Year: 1870

DOANiif amir stSS@1A


We are not surprised at the intelligence
that the acquttal of Prince Pierre Bona
perte of the assassination of Victor Noir
creates wonder and astonishment wherev
er it is known. The deed was so openly
committed, the guilt of the accused so APP
parent, that there was no doubt in the
public mind what the verdict ought to be.
The result reached is therefore considered
a violation of Justice, and the power which
swavs the DESTINY of France is responsible
for the outrage. 1t asserts in substance not
only that The King can do no wrong"
but that his relations are above the courts
and their lives sacred whatever crimes they
may commit. Had Pierre Bonaparte been
but q common man instead of being the
paid the forfeit for the murder which he
perpetrated. The deed was without prov
ocation, was savage. There were no cir
cumstanees connected with it to call for
lenity. 1t was done in his own rooms, up
on an unarmed man, engaged in what
duellists hold propermission, though men
holding to the code may think other
wise. The bearing of the Prince during
the trial was in keeping with the act for
which he was tried and the character
which he has manifested through life. He
interrupted the witnesses, bullied the court
and lawyers, and displayed more of the
rage and recklessnes of a mailman or wild
beast than the appearance Of reasonable
being on trial for life in the nineteenth
century.


But Pierre Bonaparte is the cousin of the
Emperor and hence he is safe. The quar-
rel in which the murder of Victor Noir
originated was one in behalf of the En-
peror, at least it was one against Roche
fort, the political oponent of the reigning
head of France, and thus there was a
political reason as well as that of consan-
guinity to prevent justice being done to
the offender. Everywhere it will be un-
derstood by all intelligent and unpreju-
diced men that this trial was farce,
mockciy of Justice, such as used to dis
grace the world in feudal times and
which it was supposed we had outlfved and
should never see again. The effect of it |
will be to bring into still greater contempt
in the public mind the authority which |
kings claim to rule by God-given right
No king, kaiser, or court can set the |
murderer free for kinship or partizanship
without proclaiming by the act that justice
has nothing to do with such a step. The |
blood of Victor Noir is stronger to-day
than the living Emperor and his brutal
minion. France is in chains. Liberty |
there is but phantom. Napoleon holds
the power Of life and death in his hands
through the fear of his armed thousands
Rochefort dared to speak against his OPP
pressions, and here is the end his friend
murdered, the murderer acquitted, and
Rochefort himself prisoner, while Ma
poleon still reigns.


What with the exhibition of outraging
justice in this case by kingly despotism and
the deyelopements ofkingly licentonsness
and deprayity in the Mordaunt divorce af-
fair, what can the defenders of kings and
emperors have to say for their theory Of
"divine right ?" If these men rule by any
thing short ofsatanic influence of the right
which the craven fears or dehlsions of
their followers give them, we are not able
to see it. If the acquittal of Pierre Bona
parte shall make the thrones of despots
trcmble and lead to the enlargement of
the privileges and rights of the humber
classes, the blood of Victor Noir will have |
some recompense. Thatthe agitation oc-
casioned by it must be violent there can
be no doubt, and less doubt that the sup
pressed indignation in France will out
measure by far what appears upon the
surface.


u, wv