Courier of Europe

See also: Courier

The Courier of Europe is a Franco-British twice-weekly periodical published successively with London, with Boulogne-sur-Mer then again in London, of 1776 with 1792. It was to change by three times of title before taking the name of Courier of London : the Courier of Europe (currency: Mores, and studia, and praelia dicam ), the Courier of Europe or Memory to be used for the universal history (currency: Tros, Tyriusve mihi nullo discriminates agetur ), an English edition in 1777 and 1778, then political and literary Courier. Various advertisements and Opinions, gold French Evening Post .

History and context

Initially, this newspaper which sees the day at the time of the first movements of the war of American independence makes lawyer of a French intervention and gives capital information on military operations and their effects on the British company. It was the first newspaper to publish for the French-speaking public the text of the declaration of Independence of the Thirteen colonies.

Beyond, the Courier offers a certain idea of freedom of the press and the first numbers, in particular the second and fifth, contain true scathing attacks against the French government and in particular Maurepas and the queen. These same texts post an egalitarian program of most radical whose extract above reveals the dangerous character with the eyes of the Court of France:

Of the goods one will make batches

Which will make people equal.

Of the same step will go

Noblesse & commoner's condition,

the French will turn over

To the right of nature;

Good-bye Parliaments & laws,

Good-bye Dukes, Princes, Kings.

These worms and other pieces of the same taste see the newspaper prohibited in France. But a negotiation between Samuel Swinton, his owner, and Vergennes, orchestrated by Beaumarchais which supports the sheet, allows its introduction in France under certain conditions. Thus, the Courier is subjected to a preliminary censure and provides to the Foreign affairs invaluable information on the projection of the conflict and the forces in presence. The newspaper then acquires a good reputation and one looks at his information like more veracious.

Interest and specificity

The newspaper made it possible the French public to be familiarized with the reality of the British political life, its vocabulary, its great figures and of the notions of the parliamentary life which were to take a new turn since 1788-1789. Thus, the Courier of Europe played a significant part in the genesis of a political thought in the Prérévolution Frenchwoman and can be a tool to apprehend the role of the France in the war of American independence.

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