There were three judges, who wore the same gowns as our Masters of Arts. The prisoners were seated on their left, attended by two _gens d’armes_ and their counsel on a seat below them; to the right the jury and public prosecutor were stationed. This latter official was habited like the judges. One of the prisoners completely established an _alibi_, the others succeeded so far as to render the evidence against them all ambiguous, so in consequence they were acquitted. The Revolution caused such havoc among the corps of lawyers that the profession is scarcely deemed reputable. Every advocate of the old Monarchy, who entered into the spirit of the times, is now either a member of the Tribunate or the Conservative Senate. The most lamentable circumstance in the interests of justice is the mean salaries granted to the judges, the principal of whom do not receive more than £400 sterling a year; and when the importance of their functions and their relative rank in society are contrasted with their pay, one cannot avoid thinking that there is a deliberate intention to degrade the name of Justice in this country, by rendering it infinitely below the scale of military authority. This opinion is corroborated by what took place a short time ago at the Tuileries, when the Civil Code was under discussion. Cambacères, the Second Consul, had actually persuaded Bonaparte that in England there were _no juries_ in _civil causes_. Upon further inquiry St. Jean d’ Angely assured him of the contrary. “How is this, Cambacères,” said the First Consul, “I am now told that the English always have juries in civil as well as criminal causes?” The latter still persisting, Blackstone was appealed to, but as no one present understood enough English to read this law book, Bonaparte extricated himself from the dilemma by saying: “Oh! as to these matters, one says one thing and another another; there appears to be no certainty at all about what is the practice in England, nor is it of any consequence whatever, but I decide there shall be no juries in France in civil causes!” _Ainsi soit-il!_ With this stupendous effort of human judgment I finish my account of the mode in which justice is administered in this enlightened Republic. XXXIX NEWSPAPERS. CHARACTERS OF THOSE CONCERNED IN THEM [Sidenote: FRENCH NEWSPAPERS] In the inaugural address pronounced by the celebrated Montesquieu on his admission to the French Academy, January 24, 1728, he said: “Talents without virtues are fatal presents, only proper to add strength to our vices and to render them more conspicuous.” Had Montesquieu lived to this day he would have thought in the same spirit. But he would not have survived the Revolutionary storm unless he had taken refuge in exile. I well remember a rebuke I once received from Robespierre when I extolled “The Spirit of Laws.”