The Sun.
London, England, 1832-08-31 00:00:00

FRENCH PAPERS.

(From Gulignanis Messenger of Tuesday.)
COURT OF ASSIZES.—SITTINGS OF AUG,. 27.
TRIAL OF TILE ST. SIMONIANS.
At half-past 9 o'clock the St. Simonians entered with a
slow and solemn pace, and observ:ng profound silence.
Their costume, their long beards and flowing hair, and the
fine countenances of several of them, greatly excited the
attention of the audience.
The accused are Prosper Enfantin, whom they call the
Father, aged 36, forn,erly a pupil of the Polytechnic
School ; Michel Chevalier, aged 26, also formerly in the
Polytechnic School, and late director of the Globe news-
paper ; Emile Barrault, aged 33, late professor at Sorreze
and at Paris ; Charles Duveyrier, aged 29, formerly an
advocate, and late editor of the Globe, and who has been
also a missionary from the Society or Fsmily to Belgium
and England. 'The fifth was Olinde 11,:drigues, who has,
however, separated himself from Father Enfantin's family.
The Father is the only one of the St. Simonians who has
not chosen a counsel ; but Michel Chevalier has appointed
to plead for him Charles Lambert, formerly of the Poly-
technic School, and engineer of the mines, aged 28, and
Leon Simon, a doctor of medicine, aged SI ; Emile Bar-
rault has selected M. Bruneau, formerly of the Polytechnic
School, and afterwards a captain on the staff, and a mem.
ber of the Legion of Honour, aged 38, with M. Huart,
also one of the Polytechnic School, afterwards a captain of
artillery, and since a director of the St. Simonian church
at Toulouse, aged 37 ; Charles Duveyrier has appointed for
his counsel Gustave d'Eicbtal, aged 28, late one of the
editors of the Globe. who has been a missionary in Eng-
lind, and Adolphe Rigaud, doctor of medicine, aged 28,
who has been a missionary in the west.
The clerk of tie Court then proceeded to read the act
of accusation, which contains six heads or counts. The
first charges the whole five accused, Enfantin, Ro Irigues,
Barrault, Chevalier, and Duveyrier, with having, in 1831
and 1632, formed, without having a licence from the Go-
vernment, a society consisting of more than twenty persons,
the object of whom was to meat on certain fixed days to
discuss religious, political, literary, and other subjects.
The second charges Chevalier with exciting the people to
overthrow the Government, by stating in the Globe of
Dec-tuber 4, a speech delivered by Barrault, at a public
meeting of the society, in which he said, " Every theory
of equilibrium and constitutional Government has fallen
sander the bullets of Lyons," adding, " The society will
henceforth discuss this polical novelty, of which we have
seen the commencement."
Other facts, charging the accused with the offence of
swindling or obtaining money under false pretences, are
referred to the Tribunal of Correctional Police.
The persons accused also admitted the several acts im-
puted to them by the indictment.
The witnesses then were severally c dled, and all hav-
ing declared that they would not take the oath without
Father Enfantin's permission, they were ordered to with-
draw.

M. Enfantin then said,—l am bound to state a fac'
that has just occurred in the Council-Chamber. 1 de-
manded for counsel two women, but the Court objected to
it. The question about to be discussed particularly inte-
rests females. Ido not seek to have this decision set
aside, hut it is proper that those who hear us should
know that in a cause in which females are particularly
interested, two women were denied the accused for his
counsel.
The President replied, that he was responsible to no one
for the manner in which he exercised his functions.
The Advocate-General then rose to speak in support of
the prosecution. He traced the history of the doc-
trine of St. Simon, and, alluding to the immorality im-
puted to the accused, read several St. Simonian publica-
tions addressed especially to women. He referred to the
schism that arose among the St. Simonians when M. En.
fantin explained his principles, and quoted the words of a
woman who, in the midst .ff a numerous assembly, ex-
claimed that they were deeply immoral.
M. Rodrigues demanded that M. llauld should be heard
as a witness. After taking the oath in the usual form, M.
llauld stated himself to be an advocate of the Royal Court
of Paris, and brother-in•law of Rodrigues. He belonged
o the St. Simonians, and approved their doctrines. He
then referred to a circumstance which is connected with
the charge of swindling to be tried hereafter, namely, the
will of a M. Rohinet, of Meaux, in favour of the St.
Simonians, declaring that the will was the free and unbi-
Aaised act of the testator.
M. Rodrigues then traced the rise and progress of the
St. &martian Society, and maintained that their doctrines
were exce:lent. He was of opinion, that the law forbid.
ding the assembly of more than =2O persons had fallen into
desuetude. Never under Charles X. was it attempted to
apply it to the St. Simonians. The donations made to
Cite Society were voluntary, and their financial affairs were
issnaged with order and economy. All the members of
the family were poorer than when the Association was
formed.
Dr. Simon, in presenting the defence of Chevalier,
dwelt principally upon the general principles of the So.
giety, and merely noticed, with respect to his brother, that
fie,, as well as Duveyrier and others, had abandoned ad-
a(antageoua stations in society to become apostles. The
worship of the St. Simonians ‘c as pure ; they adored God,
and were a religion.
Several of the Members of the Society then addressed
ttie Court.
M. Vuveyrier developed his doctrines with regard to
women, and maintained they were not contrary to morali-
ty. He observed that the budget for the opera and that
for the bishops were both voted in the same sitting of the
Chamber of Deputies, and the amount of the former was
greater than that of the latter, and yet religion and mo-
rality were talked of. " The Advocate-General himself
goes to the opera, which is the very kingdom of volup-
tuousness." The apostle was proceeding in the same style
when he was interrupted by the President, and desired to
confine himself to more suitslite I inp,uage. The rest of
his speech, however, was entirely upon the subject of the
love of woman.
The President inquired of M. Enfantin what would be
his system of defence, but he replied he could not tell.
M. 13alraillt explained his doctrines, anti maintained
that the present corrupt state of society could only be cured
by adopting the principles of Father Enfantin. He was
proceeding to discuss the subject of women, when
be was silence,' by the Presidest, who adjourned the
sitting till to-morrow.
The Temp: says—" The legitimatist circles are occu-
ped with the report of an accident by which the Duchess
Ink!litiitiothid: nearly lost her lite. As she was riding along
a crest' 'road in -I,a Vendee, her horse threw her into a
ditch,.atad her-land\ was dislocated by the fall." The
journal f.t-t same
i former' persons_ asse.t.,
4
,also • etf tains the following :—" Well-in-
hat the Royal Family are preparing
to quit Htilyroodry
e En?lisli Government is dissatisfied
( at finding that.tir arbores have abused the hospitality
''.sianaNtra theretac-biling themselves of it, to fotheut di •
ivalda,l„o7