Star.
London, England, 1816-04-29 00:00:00

• PARIS, APRIL 23.

ASSIZE COURT or TS; DEPARTMENT or Tag SEINE.
TRIAL HRLATIVE TO THE EWA'S (IF LAVALETTE.
cowntivvriori).
AUDIENCE OF WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24.
At Mf.past ten the sitting was opened.
M. CONFLANS was first heard in defence of his
iciient Guerin.

M. Dupre then spoke as follows, in behalf of the
three Englishmen
Gentlemen—On the same bench where usnally
appear only obscure criminals, you see to-day three
Gentlemen, whom their noble birth, the elevation of
their sentiments, and their honout able character,
would, it must have been presumed, have for ever
preserved them from such a misfeirtune ; but such is
the effect of prejudice, which builds on appearances,
Which always goes beyond the truth. and which,
though created with inct•neeivable facility, It requires
efforts to destroy. My clients babe ezperieticed this
to their great disadvantage: a sort of public indigna-
tion was at first excited against them—marked them
out as guilty—and guilty even of the greatest crimes.
They meant nothing less, it was said, than the over-
throw of the political system of all the States of Eu-
' tope. However, they succeeded in justifying them.
)'chess on this head: their defence was heard, and,
above all, felt. Thanks be given to justice, and to
the wisdom of the Chamber of Accusation.
" If thus their lives ceased to be threatened, their
honour still remained in peril; and to them, as to
Os, honour is evert thing. Their defence, therefore,
has not solely for its object to spare them an impei.
sonment more or less long—this is the least of their
, concern ; bet what they wish before all, and above
aU, is. to preserve for themselves, for their families,
for the nation more or less compromised, a considera-
tion so justly acquired.
Their journey would have been still a mystery,
bed not Wilson committed the imprudence of in-
tru►ting the secret of it to paper ; and even this im-
prudence would have led to no discovery, if the let-
ter had reached the Noble' Lord to whom it was ad-
dressed, under the respectable cover of the English
Ambassador. But the Juurnwls have told us of the
treachery of a domestic of Wilson ; and the letter
having thus reached the hands of the French Police,
nothing more was requisite as a ground for their
arrest. The forms in which they were proceeded
against excited their Protest, because they were op-
posite to their own laws, their modes, and their con-
stitutional ideas. It was thus that Wilson, who-
teased to reply to the interrogatories, having been
placed in secret custody, appealed to the Wear
torpor law, being unable to conceive that he was
►ound to criminate himself. This resistant not
originate in a contumacious spirit, but solely in ig-
norance of our laws. But the moment he had com-
municated with his Ambassador, what frankness.
What good faith, in all that was personal to himself 1
and his two friends acted a similar part. Their in-
twrogatories amply proved that their memory was,
not framed to betray confidence and friendship."
Here the Advocate retraced the proceedings in
the course of the criminal inquiry which bad at first
for its object merely the escape of Lavalette. but to
which was afterwards attached an imaginary eon-
, spiracy against all Europe. He contended that the
and 4 the Chamber of Accusatioa having set aside
this pretended conspiracy, it ought not to have been
reproduced either in the indictment or in the speeches
of Counsel. His clients could not be considered as
provoking the discussion, since they were compelled
to defend themselves. Here, said M. Dupin, my
task is a difficult one: if I defend my clients with
energy, I may, perhaps, incur the charge of being
turf ; if I display weakness, I may he accuser'
of basely deserting my clients—feeedo tier ivies.- H
But, for the sake of the strangers who listen to us,
for the honour of our own nation, it should be known
that an Englishman will find here as zealous defen-
ders as be could have found in his own cduntry.
(Here some expressions of applause having pro.
ceeded from a remote part of the Hall, the President
ordered silence, remarking—" People applaud at a
Theatre—they listen in a Court of Justice'
.")
M. DUPIN proceeded to remark on some serious
errors which had crept into the translation of Wil-
son's letters.

The PRESIDENT stated to M. Dupin that he would
call the Interpreter. because he was willing that the
defence of the Prisoners should have WI poisible
latitude.

