The sun., 1891-01-31

The refusal OF tho French Government to
permit tho performance OF SARDOU's new
play, Thermid0r, may have somo inter-
esting consequences. 1t may lead, according
to a telegram, to the disbandment Of tho
admirable company OF dramatic artists con.
nected with the Thtdtre Nancais, or, at all
events, to tho surrender OF tho charter un-
der which it bears some definite relations to
the State. What Is Of much moro i'm
portnnce, 1t has caused n debate In tho
Chamber of Deputies calculated to undo all
the good wrought for tho republic by the
recent uttorances Of Cardinal LAvIGERIE,
The typo Of republic whose spokesmen and
administrators glorify the Reign Of Terror
cannot hope for tho adhesion OF consorya-
tive Frenchmen.
There is no doubt that under tho charter
OF the C0mfdte Frarscaise the Minister OF
Public Instruction has u technical right to
prohibit tho production Of any play upon
the stage Of that theatre. Whether the
right should be exercised is question
OF discretion and eXped!cncy. VICTOR HUGO
twice suffered from IN ill.judged interposi-
ton OF the Government censorship once
under CHARLES H. and again under LOUIS
PnIpPE. Tho case of lie Roi s'Am,lse
Offers striking parallel TO the 7hcrmidor
Incident. because there. too. the authorities
placed themselves in tho falso position OF
appearing to defend the indefensiblc. The
motive for interdicting LIE R0i sAmuse
was to avert the disclosure of the real char
acter Of FRANCOIS l., absurdly known as
10 Roi Cheval!er. who, with the exception
of HENRI w., was the solo represent
ative OF tho old monarchy tina. had left q
rather pleasing impression on tho popular
mind. They who yielded to this motive
seem to have imagined that by suppressing
HUGo's piece they could suppress the truth
Of history. They did not see that to tho
public ego they were making themselves
the apologists OF seduction and debauchery,
and virtually declaring that the most heart
less prohigacy on the part of sovereign
should be shielded from disclosure end
passed over In charitable, not to say sym.
pathetic silence Few OF the events that
to ruin the prestige OF the monarchical prin-
cple In the minds OF Frenchmcn than tho
suppression Of LIE Roi s'Amuse.
Tho FREYcINET Cabinet has committed O
similar blunder In prohibiting tho production
OF hermidor. SARDoU's play did not assail
the French Revolution. 1t simply held up
to horror the oXccsses and atrocities which
no historian had venturcd to excuse or pal
late The Reign of Terror has never had
any admirers outside the ranks OF the COM
mmndrds of Paris, Lyons, and Versailles
Even NJ. CONsrANs the Minister of the In
terror, Is ashamed to say that he and his
colleagues cxtinguished Thcrmidor be-
cause it denounced the hellish butcheries of
'93. He pretends that he apprchended dis
turbancc In the theatre, and stopped the
performance OF the drama in the interest of
public order. Such pretext in the mouth
OF NJ. CoNsrANs may well have provoked a
smile. What has paralyzcd all at ouce his
tremendous machinery of intimidation and
repression? He did not shrink from arrest
Ing BoULANGER just after the latter had
swept The Department of the Seine by an
immense majority. He did not hesitate in
September, 1859, to dragoon every reaction
airy or wavering arrondissement In France.
Yet now he avows his impotence to prevent
a dangerous rupture OF the pubic peace. ex-
cept by interdicting n dramatic perform
ance. Asa matter Of fact, the commotion
and uproar excited by the production Of
1hermidor were Insignificant. compared
with the positive riots which signalized the
first nights OF some Of fVICToR HUdo's plays.
A few dozen gems ddrmcs stationed in tho
auditorium, and 4 few squadrors OF chas-
seurs drawn up at the entrance to the thea
tire, would have insured actors and specta-
tors against noise or moiestauon.
The suppression OF Theymidor means
the capitulation OF the EREycINET Cabinet