The Sun. — 1822-09-27 (London, England)

YOUNG WOMAN.  A number of interesting trials are to occupy the Court during this Session. On Thursday, the 26th, the Court will have to decide tin the opposition formed by the four -Editors of the Constitutions:el, the Pilote, the Courier,' and the Journal die Commerce, to a decree which forbids them to report proceedings in Courts of Justice. The day after. to-morrow the Court will have to try an accusation of bigamy, and one of fraudulent bankruptcy. The sitting of to-day has been occupied by an accusation of carrying off' a minor, the only daughter of a cabinet-maker possessing some property. The accused was a young man, author of several articles, who had no other means of subsistence, though an Advocate, than his recent employment by a Journal entitled the Pilote. Pierre Barthelemy had met several times Miss Elizabeth Florence G—, daughter of a cabinet-maker, aged 17 years. He was 11 or 12 years older. He is far from being ugly, but he is short and lame, and obliged to aid the shbrtness of one leg by a high heeled boot, and to support himself on a cane. The Act of Accusation and the Justificatory Papers make us acquainted with the manner in which the acquaintance was established. Barthelemy frequently followed Miss Elizabeth in the street, as she proceeded from her father's house to school, accompanied by a female servant. He very soon finind means to speak to her, and offered to lend her some boas. The first which he lent her were, according to him, some works on. Education, and -a Treatise on Mythology.— Some time afterwards he put into her hands the first volume of La Nouvelle Heloise, and refused to give her the second. He wished to shew her Julie guilty, -but not Julie repentant. Elizabeth, it is said, hesitated to finish the first volume ; she was stopped -by this remarkable passage of the preface:— "'Whatever young woman, in spite of the title, dares to read is single page, is for ever lost." She added, however, I have arrived at the 110th page, and am not yet lost.. Barthelemy, replied, that the danger was only to weak minds, and that she might continue. In a letter written to the object of his arts, Barthelemy developed his theory of seduction. Very soon he menaced Elizabeth, that he should be driven to deeds of the greatest despair. He dared to advance that suicide was not a crime. He announced his approaching departure for Barcelona, where he was going to brave the yellow fever. Elizabeth was alarmed ; Barthelemy changed his plan of a journey into Spain for a trip to England, and by degrees lie led her into the abyss of seduction. At length tho place of her retreat was discovered, and she was conducted to the -convent of SL Michel, by virtue of the paternal authority, and of the authority of the President of the Civil Court. • Barthelemy wrote a menacing letter to the father, in which he reproached him as a tyrant and gaoler, and the executioner of his daughter, and, went so far as to say, " you have lost your rights in abusing them." Barthelemy- alleged for excuse the violent passion with which he was inspired by his victim, and the' project which'he had always entertained of marrying her • but the father would not accept of a reparation which only confirmed the ravisher in the possession of the prey which he had coveted. He appeared before the Court as a party to a civil suit. At the commencement of the trial, Elizabeth was led forward by the son-in-law of M. Lebon, her father's advocate. Her steps trembled, she was evidently confused, and a long black veil covered her features, which; however, were discerned to be regular and handsome. Her eyes appeared to avoid these of M. Barthelemy. After the act of accusation was read in the presence of a numerous audience, M.' de Broe, Advocate-General, required, in consequence of the nature of some of the details, that the cause should be heard with closed doors. The Court agreed to this requisition, the audience were ordered to depart, some persons, however, remained ; we shall not abuse this favour in reporting afflicting details, which the interest of morality requires us not to submit to the eyes of our readers. M. de BROE supported the accusation with the same talent that he has recently displayed in a number of criminal pro. secutions. M. le Bost pleaded the father's cause, and M. CARNE defended Barthelemy. • . The audience were again admitted, when the Judge summed up, and they then learnt that all the difficulty of the ease turned on the 354th and 356th articles of the Penal Code, and on a defect which the Legislator seemed to have left in them. —The defence maintained that the minor being more than sixteen years of age, and having voluntarily followed her seducer, the charge of fraud provided for in the 354th article was not applicable. . . . After a short deliberation, the Jury found Barthelemy not guilty of having carried off the minor, Elizabeth Florence G.— by fraud. In consequence the President discharged him, and addressed him as follows 1— " Pierre Barthelemy, the silence of the law rather than your innocence, enables you to escape from this accusation. You have been guilty of the gravest offence that can be committed not only against the rules of morality, but against the first principles of an honest and virtuous man. You have seduced a young woman from her duty, knowing that her father would never consent to give her to you in marriage. You have not even asked the father's consent ; you began the seduction of this , young person in the most vile manner, and with a skill and artfulness that has hitherto been found only in novels where the ' character of Lovelace has been described with such odious features. You have evidently derived your means of seduction from works which we dare not name on this Bench. Remember the crime you have now been guilty of for the remainder of your life, and endeavour to expiate it by better conduct. 'Warned , for the future by the lesson you have received, endeavour to form no other connections but what are pure and virtuous. ' Above all, do not abuse talents which the Court cannot but re,. cognize, talents which nature has given you, and education has L cultivated, but of which you have made a most immoral and pernicious use."