After some explanations about an unimportant part
of one of the letters, Sir R.. Wilson said—" We are
satisfied as to the benevolent dispositions of the Court;
but there are two sorts of tribunals—the one of Jus-
tice, and the other of Public Opinion; it is to the
latter, especially, that we wish to justify ourselves.
The Pena:max.—Wilson, there is in France only
one sort of tribunal—that which tries in the name of
the Ling. •
M. DUPIN pointed out several pisiages mistaken
in his client's correspondence; and among others,
that in which he gpeaks of a great Movement which
unlit be caused, and which only related to a motion
to be announced to the Parliament of England.—
Relative to the passage which spoke of the discontent
of the Protestants, M. Dupin observed, that The
brothel' of the accused, in one of whose letters was
to be,fonnd the passage noted, merely indicated the
persecution, real or imaginary, of the Protestants as
one of the causes of discontent which existed against
the Royal Government.
?be Fokssian of the Juan.—You give a contra-
diCtiorr.
Dtriti.—Of the same extent as the allegation
against me.
The Fousaiow.T.Thea the who)e of the letter *Should
f:6,4144 •

elt was thought-dist this was Issaecessary.)
a. Possumloo4o vista of - my isscretionsty

'Pow*, I invite the tourelitair 440 bits *WI hoir
slated these papers to lish conjenedin oq !bp
terace,. Mi. Johis be,
Ihe us Pa'
r
saps marked by M. Dupla,
The trandator, after Wig, swim, Sr* this
fear that the operation would take up muds tithe, be.
cause M. Wilson's midair was vary difficult to reed.
Sir lt. Wilson then took his brother's letter of the
Bth of January, and read to the inesrpreters the pas.
sage of which they had to Is the meaning. He ob-
served to the Court. that the letter should net be read
entire, because it. contained some improper (itas
isah4s) expressions. •
The interpreter then commenced his translation,
but Was internSpted by the Court.
The AUVOCATI GIIIMPLALet abandon in the pri-
soners all she deductions which they may draw from
this correspondence. They may give the most
favourable interpretation to all the passages Indica-
cated in the act of accusation, in order to justify
themselves from the intrados which we bay ascri-
bed to them.
M. Duper.—After such a concession, I confine my-
self to the remark, that the letter, in which is the pas-
sige marked, is a rails!, and not a minuet Besides,
it would be merely the opinion of the brother of his
client, and nothing could be deduced front it avian
the latter.
" The public fonds are falling. Bavaria and Au-
stria are in arms." This was another of the passages
for which Wilson's correspondence was reproached.
This, however, was merely the repetition of aewsps•
per reports.
" He wished that the debates of the Parliament of
England could be published in France." What was
this but a wish proceeding from the nationality of an
Englishman, who thinks that sounder political doc-
trine was not to be sound elsewhere than in his Par-
liament Bf sides, the French police could prevent
the introduction of debates of the British Parlia-
ment, as soon as it might be thought dangerous.
It was also charged " that he transmitted prognos-
tics of po, ular commotions." But let as advert to
circumstances which the wisdom of the King has al-
.ready removed from our immediate recollection : it
was only # few months ago that agitators endeavod-
red to excite disturbances amongst us; and if Wilson
was deceived on this point, he can only be reproached
with having listened with too much facility to popu-
lar rumours.

4. Wilson, (it was also said) thought proper to
characterise several of our political events from his
interpretation of the capitulation of Paris." Admit;
ting this to be an error on his part, it was an error
which originated in a feeling that attached the grea-
test importance to every thing connected with his
country.
In a worm?, it is against acts, and not opinions, that
we must here make war. True or false, these opi-
nions belonged to the accused alone ; he was respon-
sible for them to no one, particularly if he gave them
no publicity, and he is an Englishman, to whom,
on this head, the Constitution of his country accords
ent:re liberty.
This indefinite liberty of ecpressing opinions is
balanced in England by the tendency of Ministers to
enlarge heir power ; and this liberty, which has been
represented under the falsest colours, is very far from
that unbridled licence which was, amongst us, the
cause of so tnany calamities and so many crimes.
Think not, however, Gentlemen, that, in speaking
thus, I place the English above us ; for we also have
both our liberty and our constitutional principles ;
and by the freedom with which I defend my clients,
they may judge that a subject of the King of France
is as free as themselves. _ _ _

