The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-07-01

that so much sympathy should be wasted,
but nothing in the Geographic despatch which
calls it forth affords any ground for suppos-
ing that M. Rochefort's person has been
seized, or that he is in the least danger of in
generation. The worst that has befallen him
is the loss Of his rights of citizenship for
three years. which, under existing circum-
stances, is probably matter of Indifference
to him and his friends. u should be under
stood that the French Courts, when they
cannot conveniently lay hold Of political Of
tenders, have a method of passing sentence
precisely as if the alleged criminals we're in
their power. Thus, certain supposed enemies
to the existence of Napoleon III have, in
times past, been formally condemned to
death, notwithstanding which they may still
be seen by those who care to look for them,
enjoying their daily maccaroni under the soft
Italian sky with as much relish as the hosts OF
unconvicted felons that surround them. M
Rochefort, who fed from France when his
weekly pamphlet was suppressed year ago.
has not since set foot upon his native soil,
unless, possibly, in disguise, and the only
object Of the Government in dealing with
him as it has just done is to prolOng his exile
and by depriving him of citizens rights, to
make it impossible for his adherents to send
him to the Corps Legislatif. Under these cir
cumstances we cannot award him the first
place in the ranks of modern martyrs.
Whatever the political condition of France,
and gloomy enough it undoubtedly is, there
are many who doubt the possibility of i'm
proving It by the course which agitators of
NJ. Rochefort's stamp seem determined to
pursue. Although for many years writer of
acknowledged power in the liberal journals of
Paris, no is known 10 the outside world only
by the prosecutions he has brought upon
himself through the publication of La Lam
terne. This pungent periodical was estab-
lished with the professed purpose of ridicul-
ing and defying the Government in every way
that the rancorous imagination of the editor
could devise. From the first number, it
showed little disposition toward serious con-
sideration of public affairs, and devoted itself
almost exclusively to bitter personal invec-
| tives against individuals Many of these
were extremely amusing no doubt, but not
| even the brightness of M. Rocheforts satire
could have enlivened for any length
of time such stale topics as the Emperor s
paternity the private vices of his family,
and kindred scandals with which he strug-
| gled week after week to entertain his readers.
| Popular curiosity was excited to see how long
this audacity would be tolerated, and with the
| seizure of particular issue, which, by-the-by,
| contained nothing more obnoxious than any
of its predecessors public interest in La
| Ldnte1ne eliminated. Nj. Rochefort betooB
himself to Belgium, established his paper
anew, and for few weeks retained some hold
upon the attention of Parisians by the inge-
nuity of his schemes for smuggling large edi
| tions into France. But for nearly a yeal
nothing worth noticing has been heard Of
him. The whole business is very mucf
like childs play on both sides. The Gov
eminent at first allowed La L01aterne full
scope for about three months, and then, upor
no special proyocation, abruptly suppressed
it, NJ. Rochefort ran away, and hurled def
ance from safe distance After languishinf
in comparative oblivion for many months, HI
is now suggested by his friends as an eligible
candidate for legislative honors, whereupo1
the Government Institutes fresh persecu
ton, and records sentence against him as al
ready announced. The only result will be t.
again awaken momentary interest in IL
Ldnterne. NJ. Rochefort will once more tel
us all about the secret history of the Bona
parte family, and will prove to his own salts
faction that the empire is staggering to it
doom. After which affairs will flow on as be
fore, guided by stronger hands than those O
the implacable Journalist or his oppressors.