CENSORSHIP. The exercise of the duties or powers of a censor The term in its broadest application includes the general super vision and control of public morals and the pub. lie welfare, such as was exercised by the Roman censors. The term is now, however, almost ex clusively applied to the examination of manu scripts, writings, and literary productions of all kinds as a condition of their publication, with the suppression of part or all, as may seem neces sary to the censor or licensor. for the protection of public morals or the integrity of the govern went. The censorship of public morals, as such does not now exist among civilized races in the form in \Odell it was exercised by the Roman censors: hut a supervision over the personal af fairs and private conduct of the public is exer eised, under various de-ig.nations, in some of the semi-•ivilized or less advanced nations of to-day; thus. in Russia the conduct and acts of the Two ple are subject to rigid rides and restrictions which are enforced by otlicials of arbitrary au thority. In France, also, the authority of the ay, nt dt not ors reache:: to Illatt•rs as the supervision of the public spending of money be yond one's means. Sumptuary la Nv s belong some what to the Saint' Class as those creating censor ships of private conduct, and these have existed from time to time during the history of many modern civilized nations. :See SUMPTUARY LAws.
The advance of civilization and the develop nient of the idea of the right to personal liberty is doing away with the censorship of private con duct in all of the civilized rams: and the censor ship of the press and of the drama are the most important relies of this class of public supervi sion of private conduct.
The censorship of the press was intended to prevent the publication and effect of literature supposed or believed to contain matter likely to cc rrupt morals or be subversive of the govern ment. It came into existence with the invention of the printing-press. although in all despotic governments in the history of man writings of fensive to the Government have been suppressed or destroyed. and in many cases the author pun ished as well, for the same motives as those which gave rise to the censorship of the press and of the drama. Literary censorship was rigidly maintained by the Roman Catholic Church as early as the year 1.515, and ail hooks published within its control were subjected to the strictest xaminatiou and expurgation or suppression when deemed necessary. (See INDEX and VAn cvx.) The censorship of the press in England was strictly enforced as early as 1637 by order of the Star Chamber. which order was estab lished by statute id. 1662. It was against this statute that Milton wrote his ,Ircopagitica, and the censorship was abolished in 1693. In France the censorship which had existed since the inven tion of the art of printing was abolished in 1789, and revived at intervals until 1830. when it was
abolished. With the growth of the con stitutional government in the States of modern Europe the censorship of the press has been abol ished. For a fuller discussion and treatment of the subje•t, see FREEDOM OF TUE PRESS.
Censorship of dramatic productions is based upon the necessity of protecting the public from the influence of immoral plays. This is accom plished in the United States by the law which enables any publie immorality to be suppressed soon as an overt, act hats been committed, which can be shown to be an &Tense against pub lic morals. Tn England, however. a censorship of the stage exists under the provisions of 6 and 7 Viet., e. 6R. Formerly, in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth centuries. the performance of plays was controlled by the of Revels and the Lewd Chamberlain: and the statute 10, George II., c. 2S, defined and established the duties and powers of the Lord Chamberlain in this capacity. Under this statute his powers were restricted as to their territorial limits: but by the statute 6 and 7 Viet. his jurisdiction is extended (by section 12) to the whole United Kingdom. Chap ter CS of this statute provides that one copy of every new stage play, every new act. scene, part, prologue, or epilol.,nie. of a play. intended to be acted for hire at any theatre in Great Britain should he sent seven days previous to the Lord hamberlain for his allowance, and he may license or refuse to license its produetiom and may revoke a license already granted. and forbid. the production of the play whenever it appears to him advantageous for the preservation of good. Or dece•ey or to preserve public peace. Ili, authority is exercised upon the recommenda tion of his reader. Ile has no authority to license playhouses. This is vested in the County Council. who may delegate it to one le I jus tices of the peace, who formerly exercised it. See The Lau' llagazinc and Lau- Review, I!), 2.20.
Something akin to censorship is to be found in the statutory and administrative restrictions on the use of the mails for the circulation of gam bling and fraudulent circulars and obscene pub lications. The protection of the public, there fore, from wrongful publications is, in general, left in Great Britain and the United States to the enforcement of the laws protecting public and individual rights from violation: and so, the circumstances under which a publication is made may be such that the publisher may be enjoined by the court from further publication of the same matter, if this be necessary for the protec tion of violated rights.
Where a territory or country is under martial law censorship of the press by the military au thorities is commonly exercised in all countries, so far as it is considered necessary by the mili tary authorities. See COPYRIGHT; LIBEL: NEWS PAPER; LAW.