New Orleans Republican., 1868-03-19

tained the pFoOisheess OF every artlcle were
subjected to the revisions or expurgation Of
the official censor the printing and pub
fishing of newspapers was monopoly held
jealously, and indiscreet writer's or editors
were liable to Imprisonment.
All these restrictions are abolished by
the new law. The man in black is to ap
pear no more no Journal viii be sup
pressed or condscated 10 more polite
little notes, containing that gratutious
advice which editors everywhere are SO
fond of receiving, will be laid upon the
editorial tables Of the Partisan editors with
the compliments Of the minister of the in
terror. In the plenitude of his power, and
with sublime and touching confidence in
the attachment Of his subjects, Napoleon
Third announces that the hour has arrived
when all these barriers shall be thrown
down. You have clamored for years for
liberty in yeur newspapers, says he; and
now give it you. Take it, my children,
and be happy Much good may it do yen,
when you get it. Only look out for the
correctional tribunals, and Go not offend
them. Say what you please Of me, mes
epfads, but for the sake Of your own
pockets do not offend the magistrates Of
your commune.
Now it happens that newspapers in Paris
as in New Orleans are published fer the sake
of making money out Of them. II they cost
more than is received for them they would
soon expire. Men there are in Paris, as
elsewhere, who write for the fun Of the
thing WHO establish organs to play certain
tunes, and who are so happy as to have a
soul above pelf, SO far as they are indi-
vidually concerned. But newspapers can
not be printed without publishers and
printers, and these people, like George
SilvermaR, are for the most part
worldly little devils" i" who have some re-
gard for the condition of their pockets and
the state Of their bank accounts, And al
though there are men who will write for
nothing, there are few men who will pay
six hundred dollars for the privilege Of in
dieting a sharp epigram or slashing ar
ticle. And it is with knowledge of these
great truths that Louis Napoleon has
framed his new press law.
In Paris, and the central departments
near Paris, before journal can be started
its prOprietors must deposit the sum Of
about $1,000 as "cautior money" The new
law does not alter this reqnisition, but it
fxes the fines which the crroectional tri-
bunals may infict upon newspaper for a
violation Of the rules OF propriety. The
smallest fine is One-fiteenth of the caution
money. about S6l3; the largest fine is one
half Of the caution money, about S4S40.
Under the new law journal may say what
it pleases the emperor is in favor Of the
widest liberty, and be OF his ministers will
not interfere. But the correctional tribu
nal Of each reimbursement still retains its
control over the morals of the press, and if
under the new law, journal offends the
keen moral sense of the magistrates, this
is what will happen: The editor is sum
moned before them, and in secret session
they hear what he may have 10 say in
defense of the article which has excited
their indignation. Unless he can satisfy
them Of the falsity Of their impressions, he
will be convicted. There is no chance for
him to make eloquent appeals to a jury, OF
even to asympathizing audience. What he
has 10 say must be said in private cham.
ber, before bench Of impassiVe magis-
trates, bOand by every tie to the govern
ment, and acting, perhaps, under instruc-
lions, express or implied, from the minister
of the interior. a conviction is almost
inevitable, and then comes the penalty.
There are three 6nes to pay-ene for the
printer, one for the manager, and one for
the writer each Of the sums at the very
least of s6lS while they may each be
s4s4O Now it is very good fun to write
smart articles-but unless newspaper CON
tributers are more flush Of ready money
than they are in New Orleans there
are few Of them who can afford to pay S6I3
for the luxury Of penning an epigrammatlc
leader. There is certain degree OF glory
and pleasure in being the manager of
"a newspaper = but to pay S6l3
for the privilege Of publishing
another mans smart sayings is even less Of
a delight than to pay it for those Of your
own invention. Even if the contributor
and the manager we're inclined to indulge
in this expensive pleasure, where are
TO be found the printers who are prepared
to plank down s613 every morning, simply
for putting into type some sarcastic re-
marks concerning the emperor's foreign
Or domestic policy? Il is evident that the
emperor has bit the nail on the head at
last. He viii no more conjure the news
paper writers, managers, and printers of
Paris to think Of the empire; henceforth be
will simply conjure them to think of s4S40.
And if Frencbmen are not unlike all other
men he viii not con;ure in vain.
There are other neat little touches abont
the new press law, bnt none Of them are
equal in skill to this. For ofEenses Of a
very high order, snch as reasonable and
hagfant attacks on the government, jour
nal may be eoniscated altogether: writ
ers guilty Of such Ofrenses are to be de-
prived Of their polltical rights no news-
paper proprietor Is eligible to seat in the
a. a