The administration of justice during the French Occupation, 1798-1800

Abstract

After the capitulation of the Order had been signed on board the French flagship, the Orient, General Regnier was instructed to issue a proclamation stating that the French did not come with any intention of changing the customs and the religion of the Maltese; that the most severe discipline was to be maintained; and that the priest was to receive special protection. In the next few weeks the Maltese experienced an almost complete transformation in practically every sphere of their social, political, religious, administrative and educational life. Indeed, the new rulers seemed intent on changing Malta into an efficiently organised French state overnight. Many of these changes, no matter how beneficial, were bound to infringe on the rights of some people, and as one change succeeded another, more and more rights were or seemed to be, infringed upon and general discontent among the Maltese consequently grew. The question therefore arises whether the changes introduced by the French were really oppressive or anti-liberal. It is beyond the scope of this study to deal with every new measure introduced by the French. What will be attempted, however, is an examination of one aspect of the whole new organisation, the judicial aspect.