It is time, howeve; Gentlemen, that I should
make you acquainted, by his actions, with him whom
it has been endeavoured to devote to public hatred,
by describing him as an enemy of public order, and
of the repose of nations. It is time to explain to you
these &wrthes 4' hewer which he wears on his
breast. a as decorated with the Orders of the Red
Eagle, of St. Anne, of St. George, of Maria Theresa,
of the Tower and Sword, of the Crescent, and of se-
veral others because he has served with distinction
in Flanders, Holland, Ireland, at the Helder, in
Egypt, Poland, Portugal, and Spain, in Russia.
Prussia, Germany, and Italy ; because he has been
charged with important missions at Constantinople,
St. Petersburgh, am.
He had already distinguished himself, when
scarcely 21, he went to serve in Egypt uniting his
arms to those of the blussulmens, be obtained by his
merits the Order of the Crescent from the Grand Seig-
nor ; and, joining literary to military merit, he be.
came the first historian of that famous expedition,
where the uncle of Hutchinson commanded in chief
the English Army.
Wilson went again to combat Bonaparte in Spain,
where he powerfully contributed to arrest his pro.
gre.s, by himself raising that Portuguese legion which
had so great an influence on the fate of the Peninsula.
It was in this war he became acquainted with Mar-
shal Nay : he fears not to avow that be was con.
quered by him, but in his defeat he had reason for
praising the generosity of the conqueror; and hence
the origin of that interest which, from ignorance of
its deriving its source from a just gratitude, has been
ascribed to political considerations.
At Moscow Bonaparte had still Wilson opposed to
him. In his Bulletins be complains bitterly of Mai
Eigath Caesioilser y p this is, in other words, to attest
the services which Wilson performed in that cam.

pal n. •
When Moreau received his toortel wound, Wilson
was close her that General, and was the first to raise
him and afford hits succour.

in fine, and to finish the picture, the eldest of Wil.'
son's sons is a middsipman On board is um.;
berland, that vessel which conveyed its.
Sr. Helena.
deF I now ask you, Gen whether General Vin-
son be an enemy dthe cams—whether be is a
Bogatertia ? for that is t epithet with which it has
been sought to tarnish his character.
Wilson has performed signal ItfliCali to all the So-
vereigns of Europe I he has had the happiness to be
also, In more than one instance, metal so his Majesty
Louih XVIII.—to that Sovereign,wisese twang is
strong enough to "eosin the smallest services.
Here M. Dupio read the five following letup s
" Gement Wikos, irks I decorated ya Were the map
vritb Ay thilitary Order .1 th. George des 614 C 164,1 did'
justice to the thdefetliable sad width, bring the wilieletoil
peso, thostaady Axed foe as the *drawl pow tie the
'valuer and Orrutediels at which 1 wai whom at ilaßriatd*

•
•
• ' . •
• •
SW." lid w to NNW eidatir pipes .r bllerplifity stordial by
Ibe bsaviterts of Itso assimblaorameica. grnifyW
MIM to you Is writing t%e islilimonlos to wlsles 100
hajea ie %larked s tide, and to metre you Of toy soda:eats.
(Siteed) " Atecasiask.
0 Trap/its, 47dk.deptember, ills."
Owed Wilson—At the asomeat when you My about tb
Ot the armies, wliere I have had each ikequent opportunity to
*quake to your seal and roast brilliant vatotor, In order to fol-
low soother destination I have resolved to give you a new proof
at say smistacties by decorating you with my Order of St. Ana
ease** 0.... You will find herewith enclosed its decora-
tive.. The heave men, by whose side you have so often fought,
will log et you. For myself, I shall always .r collect your cou-
rage and your indefatigable activity; and ahoild ov:lnts again
being you back to your aid brothers in anus, I shall see you with
pliersire. pray Gen, ht. (Signed) 0 ALLILAN DIR.
Fribing, Dee. 54; 1515."
Oeneral--1 feel gratified by the sentiments which you ex-
irMis to me In your letter of the ist hamar/. In partite so the
Bad pm hove Astlayedi he As:mimes.. and partkularly So your at-'
tadtment to my person, I shall feel a pleasure in proving to you,
ea every occasion, die interest which I feel for you.
(Signed) eittOtinCE WILLIAM.
.14 liar-sur-Seine, Feb. 7, 11114." .

