The Portland daily press., 1871-05-27
DAILY PRESS,
PORTLAND.
SATURDAY., MAY 81, 1871.
Burning the Tuilcries.

Royal palaces, especially those of France,
are undoubtedly very picturesque maenfi-
cent and romantic objects. They are rich in
historical associations. Song, story and poe
try have heightened their spleDdors. but
free, prospeIou and happy people aho'u even
more intel esting spectacle 10 ihe n"'
mind. Education aud virtue, pelVaolnS VIC
popuace and rendering all classes Of society
correct in their morals and intelligent in thtlr
political action, are something OF much II ore
general uti,ity There will doubtless lie
new cry of horror over the desti uction CT the
Tuileries and Louvre Ivy the Communists
But it seems to us that these Vandals have
done no more rational thing, not exceptil
the destruction OF the column in the Place
Vendome--a structure which was a constant
Indictment to TIE quest of military glory and
encouragement to the spirit of conquest which
has been the ruin of France. The palaces Of
France constitute an important part oil ihal
system that has made the Communists the
rash, mpuIsive cruel children they are. They
are part of the system that created Inc
SdnsculOttes, who are an ever present ele-
mant of danger, and of the system that ere
ated the Red friends of the revolution of '93
and the towards that allO wed the Germans to
take their capital. In the raileries Louis
XIV and Louis XIV kept those splendid cOIr
tesans, Monlespan and Pompadour, while the
wives end daughters of the honest peasantry
of France were yoked with cattle and drew
the pillow in the fields. The former King
spent two hundred million dollars, first and
last, on Versailles, while his people were liv-
ing il mud novels and absolutely starving and
freezing. The last horrible Bonaparte while
denizen of the Tuileries paid several mill
ions to discarded mistress, while his feeble
imitation of his unce's policy cost France I'M
counted treasure and deprived it of its man.
hood, leaving it with a feeble, irresolute and
unintelligent population. Here the Bour-
bons, Bonapartes and Orleansts have in turn
devoted to their own luxury or ambition the
wealth which used for the common good
might have given peace, security and happi-
ness to millions. Is it any wonder that the
mob want to destroy these magnificent har-
pies nests, which SO long as they remain. are
coutlnuai Suggestion OF mOnarcnlcai splen-
dor and extravaganza, and a perpetual invita-
ton to aspirants TO the purple to come in and
occupy them? Everybody mus. hope that the
magnificent Louvre gallery of paintings, one
of the n ost extensive and valuable in tie
world, will be spared. But of what use is it
to talk of the fine arts to men who, in their
own persons and in that of their ancestors
have for generations been plundered, op-
pressed and reduced to condition worse
than that of the beasts of the field by the
splendid patrons OF art? If the Louvre paint
ings can be exchanged for men the transac-
ton will not be bad one. When the pala ces
are destroyed, the more humane public sentl-
ment OF this century will never suffer them to
be rebuilt, and their obliteration may have a
not inappreciable influence in extineuishing
the race of. monsters that in times past have
inhabited theme No monarch of civilized
country could now build the Tuieries OF
Versailles any more than he could build
Tamerlane's pyramid of skulls. 1t is the
slaughter of the clergy and other civilians,
and not the burning of the palaces, that will
render the Commune infamous.