Year: 1873

Although we were led to anticipate policy
of repression by the Government of President
MacMahon in dealing with the opDonents OF
the mOnarcmcal coalition in France, we were
astOnshed when the telegraph informed us,
about "A fortnight ago, of tho clrcu-
lar of the Minister of the Interior to
the projects, for controlling the periOdi
cal press IL indicated no small degree
of audacity that Immediately IN the begin
ming of the new Administration, the Minister
was willing to defy public opinion by making
a proposition-whch was certain eventually
to receive publication-to obtain corrupt in
fuence over a large portion of the press of the
country. eff you can," wrote the Minister to
the projects, converse with the chief editors
"and find out whether they would accept cor
"respondence, and in what manner they would
"like to have it. We are going to organize
Gan Office for teegraphic and autOgraphic
"news which viii be regularly addressed to
"you, and you will allot the. commu-
| "nicatiOn of this news i'll proportion


"t0 the amount of confidence with which
"the various newspapers will inspire you"
| This was plainly an effort upon the mildest
! construction, to purchase the influence OF
| Journals by communicating intelligence that
| should be withheld from those journals which


failed, in their political principles, to-meet the
| appreciation Of the Government authorities.


1t was a palpable offer to bribe the press.
| The ambiguous language of the circular left
it in doubt whether or not money was to be
employed in this corrupt scheme; but respect
| ing the corrupt intention there could not be
| the shadow of doubt. r.


But the recklessness with which this plan
was conceived was exceeded by NJ. Beul6, the
Minister of the Interior, when the circular was
! made the subject of discussion in the Assem-
bly,. The whole Chamber was apparently as
| founded with its character when read by NJ.
| Gambetta and we can easily imagine that the
Right anxiOusly awaited o denunciatiOn of the


document by the Minister as a fabrication


The unhesitating avowal of the Minister


that he assumed all responsibility for
the circular evinced wanton disregard


of political morality. Although the majority
of the Assembly voted practically to sustain


the Minister, 1t is by no means surprising that


they felt strongly the odium that rested upon


them. The designations of the Under Secre-
tary and the Minister himself were absolutely


essential for conciliating the opinion of the


country. In the interest of public morals we


could have desired more summary and more


perfect vindication of the purity of the press.


We have no purpose of palliating the offense
Of the French Minister; but the concession


which it was deemed advisable TO make to
the opinion of the French people we hope will
afford encouragement to one of their neigh
bors to demand somewhat similar considera-
ton from its Government. For many years
the periodical press of Germany, or at least
Prussia, has been subject to restrictions which
have efTectualy crushed out every spirit of
enterprise among journalists. We may cite as
an Evidence of the pernicious influence
which was exercised by the police supervision
of the Berlin journals, that, during the war
with France, full details of some of the most
decisive engagements were published at great
length in some of the New-YOrk journals
often a week before anything more than the
most meager accounts was published mt
Berlin. The odious press law OF Prussia, the
Prussian Government now proposes to
extend to Germany with somo amelo-
rations, but with additional restrictions
Of increased severity Undor tho present