The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-10-03

We publish to-day another letter from Mr..
George Wilkes In defence OF the Commune.
Like Its predecessors, 1t Is written In vigorous
and graceful English, and is very pleasant
reading. The Views 1t presents, however,
must often provoke smile of amused incre-
dulity from the thoughtful reader. We
might sum up our opinion of il
as serious production by saying,
''Mr. Wilkes is so-so-so very delightfully."-
enthusiastic!" He seems to have carried into
mature middle age the fiery fervor Of early
youth. He espouses his cause with the ardor
of schoolboy In college debating club. He
speaks of 1t with the warmth of youths
description Of his first flame. The Commune.
indeed, according to him, is the incarnation
of every noble aspiration of humanity; it is
the symbol of progress, enlightenment and
civilization it is the magnetic needle to which
gravitated the virtue and heroism of nineteenth
century Frances it is, in short, an impossible
monster Of goodness. Thus much told, it Ia
scarcely necessary to add that Mr.. Wilkes also
believes NJ. Theirs to be Jesuit, acting under
the immediate orders Of the Pope, and the
army Of Versailles mob of superstitious and
blood-thirsty bigots.
There Is no proposition too extravagant to
be gallantly put forward by this Don Quixota
of the moblots. He takes in detail the charges
preferred against the Commune and disposes
Of them with the facile logic of devotee de-
Tending his creed. He is, no doubt, simply
just in stating that the chiefs of the
Commune were opposed on theory to
the death penalty for any crime, how.
ever Infamous. But how about the murder
critic. All, retorts Mr.. Wilkes, they were.
assassinated five or six days before the Com
mune was inauguratcd and, BESIDES they,
were suspected Of reactionary proclivities.
But again, the execution of the Archbishop or;
Paris aud his fellow martyrs? Again the.
response comes, sThey were the agents of NOM
archy and priestcraft, and-look at the atroci-
ties of the other side!" Alas! the truth is that
human nature is human nature still. Saddest
and darkest of all the truths that force them
selves upon the mind of the student of history
is the appearance, at intervals more or less
removed, Of these carnivals Of passion and
intolerance and blood. 1t is now dogma Of
theology, and again political principle that
drives men into this madness of wholesale
slaughter. The prescription of Sylla, the
war of the Fronde, the struggle between Paris
and Versailles-they are all alike in kind;
they spring from this same intermittent in
sanity that clouds over the consciences Of
men and stirs up every wicked and horrible
passion Of human nature.
But while VIC cannot believe with Mr..
Wilkes that the Commune was an immaculate
angel of goodness, we do not credit that IL
was stained with oil the crimes that have been
laid to its charge. The story Of the female
petroleum incendiaries seems, thanks to Mr..
Frederic Harrison, to be pretty we'll exploded.
Nor can it be doubted that Paris in the days
of the Commune was as orderly and far mora
moral than it had been under the empire.
But how much Of this was the result of an
evanescent exaltation of feeling, and how
much solid and substantial growth of virtue,
it is hard to say. Like the struggle between
the Cavaliers and the Roundheads and the
first French Revolution, this memorable con-
test will, probably, always be productive OF
two opposite opinions. At any rate it is idle
to dream Of unanimity of judgment until
two or three generations have passed away.