National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1871-05-26
The Demands Of the Commune.
PRO. III. y.u,.si on.a Of PAN. !

Arm and ascertain the aspiration AM
wishes Of the people Of Paris. The pre-
else character Of the movement Of th,
18th OF March is misunderstood aud I'M
known, and is illuminated by the poll
ticians at Versailles. At that time Pari
still labored and suffered for the Who'll,
Of France, for whom she had prepared
10y her battles. an intellectual, moral
! administrative, and economic regcnera
ton, glory aud prosperity,
What does she demand ? The recog
milton and consolidation of the Repub
lie, and the absolute autonomy OF th'
Commune extended at all places II
France, thus assuring 10 each the integ
rity Of its rights, and to every French
man the full exercise Of his faculties anc
aptitudes as q man, citizen, and a pro
Queer Tho autonomy Of the Commune
has no other limits but its rights. Tho
autonomy is equal for all commnncs who
are adhcrents OF the contract, the asso'
citation OF which ought to secure the uni
ty Of France,
The inherent rights OF the Communs
aro to vote the Communal budgets OF
receipts and expenditures, the lmprov-
ing and alteration of taxes, the direction
Of local services, the organization of the
magistracy, internal police, and educa-
ton. The administration of property
belonging 10 the Commune f; the choice
/ by election, or competition, with the
responsibility and permanent right Of
control and revocation of the Communal
magistracy. and officials of all classes
the absolute guarantee of individual lib
erty, and liberty of conscience ; the per.
manent Intervention of the citizens in
Communal affairs by the free manifesto
ton Of their ideas, and the free defence
OF their interests guarantees given to
those manifestations by the Commune
who alone are charged with securing the
free and Just exercise of the rights OF
meeting and publicity the organization
OF urbane defence and of the National
Guard, which elects its chiefs, and alone
watches over the maintenance of order
in the city. Paris wishes nothing more
under the head of local guarantees, on
the misunderstood condition Of regain
ing in grand central administration and
delegation from the federal communes
the realization and practice of those
principles but in favor of her autono-
my, and profiting by her liberty of ac-
ton, she reserves to herself to bring
about, ms may seem good to her, admin
istrative and economic reforms which
the people demand, and to create such
institutions as may serve to develop and
further education. Produce, exchange,
and credit have to universalize power
and property according to the necessities
of the moment and the wishes of those
interested, and the data furnished by
experience. Our enemies deceive them
selves or deceive the country when they
accuse Paris of seeking the destruction
Of French unity established by the revo-
luton. The unity which has been inn
posed upon us up to the present by the
empire, the monarchy, and the parlia-
mentary government is nothing but cen
trallzation, despotic, unintelligible, arbi
trary, and onerous.
The political unity as desired by Paris
is voluntary association of all the inl-
tiatives, the free and spontaneous coop.
Grafton Of all individual energies with
the common object of the well-being,
and security of all. The Communal
revolution initiated on the 18th of March
inaugurated new era III politics, ex-
permental, positive and scientific. 1t
was the end of the old governmental and
clerical world, Of military supremacy
and bureaucracy, of jobbL in mon
opolies and privileges to who the pro-
letariat owed its slavery and the coun-
try its misfortunes and disasters The
strife between Paris and Versailles is
one OF those that cannot be ended by an
illusory compromise the issue should
not be doubtful. The victory fought for
with such indomitable energy by the
Commune, will remain with the idea and
with the right. We appeal to France,
which knows that Paris in arms possesses
rs much calm as Dravery. Where or
der is maintained with as much energy
as enthusiasm, who is ready to sacrifice
herself with as much reason as energy.
Paris is only i'll arms in consequence of
her devotion to liberty, and the glory of
all in France ought to cause this bloody
conflict to cease. 1t is for France to
disarm Versailles by n solemn manifesto
ton of her irresistible will Summoned
to profit by our conquests, she should
declare herself identified with our effort
she should be our ally i'll the contest
which can only end in the triumph of
the Communal ideas or the ruin of PARIS.
As for ourselves, citizens of Paris, we
have mission to accomplish modern
revolution the greatest ard mt st fruitful
OF all those which have Illuminated his
tory. 1t is our duty to fight and conquer.
The RECENT OVERFLOW of the Mississip-
pi, in the vicinity of New Orleans, has
caused great distress among the poorer
inhabitants i'll the devastated region.
Besides the larger estates there are
thousands of humble homesteads, cabins