The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-07-31
LIBERTY OF THE PRESS IN FRANCE.

CHARLES HUGO, sonof Victor Hugo, the drama
fist, wrote article for the EUensmen newspaper,
in relation to the brutal execution of Montchar-
mont, a criminal The article was vehement
protest against the spirit Of the penal law and
gued the bad effects Of it from the fact that
his execution excited sympathy for the criminal,
instead Of condemnation of his crime. For the
publication Of this article he was prosecuted. At
the close Of the trial, Hugo's father appeared In
Court, and addressed the jury in his behalf in a
splendid speech, which has been widely copied In
this country. Notwithstanding the efforts made
in his favor, Charles Hugo was found guilty, and
sentenced to six months Imprisonment. Wesub-
isin the sTilGle fGE the publication Of which Hugo
"THE ExKouTIoN OF MoNrcuARMoNr--Four
days ago, In an open square Of French town, and
in the face of day and civilization the law, that Is
to say the divine and sacred force Of society, laid
hold Of wretched man, who plunged and kicked
and having bound him neck and heels, dragged
him by the hair of the head to the scaffold already
bleeding from his laoerated skin. Four days ago
before population in profound CONSERVATION
the law, for an hour together wrestled with crime
What had this man done against society He
had killed. What was society doing TO this man
Why, making him q martyr Paruisans Of CAPT.
tai punishment, what was your object In bringing
this wretched assassin 10 the guillotine To show
apparently to all, human justice In its force and
power-to raise in the minds Of the masses the
sentiment Of right, by calling on them to assist at
the punishment Of vile creature--to accomplish,
in fact, solemn, imposing, and terrible act
What have you done1 You have committed q
violent horrible and regretabe act instead of en-.
iofau 4 nd n ha ~ he La hov
almost made them, ranged them, on the side Of the
sufferer This man, who had little before been
an object Of horror, you change into an object Of
pity. You employ two then four then | know
not how many, to kill this man, who struggled
against being put to death. The first exeoutioner
failed, you call a second at length, after half a
day of toll and efforts, you succeed in putting an
end to him, and you wipe off the blood from your
knife and the sweat from your brow MOI you
have not been imposing-you have not been
solemn-no, you have not been terrible. Be IL
we'll done or III DONE an execution is never good
sight for society TO behold. Whatever be the
hand which commits it, homicide is never moral
teaching. However honest and conscientious
may be your tribunals and your judges 1t will
never be by killing that you will prove thou
must not kilt Modern society has condemned
the law du talon of retaliation TO practice IL 10
the reverse OF progress 1t is to take from society,
from justice, and from the magistracy, 9 portion
Of their proper consideration. Each time you
effect public execution, you cause the law to
descend in national respect in inverse ratio to
the height Of your scafOd. If you will preserve
your barbarous penalty Of death, do as they do 10
Amerca--do not show, but hide yourself Do
not invite all France, the whole press ell eyes, to
zee you, and all hearts 10 Judge you, when
you are executing, and particularly when your
executioners do not koOw their trade, and your
guillotines are as badly made as your laws For
our part, we are profoundly afflicted, and even
alarmed, for all those dear and sacred interests
on which public tranquility reposes We protest,
and will ever protest. against those spectacles Of
another age, when society, forgetting the Gospel,
drAgs wretched human being TO horrible death,
holding up to his eyes on the way an image Of
Christ which he does not look at.
"CHARLEs HUGop