New-York daily tribune., 1858-03-22
FRANCE.
Y..n Oar Own Corr,srUpSsIt


The Trial Of Orsini and bis three aeconphees'
which was Just begun at 10y last date, was Goa
eluded on the evening Of the fjllowng day by YER
die. Of guilty against all the accused. Extenuatng
circumstsp pces-tbe chief Of which really was bic
readiness to testify against bic fe'lows-~sre found
in favor of Gomez, who is condemned 70 hard labor
for life. The others are condemned TO the death
penalty of psrr,de, which differs from the ordinary
death penalty by some foolish old and rather cruel
ceremonies, such as walking barefoot 70 the scaf.
fold with white shirt over the dress.
Although hardly any new important fact bearing
On tie guilt Of the parties directly engaged IN the
affair of the l4th Of January, OF throwing lght on
the extent Of the plot outside Of their action, was
brought out on the trial, yet the full report Of Its
proceedings was read here with greedy interest as
fact o. published Here il has the two-fold quality
of murder trial" and an important political
document. In this latter respect, presenting the
history Of the affair with the eloquent commentaries
of counsel for the prosecution and the defense, It IS
considered by many as the complement TO al Gov
erpment arguments in favor of the recent measures
Of public safety. i was, perhaps, with this
view of its effect that while all but the two
legal Journals were forbidden 10 report the trial,
Government permitted the report published by
them, and Immediately reproduced in the other
papers of the city TO be what it is-unusuay long
and full The prejudiced persons who listened 10
the proceedings testify to its mpartlallty. The
trial itself was also conducted with lmpartlallty;
that is, the forms and method observed we're the
same as are in use in all French criminal trials.
Whether the French criminal law is better or worse
than that Of England and America is question
/ l.nI .tr.a Tfna
against pretty much all EnglishmeD and Americans.
What is to be kept in mind here is that however
bard il may seem TO us for the prisoner at the bar
TO be asked to testify against himself by the pre-
siding Judge, who acts IN some sort as prosecuting
attorney il is what the French criminal Judge al
ways does in exercise OF his duty, according to
French law. In this respect the four Italians
treated neither more nor less harshy than any one
who has been tried for murder in France in the last
fifty yesrs If | insist upon this fact, It is be-
cause it is fact so constantly overlooked by
foreigners in their judgments upon case like the
one we are speaking OF. Louis Napoleon has faults
enough of his own, without need Of our charging
upon him as such the peculiarites of French law.
And while we are thankful, let us also be careful,
thatwc are more Just than he towsrd political oppo-
nents.
After what YOUR readers already know, it is un-
necessary 10 90 through in course with the history
of the last dangerous attempt upon the Emper0rs
life. The Chief interest of the trial gathers about
Orsini, the master spirit of the plot. Think what
We may of the folly or wickedness Of his purpose,
we can hardly prevent in ourselves certain adml-
ration for the man. We admire bodness, GOODNESS
of nerve, strength Of will in Satan, Louis Napo-
leon, the members of the Boston tea party, IN good
and bad alike. They are qualities OF the higher
sort, and command respect. The command IS
moral, and so the respect ia legitimate.
Orsini came from England 10 France by way Oi
L.. thaY enArla nf
Allsop, and lived month in Paris, openly as any
other geltemsn, without attracting the suspicious
eve of policeman. At Brussels he bought II horse,
which was brought on TO Paris in the same train by
which he came. TIE man who took charge OF the
horse brought all the bombs but one, which had
been previously forwarded TO Brussels from En-
gland freely showing them at the frontier custom
house, and believing them 10 be what he had been
told they were, parts OF new y'lnyented gas sp-
paratus. The custOm-house officers looked Ut them
in this false gas light, and charged no duties. Or
SIM brought the Illuminating powder in his carpet
bag from England wettirg il from time 10 time 10
prevent risks of explosion. He afterward dried
The powder before the fire in his room, Rue
Montholon, holding a watch in one hand and
a thermometer in the other, IS he overlooked
the drying process. Here was man to
keep the log.bOok of Edssr Poes fishing sinack
going down the MaelstroIn. 1t was not I'LL the day
of the 4th that he told his confederates they act
that night Pierri, an inferior man TO himself IN
morals and intellect but superior to the other sub
or 1inates and most cspable OF secoEdlns linn, vas
arrested few minutes before the time OF seton.
As he was led OF BY policeman Hebert he met
Orsni and exchanged glance of recognition, the
latter not snrpecting TINT his companion WAS An
officer Orsui denies that he threw a bomb hun
self. OF the two which he carried 10 the opera
house one was found in the Rue Rossini where be
laid il down on his way 10 druggist in Rue Lahtte
10 Get the wound dressed which he received from
the first explosions; the man who presently after
picked up the bomb enveloped in dark cloth was on
the point of dropping il again on the pavement
The other bomb Orsni persists 10 the end in ASSERT
ing that he gave 10 an Italian, confederate, who
threw and has since escaped out OF the country.
He does not offer, nor has investigation furnished,
any collateral proof IN support OF the assertion.
which is in Itself Improbable.
AT the fret of the preliminary examinations be-
fore the Jpge dinstruoiioa, Ors refused TO testify.
Provoked afterward by the incriminating svowsls
of the Others especially of Gomez aud Of RudiO he
confessed his own guilt and their full completely.
Still later, he wrote letter 10 the ProcureurGen.
eral prosecuting Attorney desiring 70 withdraw
all that part OF bis testimony which ncriminstcd
Others than himself. SO isr ss he alone was con-
cerned he withdrew nothing. This last position be
held on the final trial in open Court, steadily 10.
fusine 10 answer any Of Judge Delange's question.
which implicsted his acconplces, but not seeking
o disguise his part in the siaiE--exceptng always
he actual throwing Of bomb. The proof fur
nished by their own ayowas and by other witnesses
Was sufficient TO substsntiste the charges brought
against the prisoners
The prosecution however, went further than this,
and looked into the antecedents of the accused Ii
must be confessed that these antcc.dcnts IN the