The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-01-11
BALTIMORE.
TUESDAY, JANUARY II. 1859.

In rejecting the proffered pardon of the Emperor
and insisting upon his legal right to an appeal,
N. DE MoNTALEMBERT has committed what an
illustrious countryman of his once pronounced to
be-in politics-more inexcusabe than a crime
He has shown what to a well-bred Frenchmau
must appear scarcely less reprehensible than want
ofloyalty-want of tact. With the second trial
all the interest awakened by the first in behalf Of
the supposed victim of Imperial persecution, would
seem to have vanished. On the former OCCASION
we had full reports in all the papers, of the test-
mony and the speeches, accompanied by the publ
cation of the minutest particulars respecting the
Court before which the trial took place-the cere-
monial observed-the dresses of the Judges-the
decorations of the room-and the appearance and
bearing of the accused. Now-beyond the simple
Geographic announcement that the appeal has
been heard, and the previous sentence confirmed
with some slight modifcation-no notice what
ever is taken of the fact. NJ DE MoNTALEMBERT
would appear to have fallen from his high position
as a Martyr in the cause of Truth and Freedom
to the vulgar level of criminal who has "abused''
the liberty of the Press, and only received bis
"deserts." 1t is true, that the modified sentence
pronounced by the Appellate Court is claimed by
his friends as victory over Government. But
what victory IA victory gained in a petty
squabble about legal technicaties The term of
imprisonment originally imposed has been short
ened from six months to three and NJ. DE MoNrALEM-
BERT is thereby relieved from the disability to
which he would otherwise have been subject
under the Lon des Suspects-of liability to Danish
ment from France at any time at the mere pleasure
of Government. 1t still remains to be seen, what
effect will be given 10 the Emperors act of grace,
which it is contended was meant to apply not only
to the sentence first pronounced but to any def
nitive Judgment that might be rendered Will
M. DE MoNTALMEBERT persist in refusing as a boon
what he has unsuccessfully demanded as a rigbt9
Or will he initiate the example, quoted by TN
Times, of those French Protestants, who bav;nc
been unjusty cast into prison, refused to come ont
again. and when they had been coaxed out by
ruse, and the prison-doors were closed behind
them, clamored for re-admssion, amid the ieerinps
ola mob? MoNTALEMBERT studiously REFUSING to
quit his ce-ins spite of the enreates of his gaoler
would present spectacle to the world, more
laughable than edifying. We fear, that the Count
has placed himself in an awkward dilemma
from neither horn of which can he escape
without embarrassment. To be compelled
to accept at last, the pardon-which at
first, he so contemptuously rejected-to man
of MoNTALEMBERT' S. spirit, would be undoubtedly
a modification. Yet we do not well see
what alternative course he can pursue To carry
his zeal in the cause of self-immolation one step
further, and to obstnately persist in plucking the
burning crown of martyrdom from the hand of
reluctant and forgving ruler-wo uld be- in the
highest degree unreasonable and absurd The
best thing that the Count can do under the cir
cumsances, Is, we think, gracefully to retire from
the field, and confess himself beaten Whether
we set it down to the of his superior policy
or magnanimity certain it is, that with the EN-
peror-and not with NJ. DE MoNTALEMBERr-re-
mains the victory. And, as usual-al the credit
which Government has gained in the affair, re-
bounds to the personal advantage of the Emperor:
the odium falls, of course, upon the law and its
ministers. Thus it is-that we invariably find
that whenever any harsh or unpopular measure
is projected or enforced-itis the necessities of
FRANCE that require tor ''the nation that
wills 1t. But when, on the other hand, any popu-
larlty is to be acquired, or any clemency is to be
exerclsed-itis always the personal and indiyid-
ual act OF the Emperor. In the present instance
we must understand that it was France that pros |
ecuted MoNTALEMBERT because, it was France |
whom, In the energetic language of the Procureur-
GeneraI-he had "unworthy stricken in the
face" but it is the Emperor, who, when sentence |
has been pronounced and is about to be executed |
graciously steps forward with free pardon for |
the culprit. In nothing more than in acts like
these-does NAPOLEON manifest that extraordinary
sagacity and thorough knowledge of men, which |
stamp him as the ablest, he is undoubtedly the
luckiest-of living Sovereigns