The record-union., 1893-02-11
Special to the REcoRD-UNIoN.

PARIS, Feb. 10.-Public opinion is SUBJ
stantially unanimous to the effect thai
the ignominious judgment passed upon
Count Ferdinand de Lesseps went be-
yond the requirements of justice. The
newspapers consider the sentences very
severe, especially of Ferdinand de Les
seps. The Figaro demands the pardon of
the man who has been one of the glories
of France. The Journal DIES Debats SAYS:
ITO imagine that striking down the
creator of the Suez Canal in his declining
days would be a salve to the public con-
science shows great misconception of the
opinion of a nation" The Radical La
LanteTne declares that the country itself
has sustained blow from the sentence.
which is useless in fact and excessive in
law. The Republican Steele protests
against the sentence and adds that glory
is thing so rare and precious that the
nation cannot too carefully guard it. The
Royalist GduloiS deplores the decision as
working havoc with the noblest legends
of the French people. The Independent
Motin says that the decree marks day
of ingratitude in the lives ofthe historical
POI SOhdSOo SOiNCi hSu III ILl0 Itldl. L utlT
names will be illuminated in the eyes of
posterity by the light of their deeds and
their suffering will leave no appreciable
| stain. being merely judicial accident
The Radical La Justice, Clemenceau's
paper, regards the judgment upon Ferdi-
nand de Lesseps as severe. AS to the
other sentences, La Justice points out
that other contractors were exactly in the
same position with Eiffel, and the official
liquidator of the Panama Canal Company
ought to proceed against them all for the
recovery of the sums they unlawfully
claimed and appropriated. Drumont
writes to La Libre Parole, the extremist
organ, which was largely instrumental
in making the prosecution of the Panama
Directors inevitable, that in the face of
the severe sentences there is only room
for one feeling pity.
Cottu and Charles de Lesseps have de-
cided to appeal from yesterdays judg-
ment.
Ex-Minister Baihaut, Senator Berat,
exMinister and Deputy Antonin Proust,
Deputy Dugue de la Fausonnerie, ex-
Deputy Gobron, Charles de Lesseps, Ma
RUS Fontane. Henri Cottu and NJ. Blon-
din were arraigned to-day on charges of
corruption in connection with the Pana-
ma lottery bonds bill.
The Indictment sets forth that a note
was found among the papers of Charles
de Lesseps showing that Baihaut asked
1,000,C COO francs for introducing the Pana-
ma bill in the chambers. The measure
was laid on the table in the Chamber of
Deputies on June 18th, and on the same
day Charles de Lesseps issued two cash
vouchers for the amount, which Fontane
received on the following day.
On receiving the money Fontane i'm
mediately handed 250,0O0 francs to Blon-
din, who took the money to Baihaut at
the Senate Chamber.
On the Dist of June Blondin paid Bal
haut the further sum of 125,0OO francs.
Baihaut at first denied these facts, but
finally admitted them. He also admitted
that he applied 1900 and 5000 francs to
the purchase of Italian rentes.
The indictment concludes by DETAILING
the various charges against Fontane and
Charles De Lesseps, who are accused of
bribing Baihaut; also of having induced
Arton and the late Baron Reinach to cor
rupt Senators and Deputies.
The discomfort caused by the dismissal
in the Chamber of indictments of true
bills found for corruption against
Rouvier and others has moved the Par
liamentary Commission to renewal of
its activity. The Commission now pro-
poses to summon all deputies who have
been accused of corruptness. Should the
Court of Cessation reject the appeal of
Ferdinand De Lesseps against the de-
cision OF the Court of Appeal, his name
will be stricken from the lists Of the in
stitute and the Legion of Honor.