The Duc de Broglie, as Minister of Justice, on May
29 published a Circular to the Procureurs-Generaux, telling them that the President" has made a legal use of his constitutional prerogative." He "has intervened in the march of politics, to stop the invasion of Radical theories incompatible, in his eyes, under whatever form of government, with the peace of society and the greatness of France." The Procureurs, therefore, should " increase their firmness and vigilance in the discharge of their duties." The laws which protect morality, religion, property, and the essential foundations of civilised society, are daily the objects of attack to a Press "whose insulting coarseness exceeds all bounds." This Press must be recalled " by firm measures " to self-respect. M. de Broglie explains that he means by firm measures " prosecutions," especially against all who libel the Head of the State, all who circulate false news, and all who say that there is a party or a sect in France criminal enough to desire war. " Falsehood," not only in the Press, but in whatever form concocted, must be punished. The entire circular is written in the spirit of repression, and has been followed by an order pro- hibiting the admission of any political journals into barracks. An order of this kind has always existed, but it is now to be made effective, and must, one would think, heavily increase the tedium of soldiers' lives. Fancy maintaining an army of 300,000 men, and prohibiting it from knowing that there is war in Europe ! Of course, the soldiers, like other people, hear everything in the cafés.
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