New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-13

| over forty-siX years. The press muzzing CAM
paign OF the closing months of Marshal Mac
Mahons Presidency was followed by strong
| liberal reaction. and the fundamental law or
July %. ISL swept away the preventive OBJ
stacles. and established the liberty of the press
on a legal basis for the first time in French his
| tory.
The trial Of NJ Zoa-so far tho most mo-
mentous one Of the Third Republic-the trial OF
| Peyramont editor Of la Revanche": the trial OF
! Norton. AMI the numerous legal vicisstudes OK
| NJ. Henri Rochefort. indicate that the French
{ Press law has become sort Of tOucnstonc 10
/ test the efficacy and popularity Of propoSed
/ political changes. The Press law OF July -.
! 1881. is a remarkable one; and a distinguished
| American jurist and professor Of Harvard Uni
versity who was recently in Paris. suggested
that some of its provisions if transplanted in
NewYork might cure some of the abuses or
| yellow journalism" without interfering with
its liberty. The French press law is composed
of seventy articles which cover almost every
imaginable journalistic situation. 1t enables
| every Frcncbman. after merely giving formal
notice Of his intentions to publish a newspaper
| remaining. Of course, answerablc to a jury lin
most cases for any offences or instantaneous
| his journal may commit. The fullest expression
| Of opinion is allowed An excellent and popular
| feature is the right Of persons mentioned In
| any issue of n newspaper to reply to or correct
| any statements made in the paper concerning
| them. The publication of such replies or cor
rectons is obi 5atory and gratuitous. and they
must appear ir the same part Of the paper and
| in the same type as the original articles TO
| which they refer but they cannot be more than
| twice their length. Such replies or corrections
| must appear within three days after their re-
ception. or else severe fines or imprisonment
.ff.t,.-
tcle which, in the opinion of the jury. con-
stitues a direct Indictment to murder. incen'
| diarsm or pillage is liable to a maxium penalty
| OF two years imprisonment and a fire of 3Ol
| francs. The editor of any newspaper PUBLISH
! ing an article which jury deems contrary Ia
| public dccency is liable to two years impriscn-
| ment and a fine Of 1880 francs. The pubIica-
| ton of false falsified documents or let
ters maciously attributed 10 persons not theif
| real authors may be punished with one years
! imprisonment and fine Of l.WD francs. Li5els
| against the constituted authorities Uhs was
| Zola's case) may be punished by imprisonment
| from eight days to one year. and with fines
! from 100 francs to 5000 francs Libes against
private individuals 0his was Rocheforts casa
when he libelled Joseph Relnach in the IN
| transg6ant" on Christmas Day) may be pun
| shed with imprisonment from five days To six
months and a fine of from - francs to 3OOO
francs. In libels. as in all other press offences
/ not only the editor Of the newspaper but also
| the writer Of the article that caused the mis-
| chief is subject 10 punishment. Libels against
| public officials or officers Of the army or navy
| (Zoa's case) must be tried by jdry. while
| lbels against private persons are simply tried
| by police justice without jury (as was done
in Rocheforts CASE The reason for this dis
tincion is because in bels against officials the
truth or "justf alton" of the libel is a good
! plea, while the contrary, the truth or jus
tihcation" cannot be pleaded In defence of iibels
against private individuals.
THE PENAL CODE PROVISION.
Besides the seventy articles Of the Press law
/ Of July % 1SSl which is slightly modified in
regard to several points Of procedure by the law
Of July % 1884 there is the formidable article
II Of the Penal Code. which provides that any
/ person who by a hostile act not approved by the
/ Government shall expose the nation to a dcclara-
ton Of war shall be punished wit. Punishment
and if war cnsues. with transportation" The
/ appllcation OF this article has. however, been
invoked only four times during the present CEN
fury. II was under this law that ". Peyra-
| mont Editor Of LA Revanche'-a sort Of yell
/ low journal" of the pericd-was tried March
/ T. 1857. NJ. Peyramont published in La Re-
vanche" an insulting cartoon representing the
| German Emperor and Prince Bismarck in the
| shape of a great douba-hcaded wild beast Of
/ the Apocalypse. charging at full speed against
/ the levelled bayonct of a little French infantry
soldier while il tn rear was Russian soldier
in the act Of choppng off with his sabre the
/ huge tail Of the Apocalyptic beast. After SEM
sational trial VI. Peyramont was acquitted by