desire to
witness the race. They also add, that in making the
arrangements for next year the discourtesy of the Thames
Conservancy will be taken. into consideration, and if, in
consequence of the race being moved elsewhere, or being
rowed privately, the public are debarred from seeing it,
they must lay the blame on that body.
UANINE SAGACITY.—A remarkable instance or
canine sagacity is reported from Worksop. Mr. Scott,
farm bailiff to Mr. Wainman, who has just left the Castle
Farm, at Worksop, removed about a week ago to Whitley
Manor, near Newport, Shropshire, with his master, taking a
favourite shepherd dog with him, Mr. Scott, a few days
afterwards, had to return to Worksop to attend at the valua-
tion of the farm, leaving his favourite dog at home. On
Monday night the dog was missing from home. A letter was
sent to a daughter residing at Worksop, who at once
went to the Castle Farm, and there she found the faith-
ful animal? He had actually walked a distance of eighty-
one miles in search of his master, having to pass through
Newport, Stone, Derby, and Mansfield to Worksop, an
entire stranger to the road. The dog was sent back by rail.
Mr. Scott had returned toNewport before the dog arrived
at the Castle Farm.

RUSSIAN RAILWAYS.—The Government Railway
Committee, now sitting at St. Petersburg, has decided to
postpone the consideration of the Siberian railways until
it shall have been decided whether the broad or narrow
gauge is to be adopted. The course of the
line from Orenburg to Viasma is, however, settled.
The line from Krementchug to Charkoff is proceeeing
rapidly, and will, it is thought, be ready for traffic in the
autumn. A return has been published of the rolling-
stock which has been obtained for the Russian railways
from foreign manufacturers during the past three years.
The total number of locomotives furnished during this
period was 1,203, from 15 different factories. The during
of these is that of Schneider and Co., of Creuzot,
which supplied 229 locomotives. Herr Borsig sent 217,
and Sail and Co. 183. The number of goods and pas-
senger carriages was 15,915. The average cost of each of
the locomotives was £2,500 ; of each passenger-carriage,
£3OO, and of each goods waggon, £l3O.
THE SAN DONATO COLLECTION.—EngIish
mil-
lionaires have been playing a prominent part at the San
Donato sales in Paris. It will be remembered that during
the sale of the paintings, fabulous prices were given, for
some specimens of the old French school, while the
works of the great masters were comparatively unnoticed.
In the sale of the artistic objects, China, clocks, bronzes,
&c., now going on, the English milords have again come
forward. Earl Dudley,' the Marquis of Hertford, Mr.
Dawes, and other wealthy Englishmen, are re-
presented, while Barons Rothschild, Selliere, and
other Frenchmen, compete closely with them. A (linnet
service in Sbvres porcelain, consisting of 162 pieces,
fetched 255,000 f., although the workmanship was by no
means extraordinary. It bore the cipher of the Prince
de Rohan, however, and belonged to the time of Louis
XV. Two large China jardinieres sold for 39,000 f. Two
rine rock crystal chandeliers were sold for 110,000 f., and a
pair of wardrobes for a similar som, the latter being part
of the decorative furniture of the Louis Quortorze period.
Other small pieces of decorated furniture and of old China
went for equally high prices. There are to be two other
sales, and already Prince Demidoff is congratulated on
receiving three times as much #9r hi artlitio 4omureo ass
could hFO DOOD, expected.