Star.
London, England, 1817-09-02 00:00:00

FRANCE.

ATTEMPT ON THE LIFE OF THE FRENCH PRINCES.
COUNCIL OF WAIL—FMST MILITARY DIVISION.
TRIAL OF SEVERAL INFERIOR OFFICRIUI OF THE 2s
REGIMENT OF THE ROYAL GUARD, ON THE CHARGE
OF HAVING PLANNED AN ATTEMPT ON THE WI
OF THE PRINCES OF THE ROTAL FAMILY.
SITTINO OF AUGUST 28.

The Members of the Council of War appeared in
their places at nine. The Court was crowded. The
front seats were filled with Ladies, who, it appears,
are not die least tondo( those painful emotions which
such scenes excite. The doors Wale kept by troops
of the line and gene-d'armes. Tbe Clerk of the Court,
read the papers relating to the trial.
The following declaration appeared in the written
examination of Chayous. -ca Desbaus said to me one
day-.Listen—itis Faiseaux who denounced us-.leave
him to me—to-morrow I kill him. I shall then go
to the Colonel's and rati'my sword through his body."
Desbaus also. declared, that on. tbrday after that
on which he had made the proposal to Chayous and
Nessueu, of firing on tbe Princes, a window was
mar Iccd by Chayous in passing through Versailles, as
convenient for their purpose. uWe may fire from
that," said he, u but we must have the doers WM-
cadoed, so as, in case of missing, to 'charge again,
and fire upon the guard, should it attempt to seise
us." He added, that on the 28th, Chalons said to
him—" Well, this is our day," to which he answered,
6, Talk no more to me of it... 1 have a wish to gun it
up altogether."—" What!" returned he, you waver
—in whom can confidence be placed?"
Desbaus was then introdyced, and crossed the
Court with an active and daring air, fierce look, and
livid countenance. The audience steed up from cu-
riosity to read on his face the atrocity of his sail.—
He was guarded by two gems d'annes.
The President then questioned hisn as follows:
What is your name ?—(ln a hasty tone) Claude
Francois Desbaus.—Yonr age ? Twenty-five years.
You know the cause et your being io custody'?
You know you are accused of a plot against the lives
of the Princes of the Royal Family ?-a(Becoming
more animated as he spoke) Yes, Sir; in a moment
of delirium I proposed to, my comrades to fire upon
. the Princes; they rejected the proposal; I then pro.
posed to cast lots who should do it; they still refus-
ed ; I then said I should take the place of him on
whom it tell. I we; at length isersuaded to give it
up, and haddone so, to such a degree, that I said to
Chayous and Nessuen, whom I met at the review,
• I'll give you a bottle of wine to drink the health of
the Princes. They were glad I abandoned the,ides—
The President—That answer does not agree with
the answer of your accomplices.
Desbaus (angrily)—What's that to me? We were
all agitated then, but are now before the Tribunal of
Justice, and shbuld speak truth.
The President here stated several contradictions.
Desbaus—l was so frantic, that I thought I could
upset the family of the Bourbons, by one musket-shot.
President-Did not Chaim: reproach you for not
having executed your deal a?--No.
Why did you say so ?—To be revenged on Cbs.
yons, for saying I wanted to kill my Colonel.
Was it not Chayoux's intimation that Nessueu
tended denouncing you, that made you abandon it ?
—No, sir ; it was Cliayous persuaded Me to ailimdon
it, by all sorts of seafiavesetai wars.
Do you know Faiseauxl—(With rage.).-Faiseaux
is a villain, covered with crimes. He invited me to
drink brandy ; *hewed me a tricoloured cockade he
never left oft; spoke against the King, and endea-
voured to revive the little kindness I preserved-for
Napoleon entering the regiment.
President—lt is your interest to say so, but be ap-
pears a good and loyal soldier.-4 speak truth.
. President—You still bad a hankering for the
usurper. -Do you remember what happened you at
Mayense ?—Desbaus—that is irrelevant to my cause.
Why did you cow to Paris without leave ?--My
Captain gave me verbal leave:
What did you go into an amours?s shop for
?
I knew Faiseaux had informed, and I wished to blow
out my brains to avoid trial.
What did you say to him ; did you not say you
wished to kill the National Guard and the King ?
I was chunk and don't recollect; I could not have
said any thing so absurd. •
It was a criminal absurdity; crime is often frantic.
What Madame Thomas says is wholly false.
Chayous, a young man of 22, wearing the ribbon
of the Legion of Honour, was then introduced.
You are accused of a plot against the lives of the
Princes ?—I have already stated the grouads of my
innocence. Desbaus roposed to me, the 24th of
April, to fire at the Priocea.
slrsoaded him of,
- not wishing is betray, by denouncing, we who con-
fided in me.
You say it was the 24th. Faint's says you spoke
of it to him on the 10th: you asked how the Princes
would be escorted ? adding? that thirty brave men,
like you, might kill the Primes, whilst forty more
could assassinate the King ?-4aid tbse, as a thing
barely possible, without any . .
The morning of the review, Faismax saw you oil
and flint your musket, and, singing significantly Ca
ire, you told him Desbaus was is give you cartridges ?
1 did not say so.
Were you present when one Guichard pat mus-
tatheos oa the King's bust ?—No Colonel.
You are charged with an infamous, atrocious ex-
pression, " It 1 had his (the King's) heart, I'd eat it
aid drink his blood I"—(Warmly) No, 'us a horrid

