Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1871-05-11
PARIS.
The, Revolution War against the
Peasants.
From the London Spectator, April.

It appears to he certain that the
group of men who direct the move
ment, of whom Blanqui is said to be
the chief though there may be chief
behind him, have decided to strive for
a completely new organization OF
France. Weary of the yoke of the
peasants, which for twenty years has
/ been pressed upon the necks OF the
great cities, they are determined to
make OF the great cities states IN the
American sense, states IN federal ALL
ance with France, but not III subord1-
nation to her In their own language,
the ten great cities are to make per-
manent arrangements for alliance with
the nation. In all their proclamations
this idea reappears, now IN demand
that the autonomy of the cities shall be
recognized by the assembly, again IN
suggestion that it shall be inserted IN
the charter, which is to be the funda-
mental law of the country, and anon in
some proposal, more or less wild, for "a
treaty Of peace with France" The
idea, as yet vague though distinct, like
shadow rather than a figure, is re-
ported to be due to Asst, who has read
but one book in his life, Edgar Quinet's
Revolution. of Italy" and has been
fascinated by the descriptions of the
Italian republics but there can be lit
, tie doubt that federalizing policy Of
/ same kind, in which the federal states
would be small, has been entertained
/ for some years by the Reds, who, hope
/ less of defeating the peasant proprie-
tors, trust by this device to break or
neutralize their power. 1t is the favor
/ tie idea of the Russian Reds, the most
, determined fanatics in the rank of the
cosmopolitan revolution it crops up IN
Italy whenever order is disturbed it
suggests itself naturally to every
Swiss; it was formally proposed in the
only reaonable Fenian manifesto we
ever read; it was adopted by the Inter
national Society in their meeting at
Geneva; and derives great strength
from the approval of that influential
class among revolutionists, the Reds
who have resided in America and be-
come permeated with American ways of
thought. 1t is approved by the Reds
because it gives them piedsa-teJre in
which their principles may triumph, by
the communists because they think
socialism more manageable within
| limited areas Just the idea of the
/ American Fourierists-and by the or
binary republicans because 1T would
! emancipate city life from the control Of
the peasants nominees. Whether they
intend that each city should govern the
province round it, as Florence governed
Tuscany, or that each city should be a
state iii ITSELF leaving each province to
! become a state too, is not clear either
/ to rs, or, as we suspect, to the lnsur-
gent chiefs; but one point is sufficiently
distinct. The city vote in the Central
Assembly is to balance or overcome the
country districts--a condition which
could not be observed, unless the city
in some form or other was despotic over
its surrounding terrain.
Is it conceivable that such a plan as
this should succeed in establishing it
self in the most centralized of all Eu-
ropean countries We cannot tell, for
we cannot say how far the provinces
would be as willing to rid themselves of
the cities as the cities are to rid them
selves of the provinces, to what extent
the German army viii remain neutral,
or how far the mad wickedeess of men
! like the "Home Secretary of the Com
mune, men who preach the assassina-
ton of princes as a religious duty, may
interfere with the policy of saner chiefs.
Nor can We as yet preceive how far the
communists propose to carry their
special ideas, whether they will con-
tent themselves with poor law and an
/ impoI prOgreSsJ, as Louis Blanc
would, or whether by some direct at
, task on property, such as the exaction
of the German indemnity by forced
loan, they will compel the property
holders to shake Off their cowardice
and appeal to military force. But we
do think it clear that if, IN the struggle
between PARIS and Versailles, Versailles
goes down, determined effort will be
made TO recast France on federal bas
is, with the cities as separate cantons,
and we feel no security whatever that
Versailles will not go down. We should
add that the success or failure of the
movement in Marseilles or Lyons will
not effect its result one straw If Paris
is defeated Lyons will yield if Paris
wins Lyons will fellew; and for any
form OF preparatory action there will be
no time. Whether the revolt shall end
or become revolution depends on col
lission between General Bergeret
and General Vinoy, which cannot be
averted many days.