The Sun.
London, England, 1824-08-25 00:00:00

THE FRENCH CENSORSHIP.

114. DE CIIATEABRIANTVIIIIS written a pamphlet,
entitled--" La 'Censure pc l'on friers: d'etablir en vertu de
Particle de la Lot du 17 Afars,'lo2l" In his preface, M. de
Chateaubriand says—" The Censorship would not allow this
brochure 14 be ,announced in the journals, although the title
certainly contains nothing seditious. Is there any thing in it
against the King or the law? Dots the title stute whether the
author is for or against the censorship? What instinct in the
censors ! What marvellous sagacity! Ihtt I shall say no
more; my name Is printed in the title-page of the brochure.-..
11 ft possible to believe that we arc under the Ministry of
AI Corbiere and De Villele ?"

In the preface to the stcond edition, M. de Chatcaubriand
alludes to the tapittuale of the first, which, he says, war► sold
less time than it Was written, notwithstanding the censors
would not let it he advertised, and the Post refusal to tr,►nsinit
copies in the ilepariments ay tinil. It hi said that 5,000 copies
Odle firit edition even sold, within 3 bourn..

This pamphlet contains some information respecting the
articles which the cantors; have expunged. Among those struck
nut of the Jrnirll(4l (kg of Tuesday, the 17th, wan—
let, A second article, taking a retrospective view of the beat.
reeaenf the last Session of the Chtenber of Dermeee. ea, The
r•ivertist•tuent of M. Cleiteaubrianti'a pamphlet. And, 3tity,
Some lines on the sensibility of the Duke of ()deems,' on
hearing that his won, the Duke de 'Chances, had obtained a
preee I Against the Coli4.litutionni3 tins censors were still more
amere, and that Journal was even precluded from mentioning
the Duke d'Angouleme :es engaged in a cause netch more
honoureble to humanity than leading a French arm), in Spain
to restore leerdiaand VII. to his absolute authority. N. de
ilhatettulniend says the thing seemed so improbable, that he
could not believe it was suppressed until be saw the article. It
me mutely 4 notice sent from the Duke crAngouleme, inviting
the Members of the Royal Society for Prison Discipline to meet
his Reeve) Highness at a sitting of the Society on Thursday.;
accompanied by a few remarks of the'Editor, expressing a wish
that all the abuses which exist in the prisons, and jeive so Irticht
pain tothe true friends of humanity and religion. conid be
made )snows to his hoyal Highness, that he might he well hi.
formed on a subject en worthy of his beneficence and humanity.
111. de Chateaubriand asks whether there Is any thing in such
art article as the last which iniehtheve been expected to provoke
the wrath of the Censors, nr Rehrimirs de phrtuirs, its he styles
them. "It is then," says he, "no longer permitted to speak
inhumanity nor of religion ; and time the name of a Prince,
the restorer of our army—et name that Europe respects, and
Frence has inscribed among the great actions (faster) of her
giory—is blotted out by some obscure Censors in a police-office.
It is true that. the Prince, though a Christian, is suspected of
being attached to the Charter. It is true that all parties in Spain
hoe found their only shelter in his sword—that ho has Incal.
cated awned in the midst of divisione—that be has repressed
timse ram blinee of liberty, as well as the vagaries of arbitrary -power
.—that he is opposed to reactions and vengeance—that he has
not nufrered proscriptions to dishonour his anny—and that the
piles of the Inquisition have given way to the altars rained to Isis
eictories." The author alludes to 4 speech he made in the
( t.enber of Peers on the 13th Mach, Iti23, in which, in reply
-
eat( to a previous speaker, luesaid, " A noble Baton anticipates
teat rratece will he invaded, and all our liberties destroyed 14
•Spein. As to the invasion of France, and the loss of our public
liberties one thing retail console use—that these events shall
,never take place while land my colleagues are Ministere. The
. Noble Baron, who possesses so roue)) talent, and such generous
sentiments, will pardon this ressereion." These words, end the
establiehment of the Censorship, M. de Chateatteelerel says,
explain why he is no longer Meister, and the cause of the
treatment be bas experienced front his colleagues;
.but he says
he will leave persons, and speak only of France.
" I need not repeat," he says, " whet I have seid a hundred
times its the tribune, and what i have printed a hundred times
in my works, that there can be no representative government
without the liberty of the prem. With the Censorship of the
Journals, the Constitutional. Monarchy will become either
more weak or more violent than Absolute Monarchy. It is a
weak or ;wetly machine, which interrupts, by the" complexity
of its wheels, or breaks by the force of its motion.
The he...minister then proceeds to notice the fourths article in
die law of thzt 17th March, 1822, which provides for the re-
viva) of the Cs:wee:whip, and contends, that according to the
spirit of that law, :so cvunt or eireitmetenee hail centered to just.
tires Its revival. The article says, "If in the interval of the
sessions of the Chanibere, serioue circurnstences should render
ineffectual for time mernent, the measures of guarantee and
"Pre4,lion eStithliShed, ale Censorship may be again put in
force." " I demand," says M. de Chateauhriand, " if the
,case provided for by the law has occurred ? Are foreign
armies at our gates? Is there any conspiracy in the interior?
is the throne menaced ? Ilas one of our beloved Princes fallen
under the iist.ts,lr of a new louvel ? No, happily not. What,
then,: has !same:mai Why, the Minister hits committed
same faults; he has lost a majority in the Chamber of Peers ;
he detested before the tribunals of shamefal negoriations in
order m purchase opinione; he has dissipe red the advantageous
results or the expedition in Spain ; that he has separated from
the Itoyaliste—ese otes word, that he appears Meet-sable of his
uMess- Theses are the serious erc Mese which compel us
to Violate the fimilamental liberty
10 the wisdom of this King If
oft ite:t'itetions w—hich We owe
nstenees are serious,
he 11" made Own '") 4-611 it t 'eg('`reu'i ' that he line
'eetablisdied Ceneerehip," Ikea-141,11:s,,toei„mtme cxtc„,eoe of
• t fuer iretimetareese sal 11 eh have led to tits - 'Censor-
ship, ligainst wisielt M. de Chatestebriane, contends :
he epeeist' with is ee:pit of hi: '• V.ll-1 n de' Ville le,
though not by nate. rl, t i, try fa endangered
ley the mesn? • ,• el, he nays, " The
remedy Is caly , . ttet: '4(3li iii dine: if it is sterna..
ed to go no, it becomes , raisle. catmot develope
(woie in this little Tame!. .!t, the rapid work of few isult,
.wtiithlie.p":ll;4,ll in a he:; y on account of the importance of
• the subject. It is laird for that lam so far Advanced in toy
m
career, to re-engage in struggle's which have copeuteettyiifet
=but a Peer of France and a Magietrate, I cannot sea /some he
.hesty.perish. I could not see the tribunals attacked without
Taising my voice—without giving my support, fe6la as it may
be, to the Institutions that were endangered. That the throne
of oar wise Monarch may remain unassaileble-etlest France
may be free and happy, is my prayer; and as to my own des.
,tits, let it be as Clod pleases."