of practice as regards
the rate of postage charged on newspapers. Some privileged papers paid
only 5 or 6 deniers the sheet, while others paid 8 deniers. All the
rates were purely arbitrary. When the Committee on Public Taxation of
the National Assembly considered the question of fixing the rate for
newspapers, they considered not only how to regularize the rate, but
also whether they could raise it. Viewed from the economic standpoint,
the rate was thought by some to be inadequate.[357] The Committee was
satisfied that not only would the new rates cover the cost of the
service, but that there would also be a slight profit, although they
felt it would not be proper, or even possible, to make that part of the
business of the Post Office a really lucrative source of revenue.[358]

The decree of 17-22 August 1791 established the rate of 8 deniers per
sheet for daily newspapers (and other daily publications), and 12
deniers per sheet for other periodical publications. Pamphlets or
unbound books were charged a sou the sheet. Bound books were not allowed
to pass by post. It is unlikely that these rates were remunerative. They
were modified several times during the next few years; but although the
modifications were in the direction of increase, the rates for
newspapers still compared very favourably with the rates for
letters.[359]

A law of 6 messidor, an IV (1795), established a rate of 5 centimes for
newspapers and other periodical publications delivered in the place of
publication, and 10 centimes for all other destinations; but this
discrimination was removed by the law of 4 thermidor, an IV, which
substituted a general rate of 4 centimes the sheet. An attempt was made
by the administration to raise the rates on newspapers and books. As
regards newspapers the proposal was, however, rejected by the Conseil
des Anciens.

In 1796 a new rate for newspapers and other periodical publications was
established, viz. 4 centimes for each sheet. For other printed matter
the rate was fixed at 5 centimes per sheet.[360] This law failed to
prescribe the limits of size of the sheets according to which postage
was to be charged, an omission supplied by an ordinance of the 5th March
1823, which fixed the dimension of the sheet at 24 centimetres by 38.
The newspapers interested tried to resist this restriction, contending
that the ordinance was illegal, because the laws of 1796 prescribed no
limit and the Government could not impose on