The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-08-05
Suppression of the Herald I'm France


We have had repeated complaints in letters
from various parts of Europe that copies of the
HERALD have been stopped somewhere IN
transitu, and no doubt the interruption has
occurred in the French mail and might there
fore naturally be attributed to the direction
of the French government. We never could
see any reason why this journal should be
suppressed in France, although that it has
been from time to time shut off from our
readers there is unquestionably true. No one
will dispute the right of the French govern
ment to suppress the papers of it's own country
when it happens to be its will or it's interest to
be despotic in the matter of freedom of speech
but we question the right of any government
to interfere with the postal transit of foreign
newspaper any more than with a foreign
letter. They are equally the property of the
individuals to whom they are addressed, and to
obstruct the delivery of newspaper or
letter is violation of the private
rights, privileges and comforts of Ameri-
can citizens resident or travelling abroad.
1t is just as essential to an American
in Paris, for example, to receive the HERALD
regularly as to the citizens Of New York. 1t is
the only American paper that circulates largely
in Europe, although other journals have made
frequent but fruitless efforts to obtain recogni-
ton and acquire representative character
there. 1t must be regarded as a grievance,
therefore, to Americans all over the Continent
of Europe to have this journal cut off through
mere caprice or fancied danger either of the
French government or it's agents. In Paris
alone there is, in fact, large American colony,
to each and all of the members whereof the
New YORK HERALD Is a necessity Then
there are hundreds of Americans travelling
through Switzerland and Italy who look
eagerly for this paper on their journey. They
want it to provide them with "reminiscences of
home as they pause for rest at the base Of
Mont Blanc or toll through the railroad
passes of Mount Gents. They want to read it
as relish with their breakfast bacon at the
chaIets in the morning. Hence it is not fair of
the French authorities to deprive so many of
our citizens of this luxury.
We have ascertained, however, that the
HERALD mailed for France is stopped by the
authority of routine fanctionary at the
Consuls Office in this city. 1t is red tape and
stupidity that thus infringe upon the rights
and comforts of our citizens abroad. We may
have said some things not very palatable to
the French government occasionally-for in
stance, when we urged the point that the
French had no business in Mexico and ought
to leave, during the unfortunate days of the
more unfortunate Macmillan, and they ought
to have packed up their baggage and gone
home That was our opinion, and it was IN
consonance with the views of the American
people, as they interpret and mean to enforce
the Monroe doctrine; and we hold to our right
to express that opinion; but that is no reason
why Americans in Europe should be deprived
of the HERALD. We hope, therefore, that the
orders at the French Consulate here, if such
orders there be, will be revoked or that the
oificous official in that establishment may be
restrained from prescribing the leading Ameri-
can journal 1t is to be hoped, also. that this
issue of the HERALD may be permitted to reach
its destination in Europe at all the points to
which it is directed. Some patriotic American
can stow it away in his trunk with his clean
shirts, protected by that sacred privacy which
a French official with native delicacy, would
shrink from invading.