med were gentlemen belonging to the law; many
of them had been liberally educated, were men of talents, and some of
them possessed acquirements which would have done honour to any bar. The
opinion of all these was strongly in favour of the new codes; and they
go so far as to say, that when the matter comes under consideration,
there are very few things which the present government will change, and
very few judges who will lose their situations.

They allowed, however, that latterly, Napoleon had forgotten his usual
moderation, and, incensed against the importation of foreign
merchandise, had instituted a court, and formed a new and most rigorous
code for the trial of all cases of smuggling and contraband trade. But
fortunately for the people, this court had scarcely commenced its severe
inflictions, when the deposition of Napoleon, and the subsequent peace
with England, rendered its continuance unnecessary. The punishments
awarded by this court, were, in their rigour, infinitely more terrible
than that of any other in Europe. There was pot the slightest
proportionment of the punishment to the offence. For the sale of the
smallest proportion of contraband goods, the unfortunate culprit was
condemned immediately to eight or ten years labour amongst the
galley-slaves. For the weightier offences, the importation of larger
quantities of forbidden goods, perpetual labour, and even death, were
not unfrequently pronounced.

I was informed, that when Napoleon commanded the Senate to pass the
decree for the institution of this court, one of the members asked him,
if he believed he would find Frenchmen capable of executing his orders,
and enforcing such laws? His answer was, "my salaries will soon find
judges;" and the consequence of this determination, upon his part, was,
that while he paid the judges of the other tribunals at Aix by a
miserable annuity of one hundred and fifty pounds, and two hundred
pounds, the judges of the court of contraband were ordered to receive
seven hundred pounds and eight hundred pounds. Napoleon was perfectly
right in his opinion; that such was the want of honour and principle,
and such the excessive poverty of France, that these salaries would soon
find judges. I have heard from unquestionable authority, that, for the
last vacancy which was filled up in that court, there were ten
candidates.

The court-room, in which this law tribunal was held, is now occupied by
a society of musical amateurs, an