The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1871-06-03
Exit the Paris Commune.

At last the Partisan instruction has been
suppressed, and the world breathes freer. The
entrance of the government troops into the
city made it certain that the commune would
be wiped out, but the said world was hardly
prepared to see it sponged out in such a
splash of blood. From quarter to quar-
ter, from street to street, and house to
house the mob made raging resistance; and
their thoroughly armed and well trained OPP
ponents hewed them down without stint or
mercy. Seeing that defeat and destruction
were inevitable, the communists set fire to the
finest quarters of the city. The following
among other public buildings were destroy
ed: The palace of the Tuileries, the Ministry
of Finance, the Prefecture of the Police, the
Court of Accounts, the palace OF the Legion
Of Honor, the barracks of the Quay d'Orsay,
the Hotel de Vile and Mont de Piete and
Redistribution of these involved hundreds of
the'finest and most costly business blocks and
private residences. Then the incendiaries,
male and female, were arrested, and dispos-
ed of rs related in the following horrible &C
count.
A most revolving sight occurred this morn
ing on the plaza IN front of the Hotel de Vile
Thirty-three communists, among whom were
seven women, were shot by a company of sol
diers. Around three sides of the square
troops to the number of 800 were drawn up
under command of Col. Guizot. AT s O clock
the prisoners were brought out to the centre
OF the wide area in front of Hotel de Vile,
ranged in a row and made to kneel close to-
gether. When the company was in line and
ready to fire, Col. Guizot stepped forward and
told the prisoners in few words that they
were to suffer death for having been caught
in the act of setting fire to buildings and
dwellings in Paris. AT this moment the wo-
men uttered piercing shrieks and began to
sway themselves back and forth. An officer
advanced and made them keep still with the
flat OF his sword. A few moments after vol
ley was fired, and when the smoke cleared
away, the most horrible sight was presented.
Three of the women who were In the middle
row were still alive and writhing in agony.
A second vclley wac fired, and third, and
not until the sixth did all the prisoners cease
to live.
But this is only an Insignificant specimen of
the blcodshed going on. The enraged Yer
saillists gave no quarter to any found bearing
arms; whether willing to surrender or not 1t
is believed that the wanton butchery in the
last week has reached over 10000 victims.
The leaders, whenever and wherever caught,
are also instantly drum-head contaminated
and shot. The finest avenues were smeared
with blood and debris and ruins. The total
bloodshed in Paris in the last three weeks is
estimated at not less than $4,000.
But now that the commune is drowned out
in river of blood, what will the assembly do
next? The question is of course impossible to
answer. That the republic, of which Theirs
il the fgurehead, can maintain itself month
is considered utterly hopeless Its vascilla-
ton and weakness at the outbreak of the ris-
ing in Paris, month ago, when little firm
ness and vigor could have crushed it in few
days, shows its utter unfitness to out ride the
present storm. The end doubtless will be
return to strong monarchy or EMPIRE and
the sooner it GENES the better for France.