The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1871-07-08

advocacy, upon VhicI II rears corner
stone.
But in France, alas it has not had
the sagacity to restrain itself; but, con-
trary to its own peace creed, has allow
ed the boosted fntrepedite-which, by
making war glory, has nurtured for
centuries a pride of superiority in NOR
tai combat, and degenerated to con-
tempt the most magnificent type Of the
human race. 1t is claimed that these
butcheries and martyrdoms have forms
ed a glorious epoch in baptizing this
organization and its career for a page
in history. hope so.
On my first visit to Paris, in 1868, the
International was in its babyhood. M.
Magnet was pining, prisoner, at the
Waison Municipdle de Santi The au-
thOrities, however, at his application,
allowed him to give me reception
without the espionage Of The police.
Many others, his friends, were guests at
his cell, among them the brothers Re-
clus, Sladeskv, the Pole, and Dupont.
Ntguet spoke Of the International, and
did not disguise his bellicose theories.
| asked him if he supposed France was
TO be freed by another bloody irrup-
ton, or if lie thought the workingmen
were strong enough in organization to
think Of competing with the soldiers of
Napoleon; and | remember my sur
prise when they intimated that it was
perfectly possible. The argument, or
controversy, that followed was one Of
the most exhaustive and spirited in
which ever engaged; but they were
heated with rebellion. They said they
would try it at the first opportunity.
The opportunity has come. They have
tried it, and the carrion Of their de-
luded victims has made the air of Paris
pestllential. But to me the most sick
ening thing in this awful martyIdom il
that the International had hand in it.
1t is true that great good is claimed as
a result for this butchery and its retail
story sequence. | met Cluseret at
Brussels last August. He was a men,
Der Of the International. lie told me
what he was going to do. | told him
of my adherence to such crisis. The
crisis has come, and this devoted Of
fering to martyrdom has lived to see
that the true political diplomacy is no
longer based on warfare when It's object
is TO achieve liberty.
All over France the name Of the In.
ternational Association of Workingmen
has for three years been a horror-not
only to royalty, but to the people, be-
cause the illiterate French peasantry
knew it 10 be full Of revolution; YET,
who thinks Of fearing thing SO inno-
cent here? The fact is, the political
skies we're lurid with rebellion, and this
organization should have assumed the
conservative, and extended the hand of
restraint, thus wisely arresting the
great Eruption, rather than accelerating
II. But in palliation OF blame, it is but
just to state that much is due to the
force of outside numbers, Sound and
carefully disciplined organizations were
impossibilities. The jealous tyranny Of
the now ignominious usurper nipped
all organization in the bud. Therefore,
other than its spontaneous growth, in
which men acknowledged their mem
becship without periodical reunions,
were crushed as combinations for treas
on. Military desDotiSm of the vlest
nature hung over freedom like an incu-
bus; and as soon as the war broke out,
the men suspected of having completely
with the International were hurried to
the front in battle, and moved down BY
the needle gun. l was myself arrested
near ST. Quentin, for being an Inter
national, and was obliged to outwit the
wittiest to effect my release. Thus the
imperfect at first, became
by torture and defamation,
and precious few were the workingmen
left to fill the ranks Of the Information
al The bloody havoc that goes out to
the world as the preparation of this
cosmopolitan organization. may be
traced, not to the work1ngmen alto
gether, but to infurlated demagogues