The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-04-12
The Versailles Government and tho Paris
Rcd.-The SoluisOn-What Is II To Doe

| to confess that IL no longer commands interest.
| Our news Of this morning is of the ordinary
sors-the Communists mainaa the fight; but
according to their own confession, they gather
weakness rather than strength. The YER
saes government steadily gains but it gains
so slowly that we cannot help blaming 1t for
Its caution. We read that the Versailles
government is master of the situation at
Neuily bat that it shrinks from bombarding
the inhabitants. We read of "league
for the defence of the rights of Paris
Twelve thousand insurgents, who occupy the
village of Chatillon, have made an attempt
against the forces Of the government; but,
accordin, to thu latest news, the attempt
was unsuccessful. The reds have made
demand upon the Church for one
million Of francs. II is added that
they will kill the Archbishop OF Paris, who
| has been for some time prisoner in their
hands. il the demand is not complied with.
| A circular issued by N. Theirs to the Projects
of depar tments states that the status of Paris
is unaltered that the government troops have
fortified the bridge at Neuilly that Toulouse
had made vain attempt at insurrection; that
| the insurgent Nationals were being disarmed
| at Marseiles tn at outside of Paris tranquility
was prevailing, ana that the Cover nment was
satisfied that it had the confidence of the cti-
zens. 1t is stated that the official journal of
the government denies that tho National
Assembly is in favor Of kingdom, but that
| Napoleonism and Communism must perish.
In q speech made to the Assembly NJ. Favrs
stated that all the foreign Powers had
expressed their sympathies with the YER
sallles government as the only legitimate gov
ernment of France, and that General Fabrice,
the German administrator in France, had
declined the overtures made to him by the
Commune believing that the insurgents must
shortly succumb to the government. 1t is a
strange, confused piece of news, but it cannot
be said to be wholly unsuggestive.
The one shocking thing in the news of this
morning is the demand made upon tho Church.
lone million of francs or we shall chop off
the head of the Archbishop of Paris!" Think
Of it, aud then learn tho character Of the men
who represent what is now called Communism
in Paris, bat what is called republicauism all
| men have already murdered Generals Le-
com.e and Clement Thomas. They regret
the fall Of Robespierre and they believe in the
teachings Of Marat. In their judgment Char
lotte Corday was an enemy of liberty. 'More
blood, more blood expresses their policy.
There is chapter Of ancient history which
deserves TO be condensed and reproduced in
this connection. Away back, in Medo-
Persian times, We read that on Egyptian soil
the sons of prominent leader were caught,
| and that in the presence of their father, who
stood in the opposing ranks, they were
slain, their lfebood caught in q
| bowl, and drunk With mingled wine and water.
| This occurred when Memphis was still
| a walled city and capable of affording shelter
! to defeated brutes and towards. The French
are the only people who in modern times have
| given proof that high form of civilization is
| not incompatible with the most bloodthirsty
propensitics. After three thousand years Of
progress we find that people calling itself
civilized can be guilty of all the atrocities not
only of corrupt and decaying Rome, but of
Egypt, under the reign of Psammenitus II is
not, perhaps, fair 10 blame France for all the
atrocities committed by class Of men who
are to be found only in her large cities; but
it is not to be denied that while bad men, with
| their bad passions, are to be found in almost
| all large centres of population, in the New
World, az we'll as in the Old, the bad passions
of bad men have for the last century and a
half expressed themselves more strongly in
France than in any other country. The world
has not forgotten the first French revolution.
The world will never forget the massacre of
St. Bartholomew. Since Spain fell, stained
with blood which her own hand had shed,
France has made good her claim to the bloody
laures which Spain let fall The French histo-
rian Michelet somewhere says that what some
nations accomplish by reform and what Others
accomplish by emigration the French accom-
plish by periodical bloodlettng. Although
this statement was made many years ago, few
will deny that Michelet hit the truth and that
the facts of the hour are on his side We have
dwelt on this part of our subject because we
well know that the men who now rule in Paris
are as willing to carry out their purpose as 10
4 u unreal. III VIC lilc VI tHc [iTcHUISIOD
OF Paris is safe it Is because the Church will
pay down the money or because the National
Assembly will come TO his rescue not because
the reds are merciful.
1t is no longer, we think, TO be doubted that
France Is now, as she has been since 1889, the
victim Of the lawless elias ses in the large
cities. During the first revolution the large
landed proprietors fell. The estates were cut
up into patches, and they have remained so
from that time until now. The single pro-
prictors who controlled districts, counties,
departments, have disappeared, and their