The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-04-05
CHARLESTO ON.
FRIDAY MORNING, APRIL s, 1867.
PROGRESS OF 11BuRTY IN FRANCE.

--latest advices from Paris bring the text OF
the new laws on the press and public meetings.
It seems strange, and all but incomprehensl-
BILE. that these two privileges,-the right to say
in public, or print for the public, whatever any
one NAV be inclined to,-which, from long
practice we have become accustomed to consi-
der the very foundation stones of civil liberty,
should be all but unknown in country claim
ing to be great democracy, where the SOW
ereign was elected to his present lofty position
by the universal suffrage of The people Yet
the minister, his Majesty's mouthpiece, says
the nation has steadily advanced to sgreater
destipieso ever since the accession Of the En-
peror NAPOLEON Ill. We must confess, at TINS
noint. however, that we have had our mlsglV-
ings within the last few years., in regard to the
/ great blessings of public meetings and free
press. There is, we verify believe, room Tor
serious doubt whether we have not perhaps
Ind 3 little TOO much Of this blessing, In other
! words, whether much harm has not resulted TO
the country, and to our free institutions by the
license of the press 1t certainly has con-
slant tendency to keep the public in state OF
/ agitation and excitement. The unrestralned
right of holding public meetings and C discus GUS
sing ev ,cything ad Hbitun, "interpellating" even
the most established principles Of. the Constl-
tuition, has also, we believe, been productive of
no little evil to the peace and well-being OF so
ciety in this country.
Still, by nature and by instinct, we are Dem :.
ocrats and, notwithstanding the recognized
danger of too much license to tongue and pen,
| we must still believe that liberal institutions
are not compatible with fettered press or
muzzled tribune; and, accordingly, we find the
| people of France restive and impatient OF this
abridement of their liberties. The reason OF
the present agitation Of these subjects in that
country, is, as our readers doubtless remem-
ber the recent decree Of the Emperor, pro-
claiming large increase Of priyileges"oa these
and other points. Laws have length been
framed is; accordance with this-decree, and II
is because they still fall so very far short OF
what the people desire, and what they see
other nations around them enjoying, that the
opposition speakers and papers keep up the
cry. Under the new law any Frenchman may
start q political newspaper, and set up print
ing Office or booksellers shop without special
license; but in case he commits any Of the; nu-
merous offences, to which these dangerous pro-
fessions are exposed, he shall be punished af-
ter trial-without Jury, .however,-by judi
DIAL officer, and not, as heretofore. by On ad-
ministrative officer. But when it is ascertain
ed that these judicial officers are not unfre-
quently ignorant magistrates, taking their cue
entirely from the wishes of the Government,
(as we have recently seen in the case of NJ. DE
G1RARD1N), this will not be deemed such
great advantage over the ancien regime. The
penalties are from 500 to $4,000 francs; sus
pension of publication Of q journal for from
two to six months; suppression; and disfran-
chisement for period not to exceed Ave years
This is the new and more liberal legislation on
the subject.
Public meetings may now be held, provided
that neither politics nor religion are discussed.
The Greek. .digamma, the rings OF. Saturn, and
perhaps also the interesting question whether
or not gregarines are found in chignons,- these
are legitimate topics. Not without conditions,
however. For it seems by the new and more
liberal law, it is still necessary that seven cti-
zens, one day beforehand, submit statement
of the place, day, opening hour, and object Of
meeting to the Prefect, who will then grant
the required permission. A Government agent
must be present, who may dissolve the assem-
bly, the moment when questions foreign to its
declared object are introduced, or when it be-
comes tumultuous. He must see that it ad-
journs before the police hour, j. e. when all the
cafes, etc., must be closed. Nor must it be held
in the. open air Moreover the Prefect may
adjourn, and the Minister of the Interior pro-
hibit any meeting which seems to him likely to
be troublesome. His Majesty, we thus per-
ceive, kindly furnishes a chairman to every
meeting to be held, who has the requisite au-
thority to .spreserye order" In order to a
proper discharge of his duties, this s'''Govern-
ment agent" who is to be always present,
should be q consummate metaphysician. How
nice some Of the points he will have to decide
For instance take sitting of some learned
society. How subtle the distinction between
physics and metaphysics, between morals and
religion, between discussion on the history
and polity of ancient peoples and governments,
and the inference in the mind of the "agent,
that when Rome is said France is meant, JU-
L1us CESAR stands for LOUIS NAPOLEON, and
the Rubicon, translated into good Partisan,
reads coup d'etat. How the poor agents OBJ
tuse faculties must for ever be on the rack, sps
pecting that the learned dons are making game
of him. It is for his relief that Government
has given him the benefit Of his own doubts.
Whenever he is unable to loosen the Gordisn
knot, the great Macedonian's e1pedient IS ever
at his command. When he is unable to meet
logic with logic, he can always 'disperse them"
The Emperor, moreover, shows commenda-
S5le thoughtfulness in requiring all meetings to
be held within doors being desirous to preserve
every one Of mis- liege subjects tive beg pardon,
IeuoW-citlzeus, We les'nJ iioni ''''ein6 WV 'A
auenza.
But political meetings may be held bctw.,
the issuing of the imperial decree for election
of deputies to the Legislature, and the fve
days, last preceding the election. But these
again are placed under restrictions, other and
in addition to those already enumerated pio-
lation of these several rules and restrictions
are punishable with fine, prison and disfran-
chisement.
While these two new laws show q condition
of things, far behind England and the United
States, it is generally conceded they are in adj
vance of the old laws. But the age is essen
tally progressive, and it is fair to predict that