92] 
a representative of his subjects, 
than a father is of his children. 
The supremacy of both constitutes 
theessentially natural state. Every 
other political form is a derogation 
from the general rule, and con- 
tains a principle of relapse to pri- 
mordial disorder.” It will remain 
to be seen how far present France 
is brought to acquiesce in such a 
theory of Government. 
Nothing could be of more im- 
portance to the confirmation of 
that spirit of vigour, which the 
French ministry had determined 
to exert with respect to the treat- 
ment of state criminals, than the 
issue of Marshal Ney’s trial, which 
had now been so long depending, 
that an opinion prevailed of awant 
of resolution in the court to come 
to extremities against a man so 
high in military reputation. The 
decision had at first been com- 
mitted to acourt martial, in which 
there appeared a manifest reluct- 
ance to pass judgment upon one 
of their own body; and after a 
second sitting, the court pronounc- 
ed, by a majority of five to two, 
that it was not competent to try 
Marshal Ney. Immediately after, 
on November 11, the King pub- 
lished a decree, enjoining the 
Chamber of Peers to proceed with- 
out delay to the trial of the cul- 
prit, accused of high treason, and 
of an outrage against the safety 
of the state. The process imme- 
diately commenced, and after se- 
veral sittings, was concluded on 
December 6th, when the Marshal 
was capitally condemned by 139 
votes out of 160. Seventeen peers 
voted for his banishment, and four 
declined giving any vote. He 
was executed on the following day 
(see the Chronicle for particulars), 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1815. 
and the general impression made 
by this act, appears to have been 
favourable to the stability of the 
Government, since the funds ex- 
perienced an immediate rise. 
The rage of bigotry at Nismes 
at length rose to a height which 
obliged the Government to inter- 
pose with a strong hand. The 
Duke of Angouleme, whose de- 
voted attachment to the Catholic 
religion had rendered him sus- 
pected of conniving at the perse- 
cution of the protestants, had re- 
deemed his character on a visit to 
Nismes, by a gracious reception 
of the Protestant deputation, and 
an order for the re-opening of 
their places of worship. On leav- 
ing the place, he had directed 
General de la Garde to see that 
this promise was fulfilled. While 
executing his duty on Sunday, 
November 12th, a furious mob as- 
sembled to oppose him, and a 
villain levelled a pistol and shot 
him through the breast. The 
wound was very severe, but not 
mortal; and the assassin wasseized 
by the military, but afterwards 
escaped. Other violences were 
subsequently committed by the 
populace. When this atrocity was 
made known at Paris, an ordi-- 
nance was issued by the King, 
which, after recognizing the li- 
berty of worship granted by the 
constitutional charter to dissen- 
tients from the religion of the 
State, directed that proceedings 
should be commenced against the 
authors of the assassination of 
General la Garde; that troops 
should be sent to Nismes, and re- 
main there at the expense of the 
inhabitants, till the criminal and 
his accomplices should be brought 
to justice; and that such of the 
