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

clties rom those clerical reactions which had 80
Often betrayed the cause OF liberty.
r COMMUNIST HUMANITY in WARFARE.
the manner In which the Commune conducted
hostiiities against the essaultng leglons OF Ver-
sailles was equally as enlightened and humane as
Us civi policy was temperate and moral. It began
It's campaign 10y adopting the principle. evolved
from the recent war IN the Cnlted states, Of NOS
STANCES Of hs case TSs rule sd never been de-
parted from In the American contest on either side
sxcept IN the cases OF hostages WHO were held for
the purpose OF fepr1sall, and rlgidy adhered
To III our struggle that IL came to be regarded as
worthy OF immediate adopuon ny every civilized
belligerelt on earth. The Commune thought so but
SO dd not Versailles, though France and Prussia
fought out their bloody quarrel In strict adhesion 70
the newborn principle. Thers aud has party, how
ever, were not acting on theory OF war. Theirs
was cold problem OF determination and they be.
leved that il they could prevent the cities OF france
from rising against their schemes until they had
knocked Paris on the mead, there would be an END
to the accarsed democracy OF the capital, which haa
ast,cai repose for eighty years. While, therefore,
the army or the Commune spared the lives Of tis
Ia COLI tlood--the massacre at the railway station
or CIamart, where several hunlred sleeping
soldiers net In possession OF their arms, were ruth
leSSy bayOleted through nero iusL for slaughter,
beng but one Of hundred cases OF this SORT.
The Commune sent flags OF truce 20 protect against
these frightfu violations OF the laws Of war: put
without avail. They next tried Populations OF nom
comoaiants, nnd even the Intervention OF the Free
nasons. iut THEIRS turned grandy on ms heel, 70,
the Intermediates and their flags OF truce were
Irel On before tney could regain the shelter OF the
republican lines. 1t not until these enOrmt1es
had beel repeatedly performed, and that IL had be-
come certain 1t was the determinanon OF Versailles
the Commune felt 1t to be necessary to have re-
course 10 tEe ONLY remedy provided by the laws OF
war to curn q. the license Of s an innumn enc.
sss lresasas sxpeausns Of esmmandsrs Ves q
1t l. legitimate deduction OF the Scr,ptural theory
Of IAN eye for an eve and tooth for TOOTH" aud
IL mas the merit OF intoxicating mercy upon brutal
conqueror by the only argument which he can he
made to fee. The practice was nad recourse TO In
ing OF ten hostages one, by the federal General
Mcneil, IN Missouri, was q notable instance Of 1t
and 1t VIII be followed IN every war hereafter when
an arrogant and ruthless COMPLAINT attempts to
ignore the laws OF civilization, ald deal with his
prisoners as II they were not Of The human race.
THE EXECUTION OF TIE PRIESTS.
The great difficulty OF the Commune III making an
application OF this law was 10 know who to take AZ
ing great numbers OF their men and Bianqui aud
others OF their leaders, who were then captive In
their hands, stood imperllled with similar fate.
They knew perfectly well what power they were
fighting against; what secret influence had In
stgated the rural war against the cities; ana who
the policy which medltated their DETERMINATION.
