The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-04-25
THE REVOLUTION OF MARCH 10.
Republicanism Not Suitable to the Views OF
the Versailles Government.
WEY THE PRIESTS WERE ARRESTED.
The Communal Leaders and the Exercise
Of Public Opinion.

connected with the leaders OF the present move
| ment Is Of especial interest. This afternoon l
called at the War ONCE where the headquarters OF
the celebrated Comite Central are now established,
with the int ntlon OF asking the members OF that
body to afford me Information concerning the gene
raj spirit of the present revolution, and their opinion
with respects the present situation OF the capital.
| Having stated my desire to citoyen Moreau, who
was in company with two other members that gen.
| tleman replied:-
| MoREAU-You have asked me straightforward
| question to give you
| DETAILS OF THE REVOLUTION
Of the 18th of March, will do so with pleasure.
| CoRREspoNDENT-Before proceeding further, gen.
tlemen, it is right to state that my object in making
| the request Is to publish in the NEW YORK HERALD
| the observations you may make. Nothing, to my
mind, is more objectionable than reporting private
! conversations never intended for publication.
[ The member of the Comi.e Centrale then pro-
| Ceeded as follows
| MOREAU-The world IS aware Of the sufferngs en-
dured, the courage displayed. as well as the inca.
pacity and treason OF chiefs during the siege.
TREASON DEFINED.
CONSEQUENTLY will excuse me for asking
| on what ground you charge the government Of the
4th September, afterwards ratified by public vote,
| MoREAU-Tne republican system would not suit
| their vews-from 1t they had nothing to hope for
BY delivering France to Prussia they hoped to Kill
the republic. which they feared would he consolida-
CoRREspoNDENT-Ther is one expression OF which
you have just made use, which do not understand
inter6t relgieeI. To what does that REFER
MOREAU-The expression refers TO General
| TrOchu, who Is Breton OF wei! known bigoted
principles, and to Jules Favre, who Is member Of
the College OF JeSults. Not having succeeded In
| ryIng out their object by degrading France, they
have resorted to the most horrible means In order
CIVIL WAR.
They have not even feared to- place cannon In the
second time have subjected the capital 10 siege
On the 1Sth March they attacked Paris In the streets
Spd ana Of n THIS
was the order we gave:-"Que pe's0nne ne tire. 81
les troupes Jont Jeas RESPONDED en- sonlndnt dc
seo ' dsc,arge The people did not Are Single Vie
sno The imposing masses were sufficient to territy
| the government. The government fed.
REFERRING TO FACTS.
CORRESPONDENCE Will excuse me for suggest
ing that your statement Is not in accordance with
what witnessed at Montmartre on the morning OF
the 18th OF March. the iifeess body OF an oicer
| person with whom conversed, and who said he
was member OF the Central Committee, declared
Guard, the gendarmes flred on them and that then
| the Guard fired IN return.
Who o os yo so wa S' nos l embr
Of the central Committee: he probably was
member Of the :, Belleyllls Committee, A,
was-Let no one fire. II the troops should 40
| so, call on them to lay down their arms and only
return the fire ater second discharge. The gov
| eminent having left, We could not allow Paris to
| remain without administration and without bread.
The committee installed itself at the Hotel de Vile
In order to provide for the necessities of the mo.
| ment, aud TO prepare for the Communal elections.
IL has Loyalty performed It's mission, aud after eight
days exercise OF authority retired, leaving entire
power in the hands OF the Commune, which mas gov
erned exclusively since the Goth ult The committee
| has prevented famine and the effusion OF blood,
provoked by the happily futile attempt Of Admiral
Sasset, and presided at the elections which the city
| demanded. neither Attemnted
act OF government nor issued DEGREES; IL has simply
protected the right OF Paris TO administer her own
Affairs.
CHURCH AND srATE-LIBERrY OF THE PRESS.
| CoRREsPoSDENr-There are some acts which have
| been committed since the 18th of last month, how
| ever, winch TO me, as a foreigner appear incom-
prehenslole.s In the first place, with respect to
State shall be separate. II, then the Church has no
i connection with The government why nave you ar
You declared liberty OF the press, and yet you have
| suppressed all journals expressing different views
ana yet you force all men, married aud unmarried,
| between the ages OF nineteen and forty years, to
bear arms an9lga they may entertain tam convictions
| even permit liberty of opinion.
| MoHEAU-wuh respect to the clergy, they have
| been arrested as hostages, as security for the
Church property, which belongs TO the nation: but
| you must bear in mind that none Of the acts to
us. They nave been decreed since the goth March,
wnen the Commune assumed the relns OF power.
The Comte Central approves OF no repressive mea-
| sures am now speaking personally, not author
ized by my colleagues but believe they entertain
! the same Views as myself.
One OF the citizens present here said, mo; you
speak for all OF u.s. we are Of the same mnd.n The
earnestness with which the members OF the COM
mliee spoke convinced that they really disapprove
OF many acts which have been committed since the
installation OF the Commune. ANXIOUS however,
tam their opinion concerning an act which has
called down the Indignation OF Europe on the heads
ofits perpetrators said:-
CuRREsPoNDENT--th first page OF the present
revolution was stained with blood; do not aude
to collision between the troops and the people, but
to ACT which IN the United States has been con-
THE DEATHS or GENERALS LEcoMTE AND CLEMENT
THOMAS.
MoREAU-With respect to that we are innocent;fhe
Comiie Central only became acquainted with the TACT
on the day succeeding That on Which the Generals
were executed General Lecomte commanded the
troops sent to attack the National Guards. How
ever guilty he may have been, the Central Commit
tee had absolutely nothing to DO with his death, as
swear that no condemnation OF any Kind had been
pronounced BY the central Committee. We
have also been blamed for the arrest
OF General Cnanzy. That oflcer was ar
rested simply on 3coount or being the only
use OF as ira eou OF civil war. We demanded his
word OF that he would not serve in France for
enemy should fresh war break out lie pledged
his word and was Immediately released. People cal
Us rioters. ask OF those who thus speak
OF us II rioters can bring into the neld
OF battle an army OF 100000 mens There
was one point TO which ! forgot TO cal your
attention. ailhougn the decree which eDforccs all
men 10 bear arms no act OF ours. The conscrip-
non has been abolished, but there Is an old French
law long before the consumption which binds every
man 10 bear arms.
THE CoNsCRIPTION.
CoRREsPoNDENT-Ye5, but that law must have
had reference to foreign war; IL could never have
been intended TO force Ere lchmen against their Will
u bear arms against their fellow cltizens A friend
OF mIne-a FrenCnman--iatner Of four children. OBJ
jects strongly Join In this civil war; although ne did
hs duty without shrinking against the Prussians
uurng the siege.
one OF the citizens present replied, ~ am mar.
ried man myself. 1 have children but would
M
saillcs than tile Prussials. The acts committed by
the Paris government have made it the bouhden
duty OF all To take up arms. lie VINO wouid not 10
SO can be no frencnman.
THE EXERCISE OF OPINION.
CoREEsPoNDEST--You VIII excuse me LOT saying
that what you now urge is proof OF my previous
suggestion that If you force all TO take up arms
against their will you suppress the exercise OF
opinion, one OF the first liberties which shouil DC
recognIzel IN republican COUNTY,. am persOnally