The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1871-09-09

& Pasohal Grousset has. like Lnll;er.
proved an honorable exception to the
Communist leaders who have been pite.
oasly struggling to wriggle out of the
responsibility OF acts and decrees, Of
which they woro once so ohildishly
proud. He has tho appearance and
< bearing; OF gentleman-an exceptional
position among the accused-nnd his de-
fence has been at once able and digni-
fed. He does not attempt to shirk his
share OF responsibility in the general
policy and proceedings of the Commune.
He accepts even his responsibility Of de-
crees, with which, personally, be had
nothing to do-decrees passed, perhaps.
at meetings which he did not attend =
declaring that they, at any rato, ernahnt-
ed from body to which he belonged.
This is in striking contrast to the de-
fence OF other prisoners, who have been
trying to plead that at auch and suoh O
meeting they were not present; that at
another they made remark which, if the
Journal 06iciel had only published it,
would have proved their dissent from the
views OF the majority; that this or that
signature is not theirs, and so on al nau-
seam, IN the face Of the general fact that
they still remained members without
protest, and still without murmur drew
the pay OF tho body by whom all these
acts and deoress were passed. Fasohal
trousse! has only been anxious to clear
himself OF one or two minor and inci-
dental charges disc1editablef from moral
point OF view; such. for instance. as that
he took property or kept money to which
he was not entitled, and in this he has
been completely successful. He also in
dignantly repudiatcs any completely in
the burning Of Paris or the massacre of
the hostages; and here, also, his defence
is able, If not exactly nnanswerable. AS
Tor the massacre. in the Grst place, he
argues that the prisoners massaored never
really were hostages; that the Commune
marked out for hostages, not priests or
non -comhatants, but soldiers taken with
arms IN their hands; aud, secondly, that
even those thus set aside were never
really destined to death. The net was
intended merely as q menace of reprisnls
to pat stop to the executions OF Fede-
raj prisoners, which were then thought
to be going on at Versailles. He de-.
clared that, 30 far from the Commune
being blood.thirsty, it had ordered only
one execution-thnt Of colonel found
guilty OF cowardice before the enemy,
and that even that sentence had not been
inflicted. With regard to the burning of
part OF Paris, Paschal Grousset was
asked whether the Commune did not
know what, indeed, was matter OF pub
lio notoriety, that his party repeatedly
threatened to burn down Paris rather
than let the Versaillists get possession of
it. He admitted having often heard
these threats. but declared that he had
never taken them aur serieur, or expect
cd Tor moment that they would be exc
onted. The same threats had been over
and over again repeated during the Prus.
sian siege. but they came to nothing
when Paris oapitulated and The Prussian n 8
entered. Ho solemnly affirmed that
neither the Commune as body, nor. SO
lar as he knew, its members Individually,
ever meditated the destruction of Paris.
On the whole, the defence was conduct.
ed with both ability and dignity, and
seemed to produce favorable effect.
Versailles Cor. London Times.