The New York herald., 1868-02-25

he has witnessed in his own country.
rn The sd,tor OF the Consstutionnel appsnds note
here 70 the eject that the writer might without any
,eesrason have calculated as hundred and my the
number OF journals suppressed durng the American
warl
Tse Adjourned Debate the Press Law
An Excited Discussiou.
The legislative body OF France held ntting February
H. Le Roux, ono of the vca presidens 10 the chair
The order Of the day Was the adjourasd discussion
The PRESIDENT said-On article TO- brought forward
the last sitting and rotating the Jurisdiction which
press offences are to bs subjected NM Marie Jules
Favre and other depases had presented amsndmeat
Offences and misdsmeanors committed by means Of
the press or any other mode Of shall be fent
before the Court Of Assizes be judged
son That decision shall be Immediately notified to tho
accused par j. The audience shall bs public, and rs.
port OF cannot be interdicsd In OF defamation
proofs OF the fact writing by shall be ad
mssbe II such facts are imputed public fanctonary
NJ. BARocHs Minister OF Justice, said-Ths reforms
Ne propose seem not TO DO considered sufficient; but
the press has been subjected Discretionary authority
and 70 tue jurisdiction vi the trbunas Al
power Of the administrator, and leaving the judges
exclusively 10 deal with offences committed by the
Journals and yss ys. protests ,, are offered n jules
DO one Of irritation and war cannot admit that
thesis and am here to oppose it, Hear hesrl Never
misdemeanos TO jury Crimes alone are reserved for
tnat tribunal, and on the occasions when pross offences
were reeSated 70 that jurisdiction the experiments were
speedily found to be laiursa In 1S4S anarchy and
dsporabie license were the consequence and all,
nearly ali, applauded tho decree Of 1851 which put
end TO that state OF things
NJ Jules FAysE-Yoa were in opposition At that
NJ BARocuE-rrom ls4S to 1887
n. JULES FAvRE-During the legislation which sent
press offences before Jury.
NJ BARocHK-Yes; but not in what is generally called
the opposition Hear hear In lS4S sta.ed IN this
| "a lean thaua An.
plausel
In6rieure as being more advanced republican than
Tne PREsOEsr-I oanno. allow the debate to dsgsnsr
ate into personalities What the honorable Minister has
stated much to his honor that every ought to
respect It, (Hear, near.l
deceived themselves greatly N. Pelletan they eecsd
me as republican. At All events their did not
the declaration have just referred TO. On
SION apparently It was not as republican daughter
Of the I'd december, 1851. and lne 18th February
1852, me with general appreciation, and put end 10
the danger which Threatened society. tA.sent.l Tn,
law oil 1919 and that founded in September, 1885,
have been mentioned. What did the former dor IL
made distinction between provocations followed by
suits and those which remained and sent only
e rst class OF offences to be tried by the court Of
Peers; but OF 1888 abolished that distinction
aud relesaed all indictments by tue press to crimes
against The person Of tho King the shed order
Of government. 10 be judged by that nign chamber
The law of September therefore transform d mere ms
deneanors into crimes. and M Roger Coard just-
lied IN 30 describing its operation WHAT did " Ihlers
ut that epoch say of the Jury He argued that Tor
civil offences and crimes against tho lives aad property
OF citizens the jury was properly ermei 1.-The country
because ON such questions there could be ouly one o.
ion; but that in political cases. the jury by
dent would represent sometimes ono side, sometimes
another; and acqai'tas would speedily become tao
rule. iovomenL) Aud so NJ. Timers proposed
Court OF Peers. What tter be made the
assertion that the jury is the country and the sole i'm
NJ. rmEss-Aow me to tell you-tories of "Do not
ply to speeca by making another therefore beg OF
him not 70 I'M serfupt
N IHERs-I appeal to the sincerity OF the honorable
Minister oi Ju.tce Fresh recanations add cries Of
"Let him speak. ~
N. BARocHg--If NJ Tners has only q word or two to
say do not object 70 tue interruptions but II ho "isnes
! to make speech ask TO be allowed to continue.
n. THERs-i have only single observation to OFFER
Numerous VOICES Do not nterrup.
u. lMERs-lhe IKE. OF this has never before been
known (Noise.)
