Star.
London, England, 1830-12-24 00:00:00

LETTER IN THE TIMES.

PARIS. WZDXUDAY RYZNIXG.

You will perceive by the journals of this day, that the process against
the ex-ministers has terminated by the Infliction of a severe but secon-
dary sentence--lots of civil rights, and perpetual imprisonment, instead
of the extreme penalty of death. The sentence was not protr ulgated to
the Parisian public last night. On the contrary. among the ctowds
sembled at a late hour around the Luxembourg, it was generally stud
at nine and ten o'clock, that Polignac and Peyronnet were dooms!
to capital punishment, and the others to a heavy sentence of fine and
imprisonment.

The prisoners were removed at half-past four o'clock from their prime
in the Petit Luxembourg to the Castle of Vincennes. under circuit
stances somewhat extraord'isary, and which arc only imperfectly stand
in the papers of this day.

General Lafayette had repeatedly during the day rode out and ad.
dressed groups of the people assembled in the neighbouring street.
This venerable patriot assured th.m that justice would be done upon
the prisoners according to the laws of the land, but that vengeance
should not be inflicted upon one of them by popular violence until his
life was first sacrificed in their defence. The people, as on the previous
day. generally cheered their ancient champion; but some cried,
" Down with Lafayette." The old soldier remarked, that liberty had
never hecn secured by a tumultuous interferelm with the laws; and et
length, when irritated for a moment by some hisses, be exclaimed,—
" Who are you in that corner? I know the brave defenders of liberty,
but your faces are strange to me—on the 29th of July I do not temem.
bet to have seen you at our barricades."

As I mentioned in my letter of yesterday, the crowds though press ,t 1
back by the military almost as far as the quays, were still congregating
and shouting, and receiving recruits from the Fauxbourgs St. Antoine
and St. Marceau. This news having reached the head-quartt es of the
staff at the Luxembourg, Count Montalivet, the Minister of the Inte.
rior, immediately repaired to General Lafayette, and his staff; who se
then with him in the gardens of the Luxembourg. to consult upon the
immediate removal of the prisoners to their old quarters at Vincennes.
Lafayette at once raised his band against the attempt ; said they were:quite
safe where they were, In an encampment of 20,000 National Guards, 4,000
soldiers of the line, three corps of cavalry, and the direct personal in.
fluence of the beat of France; and that be, at all events, would net
undertake the responsibility of their removal. " 0 God !" said the
old general, " what would be all our feelings if a single shot from any
miscreant, took effect upon one of those prisoners, or if one of the Na.
tional Guards failed in his duty at the approach of night-fall, through
terror of a crowd !" Colonel Festharnel, Colonel Lavocat, General
Dutorre (of the artillery), Colonel Fabvier (of Greece), and other officers
on the staff duty, said they saw no danger, provided they had the pri.
goners once enclosed in a small cavalry escort, and no movement of any
kind made by the National Guards, the sound of which could be hea'd
among the people then at the lower ends of the streets.

Count Montalivet then at once decided upon their removal, declaring,
that m Minister of the Interior, he was ready to take the whole respon
sibility upon himself, and he instantly sent an express to Gen. Dace.
mesnil to be ready forthwith for the reception of his old guests, and to
have all the lamps in the passages of the Castle lighted. Count Dion.
talivet instantly ordered his own caleche, which was In attendance, to
be led round to the small new door, so well fortified by iron bars and
guards, as I have already had occasion to mention to you ; and Colonel
Fabvier was at the same time despatched with a small escort et
cavalry to be ready to receive the caleche at the beginning of the nex:
street leading to the Boulevards. Colonel Feathamel went at once
to the prisoners, who :had just partaken of some refreshment in the,
dining-room be simple mentioned to Prince Polignac and Count
Peyronnet, that they and their colleagues were to accompany him at
once; their hats were handed to them; but they had not time for even
taking away their papers, or a change of dress,—they walked slowly.
and with evident surprise, through the small apartments, and narrow,
winding passage of their prison, till they reached the small outer door,
where the caleche, with a pair of horses was ready; it was a small
vehicle, and only with inconvenience calculated to accommodate four
persons. The leathern cover was quickly drawn, and in such a hurt.
that nearly all the glasses which were fixed in it were broken. Colonel
Festliamel handed them into the ;carriage, while the staff
officers, with Count Montalivet, mounted the cavalry horse
ready saddled for service on the open, and set out at an easy pace
through the lines of National Gusrde t<hich occupied the 4040 t
streets. The National Guards within the prison, and who mar the
prisoners as they passed, did not know what to comprehend of this
movement. Several infantry and cavalry soldiers asked the staff of.
cers, who rode at the side of the vehicle, what this procession meant;
and Colonel Fabvier's escort, which joined at its proper station, wrs
equaliy interrogated. The movement was executed as soon as It was
made, and in thirty-five minutes after their departure from the P tit
Luxembourg, the prisoners were lodged in their old apartments a: de
Castle of Vincennes, not having, during the way uttered one
and being apparently astounded at the occurrence. Polignac was parti-
cularly dejected; perhaps he remembered the terrible example of tI
murder of the Duke d'lloghien in the fond of his prison; and with
the knowledge that a capital sentence for high treason here Is cumuli
forthwith, he disliked (as he well might) the ominous proximity of
dungeon to the simple and affecting grave of his former Bourbon fried.
The moment the prisoners were lodged in this place of strength and
safety, General Dictate went express to the king, who was pleased st
the prompt manner in which the removal was effected.

