The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-03-26
THE HIGH COURT AT TOURS.
Il. Constitution asd form. Of Procedure.

Ita Constitution nnd G0fmn OF rfoceNures
The French Constitution of January II,
1852. establish a High Court Of Justice, which
adiudicates in cases Of attempts against the
life Of the Emperor, or O conspiracy against
him or the security of the State. Its juris-
diction also includes the trial of members of
the imperial family charged with grave
offenses This court is only convoked by i'm
perial decree It consists of Chamber of
Accusation and Judgment Chamber, formed
OF Judges taken from the Court of Cassation,
with High Jury composed OF members from
the Councils-General of the Departments
Each Chamber is composed of FIVE Judges
and FIVE Assistant Judges. They are named
annually by the Emperor The President,
Procureur- General, and other magistrates re-
quired for the organization of the court
are named by the imperial decree which sum-
mons it.
This body consists of thirty-six jurymen
and four assistant judges. When the decree
of convocation is issued, the first President
of the Court of Appeal in such department
is required within ten days to draw by lot
in open court, the name of one person from
the list Of the members of the Council-Gene-
raj, to serve as juryman under a heavy
penalty. The thirty-six who are to form the
jury are taken from these jurymen when the
court convenes Various officials are ineli-
gible to act on the High Jury. The Council
General from which the High Jury is thus
selected ia, it may be added, body in each
department which legislates upon the con-
Germs of the department in regard to internal
improvements and the collection of taxes. 1t
consists of as many members in each depart
ment as there are cantons but the number is
in no case to exceed thirty.
An electoral assembly in each canton, con-
sisting of electors and citizens found on the
jury list, elects member to the Council
General. Members thereof must be aged
over over 25 years, and pay 200 francs an
nually in direct taxes. Some officials repre-
senting the Imperial Government are not
eligible as members. Councillors-G General
are elected for nine years. but it is so arranged
that one-third retire every three years. 1t is
apparent from these details that the High Jury
is constituted in very distinguished manner
When an Imperial decree notifies the High
Court to exercise its functions, the Chamber
of Accusation, which is to O great extent
equivalent to the Grand Jury in this country,
enters upon its duties. If the charge is not
sufficiently grave for the High Court it RENTS
it to an ordinary tribunal. When it pro-
nounces that the matter shall be heard before
the Judgment Chamber, the Emperor con-
vokes the Chamber of Judgment and names
the place where the trial is to take place.
In the case of Prince Bonaparte, the Cham
Der of Accusation directed by an order dated
on the 18th day of February, that he is to be
tried firstly for having committed homicide
on the person of Victor Noir, which was pre-
ceded or followed by an attempt on the per-
son of Ulrich Fonvielle; secondly, for having
attempted the homicide of Fonveille. This
order places the Prince under Article 304 of
the penal code, the punishment being death.
In case of extenuating circumstances the
Court can lessen the sentence by two degrees.
I1nOn the announcement of this laaiSinn
the Emperor convoked the High Court, which
is now in session. In this decree, Counsellor
Glandaz is named Presiding Judge. He has
had an experience of thirty-nine years in the
legal profession, and belongs to family emil
nent for the distinguished men it has contri-
buted to the bar. The duties of Procureur-
General are intrusted to M. Grandperret,
Procureur-G General of the Imperial Court of
Paris, assisted by NJ Bergognie, his Deputy.
An important regulation at the High Court
is that the declaration of the High Jury find
ing the accused guilty, or finding that extenu-
ating circumstances exist, must be rendered
by majority of more than twenty votes. 1t
will, therefore, be necessary that at least
thirty-one members of the jury agree to a
verdict of guilty to render it of effect. 1t is
evident that the chances of disagreement are
very great.
The High Courts of Justice are invariably
hSlu away iiol1 cA1O SdpAUoh ia OiuSl ohCll
| deliberations may be uninfuenced by popu-
lar demonstrations or Government intrigue.
| On this occasion the Emperor directed that
the Court should hold its sessions in the city
| of Tours, in the Department of Indirect
Loire, formerly the province of Touraine.
The genial climate of the exuberant soil and
varied productions of this ancient provincs
have secured for it the name of the Garden
! of France. Its greatest glory, however, is
the wide and majestic Loire, which flows
through it, The borders of this splendid
river display nature in her grandest and
most luxuriant form, while elegant villas
and ancient chateaux add to the interest and
attractiveness of the scene. The city of
Tours forms the capital of this historic pro-
| vince. 1t has population of Al 900, and is
about 1876 miles southwest from Paris. 1t is
beautifully situated at the junction of the
rivers Loire and Cher, and was formerly a
place of great prosperity. This was due to
Louis X1, who induced workmen to come
there from Italy and Greece to engage in the
manufacture of silk. Under the ministry of
Richelieu $4,000 persons were employed at
that industry. The surrounding country
was covered with mulberry trees. The revo-
cation of the Edict of Nantes, which destroyed
French industry for time, inflicted blow
on the prosperity of Tours from which it
never recovered
WATOHES. LEVEL nv Etc