The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-05-16
NO. 176.

internal politics and foreign affairs, as well as
with the literary and scientific side Of the Pres-
DENTAL cause-one of its duties being to crush in
the bud all literary aspirants mbued with liberal
opinions. The Constitutional does the political
articles required from day to day by the exigen-
cies of Government and the Presidents views,
and the other dailes hash up these same articles
in small quantities, and serve them up hot and
spicy to their readers. The general drift of the
leaders Of all these papers may be said to be-
the maintenance Of the republican form, with
revision Of the Constitution, so as to make the
Legislative power subordinate to the Executive,
and create NJ. Bonaparte President for life. The
idea Of a violent usurpation has long since been
given up, if ever entertained Ii has given place,
most probably, to an intention to elude the con-
stitutional provision against reelection OF the
President. This famous plan never mentioned
in the papers, but current enough in the saloons,
is, that near the close Of his term the President
will resign his Office, leaving the Government In
the hands of his friend the Vice President, and
become Immediately candidate for reeiection'
II successful be will claim to remain in Office an
other three years--quite long enough to enable
him to prosecute his plans This is very cum
ming fetch but it will not violate the litter Of the
Constitution, which is no trifing concession on
the part of the party at present in power
Next in order come the Republican papers,
comprising those sincerely attached to the Con-
sttution as il is, and resolved to oppose every at
tempt to revise it, least for the present. These
are the National the Crtda, the Steele, the Erene-
rae,t and the ChariUari. Each one Of these is
highly respected and influential. The Erfaerlem
is marked by all the characteristics Of the lite
rary school of which Victor Hugo is the head.
The style is ambitious, little affected, and seeks
effect more than truth. Bnt il has good deal Of
vigor, and is very popular with the bourgeoisie.
The Ch0unari, under color Of TESTING and carica-
turing is one of the most effective political papers
in Paris Its chief editor was member of the
Constituent Assembly, and is known as one Of
the most redoubtable wits OF Europe. His satire
il merciless and many brilliant orator at the
tribune strikes with darts borrowed from his ar
mory. ID is not SO large as the London Punch
but like most little fellows makes up for its want
of size by is spirit The Steele is older and more
influential than the Cstda but both Of them rep
resent the higher classes Of the bongeoisis-the
merchants, manufacturers and others, who, from
interest and reason. friends of order, and OPP
posed to change Both or them decline voting for
or aiding Nj Eugene Sue at next Sundays cleo
ton because he is too much tinged with Socialism,
but oppose vigorously the election Of M. Leclerc,
the Coalition candidate. All the papers of this
class do good battle against every encroachment or
aggression of the Government on the rights Of the
citizens, and wage rude war with the reactionary
coalition Most of them are toerably trustwor
thy in their statements Of facts. This praise is
more especially due to the Steele and the CTedd.
The Socialist papers have been for some time
past approaching more and more nearly the Re-
publican Their tone has become more moderate,
the discussion Of their peculiar ideas more rare,
and their appeals TO the people less exciting But
they are still separated by considerable space
from the papers Of the foregoing class They are
four in number-the Presse, the Voir du People,
the Democratic Paci6que, and the Rtpublqte. The
first is edited by the famous Emile de Girardin,
whose talent has placed him among the first intel
lects of the world. He is feared by both friends
and foes. Pursuing his own course independ-
emily, he is sometimes with one party, sometimes
with another, but always laying about him most
Justify with a two-edged sword. He is at present
cutting away at the National with might and
main, sparing time to throw hot shot occasion
ally at the Administration. He is great demol-
isher, but builds mp nothing He reminds US of
a stout boy at school, who thrashes all his COM
rades, but never gets his lesson. What good he
has ever done himself or the party Of his tempo
rary preference is yet a mystery. His ability
alone enables him 20 retain the consideration
which, strange as it may appear, is greater than
that of any other editor in Paris The mass
scarcely knows who edits any other paper in town,
Proudhon's excepted, but every man, woman, and
child, in France knows that Girardin edits La
Presse. Everybody reads the paper, but few will
vote for the man. A recent caricature hits off
well the distrust of him felt by the bourgeoisie.
Girardin is mounted on the box of a coach
marked |" The Rey1bic,n and invites an honest
bourgeois, passing by, to get in. "No," is the
answer, al like the coach very well, but cannot
trust the coachmann The Socialists refused To
nominate him at their last convention, preferring
the name of Eugene Sue. M Girardin sought
the nomination with great earnestness. The re-
pulse he met with is also caricatured. The Chair
uayi paints him trying to scale the steep cliff of
nomination, but Proudhon, who stands on the
top, knocks him over the head with the name of
Dupont, (de pEure J and another Socialist dele
gate gives him the finishing blow with the name
of Eugene Sue in the form of an immense paving
stone Since his defeat, NJ Girardin has scarce
ly mentioned the name of Eugene Sue, but is
furnishing the National for its share in his msfor-
tune.
In Voir dn Peuple is the organ of the views of
the well known Proudhon, man not less remark
able than the editor of the PytSse These two
men, indeed harmonic pretty well in their prin-
ciples, both maintaining the principle Of liberty
in opposition to that of authority of the rights Of
the individual in opposition to what is called
strong Government; that is where the rights of
the individual are absorbed by society and its rep
resentative. Proudhon is an intellectual giant
who gets drunk from time to time and commits a
thousand follies Ills political philosophy stands
an excellent foundation, but his wild fancy
leads him to ornament its walls with paradoxes,
or hang them over with blasphemics which fill
the beholder with horror and disgust lie is the
terrible enemy Of Louis Blanc, Pierre Leroux,
and other heads of Socialist schools, shaking
them about just as a schoolmaster would 70 many
naughty boys. lie has done more than any other
man in France TO shake the faith of the people in
Louis Blanc, and has quite annihilated with his
pungent sarcasms the system of M Pierre Le-
roax. He is one Of the most powerful writer's in
Europe Ills peculiar talent lies in controversy.
Theirs himself has not disiained to take mp arms
against this foeman worthy Of his steel, y having
written his celebrated work property, chiefly
TO refute Proudhons on the same subject. The
historian excels the Socialist in clearness and
CONCESSION, hut not in force or eloquence M
Proudhon has been sentenced to prison for q
great many years, some say nearly forty, for his
articles on politics. Up To last week he was con-
fined in the Conciergerie, and wrote for In Voir
da People, but the Government could no longer
endure his sarcasms, and sent him off TO Doul-
lens, where he will not be permitted to write
day or two after his removal, lie Napoleon abused
him hearth y, calling him Msrat, and other hard
names and showing the courage Of the animal
who kicked the dead lion. In Poir dn Ptpple
will be continued by others, but cannot have the
influence 1t enjoyed under the editorial manage
ment Of its incarcerated chief
There is nothing remarkable about the two
other Socialist papers, La Democratic Paeifque and
In R,pubhqpe. They are both edited with ability,
the former being inclined to Q modified Fourier