The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1888-09-22
A CELEBRATED CASE.

There are many and just COM
plants concerning the laxity of our
methods in dealing with criminals.
1t is something, however, in their
favor that they work on the side of
the old-fashioned rule, that it is bet
ter to let many Of the guilty escape
rather than to punish one of the
innocent. In older countries, on the
other hand, the law usually leans on
the side of severity.
An extraordinary instance of this
tendency is seen in celebrated case
now before the French Chambers.
The story has aroused popular in
terest and sympathy TO such an ex-
tent that it has been made the sub
ject of drama on the boards of
Paris theatre 1t dates back to the
coup d etat of Napoleon Ill. Pierre
Vaux was a schoolmaster at Longe-
pierre, in the Department OF the
Saone- et-Loire. His stern fidelity
to the Republican cause canned him
the enmity OF many of his neighbors.
who went over like sheep to the side
of the usurping Emperor. Vaux
was, nevertheless, elected a munici
pal councillor. The enrnity between
the Republican and Imperialists was
intense. Suddenly series of fires.
mysterious in their origin, spread
through the community, attacking
the homes OF the rich and poor alike.
Every effort to discover the sup
posed incendiary failed, until some
body took advantage of Vaux's
unpopularity to denounce :" the rev.
olutionist, as he was called, as the
criminal. He was condemned in
October, 1852, to transportation for
lie, without evidence, and really
upon nothing more than the suspi-
cions of his enemies. He suffered
twenty three years of mental and
bodily misery in Cayenne before he
died.
But the real criminal had meantime
been discovered, several years before
the convIct's death, and proved to
be personal enemy OF the school
master and village Mayor. He
confessed, not only the crime, but
his own false witness against his un-
fortunate victim. But unluckily for
Pierre Vaux, because, according to
one of the strange provisions Of the
Code Napoleon, a person unjustly
condemned cannot obtain a repeal of
his sentence until the guilty party is
tried and judged. The real criminal
cannot eXonerate the innocent man
without a trial. SO that while Pierre
Vaux' innocence was absolutely es-
tablished, it could not be legally
demonstrated, and he wore his life
out as convict. Now that he is
dead, his status cannot be made good
without a special bill, modifying the
Code Napoleon. His family, who
remained with him in his miserable
exile, returned to France upon his
death twelve years ago, and have
ever since been engaged in petition
ing the Chambers for justice. His
children have now addressed a pa
thetic appeal to M. Floquet to carry
through the bill, which has been
introduced at every session for this
purpose. But it is said there is little
prospect of its passage. The French
regard the Code Napoleon with
superstitious reverence, and the Dep
uties feel that if they once begin to
alter it they do not know where they
will stop.
The incident illustrates the severity
of the French system in dealing with
criminals, which, is abhorrent to
English ideas OF Justice. The Judge
is prosecutor, and the prisoner is
practically considered guilty until he
proves his innocence. The laxity of
American methods is certainly not
to be condoned, but we can, at least,
derived some satisfaction from the
throught that such heart breaking
injustice as has been inflicted upon
the unhappy Pierre Vaux and his
children would not be possible in our
country.-Erom tile Mcz0 York TI-
bANe.