Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-05-30
TUESDAY. MAY 80. 1871.


Downfall of the Reds.
The red anarchists of Paris have been con-
ouered, crushed, and well nigh exterminated
on one of the bloodest of battle fields. They
continued to the last to be incendiaries and muir
derers,-seeking to burn the city, and shooting
unoffendng persons without restraint. Last
week, they murdered in cold blood the venera
Bile Archbishop Darboy and some fifty Other
priests who had been imprisoned; and they
would have murdered nearly two hundred 9th
ers, if the government troops had not fortunate
" rescued them. But they have been terribly
punished. Fifty thousand insurgents, it is said
were lying dead in Paris, previous to the OPP
erations of Saturday. and "the slaughter OF in-
surgents, Saturday night, was awful" Ii is es-
timated the number Of their unourled dead,
wheG the fighting ceased, was over sixty thou
sand. What sort of creatures most Of them
were is told as follows, in letter from Paris
dated on the 18th instant: 81 have had more
than twenty years experience of Paris mobs and
crowds, and / never saw viler set of men and
women than saw yesterday gloating over the
destruction of the column vendome and NJ.
Theirs mansion"
1t is the most important victory France has
ever won for it paralyzes, if it does not destroy
entirely, baleful agency of disorder, and de-
cides that the nation shall not be ruled by the
Paris mob. Heretofore successful in all its out
breaks, and accustomed TO a consciousness of
being regarded with dread by the govern
ment this mob had come to regard itself as
controlling power. Its leaders did not now
dream Of deing defeated. In fact they treated
the national assembly as an intrusive nuisance
which could easily be swept out of the way.
They were France, because they Numbered at
Paris, and the whole country, in fear if not joy,
would hasten to accept them as rulers. so they
felt and believed and so thought most of the
first troops sent against them, and for this rea-
son, either deserted or refused to fight. They
have been iearfully disappointed. For the first
time since this revolutionary madness became
chronic in Paris, France outside of the city has
risen and taught the anarchists lesson. The
moral effect of this triumph, by which they are
overwhelmed, will be very great.
1t is said mournfully that the atrocious beha-
Tior of these men has postponed the hope of free
institutions half century. We can not accept
this view of the case. Of course, it shames the
very word republican" which these miscreants
have dared to use; and it encourages the mon
arches to believe they will henceforth have
stronger support from public opinion. But it is
a great gain to republcanism to have the Paris
anarchists show the world what they really are,
and make it impossible for anybody to mistake
their character They have been recognized as
republicans. They have been praised as brave
champions offree institutions. To restrain them
was to restrain freedom. English and
American newspapers have been at their service;
and it has been thought an objectionable act of
tyranny for king or emperor to lay his hand
upon their sacred persons. Has all this done
no harm to the cause of republicanism in Eu-
rope? But the delusion has now been removed
and they will no longer have the advantage of
false reputation. Should they revive and here
after renew their barbarities, nobody will claim
them as republicans or make honest republican
ism responsible for their conduct.
The truth is, the cause of free institutions has
never been put so far forward in France as those
assume, who talk in this way of its being put
back half century. These red lunatics have
stood constantly in its way. 1t is due to them
that France has no more such men as Jules
larger following. So long as the Pyats, the
Rigaults, the Rocheforts, and such as they
could take the name of republicanism in vain
successfully and be accounted its representatives
orderly people whose political traditions were
monarchical, were too much influenced by dreaC
of the 'Red Spectre" to listen candidly to mel
like Jules Favre. This is why the repub
lie has never yet been possible in
France. 1t has been proclaimed three or foul
times, but never actually organized; and the
wild behavior of the men who have now beer
crushed, has invariably inclined the Frenct
people to accept despotism instead, to escap
disorder and get assurance of safety. 1t is nov
possible to see the truth and understand tn
situation. If the red demons could all be ex
terminated, or made forever dumb and power
less, the cause of free institutions would gail
more in France, during the next decade, than i
has gained there during the last seventy-fvt
years.