The Sun.
London, England, 1858-11-27 00:00:00

THE SUN.

SATURDAY. NOVEMBER 27, 1858.

Never, during a career of no ordinary character,
has the Count DE MONTALEMBERT acquired such
high distinction as in the trial which was intended
to crush his genius, and change the liberal senti-
ments in which he indulged. Never was the
EMPEROR guilty of so grave a mistake. Never did
he permit the sycophants of the ante-chamber to
betray him into so great an error. That they may
have writhed under the keen and polished sarcasm
of the brilliant orator and the gifted writer is more
than probable, but why their Imperial Master
should have condescended to become the instrument
of their petty vengeance—why he should have
allowed them to drag him through the mire with
which.they had been saturated, is a problem that
will puzzle future historians, who willwonder that
one so astute and clear-sighted in other matters
should have so easily fallen into the trap, and been
guilty of so gross a blunder.

As to M. DE MONTALEMBERT he may accept his
imprisonment as a high honour, more glorious far
than the cordon of the Legion of Honour,
than star or riband of any order, however
distinguished. He has proclaimed the truth
when it was forbidden has asserted
the liberty of the Press wilaen it was proscribed.
He has rendered justice to British institu-
tions when it would have better pleased the
back-stairs influence to libel and calumniate
them. The defence of his illustrious advocates,
MM. BERRY ER and MT/JURE was not an
apology, but an exultation. They vindicated every
act of their clients, while proving that had it
even been otherwise there was not the shadow of
a pretext for a conviction. The law under which
they were tried was no longer applicable to their
cases. But, then, conviction and sentence was a
foregone conclusion, that proved how profitably
France might have benefited by our English insti-
tution, the trial by jury, the great palladium of
our national liberties.

It is deeply to be regretted that those brilliant
addresses cannot be published in extenso. Unfor-
tunately, however, the French Press is now tram-
melled, and cannot give publicity to anything that
will not be pleasing to " the Powers that be," no
matter how earnest the anxiety of the people to
receive fair and impartial information ; no matter
how desirous Englishmen might be to peruse a just
report of the proceedings. It cannot be given
unless the journal in which it appears is prepared
to brave all the consequences, and to be suppressed,
If such should be the will of the authorities, for its
plain-spoken and straightforward truth.
The fine of 3,000, or, taking that of the printer
who knew nothing about the article previously to
its appearance, into consideration, 4,000 f. can
easily be provided. It should not be permitted to
fall on the distinguished orator. A shilling, aye
a penny subscription would speedily defray it ; and
a noble opportunity would be afforded of display-
ing British appreciation of the candour and bravery
displayed by one of the most illustrious Frenchmen
of the age. The praises of England fell heavily
on the ears of France. The insolent sabreurs
who dared to insult us—who fulminated their
vile slanders and bootless threats —were
encouraged ; but the first—the only man—
who has bravely dared to vindicate our institu-
tions has been tried, condemned, and punished.
The freedom of the United Kingdom forms too
striking a contrast to the absence of liberty in
France.

The Procureur Imperial contended that the in-
stitutions of France feared no comparison with
those of England. Was he not at the very moment
giving the clearest and most unequivocal con-
tradiction, to his assertions, proving that there
was neither a free press nor fair trials
under the Empire ? Was he not setting
the official seal on the charges put forward
by M. DE MONTALEMBERT, and establishing
beyond the possibility of doubt or difficulty that
the praise of British institutions must be as injuri-
ous to French ones, as it would be distasteful to
many Frenchmen, and more especially to the
haunters of the ante-chamber who have so cruelly
persecuted :the talented writer for daring to state
the whole truth, and nothing but the truth ?

The interesting trial has now terminated. The
buck-stairs clique have had a nominal triumph, but

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