The Century (newspaper)

the Century , subtitle “newspaper political, literary and of social economy” , is a Quotidien whose first number appeared on July 1st 1836 and whose publication stopped in 1932.

Founded by Armand Dutacq and in particular financed by lawyer and deputy Odilon Deck-beam, it represents under the Monarchie of July the dynastic left opposed to Guizot. It was directed by Hercules Guillemot then Chambolle for the political part; Louis Desnoyers ensured the literary part of the newspaper, in which collaborated of many writers among which Charles Nodier, Leon Gozlan, Alphonse Karr, Jules Sandeau. Honore de Balzac delivered to it its first edition of Béatrix in August 1839, a daughter of Eve in December 1838 in January 1839, Pierrette in January 1840, the False mistress in December 1841, Albert Savarus in 1842, a business man in 1844.

Initially competed with by the Press of Emile of Girardin created the same day, the Century acquired very quickly a broad audience (30 000 subscribers in 1839) and thrived until 1848. The shortly after the Coup d'etat of December 2nd, 1851, Léonor-Joseph Havin, appointed Handle, takes the direction of the newspaper, which it will preserve until his death in 1868. During this period of the Second Empire, the Century becomes republican, opposite with the mode of Napoleon III, but accepted by this last because of the support of the newspaper for its policy of nationalities in Europe. Diffused well in all the country near a middle-class and liberal public, its pulling increases until making some most influential of the French daily newspapers of the time (35 000 specimens in 1870).

From October 1870 in March 1871, it is published in Poitiers, then with Bordeaux. Removed by the Common , it reappears in Paris the May 15th 1871. After this date, it will not find the influence which it had in its role of opponent.

Under the direction of Yves Guyot, with the head of the drafting since April 1892, the Century adopts a new formula. It is distinguished during the Affaire Dreyfus, courageously supporting the soldier in articles signed in particular Joseph Reinach, Raoul Allier and Felix Pécaut, and will become in a certain manner the spokesperson of the Ligue of the Human rights lately created.

While preserving its importance as a republican newspaper of left moderate and Anticlerical, appreciated for his high behavior, it will gradually lose most of its audience until in 1917. It disappears definitively the June 28th 1932.

Concerning the Century (quotation)

“One cannot exaggerate the power of the Siècle nor to too much avoid displeasing to him. Me was told that at the beginning of the last war, Garibaldi, entering I do not know which city, was greeted by the acclamations of crowd: “It is the man of the century”, shouted one on all sides. The correspondent of a French newspaper which was there included/understood the popular cry imperfectly; he thought that one shouted with enthusiasm by seeing Garibaldi: “It is an subscriber of the Siècle ”, and it transmitted to Paris this index curious about the universal popularity of the large newspaper. It was mistaken only with half. Man of the century, subscriber of the Century , it is all one; and whoever does not read the Century or does not respect it is not its century”

Newspaper of DEBATEs , May 27th, 1860 (quoted by Roger Bellet, p.50)

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