of the facts of the case, or of the rights in dispute. If the forms have been correct, the judgment is confirmed; if not, it is annulled. When the decision is annulled, the court sends it, before another Juge de Paix, and the whole proceedings are to begin de novo. This second Juge de Paix generally lives in the vicinity of the one who first took cognizance of the cause, in order that the expenses of travelling may not press upon the parties. If the first decision has been subjected to an appeal, not for irregularity in the legal proceedings, but for a wrong application of the law of the case, or an erroneous explanation of the facts, then the case is brought before the Tribunal de Première Instance. In his criminal capacity, the Juge de Paix cannot condemn a man to more than a very few days' imprisonment, or a fine of a few francs. He receives from 900 to 1200 francs salary, according to the extent of the canton. The Greffier about from 500 to 700. THE TRIBUNAL DE PREMIÈRE INSTANCE Is composed of a President, appointed for life; two or four Judges; a Procureur du Roi, or public prosecutor, dismissible at the King's pleasure; and a Greffier. All are appointed by the King. The Procureur du Roi, or King's Attorney, has also one or two deputies, who act in his name; so that whatever the deputy does is always pour Monsieur le Procureur du Roi. The President has from 1800 to 2400 francs per annum. The Procureur the same. A Judge 1200 to 1900. The Deputy the same as a Judge. There are also one or two young men destined some day to become magistrates, who sit as judges, under the title of Juges-Auditeurs. They receive nothing from Government until they are appointed to some other office. Their duty is to attend the sittings, to give their opinions, and to be ready to act for such magistrate as may be prevented from attending. This Tribunal de Première Instance sits both in civil and criminal cases. When there is a public rumour of a crime being committed, any officer of the police or gendarmerie, the Maire, Juge de Paix, Préfet, or sous-Préfet, or the Procureur du Roi, or his deputy, draws up a procès-verbal of the facts which may have come have come to his knowledge. Generally any infraction of the law is first known by a gendarme or a commissaire de police. He makes out a statement of the facts which he has been witness of, the declarations which have been given by the persons who have been also witnesses; together with any other circumstances that might be likely to lead to a farther discovery of the truth; and this statement is forthwith sent to the Procureur du Roi. A copy also being transmitted to the Captain of the police. The Maire of the commune where the deed had been committed, proceeds much in the same manner as the Gendarme, and sends a copy of his statement to the Procureur du Roi, and an extract to the sous-Préfet, who is a civil magistrate only. Thus, in twenty-four hours after the perpetration of the crime, the criminal and civil magistrate and military officer are informed of all the particulars. The Procureur examines if the affair is a mere matter of police, and if so, he orders a bailiff to summon the persons implicated before the Juge de Paix. If the affair is of a more serious nature,—of that class of offences called délits, which do not, however, amount to crimes, then he orders the persons impeached to be summoned before the Tribunal de Police Correctionelle. He or his deputy then acts as a public accuser. If the case be grave, the Procureur du Roi instantly writes to one of the judges of the tribunal, commissioned under the title of Juges d'Instruction, with a request that he will attend him immediately to the spot where the crime had been committed. They are accompanied thither by the Greffier; and, if necessary, by a detachment of gendarmerie, and then they duly proceed to seize the criminal and his accomplices. The appearances on the persons of the criminals are carefully noted, and all cir cumstances of place and time, when and where, and how the deed was committed, &c. &c. But they proceed in a peculiar way. The Procureur du Roi makes application to the Juge d'Instruction to act, who, however, has it at his option to act or not, as he thinks right. The reason of this is to prevent the consequences of any blind or sudden impulse of passion. The Procureur du Roi can arrest any suspected person, but not without making application to the Juge d'Instruction. The procès-verbal, written by the Greffier, under the dictation of the Juge d'Instruction, is read aloud to the person suspected, and to the witnesses, and they all annex their signatures with the Juge d'Instruction, the Procureur, and the Greffier. persons arrested are then sent to prison; but must be set at liberty in the course of twentyfour hours, if within that time the Juge d'Instruction does not issue a mandat d'arrêt, and confirm the commitment. This keeps the culprit in prison as long as is necessary to complete the information, carried on conjointly by the Procureur du Roi and the Juge d'Instruction. They issue orders to witnesses to The |