" General—The Emperor having informed me that you have
lost the Cross of the Order of Maria Theresa in consequence of a
conduct as brilliant as fine, which in itself would have merited
diat distinction, has charged me, as Chancellor of the Order, to
transmit to you a fresh decoration, to which you daily acquire
new claims. Conservator of this hue institution, I feel personally
interested in seeing worn, by men of your merit, a mark of va-
lour on which they do not shed less lustre thin they receive
from it. (Signed) " Prince METTCRNICM.
" Toeplits, Sept. 24, ISIS.*
- - - -

General—I feel particular satbfactinn in being able to an.
'mecca to you, that his Majesty the Emperor, wishing to give
a special mark of the esteem with which you have inspired
Mei, both by the services you have performed as a soldier, and by
the faithful conduct which has distinguished you during your re-
sidence at bead-guarters, which his Imperial Majesty sees you
grit with regret. has resolved to grant you the Cross of Com-
laauder of hls'Order of Maria Theresa.
°' My sentiments are shared by * army which has been wh-
ims to your brilliant conduct, and by all my compatriots who
leme beat In a situation which enabled them to ettresiste the
I pi& sfjour ;siert. (Signed) 44 Prince Marscautcr.
Frtberg, January 4, 11114."

M. Unpin, next detailed some traits of Sir R. Wil-1
son's humanity.
"In 1808 be found a great number of French prise,•
ners in Spain. The ion of the Duke of Feltre, and
the nephew of Prince Talleyrand, owelto him their
safety in the Russian campaign: it was Wilson, also,
who saved the celebrated French physician I)esge-
nettes, and who gave him succours for the French
prisoners.
" Well 1 Wilson. distinguished by so many traits
of beneficence; Bruce, the nephew of the celebrated
traveller, and who has travelled himself in order to
enrich science with Isis observations; and Hutchin-
son, still too young to enable me to speak to you of
his life, but who came among us by the paths of ho-
nour—all three are deprived of their liberty, and ap-
pear before you as prisoners for an act of geneloiity.
which the very Arabs of the desart would have pro-
nounced worthy of the finest recompense.
" Having now reached the principal point of the
case, I reduce it to two very simple propositions :
lst, There was here no act of complicity between the
accused Englishmen and the principal culprit ;. 2d,
the fact imputed to them cannot be considered as a
crime nor as an offence."
Taking his ground on art. 60 of our code, M. Dn-
pin :hewed that complicity supposes direct and neces-
sary relations between the chief culprit and him who
is marked as an accomplice ; and that, in this case,
not the least connection could be indicated between
the Englishmen and an: of the otherepersons accused.
The means furnished to Lavalette for quitting
France could not constitute complicity in the offence
of escape (evasion), because the escape was then con-
summated. The very meaning of the word indica-
ted this • for we found in the Dictionary of the Aca-
demy the following phrase, which appeared com-
pktely in point : he skilfully got out et prison, and
after his escape (evasion) he retired to a place of
safety.
If, on the Bth of January, the day when Lavalette
was executed in effigy. any one had thought proper
;to demand the delay of that execution on the ground
that, the escape was still not consummated, he would
not have failed to have been considered as a mad.
man or a fool.

