The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-06-10
The Forged PROCLAIM alton.

The Forged Proclamation.
The Albany Euening Journal calls to
mind precedent, in England, to the case
of Howard, now in Fort Lafayette-the
celebrated case of Lord Cochrane, which
occurred in 1914, during the great war be-
tween France and England. Charles Ran
dom de Berenger, Sir Thomas Oochrane,
Andrew Cochrane tombstone, Richard Ga
thorne Butt, Ralph Sandom, Alexander
McRae, John Peter Holloway and Henry
Lyle, subjects of Great Britain, were con-
cerned in it. It occurred to some one that
by forging document announcing decisive
results on the continent stocks would sud-
denly go up, they might sell at large ad-
vance, and make their fortunes. Accord
ingly, the first-named OF their number
wrote letter purporting to have been adj
dressed by high government official to
the British Admiral commanding at Deal,
announcing the defeat Of the French, the
death of Napoleon, &c. Here is the doc
ument
DOVER. A. NJ, Feb. IA, 1914.
To the Honorable j. Foley, Port Admiral, Deal,
SC. &c.
SIR: have the honor to acquaint you that
the L'Aigle, from Calais, Pierre Duquin, mas
ter, has this moment landed me near Dover,
to proceed to the capital with dispatches of the
happiest nature. I have pledged my honor
that no harm shall come to the crew of the
Al. Anr 49, has
diately stood for sea. Should they be taken
have to entreat you Immediately to iberate
them. My anxiety will not allow me to say
more for your qualification than that the Al
lies obtained final victory; that BOnaparte
was overtaken by party of Sachen's Cossacks
who Immediately slew him and divided his bo-
dy between them. General Platof saved Pa
ris from being reduced to ashes. The Allied
Sovereigns are there, and the white cOckade
is universal and immediate peace is certain.
In the utmost haste, l entreat your considera-
tiOn and have the honor to be, sir, your most
obedient servant, r. DU BOURG,
Lieut.. Colonel and Aid-de-Gamp to Lord Cath
cart.
The news was believed, the funds took a sud-
den start and the cunning forgers reaped a
golden harvest.
They were subsequently arrested on charge
or conspiracy against the public welfare and
the interests of the realm, and tried in the Court
of Kings Bench. The trial was fully reported
1t lasted two days, and was sharply conducted
on both sides. Some of the evidence is very
amusing, while the speeches of the counsel
were most elaborate and exhaustive The
forgery was proved, and the defendants found
guilty. Cochrane and Butt were sentenced to
pay a fine of one thousand pounds each, Hollo-
way to pay fine of five hundred pounds; all
six to be " severally imprisoned in the custody
of the Marshal of the Marshalsea of our Lord
and King for twelve calender months :" and
Beranger, Cochrane and Butt to be set in and
upon the pillory opposite the Royal Exchange
in the city of London, for one hour, between
the hours of twelve at noon and two in the af
ternoon;' and that they "be severally CON-
mitted to the custody of the Marshal, and sew
orally imprisoned until their fines he paid"
It ought to be said that THOMAS LORD
CoCHRANE was able to prove, after many
years, that be was innocent Of any share
in the transaction, and was publicly re-
stored to the hOnors he had lost. His
cousin, Andrew Cochrane tombstone, was
guilty, and was rightly punished, with the
other conspirators. He basely made use
of Lord COchranes character and house
to lend countenance to the fraud. The
EUening Journal remarks:
We have spoken of the two cases as parallel.
They are not SO, strictly speaking. The Of
fence in the case of Howard is the greater.
The English forgers sought to put money in
their pockets by stimulating the public con-
fidence; the American fOrger aimed at q SINH
lar result by making it appear that the country
was on the verge of ruin. The former played
upon the hopes-the latter upon the despair of
the people The one erdeavored to compass
no public mischief beyond the narrow circle of
the stockholders the other committed an act
that might have for its effect, if it did not have
for its design, the destruction of the national
credit, and the overthrow of the government.
If Cochrane and his confreres were put in the
pillory. what punishment should be melted ont
to Howard?