The Sun.
London, England, 1850-08-23 00:00:00

bribe the parties preferring the charge, rather than
submit to the annoyance and exposure of a trial in
open court. The power permitted to any person of
sending bills before a grand jury, and having them
found too often on the most ridiculously inadequate
evidence, is resorted to as a formidable instrument of
oppression to intimidate and terrify weak-minded
persons into compromises. Such matters are of daily
occurrence, and hare already gained an infamous no-
toriety.
There is another matter connected with this sub-
ject, which was painfully illustrated at the Central
Criminal Court on Wednesday last. Some pro-
tection is due to persons awaiting their trials ;
they should not be exposed to the plunder
that is carried on by sham attorneys, and sometimes,
it appears, even by duly qualified practitioners. The
friends and relatives of the accused make the greatest
exertions to procure the sum necessary for the de-
fence, and, too late, find that the party in whose
behalf they have made these efforts are left without
legal aesistacce. On Wednesday last, a man was
charged with a serious offencr, for which he was
justly subjected to transportation for life. His un-
fortunate and heart-broken wife had employed an at-
torney, and given him 21. to fee counsel. A
portion of this money, 11. 34. 61, had been paid to
one barrister, but the attorney advised that " a
leading counsel should be employed," which he
said would cost 21. 4s. 6d. The wretched woman
gave him 2/., and promised to bring the remaining
4s. 6d., but no second barrister was employed, and
it was with great difficulty that the money could be
got back from the " professional gentleman" who
had acted thus strange:y, not, indeed, until the pre-
siding Judge (Baron PLATT) declared that if it were
not given up he would direct an indictment to be pre-
pared against him. The Learned Judge commented
in strong terms upon the circumstances of the ease,
which we trust will not be forgotten when framing
the new criminal code.

THE FRENCH REPUBLIC.

We have received the Paris journals of yesterday.
The account of the emeute at Besancon is con-
firmed ; and from those very Ministerial journals,
which, so long as the fact could be kept a secret from
the inhabitants of Paris, recorded that the PRESIDENT
was received every where at Besancon with the
" utmost enthusiasm " we extract the following de-
scription of the " scene" at the ball to which we al-
luded yesterday. The .TJeniteur du Soir says—
" The great mass cf the population of Besai con is ex-
cellent; it is animated by the best sentiments. But with
that population are mixed up about 4,000 Swiss, erne
ployed in watchmaking. These men are so many re-
cruits to the Socialist army. It appears that they had
concerted together to make a violent 'manifestation in
honour of Socialism, when the President passed through
the place. According to the information which we have
been able to collect, these wretches were even disposed
to pass all limits, and proceed to the greatest excesses.
In a word, they proposed to attempt, if not the life, at
least the liberty of the President. This sort of plot was
to be executed at the ball at the Halle. Our read rs have
learned by the telegraphic dispatch that before proceeding
to the ball at the theatre, the President went to the ball
at the Halle. It was at the express request of the su-
perior authorities of the town that this visit was deter-
mined on. Just at the moment of leaving the Prefecture
one of the commissaries of polica of Besaili in asked to
see the President, and said, 'My duty and my honour
oblige me to beseech you not to go to the ball, as there
is a plot against your person.' Louis Napoleon calmly
replied—' I place confidence in the sympathy of the in-
habitants, and I shall go.' But scarcely had he arrived
there when the plot revealed itself. The President was
at once enveloped by a compact crowd, who hemmed him
in on all sides, and a dozen of individuals were above all
remarkable for the ardour with which they urged the
others to disorder. It was only after as obstinate
struggle that Louis Napoleon was freed from the circle
with which he was surrounded. The gendarmes on duty
at the ball, to maintain order, were obliged to employ
the greatest efforts to keep off the crowd, and General
de Caitellane was even forced to draw his sword. After
ge.ting out of the ball at the Halle, the President pro-
ceeded to the ball at the theatre, where he received the
most cordial and enthusiastic reception. An unimportant
incident took place there, but without producing any
effect An individual, wearing a red crasat, cried out
Vivo la Republic Rouge!' and was immediately ar-
rested. Without wishing to exaggerate the importance
of the little plot at Besancon, the ramifications of which
we are not yet sufficiently acquainted with, we cannot,
however, help reflecting on the consequences of this au-
dacious attempt, had i t succeeded."
We find the following account in the Patrie :-
.. _

" I concluded my last letter at the moment wh, n the
President went to the ball at the theatre. The most
brilliant company was there assembled to receive him;
among them were a great number of the Legititnatist
families of the nt ighbournood who bad never made their
appearance at any of the soi,ics given by the house of
Orl,ens, or at the public balls given in its honour. The
President remained there shout half an hour, and re-
ceived the most enthusiastic welcome. Oa entering and
leaving he was hailed with cries of Vive Napoleon!'
Vive le President!' Tho President then visited the
ball at the Hall. The demagogical agirat ,rs and the
population of one of the faubourgs of Besarc com-
posed mostly of Swiss, whu were uccupieo exclusively,
as at Jamaica, in watchmaking, and who process the
most violent opinions, a:semLled there. Rumours of a

conspiracy and of an intended attempt against the life
of the President were in circulation; a couunksary of
police, in alarm, went to me et the Prince, telling him
th4t he was the kvneral subject of conversation. The
_