Proceeding to the Ski proptisition, M. Dnpin laid it
down that there could be no concealment, unless
' where these was an intention to secrete or conceal ;
but such intention could not be supposed in this case,
since the stay for a few haurs of the convict Lava.
lette at Hutchiuson's lodgings had solely for its ob-
jest to facilitate his departure. Hutchinson, in mili-
tary quartets, could not besides give an asylum to
any oae at his house ; he might receive every minute
an order to depart, and in this view a concealment
(cad) at his house was impossible.
Besides, added he, the acknowledgment of Hut-
chinson is the only proof existing on the trial of the
short stay which Lavalette made with him ; this con-
fession must therefore be taken simply as it stand ;
he has declared, however, that he Wit urged by an
anonymous letter to procure Lavalette the means of
departure from Paris, and not to conceal him. The
passports demanded, and the cabriolet furnished by
Bruce, sufficiently indicated also that the object was
the departure of the convict, and not his concealment.
Our criminal laws forbid the procuring of liberty
to him who is detained in prison, or entrusted to an
escort; but Lavalette had recovered 'his state of
tural liberty when the three Englishmen lent him
I their aid. They enabled him to get out of Paris, of
France, but not oat of prison.
It was a pure sentiment of humanity which in this
affair directed the conduct of Bruce and of Wilson ;
and why were we not to believe that a man might
interest himself for another who was unknown to him ?
Towards a relative, a friend, this sentiment would be
a duty—towards a stranger, it was merely a noble
movement of the soul.
AI Athens a young man was capitally condemned
for having killed a pigeon which had taken refuge in
his bosom ; because it was thought that be who Was
without pity must be always a bad citizen : and
among us, in the 19th century, shall a man be coo-
&toned for having saved another man ?
My clients are strangers, are Englishmen, and this
is precisely the reason why you owe to them all your
justice, as I owe to them all my zeal. You will thus
verify that fine thought of a celebrated Chancellor of
France—Strangers are sacred persons with us When
they invoke the justice of the King.
This speech being closed, the -President asked of
Bruce whether be passed the night of the 7th Jan.
at Hutchinson's apartments f
• Bruce—No, Sir; I retired at midnight
The Passunsni—Genetal Wilson, however, writes

'in his letter, that, when at night
at the door, you exclaimed, we are
' beg pardon of the
following are the words of my
lette then himsTlf exclaimed, we
The PRPSIMiNT" Sir Robert
not write that yon were armed,
lend yourselve• ?"
Wilson—" Mr. President, as I
friends and all those who ate

should believe me inc-tpable of ,
will read to yoO the passage from
to the fact as to which you interrop
ed We were prepared for resist,-
much more dependence on our prt.
The proceedings having closed,
son rose, and, with a dignified assurat
_ _

speech, of which the following is
a Mr. PreSident, you did me
the day,before yesterday, in telling
perfectly familiar with tie French
contrary, I hare need of all your
deavouring to express to you hot
of the liberty you have allowed
well as to express our gratitude ,
hasafforded us his services witn as muck..
" Notwithstanding the decision of the Chambord
Accusatiou, circumstances have been repeodored km
which ought to have remained foreig: discs
sion before the Court. I have been overwbeitned*
fore you with the most offensive expressions; and lee
all my crime consisted in Writing astbuugAt, ,Lt
berty is the Vivifying principle of ctii geroloretri
and that liberty was always my idol.
My political creed forbids to mix in foreign pa
litics. Yes, I would Wish to see all men free ml
independent, and that is not the wish of a consp:taror,
a The exercise of their.duties and of their nghts
the prerogative of men truly free; and you, Gra,
tlemen, like us, will be convinced of this, when
shall have longer enjoyed the constitutional Gomm
ment of your King.
46 It is from intertepted letters that proofs of '
minality have been endeavoured to be derived ag •
me. The violation of correspondence is it crime ,
thus it will have been by the aid of a crime that
has been wished to prove against me a CorreC
offence. I do not dwell upon this point ; brt
thought it my duty to point out this circismhanee
the meditation of the jury. But who gave publ"
so my thoughts ? Who laid hold ot, and by what
aseses..a correspondence addressed solely to the eyn
of a brother, and of a personage .whose name aims
carries with it the guarantee of all that is most Ulu
trious and loyal in that nation of which he has coo
scantly been one of the most zealous and enlightened
supporters ? _ _ _

Upou the accusation of having conducted Is
valette out of France, I will sot detail you long.
The fact is acknowledged ; I have only insisted a
the motives.

6' It is true that M. Lavalette, with whom I had
no particular connexion, had inspired me with an ie.
ter.:st which I shared with all classes of society is
France. The painful sacrifices, the interesting de.
votedness, the well-calculated audacity of Madam!
Lavaletti., had singularly increased that interest;
and where is the man who would have seen without
pain and regret the happiness of that virtuous and
for ever illustrious woman close in misfortune and in
despair ?, It is true, also, that I looked upon M. La-
valette as a man condemned at a period of revolution
for an offence solely political, and who, having freely
given itauself up, trusting to his innocence and the
presumed faith of treaties, merited all our interest.
But I declare that these considerations, howev
powerful, had a very secondary influence uu my

• a'

. 11111
111

• -.

