Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1851-07-17
Altstelldneous.
From the New York Evening Post.
Victor Hugo's Defence of His Son.

Victor Hugo, made in defense of his son Charles
Hugo, one Of the writer's for the Evenement, who
WIS accused and tried for having written an ar
tlce on the brutal execution of mediterranean,
criminal, in which he condemned, in the se-
verest terms, the penalty of death. The speech
we find in French paper, and proceed to trans
late it for our readers. The article itself was
vehement and eloquent protest against the spirit
of the penal law, and argued the bad effects of
it, from the fact that, in the case of Montchar-
mont, the natural Indignation excited by his
crime was turned, by the mode in which the law
was executed, into an ardent sympathy for the
criminal, Mr.. Hugo's statement was legiti.
mate and impressive one, and contained in it
nothing in the least disrespectful to the laws
But the authorities thought otherwise, and he
was prosecuted.
At the close Of the trial, his father, the illus
trious dramlst and poet, appeared in court to
address the jury in his behalf The courtroom
was crowded with the most eminent as we'll as
fashionable people of Paris-and, when he rose
to speak, solemn, almost awful silence, is said
to have pervaded the whole assembly. He be-
gan as follows: ". Y. Eve. Post.
Gentlemen of tho Jury when heard the
first words of the Advocate General, supposed
for moment that he was about to abandon the
accusation. | was soon undeceived. After al
his efforts to circumvent and lessen the points of
debate, he was LED, by the nature of his object,
to developments which have opened every aspect
of the question, so that the question, in spite of
him, resumes all its original greatness. I do not
complain of that
| will approach the accusation Immediately ;
but let me begin with proper understanding of
words. A good definition is often good dis
cussion. Respect for the law,-the basis of the
charge,-what does that import? What its sig
ni6cance-what its real meaning? Evidently
it does not mean the suppression, Under the pre-
text of respect, Of all criticism Of the law! No,
il simply means respect for the execution of the
law; nothing more. 1t permits criticism, it per-
mits censure-severe even as we have examples
every day, and that, too, in regard to the const-
tuition, which is superior the law. 1t permits of
an invocation to the legislative power to abolish
dangerous law it permits US to oppose any
moral obstacle to the law, although it does not
allow US to oppose any material obstruction.
Let the law be executed, though it may be a
bad law, unjust, arous,--denounce it to
public opinion, ,--denounce it to the legislature
but let it be executed. Say that it is bad, say
that it is unjust, say that it is barbarous, but let
it be executed! Criticism yes Revolt; no
That is the true sense of the phrase, Respect for
the Law.
Further, gentlemen, consider, that in the ope-
ration of celebrating laws, there are two func-
tons, that Of the press which cricises coun-
sells, and enlightens, and that of the Legislature,
which decides; Now, if you paralyze the first
function, you, by repercusiou, paralyze the Sec
ond. If laws were never criticised, they would
never be meiorated or reformed. The Legisla-
tive Assembly would have nothing to do, and
might as well close its doors. But that, sup.
pose, is not your aim.
This point made cear, all doubt as to the
meaning of the phrase respect for the Law,
having been dissipated, enter into the heart Of
the matter
Gentlemen: There was, in what may be call.
ed the ancient European code, law, which fol
more than century now, all philosophers, all
! sound thinkers all true statesmen, have wished
to blot from the statute book law, which Bac.
cara pronounced impious, and Franklin declar
ed abominable; law, which falling particular
: ly on that portion of the people already crushed
= by ignorance and misery, is as odous to the de
mocracy as it is repugnant to the more refined
= and intelligent conservatives a law, which KIM
( Louis Philippe, whom always name with th
. respect due to age, to misfortune, and to dealt
Q in exile-said he detested with his whole soul
a law against which M. DeBroge has written
: against which M. Guizot has written-whos
f abrogation the Chamber of Deputies, twent
: years since, in 1880, demanded by calumna
8 ton, and which, at the same epoch, the SEM
d barbarous Otahetans razed from their codes
d law which the assembly of Frankfort abolishe
=. three years since, and which was admitted int
II our constitution of 1848 by the most lamentabl
It lndecision, and amid the most poignant regret
s but which, at the very moment speak, is sui
r ected to two propositions for its repeal by tn
n Assembly; a law, in short, which Tuscany di'
cards, which Russia discards, and which Franc
i is about, or ought to DISCARD that law befol
which the human conscience every day recol
= with deeper dread, IS, the "penaty of death
J. Profound emotion.)
J., TMr. Hugo here read some extracts from LC
on Foucher, in censure of the law, and descrl
Il ing how society began to get ashamed OF Il
= guillotine.l
Il Well, gentlemen, was deceived; Leon Fo
e cher was deceived. 1t is recovering that fals
/, shame. The gullotine begins to feel that it tt
h is social institution, as we say to-day. Al
/, who knows? Perhaps ii is dreaming, like OF
o ers, of its restoration. "a laugh.) The obscu
barrier St. Jacques, whittier it has been reno
= ed, is falling into decay. May we not yet see
IN reappear in the Place de Grave, in broad day
n before the crowd--with its apparatus of head
- men, gen d'Ormes and public criers-and und
n the very windows of the Hotel de Vile, whe
al it was once, on the Oath of February, dishonc
ed ed and mutated?
y y meanwhile ii is tricking itself up 1t fee
y, 'na' society, SO deeply moved, must needs, in
1u uer 10 Its establishment, return to it's ance
"e nc tfadltlonS-and the guillotine is one of tho
=" Haaltlons. 1t protests against those demagogu
- anu ueclalmers, whom we call Beccaria, Viz
~ rhang'erl' Montesquleu, Target, Franklin
at whom we call Louis Philippe, whom we c
VIZ 1Foglie and GuiEot, and who dare to think a
h NkEA