ministration of justice seems to contain many excellent
features," said he, musingly. "Your laws have a splendid foundation of
equality, and cannot be arbitrarily perverted and abused to shield wrong
and injustice. I am astonished that, with this code of Frederick II. in
your hand, you were not able to render harmless and silence forever all
those seditious and revolutionary spirits that recently infested Berlin,
and now have made Prussia so unhappy. But, instead of suppressing this
agitation in time, you looked on idly, while miserable scribblers and
journalists, influenced by women, constantly added fuel to the fire. I
have been told of a contemptible journal in this city which is said to
have preached war against France with a rabid fanaticism. You ought to
have silenced the madman who edited it. Why did not you do so?"

"Sire, the laws of our country do not permit us to suppress the free
expression of opinion, and the discussion of public affairs. So long as
the periodicals, newspapers, and other publications, do not attack the
existing laws, or incite the people to riots, high-treason, or sedition,
we are not allowed to interfere with them. Every citizen has the right
to utter his opinion publicly and frankly, provided he does so in a
decent and lawful manner."

"That is to say, you have a free press," exclaimed Napoleon, "and grant
to every outsider the right of speaking of things, about which he does
not know any thing. With a free press no monarchy can be maintained,
especially in times of danger and convulsions. You see whither your
so-called free discussion of public affairs has carried you! Your
journalists preached war, and nothing but war; they irritated the
people, and made the king believe that they were the organs of public
opinion, while, in fact, they were but the echoes of the officers of the
guard, and of the foolish women who were bent on having war. Your queen
has used the newspapers as a weapon to exasperate and excite her
husband. Like Marie Antoinette of France, and Marie Caroline of Naples,
Louisa of Prussia has become the evil genius of her country. The Turks
are perfectly right in keeping their women imprisoned. It is the best
that can be done." He nodded to the gentlemen, and, passing on, allowed
the Count von Neale to present to him the dignitaries of the Church.

"The members of the clergy, I believe, ought to be content with me,"
said Napoleon, with a smile, which embellished his feature