, 1875-01-02

to place the bill for the organization of
Second Chamber first, and it was adopted.
These proceedings show that all efforts
to unite the two Centres have failed.
PARIS, Dec. 90.
Committee of Appeal to the People has been
abandoned by the government.
GERMANY.
BERLIN. Dec. 30, 1874.
The Court assembled for the purpose of render
ing the verdict in the Won Arnim case at four
o'clock yesterday afternoon, The court room
was densely crowded, principally by members OF
the aristooracy. But outside, in the Molkenmarkt
there was q vast concourse of spectators.
The excitement that prevailed was almost un-
paralelled, the nearest approach to it being the
scenes at the celebrated Waldeck trial in l849.
Notwithstanding a heavy snow storm the crowd
waited patiently for the decision.
AS soon as the court was opened Count Arnim's
physicians pleaded that the accused was unable
to attend, owing to his impaired health. But the
Judges despatched special messengers to his resi-
dence in the Pariserplatz, with instructions to
demand his attendance at court.
Count Arnim arrived in Court at five o'clock in
the evening, leaning on the arm of his son, look
ing very pale and haggard. The crowd rose
alphabetically as he entered the room and re-
NAMED standing until the presiding Judge asked
the illustrious accused TO be seated.
Amid the most profound silence one of the
Judges read the decision and sentence from a doc-
ument consisting of twelve Autographed pages.
At the commencement he referred to the public
excitement caused by the case in and out of Ger.
many. When the judges had passed their sem
tenoe he said there would be discovered no absence
Of a full and sufficient knowledge Of the law and
the facts.
Never, in any previous case to their knowledge,
were the passions of %partisnns excited to such a
degree as in this instance. Even people occupy
ing high and important positions. who were gen
orally believed to be above such passions, had been
drawn into the vortex.
The reason was clear. The phenomenon result
ed from the position of the accused and the uuusu-
al and unexpected circumstances connected with
the trial, involving as it certainly did, personal in
terosts of o varied kiud-personal honor, public in
t%erests, international and home politics and o full
share ofpatriotio likes and dislikes.
All this to the eyes of the judges was but the
mere shifting scenery of q drama. To adhere
sternly to the law was their sole mission they
would fulfil, unhestatingly. unhinohingly. with
out passion.
President Reich then summed uk the general
bearings of the case as they had occurred to him
during this remarkable trial. He expounded their
nature at great length, dividing them into three
categories.
The retention of the documents, he said, that is
to say those containing the alledged censures of
Prince Bismarck, constituted, in the judgment of
the Court, no offence provided for under the Ger
man Penal code. Count Amin had docketed the
disciplinary documents coming under this desig-
nation
Tn conflict about these missing papers, His
Honor remarked, "has been beautifully described by
Count Won Arnim as a grave in which was buried
the friendship of his youth with Prince Bismarck"
The Court held that the retention of these papers
had been done in good faith, and therefore the charges
of bad intention, commended for by the eminent coun-
sci for the prosecution, must be excluded.
In reference to the second category, in relation 20
papers ON diplomatic affairs in France, the documents,
the Court had decided, did not come within the sense
of the indictment.
AS to the third category, which included the eccle.
siastical documents previously read at a secret session,
he said the Court had ruled that they were important
State papers. However, the requisite evidence was
wanting to establish the alleged illegal a%ppropria.
ton.
But, again, the unauthorized use of a document
is not embezziement. Even if the documents were
published it would simply be an offence akin to the
infringement ofa COPYRIGHT. The Court possesses
no proof by whom, when or how the documents were
distracted, and, therefore, that matter remains under
the terms of the Roman law, non hguet.
The Judge concluded his address by fnAing the
accused guilty of the Concealment of thirteen ecclesi-
astcal and political documents intrusted to his official
custody while in the diplomatic service of the empire.
When awarding the sentence the Court considered
the aggravation caused by the attitude of the accused
Count, and, on the other hand, it was maintained
that his high position should have shielded him from
open attack. He referred briefly to the great risk
of exposing to public view such documents as those
referred to in this case, and the results that might
flow from indiscreet revelations, weighing the case,
as it were, between the accuser and the accused