it

6

" The appeal made to our humanity, to oar per.
sonal character, and to our national generosity; the
responsibility thrown upon us of instantly deciding
on the life or death of an unfortunate man, and above
all of an unfortunate stranger!-this appeal wet im•
perative, and did not permit us to calculate his other
claims to our good will. At its voice we should have
done as much for an obscure unknown individual, or
even for an enemy who had fallen into misfortune.
" Perhaps we were imprudent ; but we would ra•
Cher incur that reproach than the one we should ban
merited,, by basely abandoning him who, full of con.
,fidence, threw himself into our arms: and these very
men who have calumniated us, without knowing
either the motives or the details of our conduct—
these very men. I say, would have been the first to
stigmatise us as heartless cowards, if, by our refusal
to save M. Lavalette, we had abandoned him toi
certain death.
4‘ We resign ourselves with security to the decision
of the jury ;• and if you should condemn us for hav-
ing contravened your positive laws, we shall not at
least have to reproach ourselves fpr having violated
the eternal laws'of morality and humanity."
This Address prodded a strong impression, and
the respect due to the majesty of justice could scarcely
prevent the expression of it.
Hutchinson declared that he had nothing to add
to the speech of his counsel.
. M. the President having asked M. Bruce if he had
any thing to add to his defence, Bruce spoke as
follows :

I appear before a court of justice, on an masa-
Lion. of having contributed to the escape of Lava•
lette : if it is a crime to have saved the life of a mai
I avow that I am guilty.
I do not wish to derive any vanity from what I
have been able to do : an appeal was made to my
humanity, and my honour imposed on me the obli.
gallon of answering it. If the accusation had bees
confined to the affair of Lavaiette, I should have
but few words to say to you ; •but I have been ac•,
cused of having conspired against the political sputa
of Europe, of having excited the inhabitants of
France to take arms against the authority of the
King. It is true that this charge, absurd, ridieulinur
destitute of all foundation, and which has excited
equal astonishment and indignation throughout all
Europe, bas been rejected by the wisdom of the
chamber of accusation. But although this meow-
don has been rejected, the motives on which it wi4
founded still subsist. The Procureur•General, is his
act of accusation, has allowed himself to say--
M. the PaLuDiatr.—Accused, you speak French
with very great facility; in speaking, therefore, of a
Magistrate, and of so respectable a Magistrate, mea:
sure your expressions.
M. Brum .ontintscd.—The Procateur•Gsorsi said

thew Init al
are discovered, '
re President ;
letter :••••." M..
:. are discovered
en Wilson, did•
and prepared
I am anzlons •all
present at this
altering the tbe
om my letter 1 iers
rrogate me: WA(
;tame; hut we I
presence of mind.* 'be
ised, Sir Kofin r eo_.n '
assurance, delivi*, °`_...,
is the substance: Th;
ne too much how: y
'!___,_
fling me that 1 -11/DI
sell language; on 4/1
nr indulgence in tt: . Sir
3 W very sensible Tai- uI
Lid to my Sena e
as w
IP
to the advocate of
l.
as muclitalent :stea
ion of the eimr.L.. _, _ II
di

