Star.
London, England, 1816-07-11 00:00:00

ASSIZE COURT.

Yesterday the Court continued occupied in bearing
the defences of the various prisoners. After the dif-
ferent Counsel had been heard, the President asked
the prisoners, whether they had any thing to add in
their defence.

Pleignier threw himself entirely on the wisdom and
mercy of the Jury.
Cirbonneau professed his repentance for any share
he might have had in drawing up the Proclamations,
but denied that he took part in the conspiracy. What-
ever punishment was pronounced upon him, he should
bear it without murmuring.
Tolleroa pronounced a long discourse. He spoke
indignantly of the greater part of the accused being
described as of the dreg: of the itcople. His Emily had
not worm-taten parchments to shew, but it was well
known in the depat tment of the Nievre for centuries
of virtues.

The woman Picard pronounced with a lively emo-
tion, often intern:Nell by sobs and tears, the following
speech I have nothing to add to my defence,
except to entreat the Gentlemen of the Jury to pity
an unhappy vPorrian, who deeply repents that she has
been involved in such a calamity. My only crime is
that of having beea weak enough to receive those
cursed cards, without revealing it to my husband.
66 I entreat you to have compassion on M. Des.
batines 1 I have been the cause of his misfortune. lie
belongs to a respectable handy, to ‘thicti I owed
great obligations in my : his fAtl.cr rendered
me great services; and now I am the cause that he
is deprived of the embraces of his s .n. Let the pu-
nishment fell on me alone ; restore to a wretched fa-
ther a son whom he has not ceased to love. Thus I
'alone shall undergo the co.:sequences of my crime,
and shall n't feel the disgrace, when I return to my
country, of receiving the reproaches of an afflicted
parent. Be assured, Gentlemen, that it was nut I
that sent the wee to him, as I am charged to have
done. Whatever my punishment may be, I flail
suffer with resignation : lam guilty, I ought to be
punished, but nobody shall ever have reason to corn-
plain of me."
Desbeunes allowed that Picard had not sent him
the note except at his own express solicitation.
Dervin rambled into lung details about his con-
nexions with Scheltien, whose benefactor he was, and
who had denounced him to the Police. On being
called to order by the President, he said he acknow-
ledged himself guilty, and should hear his sentence
wieli sangfroid, but never would forgive Scheltien.
Sourdon delivered a very long discourse. The first
part of it was full of declamation against-the preju-
dices of birth, and of historical parallels drawn from
the conduct of Cardinal Mazarine. He wasrequested
by the President to confine himself to his cause;.--
" What am I reproached with ?" continued Sourdon,
“ with having composed songs in favour of Bona-
parte, and sung them at the Cafe Montansier. Ah I.
Gentlemen, think of those men of letters, those men
of genius, who have so often changed sides—of those
srirebeites, those political chameleons, always ready to
embrace the party of the strongest ; and reflect whe-
ther you can impute it as a crime to me—the obscure
author of some ephemei al compositions—the having
been for a moment carried away by the torrent of
example !" He confessed his knowledge of the cards
and proclamations, and declared it tohave been his
intention to denounce to the government the machi-
nations going on. But he contended, that if the its•
sociation of the patriots of 1816 was a conspiracy, it
was the most pitiable, the most ridiculous one in the
spinals of the world. Instead ot- mischief, it had b y
*s discovery produced salutary effects. To use a vol.
gar comparison, the conspirators had done the same
to the government that a prisoner would do, who,
thinking that he gave his victim a fatal draught,
shoold administer to him the elixir of long life.
The speech of Sourdon, says the Journal de Paris,
displayed proofs of erudition, logic, and sometimes of
oratorical talents.
The PRESIDENT then summed up in a speech which
occupied three hours in the delivery, and which con-,
eluded with an immense number of questions put to
the consideration of the Jury, with regard to the se-
speetive guilt of the principals, the accomplices, and
t,:e non-reeeders, The Jury retired to deliberate at
seven o'clock in the evening.
The Gazette de France hat the following paragraph,
dated Sunday morning Verdict has not yet been
given; the Jury have been enclosed in their chamber
since last night ; a considerable crowd is collected
about all the avenues of the Court of Assize. At tote
close of yesterday's sitting the prisoners in general
last their firmness and assnrance. The approach of
a moment so solemn appeared to fill them with the
most lively. alarm Pleigater shed searsiocessantly.
It is now seveno'clock, and the Jury are still deli-
berstiug.".
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