Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-11-16
FOREIGN.
From London Papers, to the 18th September.
FRANCE.

Peer who had before spoken, said, on March
IL, 1923, " A noble Baron had described, as
the result OF an expedition to Spain, France in
vaded, all our liberties destroyed As to the
invasion of France, and the loss of our liberties
one circumstance WILL at least, serve to console
me: these thing will never take place while
and my colleagues are ministers. The noble
Baron who processes, with talent, such generous
sentiments, will pardon me this assertion; il is
dictated by the conscience of a Frenchnar, n
These words, and the establishment of the
censorship, will explain the reasons why 1
ceased to be minister and the causes of the treat
ment have experienced from my colleagues.
attributed 10 them my sentiments; now they
deny them 1t was necessary, therefore, that
they should separate themselves from me, when
they mediated to suspend the most important of
our Liberties. Let us leave the individual and
speak of France.
will not repeat what have said a hundred
times from the Tribune in my speeches; what |
nave hundred times printed in my works
there Is no representative government without
the liberty of the Press. With the Journals I'M
der censorship, n constitutional monarchy he
comes either much weaker or much more yio-
lent than an absolute monarchy; it is an irnpc-
ded or dlsorganizcd machine, which stops by
the completely of wheels, or breaks by the en-
ergy OF its movement. l say nothing of that
trade in falsehood, established to the profit of
some men, IN papers without freedom, and of
those various crimes which are the inevitable
consequences ofthe censorship. Why should
enter into all this' The question is one of prin-
ciPlcs. We are not discussing tri6es. 1t will
ne acknowledged, undoubtedly that considerable
sums have been expended to gain over the OPT
mons of the journals; il is necessary then, to
complete by violence what was begun by cor
ruption Obstnacy is supposed ODE frfnness,
and the irritation of self love dignity of mind,
rolf hot 81
may set fire To his house in q paroxysm of fe-
yer. Is this state of madness proof of strength,
The fourth article of the law of March 18th.
1922, is as follows:
'1i, IN the interval of the meeting of the
Chambers. weighty circumstances render mo-
mentarily insufficient the measures of guarantee
and repression established, the laws of March
3ist, 1920, and of July 26th, 1921, may i,nme-
diately be again brought into action, by virtue
OF an ordinance of the King, agreed to in Coun-
Gill; and countersigined by three ministers.n,
ask, is the case foresecn by law arrived,
Are foreign armies at our doors? Is the public
treasure ruined? Has Heaven let loose any of
these plaques on France? Is the throne threa-
tened: Has one of our beloved Princes fallen
under the poignard nf ano.her Louvels No.
happily, no! What, then, has happened? The
l'i:iistiy mas Scrnin',,'f fails US los Z mn
Jorlty IN the Chamber of Peers, has been before
the tribunals for having neddlcd with disgrace
ful negotiations, the object of which was to pur-
chase oplnIons has spoiled the greater part of
the results of the expedition to Spain; has Sc
paraied from the Royalists; in one word, appears
incapable, and is told of it. These are the
foetShfy circumstances which oblge it to de-
prive us of the fundamental liberty ofthe insti-
tutons which we owe TO the wisdom of the King
If the circumstances were weighty, they must
have been made SO by it; it is therefore, against
itself that it has established the censorship. The
expedition to Spain was begun, continued, and
completed during the freedom of the press; false
news might compromise the existence of the
Duke d'Angouieme, and the safety of his army;
1t might occasion the fall of the public funds ex-
cite disorder In some departments; prod,ce
movement among the Powers of Europe;-these
circumstances were not sufficiently weighty to
authorize the suppression of the liberty of the
Periodical Press. But there was hardihood
enough to tell the ministers the truth; the
frenoh, born scorneTs. sometimes take the IL
berty of laughing at the ministers-quicle the
censure, or France is lost! What a misfortune,
TO crown the work, nothing were requisite but
the reason alledged for the establishment of the
censorship. Recourse might have been had TO
common pleas against the Press. 1t is exces.
ses, and the danger might have been described:
affecting to confound them with its liberty. it
might have been said that The present laws Of re-
preston were not sufficient although they were
extremely severe, although they have i'm fact
Obliged all the journals TO confine their obscrya-
tons within just limits. This is not the case:
theJournals are not complainedof; it is the Tribu-
nais' The censorship is necessary, because
some upright and digniGed Judges havedcfend-
ed the liberty of the Press; because they have
gwen judgment according to the integrity of
their conscience, and the independence of their
Characters; because they have admitted for the
journals an existence by right, as well as an
existence by fact; and right appears not very
pertinent under legitimate monarchy, after the
tact OF revolution, after the fact of the hun
dred days. minister of Justice exposes him TO
blame by his signature, the Judgment of tri-
bunal; three ministers dare. so to speak, TO ac-
cusc tue two chief courts of the kingdom before
public opinion the Court of Cessation. the
Court Royale, and the Tribunal of First In
stance, for these three tribunals have all decid-
ca IN the same cause. Thus, the whole Judi
c'ai system, from the base to the summit is at
lacked even the public prosecutor at the Court
ct Cessation spoke the same sentiments rs the
judgment oftbe court. Were all the ministers
present at Council when the dangerous resolu-
sion was taken? If one were absent. as is said,
he ought to repent severely that he was de-
priyeu oil the honor OF retiring. 1t may be said, !
perhaps that the courts were mistaken Who
VIII prove tiis' Are You who make this asser-
ton wiser and more enlightened Than they are'
was there nearly an equal division of votes a.
mong the Judges of these Courts, 7 am per-
fectly ignorant. 1t is asserted, however. that
the members of the Court of Cessation. whose
knowledge IS so well known, decided almost
unanimously IN the affair of the .4ristrrque. |
But the resurrection of this journal would cause
me revival Of several others. WHY not. iffhev
have the right of re-appearinp2 WHY sbouid
not law and Justice be canal FIR dip ,i-Lo ccte