Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-04-21
THE COMMUNE.
More About the Men who Hold Paris
in SubiectfOn-Genera Bergeret
snd the Fight I'm the Place Ven-
dome

FPlace Vendome, appointed by the Cen
trail Committee. The table was set for
eighteen persons, lighted by two large
lamps and a chandelier, and garnished
at one end by an immense roast, and at
the other with four or five fat stuffed
fowls. We sat down, and for the first
time | had an opportunity for observing
closely, under strong light, the faces OF
the men bywhom Twas surrounded. Work
men-mechanics- one of them.
was astonished beyond measure. These
are the men who hold city like Paris
in subsection, and before whom the Ma
tional Assembly is trembling-a dozen
mechanics, with grizzled boards, Drowned
faces, and horny hands. They all sal
down quietly-most Of them awkwardly
Few words were exchanged, and they
seemed overcome with fatigue, some oi
them dropping asleep before the meal
was over. | soon engaged in conversa-
ton with the General, who informed me
that they were ell honest, hard-working
men, but they had devotedly given their
leisure moments to reading and study,
and-seeing how often they had been de-
ceived by the great men in whom they
confded-had determined to take their
affairs in their own hands, resolutely
making up their minds to die, if neces-
sary, for the Republic. For the present,
he said, they had no decided programme,
further than holding the elections, and
forming a government founded upon
universal suffrage But the Assembly
has sprung from universal suffrage, has
it not2 l asked. Yes, he replied;
but it was elected only to vote peace,
and its mandate has expired. But if
the elections go against you, and the
peasants vote a monarchy inquired.
The peasants always vote with the
strongest side; they always vote with
the Government, whatever that may
happen to be. If we have the Govern
ment in our hands, they will vote with
u.s. You are for the Commune | sup
pose? Do you understand by that a gen
eral distribution of property? No,
sir; we only understand the abolition OF
all privileges, and modification of the
present social system. What this modi-
fcation may be we do not know; we
have not yet had time TO study it out,
and it will take years to accomplish that
task. But some change must and will
take place Workmen and peasants are
despised in France and all over Europe.
This should not be. Perhaps they are ig-
norant and unrefined, as the world goes.
But is this their fault2 Would they not
be educated if they could? Is it not the
interest and intention of our opponents to
keep us ignorant? Have they not done SO
for hundreds of years? What have 8
thousand years of monarchy done to edu.
cate us2 Nothing. They keep us ignorant
and then reproach us with it. Whence
comes the greatest opposition to the
present movement? From the aristo-
cratic portion of society, who object to
us simply and solely because we are
workmen. What is your opinion OF
Gambetta, Hugo and Louis Blanc2
They are great men and patriots, and
we look for them to join us as soon as
they can. Hugo is old now, however,
and we need young men; and Gambetta
is ILL. Have you opened negotiations
with the Prussians? Yes, sir; and we
shall have no difficulty in arranging mat
ters with them. They are indifferent as
to our form of government so long as we
adhere to the terms of the peace already
signed, and that we will do. Besides, we
have nothing against the German peo
ple They could not easily help it. II
is only governments and kings we are
fighting. The people will be with us
everywhere. During the evening one
of the officers spoke Of some one, whose
name | do not remember, as q good man
to accept. What are his political opin-
ions? asked General Bergeret. He is
rather a neutral, was the reply. There
fore dangerous man, said. the General.
In such times as these we must have
men of positive opinions-men who are
not blown about by every wind of doc
trine. General Bergeret is small
man with large, dark eyes, thin face, and
nervous temperament-evidently man
who decides and acts quickly. Aswe were
getting up from table, "a messenger came in
with the announcement that the Reac-
tionists were concentrating for an attack,
which caused considerable excitement.
Let them try it, cried General Begeret;
let them try it, and they will hear from
4 lin way that they don expect. The
guns of Montmartre are pointed upon
the Place de rOpera and the Bourse
Let them come. The Place Vendome
was in intense excitement. The men
had gathered behind the two barricades
defending the passage from the Rue de
la Paix and the Rue Castiglione. Can
non were pointed up the Rue de la Paix
down the Rue des Capucines, the Rue
Neuve des Petits Champs, and the Rue
Saint Honore. Twenty men we're sent
up to the top of the column of the Place
| Vendome, with instructions TO fire down
upon the attacking party. General Ber
geret ordered one hundred men to be
placed diagonally on each side of the
entrance to the Place, so as to cross fire
upon the attacking forces in case they
should pass the barricades. His man
ner of explaining this movement would
possibly have made regularly educated
military man smile. DO not attempt
to use any technical terms to your men,
he said to the officer to whom he in
trusted the execution of this movement;
for they viii not understand you.
Place them in position aud tell them
they must not fire straight across the
Place, for their companions are there, but
only into the mouths Of the Rue de la
Paix and the Rue Castiglionei and If
anv Of the enemy succeeded in passing
this cross fire, the men at the column
will take care Of them. The men in the
barricades have instructions how to
avoid this FIRE in case they are obliged
to retire Midnight came The dark
forms Of the men posted within the bar
ricades might be seen moving noiseless-
" about, or peering over the rugged wall;
the watch-fres burned down and smol-
dered in their ashes; we we're in mo-
mentGry expectation Of hearing the
hoarse roar Of the cannon Of Montmar-
/ -, 1srs- forth iron r,,aocas,r-o-c N tha