The French Ministers continue to signalize themselves by pro- secutions
of the press. We mentioned last week, that the Due ME BROGLIE had formally disavowed all connexion with the Journal des Dads to the Due DE FRIAS; but it appears that M. SARRANS, the editor of the Nouvelle Minerve, had stated that eertain articles in favour of Don CARLOS, published in the Pellets, were transmitted by the Due DE BROGLIE tie that paper, and were founded on a report made to the Government by General LATAPIE. This statement was hazarded on the authority of LATAPIE; and, considering, the then generally supposed con- nexion of the Journal dese'Debats with the Ministers of' LOUIS PHILIP, as well as the insincere and treacherous manner in which the conditions of the Quadruple Treaty were evaded, it was certainly very excusable in a journalist to commit the error into which M. SARRANS fell. It turns out that the DThats has been sold to the Carlists ; and that LATAPIE, a earlist tool, propagated a downright falsehood, for the advantage of his em- ployers; as the Due DR BROGLIE had nothing to do with the ar- ticles in question, and had abandoned all connexion with his former friend, the editor of the Journal des Debats, previously to their publication. DE BROGLIE considered that his assertion of this fact was insufficient to clear his character; and he therefore prosecuted not only LATAPIE, but SARRANS, in the Parisian Court of Assize. The trial commenced on Monday ; and on Tuesday both the defendants were found guilty by the subser- vient jury : LATAPIE was sentenced to two months' imprisonment, and to pay a fine of 2,000 francs ; while SARRANS is mulcted to the same amount, and is to undergo an imprisonment of fifteen days. Almost every one is surprised that the latter was found guilty, even by the jurors selected to bring in such verdicts by the Piefect of the Seine, who has carefully packed the list from which the jurors are in future to be taken. In this country, what private individual, far less a Minister of State, would have prosecuted the publisher of a political and not personally abusive article, which the author publicly avowed, and whose correctness he pri- vately guaranteed ? The Due DE BROGLIE had gained the repu-
tation of being a bad Minister, but we did not think that he would have acted so contemptible a part as he has done in this affair.
The new editor of the Reformateur, M. Maoist, has been sentenced to two months' imprisonment and a fine of 4000 francs, for an article headed "Discontent in the Army," written in a very moderate tone, and which would be perfectly harmless if un- founded. The editor of the Bon Sens is to publishing translatiolis of articles from the Sun and the llorriehg Chronicle; the Charivari for printing with red ink ! and* the- Qaotidienne on some charge almost as frivolous. Thus we see that the FIESCHI laws are not to lie in abeyance. That the Mi- nisters will succeed in finally crushing the press of France, we do not believe ; but on the contrary, that the time is not far distant when a terrible reaction will be the consequence of the timorous tyranny of the Government. The history of France during the last half century forbids the supposition that it is safe to play the despot there.
It is stated that the French Chambers will meet on the 28th of December.
There is considerable difficulty respecting the payment of the American Indemnity money. The French Minister of Finance has dishonoured the bills drawn upon him by the United States Treasury, and refuses to vary from the course laid down by the Chamber of Deputies, by which an apology for General JACK- soN's message was to precede payment of the twenty-five millions of francs.
It has been rumoured that TRIERS has quarrelled with his col- leagues, in consequence of their determination to support MEN-. DIZABAL in the Spanish Ministry.
