NEWS OF THE WEEK.
THE second Empire has sustained its first legal defeat. The Due de Broglie had written a pamphlet, which he sent to a printer to lithograph, not for publication, but for his own convenience. The pamphlet was seized by the Minister of the Interior, and M. de Broglie commenced legal proceedings for its restitution. The Mi- nistry, to stop the action, instituted a counter-prosecution for breach of the Press law, and summoned the Duke before the Juge d'In- straction. The Duke appeared, and remarked quietly that, as a Grand-Cross of the Legion of Honour, he was amenable, under a decree of the Emperor himself, only to-the High Court of Justice. As this Court has only been called into action twice, once for the trial of Louis Napoleon himself, it would have been inconvenient to summon it for such an offence, and the prosecution was drop*. M. de Broglie, however, has not given up his right of action, but demands the restitution of his hundred copies, some of which the Minister of the Interior has given away. Any number, of course, can be produced; but if the pamphlet is published without its author', consent, he may claim heavy damages from M. de Persigny, and is quite certain to forfeit none of his legal rights. It is said that the real grievance of the Ministry against M. de Broglie is, that he helped to circulate the letter of the Due d'Aumale.
