The Portland daily press., 1871-06-08

Dr.sA. q. Hamlii Of Bangor, VINO Is wen
known as good soldier and as man oil eN-
tensive literary and scientific attainmen's,
writes thus to the Bangor Whsg o. zen. Oiu-
seret. whom he knew personally while con-
nected witt: Fremont's army. 1t will be seen
that DIR. Hamlin takes a calmer view of the
Commune than many who prefer TO join in
the general cry against it rather than to give
its dongs an impartial examination:
At the commence meut OF our civil war Gen.
Cluseret was advised by Garibaldi TO offer his
services to the United States, and was offered
rank i'll our army by our M mister then resid-
ing at Sardinia Shortly after arriving in this
country he was appointed Colonel and assign
ed To the staff OF Gen. Mcclellan, but was soon
alter transferred to the army of Western Vir-
ginla, then commanded by Fremoat Whilst
under this General he entrusted with the
charge OF the Advance Guard, and proved MS
sodierly ualitles during the pursuit OF Jack
son down the Shenandoah Valley. AMER 'he
removal of Fremont he continued un"er oisei
10 command of the guards III the retreat
from the Rapidan. He soon attracted Tue iha-
lisnant eve Of Haleck-tlat great Marplot-
and Iebuffs and petty arrogances, IN whici tne
| touched the pride of the Frenchman and COM
| pelled him to resign. Lincoln offered as po-
| iItcal favor TO friend, TO ienstate Cluseret in
| the army, bat Cluser"t would not accept mill
tary rank bestowed in such manner. After
leaving the army he returned to New York
and resided there until the events of The late
war of France called him home.
We were too far distant from Paris to COM
prehend fairly or judge correctly of the situa-
tion or the merits of either party. We all
have a distrust of feeling against the Com
mune, biased by the reports that have come to
us through the Germans or the Versailists.
| But we hav5 not yet listened to its defence.
| We are even ignorant OF the real and unseen
causes that led to the revolt against the pres
| ent Government. Certainly no trivial com.
| plants caused one hundred thousand men to
take up arms and accept the ordeal and des'
perate result OF battle. Nowhere on this globe
Is man or idea SO easily mistaken or miscon-
| strued as ia Paris. We eXecrate the memory
| of RObespierre without attempting to separate
him from the crimes that Were committed in
| his name. The impartial future will find
| something to honor in the character OF this
man. Napoleon in reflective mood at St
Helena well said "Robespierre has been con-
| demned but he has not been tried"
All this blOodshed, all these scenes of cruel
ty and destruction which have plunged France
in misery and mire deeper than ever, me-
| thinks perhaps might have been avoided had
the implacable and selfish Timers been possess
| the demands of the National Guards. One
does not easily forget the obstinacy of Thier'
| which assisted the downfall of Louis Philippe
| To-day lie dfSpIdyS gredler urinueSS OF CrUelty
| but this time he wins and France to day is
as far from being Republic as when under the
merciless grasp Of the comp d'etat.'
The dispatches state that but 600 of the
| Versallists were lost IN the assault on Paris
| while % 600 of the Communists were slain.--
The evidence is conclusive and betrays massa
Gre following surrender? Who will believe
that hundred bsrricades we've stormed with
loss of only six hundred men. The darkes
side OF this picture is not yet seen. We regre
this waste of life on either side, for France
will long lament the loss of many gallan
spirit And especially do we mourn the loss
of Cluseret, for he was progressive man, en-
dowed with mental powers of the highest or
der. To those who love to detract from tn,
worth of the living end even revie the memo
ry of the dead, We will only say that Gustav,
Cluseret was thought worthy of the rar,
friendship and protection of the noble AND
disting uished Henri Martin.