The New York herald., 1870-01-12

Oroaso.
In cur telegraphic columns to-day viii be
found the details, so far as they have reached
us, of what may be called the biggest sensa-
tion which Paris has experienced In many
years. A prince of the imperial family and
first cousin of the Emperor, charged with
murder, now lies in Paris prison, and awaits
Rochefort has at last been successful in accom-
| plishing tragedy, and the Marssi!laise has
been suppressed.
| Prince Pierre Napoleon has not had the
advantage hitherto of being known to fame
reproach which will no longer rest upon
him-but o reference to the almanac teaches
us that he is son by second marriage of
Lucien, Prince of Caniuo, that he is nephew Of
the First Napoleon and cousin of the Third;
that he was born in 1915, and that he is
President Of the Council General OF Corsica.
Though not wholly unknown in Paris his repu-
tation is not great. In the matter with which
his name is now connected he has shown some
pluck and not little OF the old Napoleonic
fire. 1t was our opinion when the news first
reached us that the Prince must have had
severe provocation before he fired the shot
which proved fatal. Later news has justified
that opinion. The provocation seems, indeed,
to have been great. The Prince may have
used unguarded language before he received
the slap in the face from Noir but the slap In
the face having been given 1t was certainly
Ear n of 1Iu
in the Princes position, and writhing as he was
under previous insults, and In the presence of
two desperate men-to resist the temptation of
using the pistol which he held in his hand.
Most men, not towards by instinct, would
have acted precisely as he did.
1t is undeniable that with this crime M.
Rochefort must primarily be associated. His
conduct for the last two years, at least, has
been disgracefnl in the extreme. II has been
his work, his worship, during that period to
heap insult on the Bonaparte family, and espe-
cially on the Emperor. The Emperor has been
indulgent even to fault. Again and again he
could have arrested and punished him. All
his Lanterne faults, however, were in sense
winked at and the wasp-for he is no better
or nober than that creature-was granted
safe conduct across the frontiers, was per-
mitted to come on to Paris, and even to take
his seat in the Chamber. One would natu-
rally have concluded that in gratitude for such
magnanimity he would have sought by fair,
honorable and constitutional means to accom-
plish whatever good purpose he might have
10, !; e, T,,S IL IL.
like his gratitude, finds no place; nor with
such souls has nobility Of purpose anything
in common Not finding vent for his spleen in
the Legislative Body he must needs resume
his own pee and use up the venom of his hire
lings; and his new paper, the Marseilyaise,
has been more offensive than was his miserable
Lanterae. Acting in the name of liberty, he
has proved himself to be liberty's btterest foe.
He has done his best to kill cause which was
not only full of promise, but which was bring
ing forth precious fruit. II the Emperor
should now see fit to reimpose restrictions on
the press it is our confident belief that France
would stand by him and sanction the reaction.
NJ. Olivier indeed feels this, for he has warned
Rochefort in the Legislative body in the words,
'Tf you force rs we will be power" The Office
Of Rochefort's paper was seized by the police.
Well may Frenchmen say, ''Save us from such
friends as Henri Rochefort" He is the Marat
of the second empire.
Napoleon must feel--he cannot but feel
sore about this matter. At time when most
of all he wishes his house to stand well before
France and the world, Bonaparte, cousin,
rightly or wrongly, has stained his hands with
blood. That Rochefort has made an end Of
his opportunity he cannot be sorry; that
France will feel itself compelled to fall back
and lean upon him will give him no pain; but
1t must be to him source of disquietude to
think that these things were not brought about
without the interference of any member of his
family. This tragedy must be all the more
annoying to him that France, mainly in conse-
qnence of the reforms which he has introduced
for her benefit, is in a state of transition and
not free from the uncertainties and dangers
which o transition period implies. DESTROYS
to please as far as is possible he had just
yielded to the clamor of one section of his
peOplc-Hc dSEccu w HIdhc uu tuu Vi Ouc
part of the Golden treaty. After the 10th Of
May, according to the proclamation, ''the
privileged admission of cotton fabrics into
France as temporary importations will cease"
This will no doubt give satisfaction to the
cotton manufacturers and the cotton opera
tives. But it will give offence to other classes,
and it will lead to fresh demands all over.
This, however, is not al AS if there was no
limit to the Emperor's good nature, Ledru
Rollin and Tibaldi and others are to be per-
mitted to avail themselves Of the amnesty
recently granted for political offences All
this the Emperor knows is liable to bring
trouble. But he is willing to give the people
q chance lie is anxious to test their feeling
and to see what they can do. The action
taken by the opposition in demanding the