Our paper of yesterday co...
The Times, 1824-08-19T00:00:00

Our paper of yestrlday coutained an ordinantie, by which that noble instrument of good governmcnt, the gag, has) been onee more broughlt into action for the benefit of the French people. If they like it, long may they enjoy it; but we are bound to add, that they can now return the compliment, inasmnuch as there are portions of the British empire,, and thousands of British subjects, reposing itnlder the shadow of that same paternal andl most wise institu- tion-a censorshti.p of ihe public presT. A correspondenec at the Cape of Good Hope is inset ted in The Times of this day, which has a connexion with the subject; but we must quote briefly a few explanatory facts, to make the lwhole catse som)ewhat nmore circumstantially understood. !M1r. GaEro, it is knowns, was, until very lately, the editor of a inewly-established, but flourishing journal, at the Cape, where Lord CHAARLESS SoaIRSET represetnts His MAJESTY undler the twvo-fold title of Goveruor and Commander-in- Chief. About 13 moniths ago Mr. Gx.s1G presented a me- !morial to his Excellency, praying permission to establish a !Magazine in the colony. After considerable delay,at answer was tdirected US the iovernor to mr. UaViG, attir11mng that in consequenlec ot' prior applications, hiis Excellency would be obligei to have regard to the interests of other applicants, in preference to that gentleman. Disappointed of his rmagaszine, Mr. GaEIG in the course of last Decem- ber published a prospectus for a commercial newspaper, and enclosed it in a respectful note, solicititng the patronage, but not professing to reqaire the consent, of his Lordship, previous to the publication of the journal. 'Ihe journal, however, was brought forth, andl rapidly increased in cir- culation ; until, on the 3d of Mlay, a certain personage, holdinig the office of " Fiscal" in the colony, first talked to the Editor about his haviitg deviated froin the ptomises held out in his prospectus ; and, as Mllr. Gasii alleges, actually proposed to tie lhim down untder a p penalty of 10,000 rix-dollars not to " offend" in fu- ture! An innocent Englishman called upon to give bail "or good behaviour in the s-g of 10,(00 rix-dollars ! Mr. GRIEG demanided a written communication to the same purport as the verbal one; a short note came from the Fiscal thereupon, alluding to the deviation from the pro- spectus, but dropping all mention of the dollars. On tht Uth of MIay, late in the eveninig, there was delivered a not from the Fiscal, " hoping" that the Editor would furnish him with a proof sheet of the next day's number before it should be published. An official order to that effect waE required by Mr. GREIG, transmitted by vMr. Fiscal, ani( complied with by the editor. An " imprinmiatr" waa subsequeutly issuedi by the 1iscal for the two sgcjeedino *- ..ztsl at.l Xtiunblons tne paper should tor the present cease. Alr. Fiscal then begau, as the phrase is, to shirk a little, and show distress nnder his labours. A letter from him appeared in the Gazette, disavowing his attempt to bind MIr. GaEiG by a penalty against "any thiig offensive" in his future writings. The Editor persisted in lhis resolu- tion to withdraw himitself; his efforts, and his property, from this assumed censorship-a power unknown to Blitish laws, rights, principles, usages, and feelings. Ai order, we collect, had beeni issued lby Lord CUrAaLEs SOl[ ILShI, that Mr. GREIG should quit the colony in one inonth froml a dlay specified: but the Fiscal again winced, and wrote to .11r. G(RtIG, that His Excellency had rescinded the order. 'I'he reply of the Editor manifests what all ieni mu-st re- spect-the profound contempt in which he held the parties opposed to him. YVhat can this mueinber of the Iouse of B.EAUFOrTr meai ? C(an he see an inch before himn, that lie thus aula- ciously grepples with the spirit of thle whole British na- tion? Is it not evident even to olle whose pretensions are those of the most common-place Couutier, that by his hos- tility to thel)ress, lie iml)lies the weak or vicious chatacter of an Admministration whicll will not bear disclosure ? It iY, .,. ., ubLer iiiiossiuuilty tnlat. 9Mr. USA~JN!x, Or Lor(d LrvaRrooi., can abet sudi proceedinas. As well I iight they acce(de, by a formal compact, to that dark |conispiracy called thc Holy Alliance; for, between giving countenance to the Lyranny which shey mighlt suppress, and binding tlhemselves to the suppol t of that which would exist in spite of them, we cannot see, for our parts, that there is any moral diffdrence, except it be in tavour of the last, as thc more man!y or the two transgressions. It is in the colonies thltt mnost abuses take thleir birtli-it is there that they musL be stifled: by the timne they travel hither, they may pr too strong for us