The Paris journals continue occupied with extracts from the Praslin
docu- ments. The Monitenr reports the Dake's confession, made to the Duke Decazes, Grand Referendary of the Chamber of Peers, which he communicated to the Court of Peers on the 30th. This high functionary had waited on the accused in prison. The Duke de Praslin informed him that he had taken arsenic on the day of the murder, when he perceived that he was seriously suspected. The arsenic was contained in a phial in the pocket of his robe-de-chambre; and he said he brought it from Praslin. The prisoner denied with great earnestness that he had confided to any one. His explanations having been interrupted by moans caused by pain, Duke Decazes asked him, "If the sufferings of his mind were not still more poignant than those of his body; and if they did not in- spire him with a desire to allay them by the expression of the repentance he must feel in his heart 7—adding, that his family was inclined to believe that he must have committed so barbarous a crime in a paroxysm of furious insanity, which he had no doubt bitterly deplored. The unhappy man, raising his eyes and hands towards heaven, then exclaimed in a broken but strong voice, '0, 1 do deplore it !' I next," continues Duke Decazes, "took occasion to say, that, in that supreme moment, in order to satisfy both the justice of God cud man, it was desirable that the expression of his repentance should be as public as had been his crime; and that a full confes- sion should explain at least, if it were possible, the delirium under which he acted. I offered, if be were disposed to make that confession, to send for the Grand Chancellor, or to write it down and certify it myself. These last words, which be listened to with a lively emotion, seemed to excite a struggle in his breast: and, after a moment of hesitation, he replied, ' I am to fatigued—too suffering, at present. Tell the Chancellor that I request him to come tomorrow.' The disturbed state of mind of the accused was too visible, and his suffering con- dition too serious, to permit the proloogation of our conversation. The physicians, besides, had just declared that it was urgently necessary to offer to the patient the last consolations of religion. The family having made choice of no clergymen, and in the absence of the venerable parish-priest of St. Sulpice, the Chancellor intrusted that mission to the parish-priest of St. Jacques de Haut Pas. The Court is aware that, after the pious ceremony, which appeared to have restored a little strength and calm to the accused, the Chancellor offered once more, but in vain, to receive the declaration he had manifested a willingness to make."
The Gazette de France contradicts positively the report that the young Duke de Prasliu bad committed suicide. The Duke, it says, is only between thirteen and fourteen years old. With respect to the reported murder by the Prince of Eckmiihl, the Gazette des Tribunaux says the circumstances on which it was founded occurred as month ago.
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