The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1854-01-18
MARSHAL NEY.

'osl FlSlloTS 10 IarlS have been conduc-
ted, ut some time or other to a retired
spot IN the garden Of the Luxemburg Pal
ace, where small cross seems to mark
the scene of some tragical event. At this
spot, i'll December, 1915, Michal New.
MARSHAL OF France, and owner of MANY
GLORIOUS titles besides, was shot for hiph
treason, and on tbs spot, one day last
week, statute was publicly erected to
his memory, with every accompaniment of
admiration and honor which a nation
could devise. An imperial decree ordered
the erection of the monument. The high-
est civil and military authorities of the
empire assisted at the ceremony. The
army sent It's formal representatives. The
Ministers OF State, the Presidents of the Le-
glslatIve bodies, and other high officers of
Government, were assembled In person.
The unyeiIing Of the Statute was perform
ed amid the flourish of trumpets and the
roar OF artillery, and when these demon
stratlons of honor had ceased, the Arch
bishop and Clergy of Paris appeared to
add the blessing of the Church TO the
work OF the State. That the spectacle
should have been heightened by the pres
ence Of the Marshal's own sons and wit
messed by detachment of Veterans who
had served under the orders of the slain,
are circumstances, indeed, suggestive of
the rapidity with which opinions may be
revoIutonlzed and parties transformed.
The particulars Of this transaction it can
hardly be necessary to retrace. Ncy, af-
ter the first dcthronement of NAPOLEON,
had Ia Sarui,n 4 Il = / ID ...-
bons, which service, when despatched
against Napoleon on his return from Elba,
he had tOrSaken for that Of his ancient
master. When the victories of the allies.
therefore, had once more brought the
Bourbons back to Paris the Marshal was
peached for high treason against the
hlng. In his defence it WAS urged that
the capituIation by virtue of Which the
allies entered Paris contained stipula-
ton to the effect, that individuals, when
IN the capital, should continue TO enjoy
their rights and liberties without beng
disquietcd or prosecuted il any respect
, IN regard 10 the functions which they oc-
cupicd, or might have occupied, or to their
polIt cal conduct or opinions" This ex-
cuIpatlon WAS not permitted to prevail,
and by majority of the Chamber Of Peers
;" great as to represent almost unanimity
Of opinion, the Marshal WAS adjudged
guilty Of treason and sentenced TO death.
About the abstract tenability of this con-
c!uaIon there cannot be much dispute. A
general who,when commanding the troops
OF Il king, carries those troops over to that
kings enemy, must needs commit an act
of treason, rs treason is understood; not
do we think, upon the whole, that the
special amnesty Of the Military Convcn-
ton could be held IN strict justice to in.
c!uGc such offences as that of New. That
the execution was a lamcntablc error
must now be admitted, but the true de-
fence of the accused lay elsewhere.
Gle who had fought five hundred bat
ties for Franco,-not one against her.
was shot as traitor !" In these words,
written years ago by an English sailor
lies the whole truth Of the story. Ney
had, indeed, committed treason, as trea-
son is legally defined, but the license and
impunity Of Il quarter Of century had
modified the guilt, and services of unpar-
aIleIed brliancy should have 1utweighed
the crime. Ii Ncy was traitor, so for
hundred days, had been every man in
Francc-not, indeed, so directly or so in
juriously as himself, but in the real spirit
OF the offence nevertheless. Even Peers
who sat in judgment upon the offender
must have sworn to aud forgotten at least
score of the most soiemn constitutional
oaths, and professeil s. glance TO as many
Governments. Treason, Il not ceasing 70
be treason, should cease At any rate, to
be capital crime when tbe sovereign au-
thority is so constantly chan ring. Ney
had seen his country kingdom, and an
empire over again. He had pledged his
faith TO a king, but he forgot bis pledge,
and adhered once moro to an emperor.
The circumstances Of his detection were,
indeed, fragrant; but, as things then went
in France, they did not warrant the PEN
atty Of death. For twenty years and moro,