President,with that calmness and resignation which you are
aware strongly mark his character, merely smiled at the
remark, and said he could not believe that any one could
wish to assassinate him; that, moreover, Providence
might dispose of him as it thought fit, and he haunt-
dtasely crossed the threshold of the ball-room door. He
there found himself, as d:d all his suite, so pressed upon
by the crowd that one of his aides do-camp, Colonel de
Neville, received some bruises, and General Vcsco had
his trousers torn. On leaving the room a similar scene
was renewed, and the President and his suite had lite-
rally much difficulty in clearing themselves a passage.
I must add that cries of Vive la Rkublique;' and even
of Vive la RA?ublique Democratique et bocialer were
uttered in the most hoAtle manner by a group of ill.
looking individuals, almost all of them strangers to
the place. Nine amongst them were arrested by
the gendarmes and by the commissary of police, Des-
cors, who alone seized six of them, one alter the
other. This fact, and the prevailing cry of Vive la
liOublique!' which were uttered at Bestir:9 rn, are far
from having the importance which our scarlet adver-
saries wid endeavour to give them. It is to be remarked
that the general character of the true population of Be-
satc )n has at all times been that of political indifference.
The foreign and transitory population, and the quarter
inhabited by the Swiss, are the only ones which make
themselves heard at a given moment, and it is well known
what is to be thou:ht cf people who have no real domi-
cile. The men of order, more here than elsewhere, con-
fine themselves, as Chateaubriand says, to closing the
windows when the storm rages in the streets. Ail un-
answerable proof of the truth of what I advance is the
nomination by a large majority of the inhabitants of
Bestir 9on of General Baraguty d'Hilliers to the Consti-
tuent and Legislative Assemblies, and the certainty of his
future re-election. This morning the President received
the authorities at the Prefecture. Aft -r those receptions,
which lased a considerable length of time, several old
soldiers of the empire were presented to him, and re-
ceii el proofs of generosity. A grand ckeuasir succeeded
to which the principal authorities were invited. At ele-
ven o'clock the President mounted on horseback, and
proceeded to the Polygon to pass the troops and National
Guard in review. The National Guard was composed
of the three battalions of the town, contlining a large
number of men, of the battalion of the banlieue, of the

legion of artillery, aad of the battalion of pompiere. As
to the troops of the garrison, they were only 3,000 in
number, being all that are quartered here at present.
The President, as he rode through the ranks, bad near
him General d'Hsutpool, General de Castellane, General
Baragusy d'Hilliers, General Vesco, General Rebillot,
U. Dumas, M. Bineau, Colonels de Vaudrey, de
and Edgard Ney, and the staff of the 13th
Artillery corps. The cry of Vive la Republique!'
was frequently heard during the Presiceet's
passage from the Prefecture to the Polygon; but
cries of • Vive Napoleon!" Vire le President!'
were also very general. Three men who cried Vive la
Republique Democratique et Socialer were arrested.
During the time that the troops were filing off, it was
also the cry which was most energetically raised by the
men, and particularly by the legion of artillery. How-
ever, the cries of Vive le President 1' and • Vive Na-
poleon!' were also heard, but not so frequently. In
general the attitude of the population was calm and re-
spectful, but without any entLusiasm. The President
gave the cross to several of non-commissioned offi-
cers, and soldiers. Colonel Hubert, of the 13th Artillery,
, and the colonel of the gendarmerie were promoted to
the rank of commanders. The President took his de-
parture fa Belton at half-past one, the authorities ac-
companying him to the gates ef the town. A salvo of
artillery from the forts annoui.cid his departure. A
vast crowd was assembled to witness his passage through
the town. The President, it is expected, will reach
Belfort this evening at hal:-past eight."
raised
The story of the plot for the assassination is dis-
ufthe assailants
National
weretiuna lSw iss. It is
helieved by every one, as is the assertion that the
mthitatedcrtyhatuftheviwvehollae
Guards
Republique, when the entourage shouted Vice le Pre-
sident on the departure of the PRESIDENT for
Besancon. The National Guard of Besancon are, we
presume, exclusively French citizens and French
householders, and may be considered as firm ex-
ponents of the feelings of the industrious classes.
The PRESIDENT arrived at Strasbourg on the 21st,
' as appears from the following telegraphic dispatch,
which is published in the Moniteur of yesterday ;--
" THE LIEITTENANT•GENERAL COMMANDING THE 4TH
MILITARY DIVISION TO THE MINISTER-OF-WAR.
" The President of the Republic arrived at three
quarters past two o'clock. The authorities were waiting
at the railroad station to receive him. An immense
crowd were assembled to meet him. Ile was received
with great enthusiasm."