168 The Parisian Newspaper Press. [FEB. 



the king's attorney-general, and of the judges, literally at the disposition 

 of the government; and twice not only its editors were prosecuted, 

 tried, and condemned to fine and imprisonment, but the publication 

 itself, by an extraordinary interpretation of the constitution, was sup- 

 pressed for two months. 



However, on its re-appearance, the Courrier Fra^ais recommenced 

 with increased force its opposition, and soon became very popular all 

 over France. The eloquent Foy, Benjamin Constant, Girardin, La- 

 marque, De Tracy, and the most celebrated members of the opposition, 

 in order to remunerate the zeal and perseverance of this journal, filled 

 its columns with their articles, and from this epoch its influence and 

 circulation increased with astonishing progress. 



Notwithstanding the powerful aid of so many literary and political 

 contributors, one of the editors, in order to maintain the independence 

 of the Courrier Fran^ais, and pay the continual fines which were imposed 

 month after month by the corrupted judges, sacrificed his entire for- 

 tune, and for several years was reduced to subsist upon the emoluments 

 derived from his employment as editor. Although Richelieu, Decazes, 

 Villele, Martignac, and Polignac, did always all in their power, first to 

 ruin the Courrier Fra^ais, and afterwards to bribe its editors, their 

 intrigues had no success ; and to the last day of the restoration, this 

 journal lost no opportunity of exposing any fault of the government, or 

 of censuring the least act of arbitrary power ; and as often these attacks 

 were corroborated by facts, they excited public indignation, and pre- 

 pared the struggle of the late revolution of 1830. During, and after 

 this epoch, the editors of the Courrier Fran^ais have constantly distin- 

 guished themselves for their personal courage, their independence, and 

 their active co-operation in restoring order and tranquillity. 



Under Louis Philippe, they have kept themselves at a dignified dis- 

 tance from the Palais Royal, and thus have avoided to fall in the snares 

 of the court, and have been forgotten by their ancient friends in the dis- 

 tribution of places and honours. 



From what I have just mentioned, it may be easily perceived that 

 the Courrier Fra^ais is one of the best opposition papers of Paris ; but 

 it must be allowed, that sometimes its opposition is too violent, and that 

 personal animosity often occasions some ungenerous attack against the 

 government, and, consequently, an indirect appeal to the mobility of the 

 lower classes, encouraging them to use their numerical wisdom and pre- 

 ponderance. However, when in any popular movements the general 

 welfare of the nation is at stake, the Courrier Fra^ais, fully aware of 

 its influence on the minds of the people, always enforces order and for- 

 bearance, and certainly more than once the government have felt the 

 benefit of it. 



As for its principles, no one can exactly say to whose party the Cour- 

 rier Fran9ais belongs ; but it is certainly liberal, and much inclined to 

 Bonapartism, with republican institutions. 



The National owes its origin to a dissident member of the Constitu- 

 tionnel, the present much renowned M. Thiers, the champion of Casi- 

 mir Perier. This historiographer having been humiliated in his pride 

 by the refusal of his co-proprietors to allow him to become one of the 

 chief conductors, gave up his share, and established the National in 

 opposition to the Constitutionnel. This paper, in the beginning of its 

 opposition, published some very strong articles against the administra- 