Besides these considerations they required for the
extrication OF such important republican Leaders as
Blanqul the seizure OF such persons as the enemy
would hold most precious TO themselves. They
SE.ea s sne u ~ ana ano aso
tages for the lives Of Blanqul ana others tho Arch
bishop Of Paris and ms associate clergymcn
this TO have been a mercirul performance, under
bariy III war; Tor the direct object OF the law Is .c
save the lives Of helpless captves aud to place them
best That h the common sense OF the matter, and
amount OF religious clalnor can alter the logi
cal relations OF se hosage aneson; Ine only
against tho acLivn OF the Commune III this matter
was one which raised myself, In letter rom this
City, long before the hostages were shot. III that
letter, wnlcn was under date OF the 10th OF May,
regretted inc arress OF the Archbishop and his col
leagues the ground not only that It would wound
the religious sentiment the world (and thus hurt
the cause Of the Communeh but that clerical hos
non complaints; but l did not at that time know
the bearings OF this struggle, or that the loyalty Of
the defenders OF PARIS was CONSTANTS, beng
confessonaL The arrest Of the hostages
was, therefore, natural legal and unsuitable act
Their arrest IS have said before, was simply
merciiul Intervention in behalf OF Banqui aud
Others, which placed the saletv 0. the Archbishop
and nis colleagues within the custody OF tue vcr-
OF the Church Itself. the matter, doubtless. was
referred 10 Rome, ana we have saea how 1: was de-
Cided. The objects TO be attained In tho SubjuEa-
ton or Pall, AID The r f4 80
ESTABLISHMENT
OIL legitimate monarchy were considered to be TOO
important To be COMPROMISED uY the rescue even OF
an ARCHBISHOP aud a haadml OF subordinate clergy.
men; so the applications for Banlui and his asso-
ciates were refused anu thiriy-twO vacancies were
ordered Tor the abaanoncd hostages among tae
saints In heaven. the Communists, however,
though exasperated to the last degree 10y this terrific
crime, had such liked rcpuguaace 10 the dealn
penalty that they did keep ther threat to retail
remit!ed the which she had Isl. ned them.
IL had allotted 10 them The desliDy Of aftlXIng
infamy upou the name OF the Commune, anl IL
abandoned them 10 TRANQUILITY abide that climax OF
the problem. IL Is due TO the word, which has
been SO much mlsled IN THIS transaction, that 1t
Archbishop.
together with the lives Of three others OF the arrested
Blanuul alone, and that the oler was not listened
to by the Archbishop lrienas.s am authorized 10
say that the proof Of inis humane ana be,ai over
ture on the part OF the Commune IS now 10 tile
hands OF Mr.. Washburne, the American Minister To
France. leave 1t TO tue calm. secoad, sober
cold-blooded rejection OF thus oier looks when put
beside the late Judgment Of Versailles, which eoull
ere vi the Commune to put two OF thcm death.
THE PErRoLEUsE QUESTION.
Thus much at present on the subject OF the hos
world Win unnecessary horror, anu to uljnsty
stginalizc the patriots OF Paris as band OF athe
lists ana assassius. Believing that the Commune
stand indicated on that point, as have tried to
show II To he In regari 10 ali the previous charges
come now to The only remaining accusation, TO
bow up or otherwise destroy the city OF Paris, IN
case they were not able TO DEFEND II to lhcir own
disposed Of. have stated In previous letter that
had no hesitation III Affirming That there had not
In the oil Paris one pc roleuse, or single
petroleum tbrower man. woman or ch,ld, and
added that the reports to that effect were sim
ply given out 10 influence the sOidery and
justify the murders which they perpetrated.
TINS was bold declaration for q stranger,
who could not get possession OF the supposed testi
mony ON whlcn these reports had bocn given out;
and 1t looked still more hazardous TOUR DAYS ago,
after my letter was half way across the Atlantic,
when the press here announced tnat the female
petroleum throwers were about 10 be brought to
trial. ] was at ease, however, for had arrived at
my CONCLUSIONS through tho logic OF the case, and
had gone over Paris and examined the physical
Conditions OF the problem for myself In the nrst
place, there were Tut twenjy-!our buildings public
aud private burnt In ali during the Ave days OF the
massacre. lii the second place, aDf OF those burn
lnAs we're NJ strategic points; ana none OF them
were OF churches or banks or located al struggling
points, wn,ch might Indicate on the part OF the
lcendialy caprice desire for spoil or personal
malice. In the third place, l examined tile base
ments OF the tcnemenis Of Paris, and saw at once
that 1t was q manifest absurdity 10 assume that
there wcro bands OF women and children
swarming streets which were swept by
nlllraleuses with he'll OF fire during