falsehood, which nose bee Faiseasx could invent.
Neuneu was then examined, and lamed that be
cut the. King's hest only by accident on a particular
occasion, and never joined in the plot. Guiclsard was
brought up in a state of great weakness, (rows gan-
grene in his thigh. He said, putting the mostachem
on the bust of the King was a mere pleasantry, and
be knew nothing of any plot.—Vastrais was next in.
traduced and denied any knowledge of the conspiracy.
The principal witness, Serjeant.Major
*said, I know Dimino', and drank brandy with him in
March. He proposed the health al General Conan
Couau, I answered. I drank the health of the King
only. Our convened= ended for that day. On
the 14th of AO, Dolmas came to the Barrack,
and spoke to C6yous apart; the latter said, w rig
WI talk before bien--be of ebe eight waY Of
thinking." the no longer thaEglisd 'ay "VA 111
said the Government could aotlag. The gen *sue

fair. said Desbaus. I did not understand this....
Wben I was suspended as Serjeant-Major, Charm
came to see as. and confided to me the plot of
Dabs's. I pretended to agree with his revolu.
tionary ideas, and thus obtained all his confidence.— I
Oa the-.2oth, of April the review by the Duke of
Berry was talked of, Chayour came to see me. What
news, said You know, answered be, that the
Duke of Berry reviews the troops—well, that devil
Desbaus wishes to assassintlh" " You gain
nothing by that, said L. the Government will survive,
and you are lost." " True, said he, and I told Des-
bans so ; but he says he is bent upon it, and that
when one Prince is assassinated the rest would fol-
low—partisans would spew themselves, end a revo-
lution be effected." On 'heath I went to Chayoux's
quarters to see whether he had cartridges—be had
not, and said Desbaus would give him some. He
was preparing his gun. I told ail to M. Bailly. This
is all I know.—President—Desbans, what have you
to say in answer ?
Desbaus (viokntly)—Tbat Faiseaues conduct in
the regiment takes away all credit from hint. He
states 6.000 francs (looking furiously at him).
President—Do you persist, Faiieaux do.
Desbaus.....How, say, you ? (advancing towards
Edison).
President—Gene d'arme, bold the prisoner.
Desbaus—Oh I don't tear.
ftometurther witnesses were then examined to im-'
material points. Desbaus thought proper to explain
" General Conan. Comm." It meant, be said, a
ducks and was an expression among the soldiers.—
After • consultation from ten o'clock at night till
one in the morning, Francois Desbaus and Jean Bap-
tiste Chayonx were condemned to death ; Joseph
Nessums to three years' imprisonment. and Varaigne
and Geisha& acquitted and sent to their regiments.