Chapter 67 Press Guild
Joseph picked up the "Citizen Daily" again and started reading. The main idea of the front-page article was: The new tax bill did not go through rigorous arguments and was thought up by the former Finance Minister Carlona. If implemented, it would have unforeseen consequences for France.
The following newspapers all had the same meaning. In short, they were just taking the left and right and attacking the tax bill with all kinds of absurd reasons.
Joseph couldn't help but think of the unscrupulous self-media in later generations - you reason with him, and he tells you history. You talk to him about history, and he talks about feelings with you.
In short, all kinds of fallacies are thrown around, but the matter itself is not discussed directly and positively.
He read for a long time, but only one newspaper, "New Paris News", continued to publish an analysis of the tax bill.
He turned to the author of the article and saw that the signature was "Jean-Paul Marat."
Joseph suddenly found it funny. If this Marat was one of the core leaders of the Jacobins during the Great Revolution, it would be a wonderful irony.
The only person who spoke out for the royal family's tax bill turned out to be the leader of the Jacobin faction who was the most cruel and unforgiving to the royal family in later generations.
By the time Joseph had finished flipping through the newspapers on the table, his face was as dark as water.
Overnight, articles introducing the tax bill disappeared. The entire newspaper industry was very unified and began to attack the tax bill frantically.
There must be someone behind this controlling it.
Openly opposed to the royal family.
Arrogant, simply extremely arrogant!
Joseph stared at the newspapers and clenched his fists. They were just some newspapers. Since they dared to make such a leap, let them taste whether the hammer of royal power was strong enough!
His attention was focused on the tax bill, and he didn't even see the article in the corner of the Citizen Journal - it was ostensibly an introduction to the life of the aristocrats of the Palace of Versailles, but it implicitly hinted that there was a "Prussian Schwartz" The Duke" may have been Queen Mary's lover.
These newspapers with larger circulations in Joseph's hands are more polite. In some tabloids, many articles have been published alluding to the scandal between Queen Marie or Princess Thales and their "Prussian lovers".
And pamphlets with more explicit descriptions appeared in large numbers in the streets of Paris.
The so-called "pamphlet" is a very unique type of publication that is basically circulated privately to avoid supervision.
The printing quality of the pamphlets is poor, the price is cheap, and the content is mainly "three vulgarities", so the audience is very wide, and the sales volume is much larger than that of newspapers.
Joseph originally wanted to go directly to Robert to discuss punishing the unscrupulous newspaper company, but when he returned to the Palace of Versailles it was already after nine o'clock in the evening, so he had to suppress the anger in his heart and wait until tomorrow.
…
In the "New Paris News" newspaper office, a middle-aged man with disheveled hair and deep nasolabial folds hurried into the editor's office with a newly printed sample magazine: "Mr. Darmanin, the analysis I wrote Why wasn’t the article on the relationship between the tax bill and the people published?”
The editor-in-chief, who was wearing silver-rimmed glasses, raised his head and smiled apologetically: "Mr. Marat, this is a request from the Press Association. They said that publishing too many provisions of the bill may expose the court to too much outside interference."
Marat shouted: "But that is a tax that the French people have to pay, and the people have the right to know the details!"
The editor-in-chief spread his hands: "I'm sorry, I really can't do anything. I must abide by the regulations of the Press Association."
Marat argued for a long time, but when he saw the editor's resolute attitude, he had no choice but to leave angrily: "Goodbye, Mr. Darmanin. There will definitely be a newspaper willing to publish my article!"
The editor looked at his back helplessly, shook his head and said: "That's impossible..."
The next day.
Joseph had a brief breakfast and then set off for the office of the head of the secret police.
As soon as he arrived at the door, he heard the angry voice of a young girl coming from the house, "These despicable, disgusting and obscene guys! How could they make up such shameless lies?!"
When the guard at the door saw that the crown prince was coming, he hurriedly lowered his head and opened the door for him.
Joseph walked into the office and saw a girl slightly older than him, with her hands on her hips and looking at Count Robert angrily.
The girl is not tall and wears a white wide-sleeved dress. Her face is slightly baby fat, her skin is as white and delicate as porcelain, and she has a pair of pure and clear sapphire eyes.
Her name immediately came to Joseph's mind - Marie Therese. The eldest daughter of Louis XVI, Princess of France, and her biological sister.
Joseph remembered that because of her poor health, she had been recuperating at the Château de Meudon, which had a more suitable environment. Why did she suddenly return to the Palace of Versailles?
Therese heard the footsteps and turned around. Seeing that it was Joseph, she quickly curtsied and saluted, and then immediately showed a friendly smile: "Joseph, my dear brother, it's great to see you. There are three of us." Is the moon missing?"
Joseph stroked his chest and returned the greeting: "It's been a long time. Dear sister, why are you back? Are you feeling better?"
"How could I not come back?" Thérèse said with a serious face again, "It's not those hateful rumors that make me suffer every moment!"
"Rumor?" Joseph looked at Robert standing aside in surprise.
"Those tabloids like the Courier and the Spectator. And pamphlets."
When Robert saw Joseph shaking his head, he took out two newspapers from the table next to him, turned them to a certain side, and glanced at Thérèse carefully before handing them to Joseph.
Joseph took the newspaper and scanned it quickly, then frowned.
Several articles hinted or insinuated that a Prussian nobleman had recently come to Paris and had an affair with the queen and princess. There is even one mention of him having an affair with a brown-skinned slave girl.
Thérèse said angrily: "Since the afternoon before yesterday, these shameless things have appeared in the newspaper! I had to rush back immediately."
She looked at the head of the secret police again: "Count Robert, you also heard what Her Majesty the Queen said just now. Those who spread rumors must be severely punished!"
It turned out that she had already complained to Queen Mary.
Robert nodded immediately: "Yes, Your Highness, I actually sent someone to deal with it yesterday."
"Oh? Have those newspapers been closed down?"
Robert said hurriedly: "No, Your Highness, of course this is impossible.
"However, we confiscated the backplates of several newspapers such as the Paris Post Courier and fined a large sum of money. Oh, and we also arrested the editor of the Le Monde and is currently interrogating him."
Therese was very dissatisfied: "They insulted the royal family, and they only got such a light punishment?"
The head of the secret police said helplessly: "Your Highness, in fact, there are no words insulting the royal family in their articles.
"I know that those contents are full of implications and can easily be misunderstood, but the court will certainly not find the newspaper at fault for this."
The new book has set sail. The young author is here to beg for monthly votes and recommendation votes. Everyone is welcome to leave comments. The young author is grateful!
