Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1830-12-23
Fs'M 1RE TRvrB TrLLvR
FRAScE IN 1880. By Lady .morgsn.' J. & J

mas Of Peris. We have looked to this par, of the
book orly on account of The interest which jour-
NJ iss ourselves, VIZ may be naturally disposed TO feo
or ;hc subj CT, because We know that by the prodi
gioae end dominant influence Of the Paris Press, the
ls;e revolution was mainly accomplished The
aers OF The Truth Teller besides be grated in
bong m,le, il were acquainted wit the names
and ena,ac.ers of those Distinguished men, whose
jou nails have frequently occasion 10 quote in
DOR columns Most of them. II will he perceived are
persons Of nigh political rank and great literary
charnc;er:-
.'sr'e measure Of public liberty, in modern times
is 10 be found the state Of the periodical press
Where the journals are prevented by authority frnm
expressing their opinions, no liberty does exist
But If the press ia unshncked. or is even allowed only
moderate latitude of discussion, the tone and char
OF the newspapers indicate. with close approx
i,n,on to truth, the feelings of the peope, and the
degree IN which the governm mt 10 in accordance
with their desires and necessities.
Under the lion dcspotsn O: Napoleon the Press
IN all It's departments, was not only silencei the
emission Of its own opions, but was subjugahed to
forced aterancs Of those OF the authorities; aud
facts found their way into the journals. but with such
M, diiications suited the views Of the government
battered the Preiudces of its chief. On the
breaking up of the imperial system, the Bourbons
did succeed to this portion of the imperial power
which founded in the force of the revolution and
resided in the absolu',on of government derived
from the people and least, accepted BY it, as ne
ccssary, though perhaps temporary, protection from
external violence
dyrasty was compelled to abandon the previous cen
sure; and the periodical press became an arena, in
which The many factions engcndercd by the res ora
ton enabled tn make trial of their strength and
10 draw congratulations OF their future destiny.
Since that epoch, rapid ex' ension Of periodical
literature, both IN its material and intellectual depart
mcrts, has shown correspondent development of
public opinion in France, an increased demand for
political information. .onccn,r aton uf public views
and a growing snefg, in giving them expression and
effect.
"A, tic commencement Of this new era. numerous
and conc'ng parties, unable directly 10 controul the
emission OF hostile opinions sought, by corrupting or
influencing particular journals, to give currency and
prepondcrance to the ideas favourable to their
own views; and up To the present day, there not
wanting papers, which, held i'll the pay of individuals
are devoted to purposes unacknowledged by the pub.
ic But every day that passes, by ncre asipg the in
telligencc and the energy of the people, dimnishes
alike the influence and the utility Of this system
The public are daily evincing more End more plainly
that they The pubcists best customers. The fac.
toue journals are, therefore, obliged assume some
what more of national colour, or to abandon alto
gcther the horc o. spontaneous and adequate circu
1aton; while those papers which frankly ADOPT the in
teres!s OF the nation, and accord with the sentiments
of tn. people, are las literary specuatons) the most
prosperous and remuncratng.
"The political journals the most in vogue are the
Constitutional, the Journal Ges Debats the Courier
Francsis, and tho Quo,dienne, (I8so.) After these
come the Journal de Commerce, and the Gsze,te
Moniteur, tie New Journal de Paris, and the Mesa
ger des Chambers. These are all either devoted to
national principles represent the opinions of par
ty having certain weight and influence in society:
while the Pote, said TO be in the pay of Sohsepe de
ia Rochefouraut LIE Drap~au Blanc, Influenced by
Monsieur de Dumas, the Old Journal de Paris sub
servent to Monsieur Peyronhet. and, in general all
the papers that disgracsfully sold to the Vii
Iele administration, may be considered as politically
d f,pct.
"The provincial press has partaken very much in
the political conditions Of the departments, which
have always been subservient to the authorities
than the capital Most of the great Cities and chef
icns of the Departments have their especial journ.s
but with the exception Of five or six, they with
out interest and composed Of extracts from the Pc
rs papers, commercial and judicial intelligence, and
the transactions of the prefecture. The greater
part Of them subssting only through the influence
Of the prcfnc' have been in cose dependence the
ministry o. tie dar; at leas, they had NO colour
or opinion VIVA ever. being the mere chronicles Of
ceremonies and accidents, of weather. unknown to
the odrs inhabitants, iusus nature, and marvel
lous and incredible adventures" Lyons, Bordeaux,
NanZ, Lie, Strasburg, Marseiles. Dion, and some
other towns, however, support independent journals;
of which the majority conducted upon prnci-
pies decidedly constitutional The general condi-
ton of the Departmental press, has varied somewhat
according to The character of the reigning admin
istraton After the downfall IF Vilele, the provin-
cisl journals threw off in degree the yoke
which they had hitherto borne; and from the decid-
cdy popular character of the late election $50
to be presumed that the country press is now moro
in accordance with public opinion than it was in
1920. But it would even now be impossible, for an
editor Of journal in the smaller towns maintain
q ST. y var Of politics with the local authorities or
to assert FREQ sentiment, without great mansg &C.
ment On the whole, therefore, the provincial press
as organ of public opinion. political agent,
still 'dmeutably Inefficient.
"In Paris, there are two journals especially devo
ted to the propagation of absolute doctrines-the
Gazette and the Quoiidienne. The Messenger du
Soir was, and perhaps still is, the journal of the Mar
tionac ministry The Moneur has always been the
Off ia organ Of the government 81 the day; and, in
the year 1915 it announced in its consecutive mum.
bers. with tqra gravity subservence and decorum,
the departure of his Christian Majesty Louis the
Eighteenth and the arrival Of his Imperial and Row
a Majesty, Napoleon. All the other papers.-polit-
ica', literary. and sccntifc-are edited in phoeo-
phcnl and LIBERAL spirit under pain of being nerlec.
ted By the public and ruined in their circulation
Tho Qno'ldennc is said to have about 4 900 SUBJ
srrbc-s, and the Gazette the half Of that number
'rh" M"seager du Sor has scarcely seven hundred |
The Mon'tcur is distributed g-aiis TO the projects.
majors and heads Of the ADMINISTRATION; and it's sub
scrhcrs are very few f any II IS consulted by the