Year: 1870

Teurs-The Verdict.


much attention or created 80 much excitement
as that which has just been brought to close
at Tours. For anything at all approaching It
in interest we have to 60 back to the trial or
the present Emperor Of the French himself in
ls40 There are men still living who remem-
Der the trial of Queen Caroline, and our read
ing recalls TO US many great trials in which
peers, princes or royal personages were placed
on their defence. In those days, however, the
world was still slow. The railroad and steam
boat system was young and telegraphy was
but an inoipient curiosity. The trial Of Louis
Napoleon took place thirty years ago, and
thirty years have since made the world
almost anew. Since then months have bsen
reduced TO weeks, days to hours, hours to
seconds. The trials of Warren Hastings and
of Lord Give had been forgotten in England
before they began to be known here. 1t was
not much different In the days Of Queen Caro-
line. The change had begun, but the fruit was
not yet when Louis Napoleon was tried by the
peers of France and sent to his prison at Ham.
1t Is thus that the trial Of Prince. Pierre Bona
parte, although comparatively unimportant,
has commanded 80 much attention here and all
the world over, as well as in France. 1t is the
first great trial In which q prince has been
called upon to defend himself against charge
Of murder since we entered upon the new era
of railroads and telegraphs and the modern
newspaper.


In these columns we have watched, noted
and commented upon the trial as it went on.
Our readers daily have been as well posted
upon the facts as any reader Of news In Paris,
and as rule little earlier. Our readers who
have taken any interest in this trial cannot
have been surprised at tho verdict which
was brought in by the jury on Sunday. 1t was
all along our opinion, and we have never con-
eealed it, that, although the Prince was known
to be rash and incautious person, there was
no evidence in this case to convict him Of muir
der. During the course Of the trial the wit
nesses on both sides have failed to inspire us
with high opinion Of the French character.
Bad temper and contradiction Of each other
and of themselves on the one side and on the



cult to believe that there was in any Of the
witnesses any high sense Of justice or any
innate love Of truth. Nor can we say that we
have been much more pleased with the law
agents on either side. On the part Of the
prosecution there has been too strong dis
position to heap abuse upon the Prince.
On tho part of the defence there has been too
strong disposition to heap abuse upon the
deceased and on those who acted with him.
On the whole we do not much wonder that the
friends of Victor Noir were tempted to make
unwise demonstrations, and that Prince Pierre
more than once forgot the solemnity and
danger Of his position. So far as we know
the facts the Court behaved well throughout,
nor can there be any doubt that the jurors con-
Quoted themselves becomingiy In the circum-
stances. Ths only just verdict that could be
given they gave. There was no evidence to
prove that the Prince had done otherwise than
! act in self-defence. The Procureur General
asked more than was warranted by facts, bu,
not moro than was wise In tho promises, when


he asked for verdict Of guilty, with extenu-
ating circumstances" The jury very properly
returned verdict of ''not guilty" on all the
points of the Indictment. The fresh case made
by tho prosecution, although somewhat


surprising to us by its immediate effect and b.


its final result, is in perfect harmony with


French law. In this country, and, SO far a'


we know, in England, the Prince would have


regained his liberty on the conclusion Of the
| ~ Tho cixyiI a,,fth o,1I


have been dealt with separately. Tie Prince
| would have been liberated on bail and held to


appear when called for. AS it is, however,


the Prince has no just ground Of complaint


The counsel in the civil case asked one hun


dred thousand francs damages. The Court, as


will be seen from the news of this morning,


adjudged twenty-five thousand francs. The


case is thus so far, happily ended. The Prime,


is again at liberty, although the question still


remains whether he is safe person to enjoy


liberty. In our judgment the Prince at lberi,
is more dangerous citizen than would be


Henri Rochefort, who is still in prison. Tn


Emperor, however, is not the man now tc


neglect his cousin. In all likelihood we shal
| soon hear of him somewhere out of France.
The moral of this whole case might be pu


at great length, bat it may also be put in .


few sentences. France is passing through .


crisis, great crisis, and the promise is good
| Unwise retormers refuse to see the good tina


Is offered them. Uhwise partisans of tn


empire and Of the Emperor rsuse to see tn.


strength or to recognize the character Of thu


popular sentiment. Between them the crisi


has almost brought France to the verge o


violent revolution. This trial has allowed but


q little Of the gas on both sides to escape. In


proportion as the gas has escaped there is th'


less danger OF explosion. In other words


Napoleon is stronger, and his Prime Minister


Olivier, has q greater chance Of success
| There will be lOnl eYuressions of dissaiisfac