New-York tribune., 1899-11-21
H. DEPOULEDE'S SENTENCE.

The sentence passed upon NJ. Deroulede by
the High Court Of Justice will be regarded with
mixed emotions There are those who Will
deem it grossly inadequate. 1t will be remem-
bered that NJ. Deroulede was charged with CON
spring against the integrity and permanence OF
the republic and with seeking to overthrow it
by means of n military coup d'etat. For such
niquity, If guilty, he should have been punished
most severely. The outcome of the matter ls
however, that he is convicted Of insulting the
President, and is sent to Jail for three months
for all the world like hapless German carica-
turst found guilty of leze majesty. The attain
ment of this result, after great State trial, will
be reckoned the birth OF mouse from travail
ing mountain Yet we are not at all sure that
such an estimate will be rational or just
We have known by experience in this country
the difficulty of securing conviction for treason
even in cases In which not n shadow or DOUBT
existed Of the prisoners moral guilt. 1t is one
thing to be morally certain; it Is another ana
different thing to present convincing legal proof
1t will be remembered that this Government
was unable to convict-reallzing which fact IL
declined to bring to trial-the responsible leader
of the most serious attack ever made upon the
welfare and very existence of the Union win
that fact in mind 1t will be fitting for us 10
proceed discreetly in passing judgment upon
France for not summary sending to the scaffoid
everv man who Is reasonably believed TO be a
traitor TO the republic AS for NJ. Deroulede,
with all due regard for his assumed honesty OF
motive and personal unselfshness we must con-
slider him as having plotted for the overthrow ol
the republic. In fact, we suppose ne wouiu
himself be the last person to deny II. lie said
on Saturday that he wanted 'pleDiscitary re-
public" Precisely so did Louis Napoleon. Ana
NJ Deroulede has been working hand and glove
with another Pretender in whose interest the
plebisclte would be taken.
Rut granted NJ Deroulede's guilt in the ex-
tremest measure 1t may be that II was ho'
merely technically necessary but also Judlcous
and commendable to let him Off so easily. Nheh
that extraordinary scene was in progress ABOUT
the house of the pork and ripe statesman
Guerin, the first impulse was 10 accuse 'he
French Government of objectionable weakness.
Was It not allowing its authority to be houted
Rut we are inclined to think that 1udiclous oO-
servers are now agreed that the Government
acted wisely Had it stOrmed the house IL wouiu
have enforced its decree promptly enough. but
q u,ould not only have caused some bloodshed,
but yvould have given the deft dissector or de-
funct swine n chance to pose as hero and per-
hang "a n MARTYR Instead, it made him SUI
nremely ridiculous; and in France nothing Is 80
fatal as ridicule Had 1t sent Nj. Deroulede 10
DoviI's Isle for the rest OF his life 1t might have
done no more than justice. But it would nave
Given his followers an opportunity to apotheo-
size him. to organize a veritable "Derouiede
cult" with the conspiring poet as It's hero, mar
tyr and saint To convict the arch-consplrator
% biob treason and TO mete out TO him tral-
tors doom would have been at least 10 dghlly
him and to dignity his wretched schemes. But
to lock him up for ninety days as mere Drawi-
or and for An offence against good manners, IS
20 mako him seem contemplate; while to record
that the supreme effort Of the conspiring traitors
hae eliminated in nothing more than an insult
% = oontlamon is TO brand 1t with hopeless ridi-
cule
II Is. moreover-and this may perhaps be the
most important significance of the whoie ailar
q enlendid we might almost say an audaclous,
oxbibiton Of the republics faith in itself. IL
rroc,oirs 70 the world that 1t is not afraid or
thase plotters. 1t can afford to ignore the serl-
ous intent of their schemes and merely 10 chas-
tiso them for their i'll breeding! And If, as we
bove said there Is nothing so fatal as rdlcule'
tbere Is also nothing more successful In France
.hor that courage which to the timorous may
seem audacity.
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