The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-08-28
THE WITNESSES AsMysT THE CONVENE.
ELIZABETH, N. j.. August %. 1871.

ELIZABETH, N. j., August 20, 1871.
10 THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD:-
The HERALD seems to give great weight to the tes-
timony against the Communists. who are the
witnesses There Is not one friend to the cause OF
the peope-wnch was that OF the Commune-among
them. The witnesses are the Old INSCRIPTIONS de-
tenders Of the pejurer and murderer who long
enthroned In the Tuilerles The public purse having
now passed from the hands OF the hero of December
to those OF the assassin OF ten thousand women and
children OF Paris, these "witnesses are become the
humble tools of Theirs. II is universally known that
no human being in France dares give testimony in
favor Of the Comm uniSts. The Abbe Derey gives his
word against them, of course. But, Instead or
making sweeping assertions as TO their ''barbar
ties" why don't all these denunciators bring for
ward reliable proof OF acts ana give their details DIV
some witness worthy OF beietY the oath OF a French
priest in such case Is not worth straw. French
| priests have always and under all circumstances
| been the enemies OF liberty and the rene rseess
haters OF the men who struggle for it, For centuries
In france they have been the hearty aids OF despotsm
and the perpetrators OF tendish ciuetes. Witness
| the murders Of st. bartholomew and the massacres
| which followed the revocation OF the Edict OF
Nantes IN Paris during The last 200 years they nave
| been nothing but Court sycophants. Under LOUIS
| XIV. they supported the harlot Pompadour for
| twenty Years In her reign Of cruel power and
shameless spendor on the steps OF the throne, and
| battered her successor, the prostitute Duoarry, in
her reckless expenditure OF the public money, in
order to get her favor with the King. they
| aged for years ana shared in the revolving but gilt
|
| d'Oreans. And all this while the people OF Paris
| were starving on black bread aud pIa ying and Deg
ging in vain ior royal and prleStly TO Gegn TO
look upon them and give relief III ever earth wit
| messed iOni insult TO the name OF the stainless
Chrst-the gentle, the compassionate Master so full
OF sweet humility VINO loved ana lived among the
wreched--lt is in behoding these comfortable and
lazy hypocrite5 wearn. this livery, covered all over
| as they are with the blood and the tears OF the
poorthe poor whom they have abandoned to mis-.
cry and ignorance III order to i've lives OF ease Or to
| become the heartless acKeys or royal tyranny
The Able Derey passed twentg-lve years
| among the savages Did lie This is an
| excellent advertisement he gives the world
his pouS labors. But suppose instead Of this ne
| had passed few years among the suffering work
| hitting meanly.patd toll, and sunk IN wretched-
ness Had lie ana his fellows devoted ten years in
aiding the poor ana demanding simple justice Tor
them tney could have prevented revolution. He
comes forward now 10 condemn BY his testimony
$500 poor wives and mothers or Communists who
co0ped up IN the prison pens OF Versailles to
worse fate than death because their husbands and
fathers tired to thrust aside from power the despoi-
| ism which has so Ion. crushed them, ana the
priests the strongest supporters OF that despotism
| Is IL any wonder that seeing Their wives and chill.
| dren murdered before their eyes by tue troops OF
that BOnaparte the priests had so long sustained,
1 that they turned IN that terrible moment and fell
upon those whom they regarded, and JUSTLY the
chief agents Of the tyranny under which they sur
| feredl
The potentates 'of the Church. live in luxury In
| France. The Archbishop vi Paris Is PRINCE He
lives in palace, has income from tue state Of
$40, 900 year besides cnurcn perqusles and keeps
own carriage, with servants In livery and Is never
| seen among The poor. His Master Went baretooted,
| and never owned carriage. Yours, respectfully,
! HENRI DELESCLUZE.