Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-02-28
PARTISAN ODDITIES.
TIE LIBERTY OF THE PRESS IN FRANCE
AND GAMBETTA's LEADERSHIP.
Play that Failed-some Dramatic Notes
The Cap sheaf of Cat and
Rat Stories.
PARIS. February 7, 1881

PARIS, February !, 1901.
The last week has been an exciting one
at the Chamber, for the numerous articles
of the projet de loi, with regard to the
press, have been discussed with much
length and unusual eloquence. No evil
dence so strong can be furnished to prove
that the French have not yet arrived at
the true conception of liberty as the fifty
odd articles of this law, which act as so
many muzzles on the mouths of truth-lov-
ing speakers. Liberty of the press is an
ogre which frightens the majority of the
Chamber, but there is minority composed
of the best intellect of the land and some
of the most eloquent orators. 1t is no.
torious fact that Gambetta is opposed to
the liberty of the press. Three years
ago he pleaded in one of the Courts, for
the first time since many years, on behalf
of one of his friends who had suffered at
the hands of some journalist, and the emil
nent orator made use of all his eloquence
to prove how wrong it was for newspapers
to 90 their way unhindered, and how neces-
sary it was for journalists to be muzzled,
lest growing too heated in contest they
might become mad and bite IN dangerous
manner. Gambetta, in that instance, as IN
many others, did not fail to convince the
unbelieving, decide the wavering and carry
the majority with him, and many who had
hitherto vouched complete confidence IN
the necessary =.
LIBERTY OF THE PRESS
- he
Emile de Girardin, however, never wavered
an instant, and had the courage to de-
nounce the fallacy of Gambetta's argu-
ments with more than his wonted energy.
In fact this eminent journalist has ever
held these liberal principles as religious
creed, and has combatted for them during
his whole journalistic life. He was NOM
mated the President of the Commission for
the preparation of these articles, but his
task has not proved light one, and he has
desired on more than one occasion to resign
his position. 1t was an unfortunate Cir
cumstance that one of Gambetta's friends
should have gotten himself into difficulty
and required the assistance of the cele-
brated orator, else would it not be so gen.
orally known as to what are his intimate
convictions on the subject, and many of the
members would be more readily convinced
of the necessity of a free press in free
country-notnecessit exactly, for desirable
things are privileges, and one may say the
possibility For here, as all over the
world, there are vast number of persons
who seem to desire nothing better than to
have some one do their thinking for them
and decide for them in all matters of i'm
portance. Besides, in no country of the
world, | believe, is hero worship carried to
such great extent-sufficient to satisfy the
enthusiasm of Carlyle himself. Were it
otherwise would the first Napoleon have
ever succeeded in strewing French bones
in the four corners of the earth, or his
nephew in strangling the Republic and
keeping the French nation under his heel
for so many years. Gambetta is
THE HERO OF THE PRESENT MOMENT,
And the majority of the Chamber pride
themselves in thinking as he does, and in
following all his motions and in spite Of
the eloquence and earnestness of a number
of fine orators and journalists, one article
after another is twisted, mutilated and in
verted to such an extent that one would
believe they were making laws for the pro-
lection of king and the preservation
of monarchy. 1t is really astonishing
to perceive the number of articles passed
relative to the punishments inflicted
on him who may write or speak in such
or such a manner of the President of the
Republic, and were he a monarch, ruling
by the divine right claimed for kings, he
would not be protected more etficaclously
against the candid expression of opinion
belonging to mis- subjects. All France
needs Hamilton, such as through his
eloquence and superior talents won for us
the best cause the cause of liberty
that to which nature and the laws of our
country have given US the right, the lib
erty both of exposing and opposing arbi-
trary power, by speaking and writing the
truth" Not but that France may boast
of her Zengers, for goodness knows, the
journalists half of them spend quarter of
their time in prison, and although they may
there receive all the visits they desire, can
read, smoke cigars, or play chess the
whole day long, that kind of life soon
grows monotonous, and they would be
perfectly willing to dispense with 1T
altogether All Republican and liberal
minded journalists had hoped much from a
Republican Chamber, and were confident
that, since the subject of the press was tor
the first time treated under the Republic,
they would obtain, if not entire liberty, at
least decided amelioration of their con-
dition, but they have been sadly mistaken,
and the turnkey has now but to brighten
up his keys and prepare the cells for their
j ba, boo,,
change.
NEW COMEDY.
Alexander Dumas ills has Just had a
new comedy, in three acts, played at
the Theatre Francais, but without the
slightest shade of success, as his usually
fantastic characters are more fantastic than
usual and have passed the boundary of
probabilities. The Countess Lionnette de
Hun is the non-recognized daughter of a
king, who, being the princely heir, fell in
love while at Paris with a young woman,
whose conduct left much to be desired
So as to designate this father, who wished
to remain incognito, he was baptized by
persons surrounding him as the Prince de
Bagdad, and his daughter inherited the
same name, being called the Prncesse de
Bagdad, the title of the prince. a man is
found who wishes to marry this girl (who
inherlts the instinct of pride belonging to
her father and the disorderly nature
of her mother)-the Count de Hun, who
had fallen passionately in love with this
strange woman. A child is born of this
couple, who is handed over to governesses;
he is six years old when this strange
menage is presented to the public, and his
father and mother, entirely taken up with
their life of luxury and dissipation, pay
little attention to him. This pompous
insouciance soon leads them to ruin, and
the audience penetrates with the downfall
into this sumptuous home of an atmosphere
of irregularity and almost dishonesty. A
man is there among the familiar compan-
ions of that strange house, person not
less singular than his host and hostess, a
certain Nourvady, forty times millionaire,
without doubt the inheritance of the Forty
Thieves, for one in this play is carried