New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-11-28
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER %, 1872


Rochefort's Marriage.
For a long time we have not heard OF an
event as affecting and painfully thrilling as
the marriage of Henry Rochefort. All the
attending circumstances are Of such nature
as to inspire the deepest sympathy Tor the
noble prisoner; while on the other side, they
throw a very glaring light on the spirit that
animates the Administration OF the Republic,
entirely in keeping with the relentless, con-
tinued shooting Of men, who, whatever were
their offenses, have no longer any power for
mischief.
It will be remembered that Henry Roche
fort is not only lifelong Republican, but
most emphatically a martyr OF Repubhcan-
ism: one of those men who did not shrink
from proclainling their convictions openly IN
the days of the Empire, when such course
involved not only financial loss for an editor,
but doomed him to endless prosecutions.
Voluntarily he had resigned his nobility-his
Counts title, to become entirely one of the
people, and many were the days he spent In
exile or in prison. When the instruction OF
the Commune broke out, he neither particle
mated in the outrages that were committed In
those DAYS, nor did he approve of them
nevertheless he was arrested, and the Court
of Justice knew how to find cause to sentence
him to transportation to penal colony,
sentence which afterwards was committed
into imprisonment for life. Through all the
trials of his eyentful life he had been sus-
tanned and comforted by the undivided and
unfaltering devotion of woman, to whom
he had chung with answering affection.
Anastasic Regnault it seems was his first
love, almost boy and girl they were when
their union was formed. No particular mar
rage ceremony was deemed necessary, and,
indeed, in this instance it could not have
given additional strength to the tie, for they
never separated, and in exile. in prison, and
during the siege Anastasie shared her hus-
bands fate, until lately, when her health
broke down, and she had to seek refuge in
a maison de .Sante attached to the convent Of
the Augustnes at Versailles, where she Is
actually lying in a hopeless condition. She
could not meet death however. without first
providing for her children by having her mar
rage rendered legitimate, according to the
French law, which is different from our own,
and less liberal, makes legitimacy dependent
ON the execution of the civil marriage con-
tract As she was unable to join her hus-
band, and Rochefort Is no longer the master
of his own actions, the permission of the
Government for the marriage had to be So
licited. 1t was obtained, and Rochefort was
carried to Versailles under a strong escort,
that accompanied him to the convent, where
the marriage ceremony was performed by the
Marie, in the sickroom of the dying woman,
in presence Of the required witnesses. After
the signing of the contract at Madame Roche
forts special request the chaplain of the con-
vent performed the Catholic marriage, and
then Rochefort and his wife were allowed an
interview without witnesses probably the
last-of about half an hour, at the expiration
of which the bridegroom was again carried
off; first to his temporary prisonin Versailles,
and afterwards to the lie de Re, his place Of
confinement.
1t is hardly possible to picture anything
more sadly pathetic than this last confirma-
ton of an attachment as genuine, pure, and
unselfish on both sides, as ever graced the
world, and only with deep emotion one can
think of the feelings with which the loving
couple must haye bid farewell to each other.
Indeed our deep sympathy with their sad fate
is only balanced by intense indignation al
the action of the authorlties--or why should
we not say, Mr.. Theirs, since he is the true
responsible and controlling power-for al.
lowing to have two loving hearts ruthlessly
torn asunder, when the time that they might
possibly have spent together, could anyhow
be measured by days, or by weeks at the ut
most. Is the Republic so weak that it would
be jeopardized, if Rochefort were allowed to
stay in the convent, in order to watch and
nurse his wife up to the end, to cheer and
comfort her in her dying moments? 1t is blu,
poor comfort that Rochefort will probably
outlive Mr.. Theirs, or at least his administra
ton, and that through his successor OF
through some other incalculable event, the
prisoner may yet recover his freedom, for the
pang, the recollection of this last separation
cannot fail to cast a deep and melancholy
shadow over all the rest of his life. One i,
almost tempted to think that the old Docfri
naire vents on Rochefort his irascible hatred
Of radical republicanism, unworthy as such q
feeling would be of the chief of the Republic
Much has been said among us about the un
due leniency extended not only TO political
ofenders-for that they should be dealt with
gently, is matter about which all are
agreed-but even to dangerous criminals
We do not find fault with those who demand
some wholesome rigor for the protection o.
society; yet, if there is to be an extreme, We
want to see it on the side of leniency q
thousand times rather than on that of merci
less retribution.
Defects OF the New Civil Service
Code Admitted.