The PREsiDEsr-rhe right OF reply absolute, but
that Of ineIrupiing doe, not exist thcreo beg 81
Theirs to allos Tue spsass, 70 proceed eyes YES ~
une, becauss he IS there quoted
ihe PkEsIDENr-The courtesy OF the Minister may
uiarily OF our deoaes demand ha, the right OF Ia.
speaker be supported tefies OF 'Ye, yes and numer-
NJ BARocnE-Accordns to the observations Of the
President request " be allowed to proceed tYcs,
NJ. TuERs--This is violence. prolonged noise. and
cries Of 'Urder order.'n
The PREsIDESr-ltis not violence, but tho strict OBJ
servanco of the raguat Of Chamber the appli-
cation OF which no ono hore has right 10 contest.
Hear hear)
OF the Juiy In press onences simply wished u avail
myself of his great authority accept his IDEAS aud
therefor cite mis- words.
N. IHiERs-lhey have not the meaning which you
attach to iusm thoy sppied TO other CIRCUMSTANCES.
N. BARocBE-I aware tha, 1885 and 1868 are very
different periods; out history viii judge. We ask nat
the Jurl'ison :" the jaisss snoula DC retained ior
and Independence OF tbs judicial bench Of france
the envy Of other n,tions and the highest noress OF
the cZens are conhded TO their keepns Why, there
fore. should journals not be lett 10 their jursconY
An argument used against the judgments rendered by
the bench, ~ this effect that their conclusions
| accompanied by reasons which sometimes nobody
comprehend, whereas the jury SIMPLY decides
l confess unable to understand suis obecop
prefer Jurisdiction which gives tpe or its
decisions fhe jury would sometimes bo extremely
severe. other excessively iuduigen for
| these ca-es IL is essentially political tribunal
VoicE-fnat Is wny we demand IL
M. BARocnE-Ard political tribunal drawn by lot.
NJ. GIAIs-i,izols Every ono has his chau,o
ii. BARocHE-l do not like this hap-nazard sort OF
ius,ice Must We always be told that a puts
the robe Of judge he IS sold to the and
never fails to condemn, as N: Peile,an pre.endsf
N. PsiLErAs-I request 10 be heard
NJ. BsRocHE-from 1892 to 1861 thero have bcen In
Paris as many acq,ittas in press condenns-
| NJ JuLrs FAvRE-we are not aware Of them
NJ. PeARp-ln political prosecutions, be II under
/ stood.
NJ BRocnE-l speak OF all pres. prosecutions
NJ PEiLErAs- Let US have no ambiguity; the ques-
| ton refers 10 poliical pTOsscutons.
NJ BARocHE-The figures which am about 10 quote
include all. In 1852 out of 2i5 political orouces 81
by of the press aud u were 23
scqui ais 1854 of 81 proceeded AGAINST 81 acQu ted
1885, 10 out Of 30 90, "a t6 1851 o Cj charged
81 acqdt,eu 1855, 81 found no. guilty 63 1853
IL OF "a That rs general table, shall now read
TO you special Of contravenuons by the press
prosecut d from 1861 1866 were in 1851 con.
demnstions II, scquittais 12 and in follow.
iDg five years the relative numbers stood ,bus3352
24-a3; 56-24 2e--2o an1 4l-Se lheso acqu ali
took nlace after aclpsl trial In 1866 seven Charges
were dismissed by the exS mining magistrate; IN tho TO-
loving seven, auo srtsdy IN 1865 i've the
matter Of the reports OF tbs seoatos cannot tnere-
orc allow IL 10 he SAID that e,y journal projected
against ~ condemned.
d. HL---.ar-Yes; maintain II and "hl proveh
rne pRRlDRNT--M. Pectap ought not W iSsln'ain an
erroneous assertion the face OF tscls. tApprJHsuonl
H. PICARD The President has no rish, 70 express an
1 op,n,on iu our debates tIicclanatons)
The pREsiDKsr--The occupant OF this chair cannot
hep dsnuudpg that tho French judges should bs treated