The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1833-05-17 00:00:00

(THE ALBION AND,STAR.).

The acquittal, of Bergeron and Benoit, charged with
an attempt on the life of Louis Philippe, is fresh in the
recollection of our readers. The charge has been gene-
rally treated as a burlesque affair, and therefore a report
of the trial in any paper in which it might appear to wear
that character must have proved ungrateful to the govern-
ment. The National offended in that particular, and was
brought before the' Royal Court, by which it was condemn-
ed, and sentenced to pay a heavy fine ; but, on appeal to
Ihe Court of Cassation, this judgment has been set aside,
and the case ordered to be tried by the Court of Assize.
It will be seen in the letter of our private correspondent,
which we have received with Paris papers up to yester-
day's date, that this affair has produced considerable ex-
citement in Paris, and we think we may congratulate the
public upon the right feeling on this occasion. A govern-
ment affecting a regard for the liberty of the subject should
not have sought to withdraw such a cause from the cog-
nizance of a jury. A co'nviction would have been no
triumph in a court, where, from the nature of the charge,
a fair trial could not have been expected, or, if fair, would
not have been so regarded by the public. On the whole,
therefore, the government have ..acted in this instance
with great indiscretion, arid in LW'S-arbitrary-proceeding
exposed their own weakness.
The Moniteur, in its non-official part, announces that
the-Duchess of Berry, before her Royal Highness gave
birth to a daughter, -declared herself the lawful wife of
Count Hector Luchesi Palli, Prince of Campo Franco,
an officer of the court of the King_ of the Two Sicilies.—
The Times, who has watched the Princess with more than
obstetric care, affects to know her case better than the
Princess, and insists that the child has a Vendean father,
but is to be affiliated on Prince Ruffo.

Unless a princess must be, by the virtue of her royal
birth, more than a woman, she may be betrayed into an
indiscreet marriage like many virtuous females before
her. There is, therefore, something grossly malignant
hi the anxiety displayed in a certain portion of the press
to fix a crime upon this unfortunate lady. As a political
device it cannot materially answer the purpose of the
reigning Sovereign of France, for though the degradation
of her oyal Highness might possibly affect her right to
the guardianship of her son, it cannot affect his right to
the throne.
The reference to Algiers in our correspondent's letter
deserves particular notice. It is tolerably clear that the

abandonment of Algiers would excite great dissatisfaction
in France. Is Earl Grey then prepared to surrender it in
perpetuity—to smooth the pillow of King Louis Philippe,
and save his throne from any rude shock to which it might
be exposed from popular indignation ? ;

(FROM THE MANCHESTER HERALD.)
THE STATE OF THE COUNTRY.—It is impossible to con-
template the position which ministers now occupy in
public estimation, without contrasting it with that which
they held only a few short months ago. Alas ! where is
now the popularity of the most " enlightened" and the
most " talented" ministry which this country ever pos-
sessed ? So-rapid a fall is, we believe, without a parallel,
and must doubtless be sufficiently mortifying to men who
have always prided themselves on possessing the good
'opinion of "the people." If we inquire why the Whigs
were lately so popular, we are referred to the assurances
which they gave, or were given in their name, that with
the fall of the tory influence would disappear a large
portion of the public burdens ; and that the disfranchise-
ment of Old Sartmi Would put an end to corruption.
We need not ask how the country's expectations have
been fulfilled. That they were extravagant, is true ; but,
then, for what purpose did ministers allow them to be
seriously entertained when a single word would have
demolished them ? The reason is plain. Ministers knew
perfectly well that the Reform bill could not be carried
without the aid of popular clamour ; and they also knew
that the people would not enter into their views unless
they were persuaded that their exertions would bring
them something better worth seeking than an increase
of whig influence. Full scope was, therefore, given to
the wild and absurd anticipations which were afloat;
and the great bulk of the people unwilling or unable to
perceive the difficulties which stood in the way of their
fulfilment, enabled ministers first to carry the Reform
bill, and then filled the house with their party. Min-
isters have obtained both the objects they had in view
when they projected the Reform of Parliament. They
have extinguished the tory boroughs, and got a Parlia-
ment after their own hearts. But what has the nation
gained ? That is the question which the people are now
putting to each other. They look upon the relief pro-
mised by Lord Althorp's budget as a mere mockery of
their distress ; the Political Unions are up, and the
worthy citizens of London are " resolving" not to pay
either house or window tax. Truly this is a very plea-
sant state of things, and eminently calculated to promote
internal peace and prosperity ; but it is the natural con-
sequence of the disgraceful means employed to effect tue
perpetuity of whig domination.

MR. SPALDING AND THE NORTHAMPTON
HERALD.

(From the Northampton Herald.)

We informed our readers a fortnight ago that Mr. Spalding
had applied to the Court of King's Bench for a rule nisi
against the Northampton Herald. We have now to state that
Mr. S_palding has begged to have the rule discharged, and con-
sented to pay all the costs of the legal proceedings. This deci-
sion was wisely adopted on the perusal of affidavits sworn to by
gentlemen of unimpeachable integrity and honour, one of
whom, the Honourable Captain Fitzroy, actually addressed Mr.
Spalding as stated in the article complained of, while the two
others, Sir Charles Knightley, Bart., and Capt. Barton, swear
distinctly to what passed upon the occasion in question. If our
private information be correct, and we have no doubt of it, the
Solicitor General, who was employed against us, made his way
to the House of Lords as soon as he had read the statements
submitted by our counsel for his perusal. The object of that
movement may be guessed at by those who reflect that Lord
Brougham is the stepfather of Mr. Spalding. Be that as it may,
the Court of King's. Bench has pronounced its decision most
completely in our favour, and that too upon Mr. Spalding's
application.
After we had written the foregoing article, the mild tone of
which (but little deserved it appears) will be obvious,. we were
astonished to find that Mr. Spalding had applied, though without
success, for a second rule in reference to the same case grounded
upon fresh affidavits. It is impossible to imagine a proceeding
more unmeaning or more ill-advised : unmeaning, because the
Solicitor-General must have been too well used to the custom of
the court to expect such a rule to be granted ; and ill-advised,
because Mr. Spalding has now rendered it necessary for us, in
defence of our character, to publish the affidavits by which our
case was supported. As far as the affidavits were read upon
which the Solicitor-General founded his application, the decla-
rations amounted, as indeed they could amount, to nothing more
than that the -words which were heard by some were not heard by
others. We give the affidavits sworn on both sides in reference
to the rule which has been discharged, and the article complain-
ed of will be found in the affidavit of Mr. Spalding. We speak
without communication with counsel when we had, that from
the course adopted by Mr. Spalding, we think it very possible
that we may may become prosecutors. We have a charge to
make now, and it will probably be a question for our mercy to
consider whether, and in what form, it shall be brought forward.