The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-05-05

fksee Avanr Increased T. an extent acnoadins per-
scaxa setnatoa 10 - dissneeuca. the collection OF
oess. Ae.s
Aso attsai 81 DR. BERNARD.
NE tria, oil Dr. Simon Bernard, french refu-
se>, .vias In London, on charge Of completely in
tie crime by which twelve or fourteen persons
wsre killed and over a hundred wounded in an
attempt % murder Louis Napoleon, was In many
respec,s enc OF the most remarkable which has
oecarred II the ysgIish Law courts daring the
present century. The trial occupied two weeks,
ana the published evidence almost swamps the
compact type and broad colsmns Of the London
Times The array OF legal talent was eItraordi.
nary. Mr. Hdwin James, the leading council for
the prisoner, bore himself With intrepid spirit
and loftt eiqusucs which present q refreshing
contrast 10 the mouosooous and prosaic style OF
modern Huglish speech making and which was
worthy Of ia tone genius and vIgor, the best days
Of the British bar. Ths Attorney General, with
able associates, Conducted the cause for the
Grown. and the Lord Chief Justice Campbell, who
presided over the trial. delivered an impartial
and dispas.ionate charge to the jury. The twelve,
after az absence OF only an hour and quarter,
returned with verdict Of "Not guilty"
The evidence against the prisoner was clear, con-
necsea and conclusive. 1t ia utterly impossible
that any sane man can read the testimony, IS It
appears Ia the London Times and doubt that DR..
simon Bernard furnished orsini, Pierri, Rudio
and Gomez much OF the Internal machinery en-
ployed to destroy Louis Napoleon. and which scat
tered death and destruction among so many inao-
cant persops The connection Of Bernard with
the ssssssins OF Parts WAS established upon evil
dsucs impregnable even by the great ingenuity OF
Mr. yamos, and tho learned counsel was forced to
admit that Simon Bernard took, or caused TO DO
taksn over to Brussels, certain death-dealins in
..ruments, though he contsnded that they we're
assiEned 10 be used In general rising Tor the
purpose Of the regeneration OF italy. No one,
however. not even the prisoners friends, las any
one may see by consulting the foreign correspon-
depce of the NJ Y. TRIBUNE, conducted by insur-
rectionistsD believes that these hand grenades
ware fntsnded for the purposes Of ordinary warfare,
nor pretsnds that Bernard is innocent On the
sontrary they exult in his guilt and consider him
a worth associate OF the martyrs 0rsni and Pisrri
On what ground, then, was the prisoner acquitted
On no ground of reason, Of law, or of evidence.
but solely and exclusively, under the influence OF
mastarly appeal to the national feelings and pre-
fudIces of the Jury urged by powerful and slo-
ousnt English lawyer, who satisfied their minds
that the question Of National Independence and
the Sacred Right Of Asylum were involved in the
trial Of Mr. Bernard that the trial was instituted
IN the government to satisfy Louis Napoleon, to
make OF the poor Rrsnchman Bernard Q scapegoat
for the sins Of Parliament and sacrifice 10 State
necessity that It was trial under foreign dicta.
ton, and that Louis Napoleon held over the head
Of the country menace OF Invasion and of war
in the event OF DR.. Demands acquittal. Said Mr..
James In conelusion
aIyU you then at the bidding If neighbortno DIES.
MT DESTROY he asylum Dhtch aliens hare hitherto
sniov.d /, No: l am satisfied that You will not ]
impore you at least to pause before you do So be-
rau,e believe, oonscientiousiy. that you do not
sae At nresept the result that may how from this
proeeeding Iimplore you to let the verdict bs
yonr own ubiniuencsd by the ridiculous fears Of
Err,eh ornaments French inrdsons such as soere
roi,,d IN Psuicr's case. You, gentlemen will not
be jntimidated by foreign dictation to consign the
aecused to the scaffold you will not pervert and
wrest the Law of England to please foreign die
tator No. Tell the prosecutor In this case that
the Jury box is the sanctuary of English liberty.
