The register., 1860-04-05
Public Opinion i'm France.

Wneh we READ ABOUT tue lhaMmi'y oil pnbiic
sentiment n France about tho enthusiasm of
the people in their attachment to their En-.
pcror about the warm encomiums of the Pres,
we are too apt TO take 1t alk as Il seems, aud us
The Express would sAy, " run with the mn.
chine Not accustomed to any Of tho ruling
traits Of despoiism, and not mindful of their
necessary offspring, "manuincurcd sentiments"
and gaggng Of The Press we are prone to
think such things do not prevail. When any
man in Paris. or amy other section of France.
speaks out his thoughts on any political qucs.
'ion. or even on any lipl, political person, what
is his doom? An overwhelming fine or sen.
tcncc of Imprisonment or of tor,uring exile
With such prospects how few nrc they who will
be found ready to tell their honest thoughts
Freedom of speech does not exist in Fruncc.--
Freedom of the Press has not even an existence
in names You nrc free TO applaud, aud praise,
and thank, and incense, md pray for the powers
That be; but If you give expression to one
view, either in speech or in pamphlet, or in
u newspaper. which is pointcdly dissenting from
the expressed views Of tho Government, your
speech, pamphlet or newspaper is al oucc held
as the vehicle of crime and you nrc punished
as its perpetrator. In state of things like
this, when no one dare utter other thoughts
than will wholly harmonizn with the dictates OF
the imperial authority, who can discover the
cStcnt or the depth OF the truth sof popular
opinion? The applause, the praise, the com
mcnis, spoken or written, arssNll shaped To
order Little or nothing is trusted to any kind
of spontaneous action. The bayonct, the gug
and the prison manufacture the whole ruling
sentiment, which is not originated in real love
or admiration We can never, therefore, while
public opinion is thus manufactured know, o:
n verify, wlvt the French people tl,ink on any
given public question. But we can know whgrc
and history shows us most plainly how, The
French mind, which may keep still for ycnrs
at last cxploles and tears to- atoms bolts ant
bars and oppressive laws, and pays small hcct
to those who frame or administer them.
| 1t Ii manifest that France, as well ns MI
Europe, is now in n very critical pass of 1t.
history. The opinions we hear Of H. c,nana.nn
from certain portions of the people are no tr'I,
AeSt " Iit pbpNIHf sentiment, lDF We KNOW llIry
are Mt least but manufactured by Office holders
md we know, too, that the other side IL i'm
| pcrativcly silcncc1. How long that other sid,
will endure its SILENCE without bursting the in
junction. or what particular spark will fail ol
the chapter Of political accidents TO ignite th,
whole work, is more than any one can decided
ly say but we incline to believe that "the en-,
is drawing nigh" and the "Pupal question: i
the destined spark. Thcisort OF public opinio
which, when arouaed, has been most ellcctlvc
past episodes of French history was alway
qnlctest before the storm IL presascd. Tn
fortunate Louis lost his head when he though
the whole people wor4hipcd him. The prcdrccs
sor of the present Emperor lost his thron
when he was most sure that the whole propl
were devoted to their "Citizen King" Publ
opinion AZ cvinc"d in France is no proof &
what the people mcan.--E1.