New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-06-10
VICTOR HUGO'S DEFENSE or THE PARI
REL TGFES.

VI. Victor Hugo addressed the following lc.-
Ter 10 the Editor Of The Tqdt patdlace Bllge:
SIR. protest against the declaration " the Be- -dan
Government relative to the vanqush"d OF Paris What
ever MAJ he sand done, these vanqu,ed are poltical
men. was not with them acceptt9e principle OF the
Commune; DO NOT accept We men. LiNI pt55ts i
nant as the yolerccs Of the opposite party would do
now. The destruction OF the column u an
Tie destruction Of thc Louvre would have been
AN aci " high treason towards civilization. But savage
acts. being unconscious are not crmma! acts Denoncy
is A disease aud not d crime Ignounce IL not
tbe c~iroc of the Ignorant The destruction OF
me destruction Of the louvre would have
been eternal mourning for all peoples. But the column
faFcg. The Assembly has yanqushed tie Commune.
WHO las made the 18TH OF Marchi Who guilty, the
uII,o Of paris IS monstrous fact. But there no,
Two Iuccndarcs9 Let wait In order 10 Judge have
, mo rdi9HgtiGr Rrt 10 shoot BillIoray or Rgaut
H. a crime Thosa Of the Commune Johannard aud Ii
r.e ~ me Ascmbly who shoot WALES Bo.quet Par
isel. Anouroux LefIancais, Brunei, and Dombroe,ky,
arr criminals Here The crime Il as well IL the Assem-
bly, as in The Commune. FIf,t 10 an oIIleG u.h lne
plj hmeut of death Is abomnabe secondly the excel
ton without judgment is infamous. Juugo lFs 'ne. men
obinrgate You within the Law. II you Kill without
fDtgrIl 10 the belgian Government 1t is wrong to re-
fuse asylum. The law permits TINS REFUSAL the ght I0r-
bids H. who write these lines mold as maxim. PRO
iure contra egem" Asylum ~ an oiu Ilgh; ~ y me
sacred ght OF the unfortunate In the middle ages the
Church granted asylum even 10 AS 10 Ht
declare offer this asylum which the Belgian govern
rpent refuses Where In Belgium. do that honor TO
Belgium. / offer YUM at Brussels. offer II at Place
dcs HJrrcadcs No M Hugo's town residence az Brs-
selsI Let vanquished Of Paris let member Of the
Commune which Paris has but little elected and which
have never apprOyed-ct one Of these men, were he
my personal enemy-especially If he IS my personal
eIenly-knock al my door, open He Is IN my house
He is inyioable. Should !, pcrchance, he a
foreigner in Belgium. | do not believe u. feel
myself the brother Of all men and the guest
of all nations. Al AL events. fugitive
of the Commune with will be a vanqulshcd one with
an outlaw the vanquished Of to-day with the outlaw of
Yesterday Two venerable things az do not hesitate TO
say. One weakness protecting another II q man he an
outlaw let him enter my house. defy whomsoeNer u
I've To- tear him from II. ! speak here Of political
men If a fugitive Of the Commune he taken ~ my
house they small take me. II he he given mp shall
follow him. | shall sit down with him or the bench
Of the accused For the defense Of the right the man OF
the Republic. who has been prescribed by Bomparte'
snail he seen by the side OF the IN the commune
who il The vanGuishcd Of the Assembly of Versailles.
shall do nv duty. Principles before everything! IL may
be affirmed that England Will not give up the refugees
OF the Commune. Why place Belgium below England
The plor, OF Belgium TO he asylum Let us MOI
take that glory from her. by defending France deiebd
belgium Die Belgian Government viii be against me,
but the Belgian people viii he with me- Al any rate'
snail have my conscience.
Receive, Sir, &c., VICTOR HUGO