New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-04-16
THE TROCHU TRIAL.

THE cpOUND Upon WHICH THE ACTION WAS
BAsED-TIIE TESTIMONY OF THE WITNESSES.
fFRoM REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRiBUNEI
PARIS, April IA trial is now going on before
the Court OF Assze OF the Seine Department. which eX
cites great attention here Last January that respect
able and trutlloving newspaper, Figaro, edited by NJ.
de yemessant OF unenviable notOrety, printed series
OF articles signed "Nnos" In which the late Governor
OF Pays and exPresdent Of the Government OF National
Defense was most ferociousy attacked, both for his
conduct as Governor Of Paris during the last
days OF the Empire, and for his gencraishlp
during the German siege OF Paris According to NJ.
Augste vitu who wrote under the pseudonym OF Minos
rochu had forfeited his word for he had sworn, as
soldier Catholic, and Breton to defend the Empress
Regent from all attacks Instead OF doing TINS, Gen.
r-oehu had encouraged the uprising OF the 4th OF Sep
tenbcr and had notably brought back the Paris mobiles
from the Camp Chaons to Paris, fully knowing That
those troops were seditously inclined toward the En-
peror On the Ih OF September, too, Gen. Trochu was
accused of having been more anxious to defend the
Corps Legislatir than the Tueries, and with having
knowingly abandoned the Empress whom he had sworn
to defend. The second class OF accusations
were with regard to the conduct OF Trochu
IA defender Of Paris against the Prussians
Rut these were little more than sharply-worded
edition OF the criticisms with which every Partisan has
been amusing himself since Paris captulated to the
Germans Trochu, like plain soldier as he Is. thought
that the simplest way TO deal with the ATTACKS OF NJ
yitu who IS an able Bonaparst agent was to bring the
whole matter before twelve French citizens do not
know at the time OF writing what the verdict will be,
hut am much afraid that NJ. dc vemessant Is not at
all likely to meet with the punishment he deserves
French courts have hitherto shown no inclination to
pnish libel as it would punished in the United States
or in Great Britain 1t Is not much consolation 10
ltigant who has been held up to ridicule for weeks
together I'm the widely newspaper in France
70 have his adversary condemned to pay 500 to the
l.sa and in hia fnYS pf
private costs next day. That has hitherto been the
almost inyariable result of actions against the most
scandalous journal In Europe.
To return to the trial itself: Villemessant having
peaded that his libel well founded, and that the
writer In his journal had only repeated in print what
was matter Of noorety his lawyer was allowed
10 call his witnesses first. This proceeding which Is
strictly In accordance with the rules Of French law
courts made the whole trial. to foreigner Mt all events
look as II It wcre Gen. Trochu, and not NM Vu and
yillemessant that the Court was trying. One OF the
principal witnesses for the defendants Gen. Pakao
who the last Imperial Minister of War; holding Office
until the 4th September drove him and his master from
France. Pakao, In his book which has been recently
published. has shown great luminosity against Gen.
Trochu, and he repeated the same sentiments In court
any means, agree az to the words used seemed to
prove pretty clearly that Trochu, previous to the
Of his Intention defend the Empress clever French
writer NJ Francisque sarcey has think hit the truth
when nc says that all these fine phrases do not mean
anythng-except the love of plrase-makng, suppose
In the mouths of Frenchnen. When NJ Jules Favre tod
Prince Bismarck, at Ferrieres, that France would
yield inch Of her territory nor stone OF her
forresses" he did not really mean what he SAID any
| more than Gen. Ducrot when he announced that he
would only return to Paris dead or yetorGas
Judged, even II he did say that he would die on the
steps OF the Throne in defense Of the Empress rs
| but I am Inclined to think there Is not llttle
truth In It. Then came NJ. Rouher' VINO .i really
| knew very little about the matter, aud then 9
whole crowd OF Bonapartist Witnesses all OF whom dd
not speak much TO the point but who showed great
auimus against tho defendant-I mean the plaintiff
Trocbu. Much hearsay evidence was gwen. Compare