The Portland daily press., 1871-06-03

)y order of the Versailles government"
Rochefort cannot even be classed as Com
munist.
A Gteral s'soldier OF fortune" was Gen. Gu
saret. the Communist Minister of War, who
has Seen executed by the Versaillists. He was
at various times engaged in the military SER
vice OF France, OF Italy, and OF the United
States. In the French service in Algeria and |
the Crimea he attained the rank of Captain
with the rosette OF the Legion OF Honor; I'M
der Garibaldi he became Colonel; and upon |
Offering his services to the War Department |
at w ashingtOn, he was commissioned as Brig
adier-GeneraL To this various service is to be |
added his exertions in behalf of the Mexcans |
opposed to Macmillan, and as a military |
agent OF the Fenians, as we'll as, no DOUBT, the |
co-censpirator Of halt the ultra-revOlutiOnists |
OF Europe. He came to the Commune ripe
with experience III war and in revolutionary
projects, gray veteran, put one who remain
ed in no service long and who has yet achieVed
successes ia no undertaking.
Gen. Cluseret was a member OF respecta'
BILE family of Spanish origin, settled in La Ill |
ronde for century and half AS captain |
in the French army be won unusual disClnc-
ton but left that servi e Immediately alter
the Crmean war, avOwedly to devote his life
to revolutionary projects. After serving for
awhile with Garibaldi, in Italy, he came 10 the
United States early in the war of the REBEL
ion, and engaged 10 service under the immedi-
pal mil tary operation cODsistes in handling a
body of troops in cooperation with force
under Gen. MlrOy, in Virginia, against Stone
wall Jackson, and in this he won q reputation
as a dashing and tirel-ss leader. He did not
rema long in the army, however, and short.
ly turned up ut New York in control OF
journal called The Neac Nation, which at
once achieved n0toriety by It's viruleDt abuse
OF Gen. Graet, then at the head of the armies
in the field. After this prelude, the real OBJ
jeect OF the establishment Of the paper, namely
the nomination OF Gen. Fremont for the Pres
idency, in 1864, was disclosed. AS usnal in
Cluserets enterprises, The NeU Nation shortly
proved failure. Meantime, he had quarreled
with his candidate for the Presidency.
Iu January, 1866, Cluseret visited England,
and examined the principal arsenals and mill
tary camps The British authorities were
greatly alarmed afterward on finding that the
inspection was in the interest OF the Fenan
cause, and not az Cluseret Represented at the
time, for information of the military authOri-
ties of New York. He next went to France,
engaged in financial projects and revolutionary
schemes, and ultimately was expelled by the
French government. He was in the city when
the French and German war broke out,
but did nothing in connection with it until the
government of National Dssense came into
power He quarreled with its leading men,
and received no command. After the fall of
Paris he stimulated revolutionary manifesto.
tons in Marseilles and Lyons, and then went
-
the Reds. He was elected q member Of the
Commune, and became conspicuous for his
ultra revolutionary doctrines. Having ettain-
ed the perilOus station of Minister of War
under the Commune, he enacted q leading part
in the defence oil Paris, attaching himself with
singular desperation to the fuctuating fortunes
OF the Communists, and displaying considera-
BILE ability in controlling that turbulent faction.
His administration was, however, interrupted
by period of arrest and imprisonment for per-
thn Tn 1,a
prised. 1t does not appear that he sfterward
fully recovered his former power az Minister
though nominally holding the position.
Personally, Cluseret is described as having
been tall, soldierly in his bearing, and of Q dis
position which has caused it to be said that,
during campaign, lie was always either fight
ing or in pursuit of some woman. Though
able to speak English we'll, be had a singular
inability to write it. He had been a cOmmun-
list all his life, and probably would not have
wished to Outlive the Commune.
HENRI RocHEFoRT.
Count ROchefort, the most prominent and
most feared OF all the latter journalistic assail.
ants of the Napoleonic dynasty, has been de-
setvediy more widely known than any of the
Red Republican leaders whose brief political
histories have found a sudden end, and whose
fate he is reported to have shared. As con-
trIbutiDg to the turbulent anarchy that reigns
in France, the record OF his career will occupy
no inconsiderable place in the crowded chrOn-
icle OF the last three years.
Henri, Viscount de Rochfort. Lucay, was
born in July, 1882 His father was dramat-
list, but one OF little note. AS a boy, Rochfort
OF his school days he bad fought his first duel,
and phy steal bravery was q marked feature of
his character At school and college, his sat.
lrical verses attracted attention and praise, and
earliest writings. He is said to have derived
his political theories from bis mother, woman
of strong aud fixed republican principle. In a
collection OF stories OF his boy hood is striking
account of his leadership OF a school riot. caus-
ed by his determined opposition to what he
read poem before the Archbishop OF Paris,
he defied authority by the bitter satire of his
verses, and incurred the censure of his teach
ers; but this did not prevent his taking his
degree at their academy in 1850. He soon
abandoned the study of medicine, which he at
first pursued, and secured, through family in
fuelce, clerkship in a Government office,
from which he was afterward transferred to
other similar posts, though ultimately unsuc-
cessful in them ALL Alter these changes he
found his career at last, and became an editor
OF the Paris Chdripari. In journalism he at
tanned great success and in 1868 he was one of
the prominent editors of the Figaro. His few
dramas also met with some favor, and his
tires were brilliant and cutting.
The beginning of his open and formidable
attack on the Imperial Government was his
publication of the famous Ldnterne The i'm
prudent wrath which the Government display
ed against this publication only added to the
unexampled success Of his satires, which were
most keen and bitter, though their literary
merit was not always SO great as at their be-
ginning. Banshed for their persistent oppo-
sit'on, be continued the publication of the
Ldnter7ae at Brussels but returned to Paris
IN time to become Involved in the agi-
tations provoked by the shooting of Victor
Noir, and for his part in these he was impris-
oned only TO be released by the revolution of
September. He was a member of the Provis-
ioDal Government,and took part in the defense.
of Paris; but at the end be found himself
placed in strange position by the establish
meHt of the Commune. Regarded AS too fiery
an agitatOr by the Versailles Government, he
preferred to remain within the city: but
throughout the turbulent days that ensued, he
manifested little sympathy with the Commu-
mist leaders, until his influence on the side of
order, and was regarded with no little suspic-
ion by the men whose fanaticism surpassed
his own.
1t was while attempting to escape from Paris
that Rochefort was captured by the Versail.
lists. and now the telegraph brings the report
that he has been tried by cOurt-martial and
shot, with the men whose excuses he would
gladly have restained. The torch that lighted
the quick blaze of Red Repubicanism has
been trampled out with the giant cOnfagra-