APPENDIX to the CHRONICLE. 
4jon flow remains, but in contem- 
‘plating the instability of human af- 
fairs, and seeing that those by whom 
they were expelled were often the 
victims of fortune as well as they. 
This was the only journal that dared 
Still to speak of a family once the 
most august in Europe. ‘This court 
affords an instance of the instability 
of human grandeur in that family ; 
and it is not a little remarkable, 
that the last instance of a prosecu- 
tion by the French government, as 
cited by my learned friend, was for 
a libel on that princess who has been 
since butchered and massacred by her 
own subjects. I say this not for the 
purpose of disputing the principle 
laid down by my learned friend, 
that no government recognized by 
our sovereign is to be libelled with 
impunity. 1 agree with him, that, 
in this respect, all governments are 
on the same footing, whether they 
are governments of yesterday or go- 
yernments confirmed by a succession 
of ages. I admit, that if lord Cla- 
rendon had published some parts of 
his history at Paris, in the year 
1656 ; if the marquis of Montrose 
had published his sonnets there; if 
Butler had published his Hudibras ; 
Cowley, those works in which he so 
ably maintained the cause of his 
_ King against usurpers—the president 
Du Morlaix would have been bound, 
_ on the complaint of the English am- 
bassador, to prosecute them for li- 
_bels against a government recog- 
nized by France. I mention this, 
that my client may feel the less re- 
pugnance at coming into this his 
last asylum upon earth; and it is, 
perhaps, owing to his majesty’s mi- 
nisters, that he enjoys even this. If 
it be so, I owe them my thanks for 
their honourable and dignified con- 
duct, in refusing to yiolate the hos- 
Vou. XLV, 
609 
pitality due to .an unfortunate 
stranger, who now appears in your 
presence, as the only place in which 
his prosecutor and he can be upon 
equal terms. Certainly, circum- 
stanced as he is, the most refreshing 
prospect which his eye can rest up- 
on is an English jury ; and he feels, 
With me, gratitude to the Ruler of 
empires, that, after the wreck of 
every thing else ancient and venera- 
ble in Europe—of all established 
forms and acknowledged ‘principles 
—of all long subsisting laws and sa- 
cred institutions—we aré met here, 
administering justice after the man- 
ner of our forefathers, in this her 
ancient sanctuary. Here then par- 
ties come to judgment; one, the 
master of the greatest empire on the 
earth: and the other, a weak, de- 
fenceless fugitive, who waves his pri- 
vilege of having half his jury com- 
posed of foreigners, and puts him- 
self with confidence upon a jury en- 
tirely English.—Gentlemen, there is 
another view in which this case is 
highly interesting, important, and 
momentous; and, I confess, | am 
animated to every exertion that I can 
make, not more by a sense of my 
duty to my client, than by a persua- 
sion that this cause is the first of a 
series of contests with the freedom 
of the press. My learned friend, E 
am sure, will never disgrace his ma- 
gistracy, by being instrumental to a 
measure so calamitous. But view= 
ing this as I do, as the first of a series 
of contests between the greatest 
power upon earth, and the only 
press that is now free, I cannot help 
calling upon him and you, to pause 
before the great earthquake swallow 
up all the freedom that remains 
among men; for though no indica~ 
tion has yet been made of a disposi-« 
tion to attack the freedom of the 
Rr press 
