Paper short abstract:

Napoleonic wars have been a prolific period for propaganda conveyance and exchanges between Iberians countries and England. Throughout the different stages experienced by Portugal, our aim is to demonstrate the censorship's role during this period, observing the reactions towards the printing enthusiasm.

Paper long abstract:

Based on concrete examples related with napoleonic invasions, the purpose is to see how censorship proceeded between emboldening, compromising and expurgation. Study cases from Castro and Alves have already initiated a reflection about censorship during peninsular war. We offer here to summarize singular cases of expurgation in order to define the role of individuality, elements who trigger correction, what's possible to accept even with reluctance.

Censorship is able to make concessions in order to achieve a greater purpose: Portugal's independence. That ability to compromise with certain rules depends on the personality of the censor who is willing to explore the gaps remaining between authorities. Just after the first invasion, between negotiation and compromising, the censor advocates for the sake of rising patriotic feelings and actions. However some delicate matters don't appear: the silence in printing echoes in other media (manuscripts, discussions, foreign publication).

At the same time, documents coming specially from Spain and England are adapted, even with no censorship intervention, but with own translator initiative in order to please the government's wishes. With a greater liberty to express themselves, British and Spanish publicists and authors implicate directly some actors and personalities which seems very difficult to achieve in Portugal. It's a different way of dealing with ideas. Implicating by naming, expressing the lack of confidence towards the government being impossible, different strategies to avoid violating censor's rules are implemented: publishing in England, circulation of manuscripts, silencing some news (it's become more about what is not said rather than what is expressed).