The Sun.
London, England, 1858-02-27 00:00:00

TSB ATTEMPTED AVASSINATION OF
THB BMPEROR OF TEE FRENCEI.

PARIS, Thursday.—The Court of Assizes was I
crowded long before 10 o'clock by those persons
who bad obtained permission to be present on the
occasion. Many of the correspondents of the
London journals were unable to get into the Court.
It is not positively known whether it is the inten-
tion of the French Government to exclude the
agents of foreign journals during the trial of Orsini
and his companions ; but certain it is, the difficulty
of obtaining tickets to enter the court is much

greater than on previous occasions.
Authentic information is, it appears, to be sup-
pressed as far as possible. In pursuance of a deci-
sion as unprecedented as it is arbitrary, unconsti-
tutional, and illegal, the authorities have pro-
hibited the French journals from publishing any
reports of this trial, except such as shall be given
out by a board of censure specially appointed for
the purpose. The official report is intended, it is
said, to bs very brief.
There were ;,in court many gentlemen of the
French bar who will, no doubt, give their version
of the trial, and by degrees all will be known.
The accusation and trial is based on an attempt to
assassinate the Emperor and Empress of the French,
on the eveningof Jan. 14. Five persons are d rectly
accused as the authors of the plot, namely Ji)BePh
Pierri, Chas. de Rudio, Antonio Gomez, F. Orsini,
and Simon Francois Bernard (the last-named ab-
sent). Da Rudio, Gomez, end Orsini, who threw
the shells, are further accused of the murder of
divers persons who have died from the wounds they
received on the said evening of January 14th.
The conduct of the trial is in the hands of M.
Delangle, the President. Orsini and Pierridecided
on having M. Jules Favre as legal counsel. De
Radio and Gomez having declared that they had
not made any choice, President Delangle has named
M. Mathieu. to act for the former, and M. Nicolet
for the latter.
Lord Cowley, Marshal Magman, General Fleury,
M. Dapin, and M. St. Georges (of the imperial
printing-office), were among the company on the
bench behind the judges. The members of the
Council of the Order were the only advocates (be-
sides those engaged in the cause) who were admitted
without tickets. At 20 minutes past 10 the four
prisoners, guarded, as usual, by gen larmes, took
their seats in the dock in the following order : 1,
Gomez; 2, de Rudio ; 3, Orsini; 4, Pierre Gomez
appears about 30 years old. He his a n.ild expres-
sion of countenance, rather fresh colour, long light-
bro sin hair, and no beard. He was well-dr seed in
black, with black kid gloves, and appeared very
calm. He does not look at all like a servant, but
his appearance is less distingue than that of the
other three, who have evidently been brought up as
gentlemen. De Rudio has a large head with a
lower jaw strongly developed, and a very deter-
mined expression of countenance, yellowish com-
plexion, thick black hair, with mustachios and im-
perial of the same colour. He is a strong made
man, with large high shoulders. He was dressed
in black ; age 25. He appeared very calm.
Orsini, the principal prisoner, is a man of middle
height (40 years old), with hair turning grey and
very much off his forehead, and large and very black
whiskers. He has an aquiline nose, piercing black
eyes, a small well-chiselled mouth, very white
teeth, and a pale complexion. He was well dressed,
with a black frock coat and black kid gloves. He
speaks French fluently, but with a strong Italian
accent. On coming into court he looked round
with a certain degree of curiosity, but without be-
traying the least emotion.
Pierri is 50 years old. He has short bristly black
hair, and wears an entire beard, which is rather
grey. He has large features, and a countenance
expressive of great determination. Like the other
prisoners he was dressed in black, It was remarked
that both he and Orsini held their heads erect, with
a haughty, undaunted air.
A few seconds after the introduction of the pri-
soners, President Delangle and the other judges
took their seats on the bench. After the usual
questions to the prisoners touching their names,
ages, arid profes4ons, the long acte d'accusation was
read, and occupied the court till past 12 o'clock.
The sit.tiug was then suspended a short time. On
the judges returning into court, Gomez was inter-
rogated by President Delangle. His answers may
be summed up to this effect :—That he was not re-
sponsible for the act with which he was charged ;
he only obeyed orders without knowing the object
of them. (Orsini wan observed to smile during
these explanations.)
De Rudio said he was sent to Paris by Bernard ;
that when he arrived there, but not before, the
project of the assassination was confided to himby
Orsini ; thathe agreed to come into it, because, had
he refused, he feared that he should have been
treated as a spy, and periaap- assassinated.
Orsini said that when he found that Napoleon 111.
bad it in his power to do so much for Italy, and
had used it against her, the idea came into his
head to act the part of Brutus, and that it was a
right thing to kill the man who had killed the
liberties of his country. He repeatedly said that
he would not say a word against his fellow-pri-
soners, and that he regretted anything which, in a
moment of anger, might have fallen from him
against them. He answered with apparent candour
all that concerned himself, but did in fact refuse to
answer every question touching his confederates.
He showed great firmness throughout. He took
credit to himself for the part he had played in the
Roman Republic. He said that liberty ought to
be based upon courage and constancy, and not upon
assassination. Whether Italy was to be repub
lican or not, he said that she must first, and above
all things, be ind.spi.h.4