50] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1800. 



a great number of prisoners were 

 immediately set free. A shocking 

 monopoly of supplies to prisoners 

 was overthrown ; and great atten- 

 tion was shewn in every respect to 

 their comfort. It was discovered 

 tliatthe hardened prisoners severely 

 lorded it over the new comers. 

 This tyranny was checked and sub- 

 verted ; and equality, with the con- 

 comitant degree of liberty which 

 this, in every situation implies, re- 

 stored to those abodes of desolation. 

 A number of journalists and 

 printers, that had been exiled by the 

 directory, were recalled : but, on 

 the other hand, an immense num- 

 ber of journals was suppressed, and 

 out of near forty only twelve per- 

 mitted to be published ; of these 

 not a few soon assumed a tone of 

 very free animadversions and cen- 

 sure, and 1)ecame, what we would 

 call opposition papers. The to- 

 lerance of these was undoubtedly 

 a proof that the new government 

 was neitlier very weak nor very 

 tyrannical. Not less than fifty 

 newspapers, before this purgation, 

 had been in course of puljlication, 

 in Paris, at one time ; many dying 

 daily, and being replaced by others, 

 which expired in tlieir turn, often 

 neglected aiid iniknovvn. Some of 

 them were morning, others even- 

 ing, papers. They were for the 

 most part badly printed, both in 

 respect of type and paper. The 

 price was two sous: something less 

 than two pence sterling, of wivuli 

 the hawker was allowed one-third 

 for his profit. Every Parisian hud 

 his favourite print, which, because 

 it spoke his sentiments and wishes, 

 became his oracle. Few of them, 

 we believe, besides tlie Merciirc 

 Francoix, existed before the revolu- 

 tion ! They furnished a theatre on 

 which the different parties engaged 



one another, and on which cham- 

 pions did not fail to appear on the 

 part of government. 



Yet it would be wrong to suppose 

 that the consuls were fond of 

 newspaper and vulgar praise : al- 

 though it would have been impru- 

 dent to have wholly despised the 

 daily and other journals, and neg- 

 lected them. They appear to have 

 been as much afraid of indiscreet and 

 passionate praise, as of censure and 

 abuse. The following admonition, 

 which was published, November 1", 

 from the minister of general police 

 to the theati'es, claims notice and 

 applause: "In the succession of 

 parties which have by turns disposed 

 of the supreme power, the theatre 

 has often resounded with unpro- 

 voked insults on the conquered, 

 and base flattery towards the con- 

 querors. The present government 

 abjures and disdains tlie resources 

 of faction. It wishes for nothing 

 from these. It will do every thing 

 for the republic. Let the senti- 

 ments of concord, the maxims of 

 moderation and wisdom, and the 

 language of gi'eat and general pas- 

 sions be alone dedicated to the 

 stage. Let nothing that may 

 divide the minds of men, foment 

 their hatred, and prolong melan- 

 choly recollections, be tolerated 

 there. Let him be punished who 

 would provoke re-action, or dare to 

 jjive tlie sitjnal. For re-actions are 

 the fruit of injustice and feebleness 

 in guvernment. They can no longer 

 live among us, since we have a 

 strong, or what is the same, a just 

 government." 



A report of the minister of po- 

 lice stated that the police, as it was 

 constituted in the third yeai", nei- 

 ther guaranteed the safety of person 

 or ))i-operty; its whole system, it 

 stated, was destitute of unity, con- 



