The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1871-04-28

reign OF King Robert. But the term
communist, which. Is applied to this
party, Is incorrect, as there Is no inteli-
I tion to interfere with the rights OF pro-
perty.; The: object of the conn,unters,
which is the proper term, is to decen-
I 1ralize the governing power, 80 that the
French people may direct: their own
affairs, Paris desires to control her own
municipal taxes, to elect her mayor and
municipality; giving to each great GEN.
tre and to each commune, the came right.
I It is not 1rue that the Commune desires
= to make itself independent of thd gen.
I eral government. What this rouge
I party want is that Frenchmen may
texercise the same right, in almost, the
same way, as, to the American people.
They do not wish to have "les co7.sea.
ters n,,nicipD4z ct ls n,airs,"' answering
to your Mayor. aud Common Council
appointed by the, government, What
wouldfthe people Of New York say II
the government at Washington were to
appoint the Mayor and Common Coun.
I'cfl,. without consulting the wishes, or
opinions Of the people2 Would they
not rush to arms to defend their rights
from invasion? IF this usurpation
would be tyranic in New. York, it can
not be just at Paris, and yet this injus-
tice has centinued:intF tFfance for twenty
years The rights of, the people have
been ignored, and the nominees Of the
government have taxed the people with.
out their consent, y. and disposed of the
taxes without rendering an account to
the Taxpayers. -.''' :: '''' ,asca'
!, RIA very bad; Suppression was pro-
duced in, the United States BY the Com
mune taking UP arms against the AS
semblee ,Nntionale, which certainly rep
resented the people. a.>,-4 ,',.Il
I M: PIT /; not correct TO say that the
Commune took up arms against the
Assemble. So long las the Assemble
recognized the rights f the people the
Commune obeyed the orders Of the
government but when the butcher Vi
nOy was sent to command the army at
Palis, aud to -disarm the National Guard
the people began to fear treaehefy. The
suppression Of the, republican Journals,
| and the dispersion Of public meetings.
1 gave .unquestionable proof that an at
teniptto overthrow the republic was
aboutto be made .by the. military con-
spiritors, who In 48had deluged France
| in blood,l It was only when matters
| arrived at this point that the Comm ane
I resolved To take the necessary precau-
|.tions against another coup e'tdt. The
Assembled had violated the trust of the
! people by attempting, to,deprive them Of
| the inalienable rights of Efreemep, to
meet iii public to discuss al matters
7 touching the general welfare; to ex-
press through the medium Of the
press their opinions: andIto carry aims
| for the protection,o their liberty against
Fall reactionists. 1T is, absurd to imagine
that because men are delegated for GER
tain wilIdefined duties to d National as
sembly they have the :right'to e,Islave
the people whose creatures they are
The moment Representative assembly
attempts the liberty Of their constitu-
ents, its legal character ceases, and all
its acts; become null and void. Let me
take one more illustration from Ameri.
can institutions. What would the peo-
pie of New York say If the representa-
tives whom they send to Congress should
pass q law forbidding the citizens to
hold D meeting in the Cooper Institute;
and should order the disarmament Of
| the National Guard? Would not the
| people of New York regard this action
as an cinsolent usurpation calling for
prompt and vigorous resistance? It is
to be regretted that NJ. Theirs never
visited this republic, wnere he might
have learned that the people can be
trusted with the possession of arms.
Ais views on this matter are of the old
monarchicai stamp. The people must
submit bllndly and without question
to the rule Of the government: 1t was
not until the government of Versailles
- 4 x<, n I,o nf n
that blood was shed. J.. -:Jfl.: ~ -
R.-Wbat explanation can, be offered
for the murder Of Generals Lecomte and
Thomas?. ,.;. Z. > =. .fay' '''.'''t
NJ. P.-The killing of the generals
was not the act of the Commune, and in
the case of General Thomas it is suppo-
sed to .bave resulted from personal
resentment. General Thomas took the
epaulettesfrona the shoulders Of General
Courte and spat, in his face because he
refused to order his soldiers, to fire. on
the people In 48, and made himself
many. and bitter enemies among the
republicans. Had two red republican
Officers been arrested under similar cir
,cunlstances at Versailles, they would
have been shot. at ence without attract
ing any special attention. But the
Reds are treated as were the Jews long
ago; they have no. rights; and If the
party of what Is called order chooses to
Shoot them down; the world rs silent.
Thus, when in '4S Consideraut issued q
proclamation Of amnesty, signed by
Cavaignac, to all the republicans who
would lay down their arms, faith was
broken, and the unfortunates who sur,
rendered were massacred by the soldiers
or transported to Cayenne. But as these
butcherics were committed in the name
of ..'order;1! the public conscience of the
world was not at all offended, and the
culpaits became heroes and saviours Of
R.-How do YOU account for the action
of the Reds towards the priests, which
is d direct negation Of those principles
of liberty which they profess? -,
NJ. P..I believe. these stories to be
untrue, aud circulated for the purpose
OF creating: effect: Take for example the
Archbishop of Paris; he was impris-
oncd, then scourged, and finally killed
but lie now turns up quite we'll at Ver-
saiIlrs. So it is with the stories OF plum
der-they have no foundation; any one
caught stealing would be at once shot:
The republican party Is composed
principally Of working men, and form
the most respectable portion Of the COM
munity.' Thcy are fighting for princi-
pie, not for plunder, and seek to give
euual,freedem to all. AT present France
is weighed down by ignorance, which
successive governments have imposed
on the French people in order the better
to exploit them. The red republic
seeks to extend education and teach
men the knowledge of their rights, and
though the republic may fail to-day,
she arise purer and stronger from
the struggle. We represent progress
and our ultimate success is assured.
At this point the interview termlnated,
aud the reporter, thanking NJ. Pelletier
e. l.. L. L.; ,,.itIndraM