Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1815-12-29

w Z udsC iCCCtfNu tpt> s'O'i''O'i or "
Iping and Lloyd's lists to the 18th of No
!velnber, fran which we have copied ma
my interesting articles Of marine intelli-
Isence. See the proper head.
Price Of cottou--P rimeU Upland, Is. I'd.
New Orleans Is. Cd. Sea Island Is. Sd.
a as. Cd.
DETAIL OF FOREIGN NEWS.
Per the Amiable Matilda, capt. Aymar,
in 80 days from Liverpool.
From the Lirerpool Courier of Nor. %.
FRANoE.-I'he trial of Ney has reach
ed its termination, not by the prisoner
being found guilty or innocent but by the
court having declared It's incompctency
to proceed against him The incompe-
tence of the court was urged by the pri-
eoner's council, who pleaded, that, as a
peer of France, he could only be tried
by the chamber of peers. The court de-
! liberated upon tic question, and. by a
majority, acknowledged the validity Of
! the objection. Under some cTcum-
stances, perhaps this decision might have
created 10 surplize for whether Ney's
treason had degraded him from the rank
Of peer or not is, at least very disputabe.
IF Louis has acknowledged the validity
of the peerdom Of others of Bonaparte's
creation, and still acknowledged them as
peers, tho they have involved themselves
very considerable vim reasonable practises,
during the usurpation, we do not see how
Ncy can be considered by the French
government, as no longer a peer Of
France for though his conduct was
more grossly reasonable, yet others were
involved in the same principles, and still
sit in the chamber. We apprehend, how
ever that the decision of the court has
arisen from a Discrimination in the ma
lioritg Of The court to fl ding him guilty
|and That they were previously disposed
! to avail themselves Of any plea by which
they might nd themselves OF an unplea-
SAINT affair Could less be expected from
IMassena, and Mortier, and others TO
bring Ney before such court, was either
ito give him judges greatly disposed to
}acouit him, or otherwise, By doing JUS
tee to him, to condemn themselves, and
Ito lay down precedent for their own
!eulpation and punishment. The decision
,of the court has not. therefore, at all sur
Iprized US, and we do not regret it. His
condemnation by the chamber of peers,
we conceive to be morally certain and
tie decision, Of such tribunal will give
more weight to the punishment of the Of
fender, than could possibly arise from
the decision of court martial. 1t will
strike ,s,ore terror into the guilty party,
and enable the friends OF government to-
meet them Oh higher ground. We of
course, consider tie guilt Of the Marshal
as obvious, and no one, we think, canI
Tread his answers to the interroeatoriesl
but to him. and doubt whether it amount
ed to treason. The only show of excuse|
which has been offered by other French
| otcers who went owe to Bonaparte was
that they were carried away by their
troops. This apology, poor as it is, can
not be offered by Ney. He acknew-
hedges, that he read boaaparte's procIa-
a.alion to his soldiers, and seconded
them By bis own influence and conduct.
before the troops had declared them
selves. He might not be implicated in
the conspiracy to bring Bonaparte from
fsl5s. 1t does not appear that he was !;
bat it is clear, that, after going from the
;.reseRce OF Louis, to whom he renewed
ais professions of allegiance, he became a
traitor himself, and seduced an army.
which might have preserved the monar-
Icby, to join the usurper. A more mani
fest case OF treason, even from the show
ling of the prisoner. was never made out.
land if such man should escape. right
and wrong are confounded. AID all law is
lbmlesque. his trial may be more te-
d;ous before the chamber of peers but
we conceive the issue to be more certain.
considerable Joy was expressed in Paris
on the decision of the court appointed for
Ney's trial, the Bonapartists considered
it an acquittal, ard the agitation of the
public mind is said to be the reason why
tie government has commanded the
chamber to proceed to the trial without
ldelay.
Private letters are said to have been
received from the south of France, stat
linz the renewal of the prosecutions OF the