Le National (France) facts for kids
Le National was an important French newspaper. It was started in 1830 by Adolphe Thiers, Armand Carrel, François-Auguste Mignet, and Auguste Sautelet. This newspaper spoke for the liberal group that was against the king's rule during the Second Restoration in France.
Contents
What Was Le National?
Starting a New Newspaper
The very first issue of Le National came out on January 3, 1830. At this time, King Charles X was on the throne. His government was led by Prince de Polignac.
The newspaper received money from a banker named Jacques Laffitte. Other important people like Talleyrand and the duc de Broglie also supported it. These men were part of a liberal group called the Doctrinaires.
What Le National Believed In
The name Le National (The National) was a nod to the French Revolution. One famous saying from that time was "the Nation, the Law, the King."
Le National wanted France to be a constitutional monarchy. This means a king would still be in charge, but his power would be limited by a set of rules, like a constitution. The newspaper was against King Charles X's way of ruling. It helped make the saying "The King reigns but does not rule" very popular. This meant the king should be a symbol, but not make all the decisions.
Standing Up for Freedom
Journalists from Le National played a big part in history. They gathered at the newspaper's office to sign a protest. This protest was against the July Ordinances. These were new laws from the king that tried to limit the freedom of the press. This protest was one of the key events that led to the July Revolution in 1830.
Le National and Revolutions
The July Monarchy Years
During the time known as the July Monarchy, Le National continued to be important. In 1848, the newspaper published a call from Armand Marrast. He asked people in Paris to protest on February 22, 1848. This happened after the police stopped a public meeting.
Hundreds of students gathered in Paris. They then joined workers in another part of the city. This event was the start of the 1848 Revolution.
During the Second Republic
After the 1848 Revolution, France became the Second Republic. Le National became the voice of the moderate Republicans. This group was the main power in the new government.
General Louis-Eugène Cavaignac led this new government. The politicians who were part of this moderate Republican group were even called members of the "Party of the National." This showed how much influence the newspaper had.
Later, Le National started to support more Socialist ideas. However, its time came to an end. After Napoleon III's coup in 1851, the newspaper was made illegal. It stopped publishing on December 31, 1851.
Images for kids
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A government raid on the offices of Le National during the July Revolution, July 27, 1830
