New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-05-29
LITTER TIE coNnUNG. WHIT

DosscssiOu of 80 much OF tLc city az Stll
remains, and ii any struggles continue
thry are the hopeless efforts OF few
hun red Communists baricadri IN n
corner, Co whom dcuair has lent
hdcous sort of courage. There can ne
no doubt that the Commune, as military or
political force, has ceased TO exist Possibly 1t
Is too soon 70 sum up is record OF write It's
cpitaph, but it is difficult 10 believe that the
remolest age VIII remember it without siud-
der, or the most IN actiai historian modify
the passiunate condemnation which al the world
has already pronounced on tIacts. MI. Frederic
harrison, in The FOripighay Rercr, IL, We
believe, the only known writer who has tound
m explanation for the Commune or discovered
any method in its madness. BIT the dreadful
work of the last week destroys TIE only value
which might have belonged to the passionate
rhapsody of the POitiviSt Speculation.
The better the idea out OF which the Com
muuc sDrung the verse for the world. An
id.o that has found exrogtors like Pyat and
Rieault, and that enlisted DombrOwsN and
Cluseret in its Gefcusc, has httle chance OF
being accepted hereafter by honest
men. Paris had right to muni-
ciDal self-gOvcInmeDt no doubt Dut
he only possible apology for the lmpe-
rial oppression AGAINST which the great city
protested, has been supplied by the madmen
who made her the offer Of Liberty. The social
questions which the Commune sought to raise
have been pressing for settlement for years
past. They never had so good chance
for fair consideration within the
past twelvemOnth. II is probable that
e., h,u nod l4 4
century. Social reOIg 7ations have come
before now through oon.ulsiOns and great
aeonies, but they come in spite Of disorders,
and not by help of them. The September
massacres made RopublicaDism impossible in
France. The Daraari :es II tie Commune have
undOne the work o. IA score of reioimeIs, anu
closed the ear of Europe to every demand for
social rcadustments. If thc overthrow OF the
Nendome column was meant "a a protest
against the military spirit, in behalf OF what
new doctrine of goodwill do the chaIred ruins
OF Paris plead
But the death of the Commune is only the
BEGINNING OF the end. NJ. Theirs Is master OF
Paris to-day, and being master his dihcGltie,
are still all before him. The Versailles Gov
eminent has never been popular even
with the PaTisaps 10 whom the Com
mme was most OdiOus. Before 1t quilted
Bordeaux, it had cOntriyed to outrage
the sersibilites of the vainest population III
the world Every shOpkccper on the Bonle-
wards felt himself Inundated at being gov
erncd from provincial city, and the vote OF
the Assembly 10 adjourn TO Versailles instead
of Paris was resented as wanton affront.
For all this NJ. Theirs was held responsible.
He had not been thoroughly popular
in Paris even when Paris chose
him as one of her deputies in the Corps L6gis-
latif. Ii was not Theirs whom they loved, 80
much as Napoleon whom they hated, and III
the same way ii was the fierce hostility OF
Paris to the rulers who surrendered the
city to the PruSsians that led them
10 welcome any successors. When the
Executive whom the Bordeaux Assembly
had chosen had established itself ID the cap
ital, Paris all at once found itself divided into
two hostile camps Paris in rags sat
sc0wling from the Butcs MOntmartre,
while Paris in broadcloth implOred NJ.
Theirs either to govern or give way to
somebody who would. He did neither. The
insurgents might have been dispersed without
difficulty during the first week or fortnight.
They might have been beaten even after a
months delay, had N. Theirs known how to
attach his own troops to him, or had Ninoy
shown ordinary skill i'll planning his
movement. The double failure drove
the Theirs government to Versailles, followed
by the misses of the city he could not rule.
Then came that long period of inaction and
that weary show of incapacity and fear, while
the instruction grew daily stronger, while the
-. nI,.It i,..
city. and throughout which the contempt of the
PariSians for NJ. Theirs darkencd day by day
into nate His bombardment of the city fol-
lowed, and Paris saw with Indignation her
lawful rulers battering down what her enc
mics had spared. From the day when the
shells began falling about the Are
de Triomphe the anger against NJ. Theirs
was as strong among his old partisans as
among his old opponents. What must it be
to-day, when the city lies in ruins solely be-
cause the chief who ought to have saved her
was unequal TO the work?
That is the immediate difficulty Of the stu
ation. II is not possible to believe that NJ.
Tbier, can long continue at the head OF this
Government. 1t is equally difficult to name
successor under whom the Government could
be carried on in its present shape.
II we are to regard the existing Govern
ment as permanent in form, we shall look
obout in vain for an Executive whose claims
TO popular confidence could inspire any hope
cf success. 70 put weak man or an I'M
tnown man in NJ. Thers's place lis to en-
courage the intrignes of Orleanists, of
Bourbons, and of Imperialists alike. There
oro M means Of forming an opinion ON
the probable chances of either, nor Is IL GER