Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-08-20

period under the first republc) till was finally abolish
ed upon the advent of Louis Philippe in the revolution Of
1880 It's function to discover intelligence particu
larry political intelligence, by opening reading, copying,
reseang prior to delivery private letters that
entrusted to the public post office. The institution
known to exist beside and in spite Of law but Govern
ment influence always exerted to prevent stop in
quiry attempts abolish, or even criticism Ministers
and Postmasters General never mentioned" the cabinet
noir; and when by accident its name heard" pro-
nounced by curious and indcreet stranger mali
cous political opponent, they turned deaf ear or re-
piled by some pompous commonplace upon the sacred
Of private SEALS and the scrupulouness with which
his Maesys Government would respect this and all
the fundamental rights Of civilized society. One of the
first consequences of the revolution Of 1880 was the
breaking up the council of the dark cabinet, and the dis
charge with retiring PENSIONS of all its members and en-
poys The materel of the establishment destroyed
Sooner later said of the dismissed functiona
ries, you will be compelled recall US, for Fouche has
said it. in epy wel-organizd Government Tie police must
tnow every thing"
have lately come across curious and interesting
information touching this dark Cabinet which may well
| find place here magniloquent circular Of the elder
CARROT sent to the Projects Of the departments during
the Hundred Days might induce the belief that the Gov
eminent of the first Napoleon disdaned to employ this
instrument and that the Bourbons only devised and
tanned such odious for the preservation of their
power. We shall see
The service materel and personnel Of the cabinet nor
says who that he states his facts from per-
sonal knowledge exactly the under the Empire and
the royalty Of the Restoration The latter finding every
thing completely and efficiently organized had nothing
that needed change, and actually changed nothing And
thus would probably have remained to the present time
and for the future but for the revolution of $780, The
| employees were almost never changed The functions
confined to two families, and remained in
them descending from father to son. and spreading to
the collateral branches occasion might require The
exceptional of the duties required the greatest
possible secresy be observed The employees to
their before day in the morning entered the post
Office by private door retired street. and
known by sight the ordinary regular functonares
of the department They well paid receiving from
two to five thousand dollars per according their
skill and ability Already connected with each other for
the most part by ties of blood the persons employed in
the cabinet nor maintained upon the re-establishmen
Of the institution after the first Republic the old prac
tce Of making its functions the appurenance of am
ly even more steadily than Uncles married neces
cousins cousins and and nephews entered into the
service supernumerares Immediately upon their
leaving college. There is instance reported of re-
markable exception. Mr.. G., member of this mystic
rious association married the daughter of distinguished
actor of the French theatre After the marriage the fact
unluckly leaked that the young husband belonged
the odiou cabinet nor The theatrical company became
indignant They met and soemny voted that their
rades daughter had formed mesaiance, and great
g to be regretted for the honor of he French theatre
After that the fact Of connexion with the dark cabinet
kept secret sedulously than ever not only because
Of the peculiarly of the functions exercised
but from shame for, of all police service, it this
which branded in the public esteem the most dis
l H.
ration sacan who has since eminent distinction
elected member of the Academy of Sciences Great
the dsmay Of the learned body when it rumored
and when the gradually ripened into certainty that
their eoarere attached in the character of d.
rector Of the chemical processes of the establishment
this odous institution The vote of admission could
be revoked but universally admitted that the
questionable scientific titles of the gentleman would
have gained for him single vote the fact of his ante
cedent relations with the post Office had been known.
The principal employees Of the cabinet noir Messrs.
P, D., and c. there being several of each name and
all relatives. The establishment divided into
two sectonsthe first for unsealng resealng letters
the second for examining and copying the The
first section in which the above alluded presided
supplied with furnaces and aembics, and all the
apparatus necessary for this silent and mysterious
vice. Its function was to open every thing for the all
seeing eye Of the police and then destroy every
of his passage They used cunningy pastes of
such fine composition to take the impression of
the most delicate and complicated SEALS and them harden
ing Immediately permitted the restoration of seals to let
tiers vigorously the before the letters had been
opened The processes of the establishment carried
to the last degree of perfection There gum,
wax or wafer, paste, however skifully invented
carefully used to the safety Of packages that did
not promptly yield and deliver its to the Pefect
of Police part Of the results Of this examination Of
letters under the Restoration communicated solely to
the FIVE directors Of the establishment communicated i'm
medatey with the King. This distinction gave to him
high consideration the Office being considered Of emf
Importance and trust Several who have held were
persons most lofty and aristocratic potonthe Duke
de Ia Rochefoucauld Doudeauyille for instance di
general Of the post Office for several years before
becoming Minister Of the Royal Household. In his cha
racter Of Grand Segnur and Peer Of France the Duke
would have accepted any other post which would have
placed him under the authority Of Minister and
cluded him from personal relations with the King. I'm
der the Restoration average Of FIVE hundred letters
were opened daily. All communications with suspected
persons we're opened and nothing that addressed to
diplomatic characters allowed pass without inspec
ton This practice was constant that became rule
at the post Office distribute diplomatic communications
an hour ateast later than others special courier
always left to take charge Of the Ambassadors bacb
Under the Empire, NAPOLEON, occupied with more impor
tant affairs and frequently absent from Paris, did not
y la:l. En fn 81 Tho