At 10 o'clock, however, the senteuce was reed to the prisoom by
hukeifa of the court of Pens. They received it with perfect caimans
sod reeipadon.

You are aware that the deliberations of the Court of Peers is watt,
but I can tell you that only owe Take was raised with the steed est
guilty generally ; there were 141 voias far the sentence which sus
passed ; 110 were for mitigating that sentence against Chantelause std
de Renville.

Odiikon Barrot, the Prefect of the Seine, has this day published N 0•
then proclaasadon to his fellow-citizens, in which he has applauded theft
justice sad gentenshy, and informed than of the sentence of tlit
illinisters, and of thole labs pannitted just to prolong a painful and
infamous wham V.

Wednesday Erasing, 5 o'clock.
Ilse mate of tide sky up le the ekes I dew thin letter, is disturbed :
the Nadeasl Geode ere heepeantly ender arms; groups of workmate
is. sheet crying far the blood el the ezesinisters t Polytechnic tow,
eed stedeeteowe sipda said is be with these peeps; but I hays not eem
each silks, dough I hate eiserved erreval et the crowds, end hied
Me many students that the kayaked= whist them is Wee. Car-
tridges woe lest night fiend in else in the weedier of the Feu.
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more arrests have been made this day ; but all, I believe,
among workmen. The Government say that there are con.
spirators in this city of rank. Why, then, not seize them ?
The fact is, from what I see passing lodes my own eyes, the mob here
place their chief strength upon the feebleness of the ministers. There
is no man of vigour and firmness in the council, and honour and virtue
are not the qualities which command and control the turbulent in times
of impending danger. lam just Informed that crowds have gone forth
to Vincennes. Those who want to cross the drawbridge of that fortress
will, however, have no easy task. The Government say that 600 brig.
ands are the right-arm of this civil commotion. 800 of the street mob
see already in custody. I still see nothing alarming, if the throne is
surrounded by a Government of decision and promptitude, and there
alone appears to me the danger.
For instance, last night the regiments of the line bivouacking in the
court of the Palais Royal, and squatted like Canadian Indians around
their watch-fires, were chanting the Parisian and Marselloise hymns,
just under the windows of the King, while holding a council. If Mar-
shal Soult were in the Palace, one would ask hint, is this military dis-
cipline ? The people were of course outside the rails joining in full
chorus with these military songsters.
All the shops are now shut in the Unit' Royal. People are every-
where congregating, and so are the National Guards.
At night fall again people apprehend a serious eordir.uance of
this disorder. The King has shown himself at the balcony, and in the
court of the Palais Royal. lie was well received, but the mob still
continue vociferous. Various deputations of students and young sol
thers have been with the King this day, to testify their allegiance. Y.

The following is an extract of a letter from a distinguished
member of the Chamber of Deputies :

" PARIS, Dec. 20.

'• We are at this moment in a state of flagrant revolution. Under
pretext of the trial of the ex-Ministers, republicans and others threaten
the Chamber of Peers, the Chamber of Deputies, the King perhaps,
and oar institutions. All our National Guard is under arms, as well
a+ the military garrison : and this night, perhaps, there will be a battle
under my windows. The:populace is excited by agitators, who repre-
sent the former ministers u the murderers of their brothers and their
children, and the Peers of France u the accomplices of the accused
slum they are to judge. The enlightened part of the population ap-
par, determined to repulse every attempt at a revolution."

111