The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1870-01-30
SUNDAY MORNING, JANUARY 80, 1870.

grew day by day. The soldiers kept count of
the comrades they had lost; the refractcries,
by dint of living in outlawry and gun in hand,
took on more savageness of manners. A fact
of quite recent occurrence exasperated them
1t had been reported and repeated throughout
the country that tho government of July had
abolished the penalty of the galleys for politi-
cal offences. Nevertheless, Nagat and the
two brothers Jegu, who had stopped the mail
coach between Pioermel and Malestroit, had
been condemned to-hard labor for twenty
years. 1t was lost breath for the Blues to say
that it was case of plotted robbery commit
ted at night on the highway Breton peasants
were deaf of that ear. They knew that the
Jegus were rcfractories, that the Government
money taken from the mail had been RENTED
intact to the military chest of the little insur-
rectionary army. The crime then, that had
sent their friends to the galleys at Brest was
evidently political crime. 1t was evident,
then, that Government combined trick with
brute force in the means it used against them
Orders had been given to all the mayors to
denounce to the superior authorities the reffac-
tories who were in hiding in their comnlunes.
This order was posted at the door of all the
town halls. Within an hour, just beneath the
official placard, another was to be read, in
which all mayors who obeyed the orders of
Government were Threatened with death. AT
Landevant,a small commune near Hennebon,
vespers, in presence of all the village and of
the mayors adjunct, who did not dare to open
his mouth.
Nothing was more precarious than the posi-
had not at their command a gendarme, or a
Custom House officer, or so much rs an Ururrr=
airy country policeman. Some of them were
at heart with the insurgents, and warned them
in advance of the approach of the gendarmes.
There were villages where it was hard to find
q single Blue in others the mayor was the
only functionary who knew how to read Nj.
Lorois, the project, bad conceived IT 70 be q
wise policy. to appoint to municipal offices,
everywhere that it was possible old soldiers,
either from the Republic or the Empire, But
such men, so lately released from prescription,
SO unexpectedly become magistrates, wanted
both social authority and confidence IN them
selves. 1t was necessary to bring both menaces
and promises to bear in order TO obtain from
them here and there some dmid notifications.
Once or twice the kings attorney came TO
know through them of the rendezvous of a band
and-was able to make some arrests. Inc chouans
resolved TO take vengeance on the lntormers In
a way that should produce striking enect;
say the cbouans perhaps am wrong, bnt at
! any rate they took that -name formerly MADE
| ilIustrioHs by noble daring, which many oil
/ them doubtless, moved by love Of evil doing,
! void of any political faith, were unworthy to
Bignan is a large burg OF the canton of Saint
| Jean Brevelay, not far from Iocmlne: 1t mas
considerable trade in hemp and cattle, so thai
| il is the residence of six or eight dealers, hall
! peasants, half bourgeois, who go only[to tine
| first mass of "a Sunday, and have~the reputa
tion, not without reason, OF being Nlolen'
/ Blues. NJ. Brossard, an ex-ofticlnl IN the reye
nue. Department., deprived OF MS posi- uhuel
| Charles X, was the best educated man of thi'
| little group. He had been appointed mayor
I after the 29th of July, and had distla gntshee
| himself in the first year of his administrator
/ by refusing to march behind the canopy, CIR
| with his official scarf, in the procession OF thu
! Eete Diet An act which, as a necessary conse
a1.a4,t ...lli. him the oracle of all the Blues d
| Bignau audits vicinity, and an object OF eXecra
| ton to the ehouans. His friends warned him Il
have care of himself: but nc PAID no need q
| their counsels, and could be met it'll any timt
/ alone in the high banked roads outside the WI
lage, where it is us easy to kill 2 man as tx
shoot at target.
to the refractories reached him, he resolved t.
post it himself after the grand mass and t
make q speech to the fteeple. He was rathe
given TO such displays, for lie was mucn OF al
| orator and like all men who are conscious o
their Gift of eloduenee, he was-fond of speak
ling. He awaited, then, the close OF the gram
mass, and when the belfAod rang ior INC an a.
eeius which they always say in brittany afte
the Ite Iaissd est before the congregation dlspeI
ses, he marched ont solemnly ifoIh tine tow
] house preceded Try the town drummer and
little boy-of twelve years OF so, whom he style
i his secretary. First, he ordered the Dan TO d
beaten then he took off his cap, mounted on
great stone, read aloud the proclamation OF tn
Il prefect made boast of having himself lnst3ga
ted il, and closed with most emphatic declaI
i alton of his zeal to obey its iDjunctions, and
his determination to purge the commune o
the brigands by whom It was invested. =,
in front of him with their friends and rela
Il tives; and it was at their choice to have mad
an end of the mayor then and there. de wa
perfectly aware Of the fact; but ne did no
blench for n instant under their fierce glance.
He fastened the placard to the wall with hi
Levin hands, descended from his pedestal, care
Ffuliy folded up his tri-colored scarf, put It =
his pocket and walked straight up to thnt-on
Iof the refractories who passed FOR the chief q
the band.
r. "WelI Jean Brien,o hesaid, eyou have heart
You know what is left for>ytt9 to do. CAV
Won tw9fty-four hours to be 0tftt II az the en-
OF tyventy.foar hours you are not outsot -
oomisune will write to the Kings proaseal
ing attorney, aud have you seized in your heti'