Year: 1868

NJ, j. j. Weiss, editor of the Journal de P,EriS,
who had been arrested on the charge OF puo.
fishing the Baudin subscription, in the course
of o long argument before the court thus spoke


AS my personal defense, here is what have
to say:-I have been accused of "disturbing the
public peace" The prosecutor went across the
Channel To seek in the columns of the Times
evidence in support of his allegation, and then
told you that you judges had the right of appre-
you had the means of forming your opinion
before you in the shape OF my articles. You see
how they were written, and can form pretty
clear idea of what sort of man l am. lie style
c'eSt phOnlHe. Admitting AL Jnis does 1t 1ol-
low that there existed previous understand
ing between those who went to the church.
yard and myself? You say that we must
not arbitrarily separate one fact from another,
but neither must you arbitrarily connect them
together and you cannot implicate me in W uat
took place on the "a of November, The journal
&C Parts opened its subscrip ption. not ON the Sun
as has been stated, but on the TJh, a distinction
not without Importance. as we were not at that
time aware that proceedings, hai been insJi-
scription we stated That the Representative
Baudin had died for his country and liberty;
That The public tribute to mis- memory could only
be viewed as a tribute to the cause of freedom.
Our design and our object are therefore perfectly
clearly ann fbs ehe @oSs hot
than that which l publicly stated. Moreover,
while l reassert before you that had the most
perfect right to pass an opinion on the events
OF the 2d Of December, as that period forms part
OF the hist orical teaching in the public schools.
nevertheless, since the subscrl ptiOn was opened
| did not refer To the coup d'etat save in oae
passage in answer to the PdyS That journal
had stated that the the prosecution @ i9t was meant
the I'd of December, but TO identify 1t with
law itself" self L thought it necessary to
sovereign power, might absolve the % of De.
cember, but no court of justice had the power
of pronouncing IL TO be lawful" Except these
two lines, which were provoked by the Journal
YOU know OF, abstained from any ref 5cLion.
man who died in defense of law; had no inten.
tion OF reviving civil war l refused to receive
all the subscriptions forwarded to me with
letters stating the intentions and motives OF the
subscribers. One paper has even reproached
me with having been guilty of weak ness
for not inserting the letter M Berger
had done us the honor of sending to us,
that noble letter in which he stated his
opinion with eloquent terseness, and which
will survive as his political testament -
The present regime is not that OF
Tiberius. M. FAvocat Imperial is not a tool OF
neither his station nor his eloquence; aud Cne
tribunal, whatever II sentences me to, will not
eX pect me TO open my veins in q warm bath.
Haughter) But as long as the world lasts there
viii be controversy as TO the merits or de-
merits of Brutus and Cassius Il myself think
opinions as to Baudin. He fell unarmed, in
defense of the constitution.


But with all these differences the two cases
are analogous. The law of public safety is bat
the leG mGjestatts modernized, and the action
brought against Trematius Corvus is now
brought against NJ. Weiss for expressing his
admiration of O man shot down for protesting
against the violation of the law. will now





spiracy; to honor and reverence the dead can.
not be holding up the living TO hatred and con-
tempt.


Napoleon TO the Late M. Berryer.


The Pays Journal de Empire, having pub
Hshed two articles against the late M. Berryer,
the Opillion NdtiOnaGe recommends that public
reViler to read the following letter, which was
written in lS4O-


My Dear M. Berryer:-I cannot leave my Paris
prison without again thanking you for the
noble services you haverendered me during my
trial From the moment knew that l was TO
be brought before the Court of Peers / had the
Idea of asking you to defend me- because L
knew that the Independence of your character
would place you above the petty susceptibilltes
OF palty and that your heart was open to every
unfortunate, and your mind capable of under
standing all grand ideas and noble feelings. l
Therefore chose you from esteem; now leave
yoN with gratitude and friendship.


am ignorant of what fate may have in
store for me, whether l shall ever be able to
prove to you my gratitude, or whether you
would accept any proof; but whatever be our
reciprocal positions, putting politics and its
desolating obligations aside, we can always
| hold each other in esteem and friendship, and
| / confess to you that If my trial had no other
| result than that OF winning your friendship
| should still consider myself a greater gainer,
| and should not complain or my lot. Adieu,
my dear M. Berger, and receive the assurance
of my esteem and gratitude.


LOUIS NAPOLEON.