; dnVene el deride persons who are ;thinned:Midi 1
ial doctrines; that I4tm an enemy, from prin.,
jar, of all order and governmenk:=an enemy, from'
-Alleiple of all kings, of . justice, and of humanity ;
• A, ;fiend of the factious in all countries. 'these,
kinast be confessed, are grave accusations ; but the
Zonation which I am going to give of my princi-
' will be a conclusive answer to these calumnious
..ensgations.
I shall not enter into metaphysical abstractions on
the rights of men, nor into digressions on politics:
I will confine myself to a description of the principles
,bW have always directed my political actions.
I tots born en Englishman ; I love with enthusiasm
the constitution of my country—that is to say, the 1
constitution as established by our glorious revolution
• of 1688.. !tires then that was formed that beautiful
of Government which excites so universal an
Z.ration, which serves as a model to other nations,
a• makes our country called, by distinction, the
topic land of liberty, which earned for us the de-
-seed ulogium of the philosopher Montesquieu. viho
is* patrimony not only of France but of all the,
„RA and who, said of us—"" the English are the
logy people in the world who know how to make use
their religion, their laws, and their comm ce."
..,Isom il.e revolution of 1688 may be dated the rim-
-1
- amity, the greatness, and the liberty of Englan
.
....:r- -.
. lam hound to say. thlt if these principles, which
:;she mine, and which are those of the Constitution of
ay country, are subversive of all idea of order and
government. and make me.tbe enemy of kings,
0 justice, and of humanity, I am then the most
rilty of men, and my accuser is in the right.
• But if, on the contrary, these are the principles
Which procured for us our protecting laws, which Se-
cure to us our persons, our properties, and our rei.
Ilion, which have made of a people little favoured by
mune or by fortune the most happy, the best go-
verned, and most flourishing nation of Europe, 1
have a right to conclude that the accusation is nothing
but a revelling calumny. Yes, such are the
principles of that Wilson and of that Bruce. of whom
the Advocate General spoke in so indecorous a
manner. I inherited them from my ancestors :—I
• ihall carry them to my grave.
As to the affair of M. de Lavalette, politics had
nothing to do with it : I was moved only by the sen-
timents of humanity. You have seen, from my in-
terrpgatory, that I was hardly acquainted with him.
It is true, that the goodness of his character, the
hmiability of his dispbsitiun, and the sweetness f his
Manners, had inspired me with a greater interest than
Is usually felt for a personewhom one has seen so
little. I was never at his house : be had never been
• at mine: and it was here, where I appear as an ac-
cused person, that I had the honour of seeing, for
the first time, that virtuous and interesting wife, and
have been enabled to pay her the homage of my de.
voted and respectful admiration. •
It has been demonstrated to you, that there was
• as connection between us and the other persons ac.
cued. I respected the chains and gates of the house
of justice. I did not go, like Don Quixote, in quest
of adventures : but an unfortunate man comes and
asks my protection ; he :hews a Confidence in my cha-
inter ; be puts his life in my hands ; he appeals to
my humanity ! What would have been said of me
if I had denoiinced him to the police ? I should then
J, have. deserved ;bat-death with which I have since
. bees threatened. What do I say ? What would
have-been thought of me if I bad refused to protect
him ? I should have been loolcie upon as a poltroon,
ss a man without principle, without honour, without
courage, without generosity-1 should have deserved
the contempt of all good men. But, Gentlemen,
there were other considerations which decided me.
'There was something romantic in the story of LaVa.
hue. His miraculous escape from prison, that cruel
uncertainty between death and life in which be so
lokt remained—the noble devotedness of his wife,
that French Alcestis—her heroic action. which will
bye in history—all struck my imagination. and ex•
cited in my- heart an interest so lively. that I could
not resist its impulse : besides; as your La Fontaine
us, who in his simplicity has said every thing,
Dans ce monde U se taut I'un !'antra mewls.;
. Ilse taut entealder ; e'en la tai de nature."
Gentlemen-1 am yet young, but I have travelled
agresst deal: I have seen many countries, and have
ixamioed, with all the attention of which I am ca.
pable, the customs of the people. I have always
observed, even among the most barbarous nations,
among those who are almost in a state of primitive
nature, that it is a sacred thing among them to suc-
mar those who have recourse to their protection : it
is a duty enjoined by their religion, by their laws, by
their customs. A Bedouin of the Desart, a Druze
of Mount Lebanon, would rather sacrifice his life
than betray the man who' had fled to him for an
asylem : whatever be his country, whatever his crime,
he sees only the duties of humanity and of hospitality :
I, a civilized man, thought it my duty to imitate the
virtues even of barbarians. And I cannot persuade'
myself that, among a people celebrated for their gen-
&flit'', their humanity, and their chivalrous charac-
ter—which reckon among their Kings a Henry IV.
that model of a Prince—and would to GOD all Kings
were like him—which reckon among their heroes a
Bayard, the completest of all, without fear, and
Without reproach, whose device was always to succour
her distressed fellow-creatures-1 cannot believe that,
"aft such a people, an Englishman can be con-,
dawned for having saved the life of a Frenorman.
Gentlemta, I -have confessed to you, with all
Embalms and honour, the whole truth with respect'
to the part I took in the escape of M. Lavalette; and,
notwithstanding the respect which I entertain for the
majesty of the laws—notwithstanding the respect
Winch I owe to this tribunal, I cannot be wanting in
the respect which I owe to myself, by avowing that
I feel the least repentance forwhat I have done.
Gentlemen, I have now said all : I leave you to
"we upon my fate, and I implore nothing bat
. juke.
This discourse, pronounced with a strong foreign
°Mee, and with a firm tone sustained' throughout,
produced, like Wilson's, the liveliest impression: and
' lew heard several old advocates applaud equally the
11, ce of the accused and of their defenders.
The President having asked of each of the prier).
!Ms whether he had any thing to add to his defence,
wentedfately began to sum up the evidence.
After a rapid exposition of the facts. M. de Sense
*wad to the Jury. that he was fulfilling the (auctions
1 of alga% Ant du= of Judge, and that it wash his

