American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1825-08-05
POLITICAL STATE OF FRANCE.

fend liberal principles, Nj. dc Sismondi oil course
among them is constrained, and produces an unsatis
Tying generality in their propositions, and an occa
sonal want OF entire fairness. The law imposing
preliminary censare on the press, law which hae
been repealed towards the close Of the reign o
Louis the Eighteenth, after a short revival during
the period of his last illness, has again ceased un
der the new king to exist. The substantial opera
lion of the law, however, by no means ceases with
ia nominal repeal 1t may, in fact, almost be said
that the repeal of this law is more unfavorable to
the true freedom of the press, than its existence
Unless we suppose, that the repeal is produced by
real and radical change OF policy that the king ano
his ministers have utterly renowned The doctrne,tha
the peace and safety of the state require guard to bs
placed over the press, land no such suppositior
surely can be made) the repeal OF the law shows
only that the government party iee's Itself strong
enough to punish, and therefore thinks it needles:
TO incur the odium OF preventing the offences o.
the press. The repeal oil the law shows, that the
courts and iuries can be depended on to serve the
government as faithfully as the censor and the pc
lice officer and this state Of things is certainly
more unfreIdly to the real freedom oil the press
than preliminary examination Of every thing pro
posed to be published. This last system throw:
Immediately upon the executive government ths
odum Of restraing the press but rigid construc
ion and prompt execution of laws Furnishing It's
abuses, while they impose restraint scarcely less
etfectual, throws upon the law and its admipistra
ton the odum which would otherwise rest on the
executive. In this case as n many others, it is q
less consequence, what the form or the letter OF the
law is but every thing depends on the spirit and
power OF the government. In France, the royal
government is probably as strong as that OF Napo-
leon, Tor all purposes of Internal administration
and there can be no cxaggeration IN saying, that
lis spirit is hostile 10 real political liberty as his
We see in the little pamphlet under consdera-
llon the proof of these positions. An essay by a
distinguished French political writer, on the pro
gress of free Institutions for the last twenty five
years, ought naturally to make France the promi-
nent object in the picture. The astonishing events,
that nave crowded rapidly upon each other in
that country, events whose political connection af-
tcrd more Instructive though a less attractive
spectacle, than their military history, would natu-
rally stand cut with boIdness and dstincness,
proporoned to their Importance, not merely in the
eyes of Frenchmen, but Of the statesmen of the
civilized world. Five revolutions even within the
quarter ct a century; the action and reaction be
tween the government and people, under circum-
Stances of unexamped interest and moment; the
singular and almost pal adoxIca spectacle OF des
poiism deriving strength from passion for liberty.
aod retaining the popular enthusiasm, which had
been excited to destroy former equally despotic and
more odious institutions; the Qet succession of the
restored government to most OF the abuses, which
constituted the great grievance under the empire !;
'snd the romantic cast given TO affairs by the yer
saty of individual character, which the state of
.he times had called forth these are traits in the
picture Of the last twenty five years in France
which under true liberty Of the press, would, in
en- essay by nj de Sismondi, have been displayed
IN he strongest and most eloquent forms Of illus
traion and contrast Half the power with which he
rules among the Colonnas and Barbarinis, the d.
Aledcl, and the Viscon,is would have set befo US
very different array OF facts and reflections from
hat which he has given Us, under the head Of
France
II 1t seem unreasonable to quarrel with him for
not speaking out boldly, Of what has passed in his
own country, inasmuch as it is unreasonable to End
fault with any man, for the defects and msfortunes
OF the SITUATION in which he is placed, we may at
least murmur at his ndulging in statements nomi.
nally true, but substantially unIounded nj. dc Sis
1nondi first admits, that during the last twenty five
years IN France, and he means in the latter
portion OF that period, " moray has suffered BY
The progress of hypocrisy and venality knowledge,
ny the opposition which has been made to the best
mode OF public instruction and liberty, by the en-
eroachments which 1t is Unnecessary TO recaptuale
here" Alter this concession, he puts in the other
scale what France has gained " in the progress OF
prosperity" and then concludes thus "Iasty by
way OF compensation for the part of her rights
which she has lest France is in possession OF the
LIBERTY OF THE PRESS. This valuable privilege
secures the empire of thought and of elevated sen
lments, and is, consequently, the most powerful
engine towards the improvement of the human
race" We can scarce conceive it possible that a
keen, sagaciou reasoner, and lover of liberty.
can talk of the compensation nation can receive
for part of its lost rights. There is no such
compensation there never can be. M de Sis
ma pF
stock of the country, which needs for the improve
men, Of its condition only to be we'll pastured and
well stalled to be safely tied up to good provender
He places politica! welfare in the empire oil
thought and of elevated sentiments" What com.
pensaion, then, can he even conceive for the small