Tell him that on this spot your predecessors have
resjsted the arbitrary power of the Crown. backed
BY the influence Of crown serving and time serv-
ing Judges. Tell him that under every difficulty
and danger your predecessors have secured the
polticsl liberties of the people. Tell him that the
yerdcts of English juries are founded on the oter
nal aud immutable principles of Justice. Tell him
that, panopled In that armor, no threat OF arms.
Though 10000 French bayonets glittered before
yeu, though the roar OF French cannon Numbered
in your ears, you will return verdict which your
own breasts and eonsciences will sanctify and APP
prove careless whether that verdict pieases or
displeasss foreign despot. or secures or shakes
and destroys forever the throne which Q tyrant
has built upon the ruins OF the liberty of once
free and mighty people. Distinct clapping Of
hands and other symptoms OF approVai were man.
cluson OF the learned counsels address, aud it was
some time before tho ordinary aspect of the court
was restored. y
The sloqHence and vigor of this speech no ono
can deny, and yet it has more power as phil
lippio against Louis Napoleon, than az defence Of
Bernard. 1t does not touch the evidence. If the
victims Of these grenades had been Englishmen,
no power on earth could have saved them from
the gallows. Was this trial q farcef Had not
Louis Napoleon and the world been assured that
the existing laws Of England were sufficient to
prevent and punish the crimes of which he CON-
planned, and that the Courts of the Kingdom would
deal sufficiently with all transgressorsi Well,
the appeal IL made to the Courts; the completely
of Bernard with the crime lie proved beyond a
doubt and yet upoa such appeals as that Of
which the above extract is specimen, Bernard is
acquitted. We may admire the proverbal pluck
OF the English character, which refuse to render
verdict under supposed intimidation, but we
should have more admired that rarer aud nobler
courage which dares, under all circumstances, to
do that which conscience and the laws, to say no.
thing of Jurors solemn oath, demand and which
is not to be deferred from the performance of its
duty by the fear of being thought afraid.
The counsel Of Bernard and the English jour-
nails profess q profound horror Of assassination,
and in this We believe them honest, but even that
horror was merged upon the late trial in the
tionaI passions and prejudices, stirred up by Mr..
James, through the potent medium of French die
tation. In what manner France has dictated, the
imaginative Sergeant did not condescend to prove.
Not q charge which he made against Napoleon,
who seems to have been the real parsonage on
trial, is established BY any testimony but Eng
lish letter writers from Paris and the mpassioned
declaration of English orators Really, it seems
somewhat hard measure-an Indifferent display
of that eternal justice boasted of by Mr.. James
that Louis Napoleon must be shot at, timo after
time--that terrific instruments OF death should be
thrown under tho carriage containing himself and
his wife, whilst huudreds Of his subjects are hurl
cd msngied and bleeding, about the feet of hi.
slsughtersd horses, and that whsn one of the
chief agents Of this Wholesale shtor Is brought
10 trial In England, the defence--and that A trt
umpuhnt ohe-tuouiu DO an ASSASSINATION OF the
Emperor's good name, as destructive ne that In.
tended by Bernard for his person, and All elevation
Of the assassin TO the dignity of a hcroI
Now, one who has any memory, or a memory
which will hold the occurrences Of three years,
must be astonnded that the English orators and
tho EDglish press should now taunt Napoleon with
the alleged atrocities BY which he obtaioed pow. |
or, subject to which Dir. James devotss himself
with emphasis, when only - lately as the Rus-
sian war, and after the commission Of sli these
atrocities, they exalted him TO the heavens a.
the very salt Of the earth, and had him over IN |
England visiting the Queen, receiving the order Of
the Garter, and exchanging ansctiouate saluta |
sions with the Royal Family. Do you think 1t |
altogether just, Mr. James, that, because sour ex.
eellent ally" respectfully declines lying still and