• ... • ..

• .

• • •

..

dot,' to preset to then with iqual Ms the chairs
of the *nide& ma the Mutts ‘ldefetietie
This Magistrate performed this difficult with
all the talent which characterizes him; and if the im•
partiality of his cherge throughout proved the purity
of his intentions, fine bursts of eloquence repeated!) •
betrayed the orator who made his debut at the bar
under such brilliant auspices. •
Oa closing his charge the President put the ques-
tion, and the Jury retired to deliberate. It was a
quarter past four. About two hours afterviards they
returned, and their Foreman, with his hind on his
heart, read the declaration of the Jury.—tits sub-
stance, together with the nature of the sentence, ap-
peared in our Paper of Saturday. It may be right
merely to add, that Eberle, the turnkey, was ac-
quitted of having facilitated the escape by connivance,
but merely by negligence.]

PRIVATE LETTER.
PASO, Ana. 24.
The Interrogatories of Sir Robert Wilson, Bruce, and Notchie
sort, wenkseizeal yesterday by the police at the printer's, many of
them have, however, already got Into circulation.
Fifteen Spanish Liberalists were arrested here yesterday, In
suspicion of being eolfneeted with the conspiracy at Madrid.
Mina is one of the number.
M. de Talleyrand sets nut for ltalencay to-morrow. This
journey is variously accounted for. Some will have it that it
takes place in obedience to orders of exile, which is by no means
probable ; others say, that, foreseeing a crisis which. can be but
little profitable to himself in any way, he deems It prOdent to re-
move front rho theatre of events.
The 'rule of Wellington arrived In Paris en the night before
last. The Aid-de-Cenip of the Eniperor Alexander, whose arri-
val bete I mentioned in toy list, brings dispatches of whikh one
of the objects is to withdraw from the Duke the command of
the Russian army in France, which be holds as Generalissimo
of the allied faucet. The peals; cause of the differences mist-
ing between the Union and British Celine% cannot long re-
moist a secret to. the public., It would appear, that they relate to
tin settlement of new new order of Mots In cooternplatien in this
country. Medulla' to the nest prevalent opinion, these M-
isnames Orise from pretensions sat up by Reads in favour of
the young Prima of Orange,
,in the event of the reigning family
of France being removed from the throne. The expediency of
the latter eleasure, far the general 'sanguinity of France and that
of Europe, is understood to be now sensibly felt by the Allies.
An article which has lately appesred in the Belgian Moniteur,
is awed to be remarkable under the preemie etrannstaaces.
rue ankle, which is a most Battering eulogy of use young
Prince of Orange, concludes with the remark, that the ,ravel
Prices jint4ies areal the ilikh &disks Os whoa A, may Sr *Wed.
These hie, destinies, in the opinion of nutty, are obviously the
throne of France. The Government of the Low Countries, in
cosicett with that of Russia, are certainly taking steps in that
view. They lately made overtures to a character of great etl2l-
- in this country, who, suspecting M. de Richelieu 's feeling
on that point, ventured to confide to him the coaimunicatioo he
bad received. That Minister replied," such overtures do not sur-
prize me, for fou may he further consulted on the same subject."
Whence It would appear, that M. de Richelieu is not a arrears
to the Russian plan, in favour of the young Prince, and that he
presides over the overnment of Prance, as it bat; always been
thought, under the immediate kaluasee of Russian Caluocils. In
the hypot beds of such a of dynasty, the late vote of credit
for the six millions demanded by M. de Richelieu, might be sup.
posed a provision der the reeking Princes.