The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-02-12
FRANCE IN 1901.
Account by an Eye Witness Of the Excuses OF tho
Commune-Futurs Prospects Of France.

An interesting address was delivered on satur
day evening before the Cooper Union for the ado
vancement OF science and art by Mr.. Eliot q.
Cowdin He spoke as follows-
Four years ago had the honor OF speaking be-
fore this excellent Institution the subject OF the
triumph OF the arts OF civilization, which then
seemed to inaugurate In Europe an era OF fraternity
the distinctions and dissertations OF an organized
barbarsm-are visible IN the same great capital.
yet more terrible social revolution. which have
shaken France to the centre but yet failed 10 ruin
tsrsst The s,mDie secret OF the Immense military
disaster which struck down the proudest nation or
Europe Is patent TO all:-Prussia was prepared ior
MIR. Cowdin then traced the gradual dying out OF
all hopes OF successful resistance against the Prus-
slams, the downfall or the empire, the establish
ment Of the provisional government and the begin
ming OF the revolt against the Theirs government oy
the Par,slans and Inc ensuing struggle for supreme
IN proportion as the regular government gained
pottsm OF the Commune become intensified the
levy en- nsdsse was decreed and all able-bodied cti-
forty five, were compelled to Fake up arms against
their loyal countrymen, and they were not unire'
onel. Had this revolutionary faction been permit
ted TO execute all It's projects social dsorganzati0n
powers or the National Assembly IL went beyond tho
true province Of the state since u invaded tn ose
protect. It encouraged Incidence, stimulated ciass
hatreds and substituted for religion q boasIiu1
would have ruined the Bank Of France but Tor the
courage and tact OF It's officers and the resistance OF
NJ Beslay. one Of ITS own Delegates 1t decreed the
cOnnscatOn Oh the property OF the clergy and also
that OF capitalists who had absented themselves
from the city. Itsuppressed all papers that dared
10 question the wisdom OF Its acts, while Jailed to
produce single saluiary measure OF It's own. 1t
adopted the red nag as 1.-THE symbol OF universal
mad only been trated in the blood OF Frenchmen
through the Champ de Mars" Yet, under this SYM
D DS n the % a aws S w Of
the Archbishop OF Paris his fellow priests and otnet
1sndn as nosage 40
down the column III the Place vend0me, which
commemorated the triumph OF France over Ger
many. 1t cordially welcomed all foreigners OF mil.
tary talent and s0cialisc opinions, who were WILL
ing to shoot down loyal Frenchmen. Dombrowski,
Pole was for Q tme It's leading General, and, ac-
cordlng to La Pette Pyesse received the outset.
In cash, the sum OF 100000 as the price OF his hire
Ing sword. But the end was approaching. Beaten
at every point, and seeing that their cause was
hopelesb. the Communists determined to destroy the
capital OF France Its central glory, the pride Of the
civilized world. This monstrOus idea was not new
one. General Cluseret, who figured largely in the
councils OF the Commune, q man well known In the
United States, nad announced 1t long before, In q
letier-quoted by M. Edmund Vlllelard In his
.'Hlstory Of the International''-date Few York,
February II, 1870, IN which ne SAID
"As for myself, all which has just passed shows
that the Orleanists are creeping BY degrees towards
power gnawing the claws OF Il. N. IN such q way as
to have only to substitute themselves for HIM some
fine morning Now, on that day we must DC ready,
u ana UI 1n saa aa' q
but on that day. affirm to you, and never say
yes for no, Paris shall De ours or Paris shall cease
TO exist. 1t Will be The decisive moment for the
people,"
that Paris should cease to exist. The vilesJ women
were released from the Prison OF ST. Lazare, on
the sole condition that they should go FORTH petro
The story Of the terrible street nghting during the
last days OF the Commune is well known, out some
desperation, not on the proud and wealthy, out on
humble and hard working men, guilty or no Of:
fence but patriotism are almost without q parallel
lustratons OF this fact will cite but one. When
st. Martin to the Place du Chateau d'Eau they en-
tered well.known restaurant kept by NJ. ROnceray.
might nnd there shelter while firing on the gov
eminent troops. Take IT, said tine proprietor.
lowed by his walters; but he was suddenly stopped
Dy the rebel captain and ordered to take a masket
Neverp' was the heroic reply. The employees,
to man, gave the same answer to the same
tains order. The savage and drunken rebels, yell
Ing like feroclous beasts, obeyed with alacrity One
raw and T his fann 1orcdoS hnred from @'I me sn
dow by their assassins, were lying on the sidewalk,
where they remained Tor the rest Of the day-their
dead bodies the most eloquent OF all protests against
the mad brutality OF the most relentless ana in.
human OF all French factions As the last hour VI
TINS insOlent despOtlsm drew near, evidences Of
mutual hatred ana dlsrpst In its own ranks were
everywhere conspicuous. In their cowardy sell
fshness portion OF its most noted chiefs dlsap-
peared, seeking safety in foreign lands, wnile its
really honest but deluded supporters were still fight
ing with bravery worthy OF a nober cause
Finally, the Commune fell, ana on the 2Sth of May
Marshal Mac Mahon was enabled 10 Issue prOcla-
nation, closing with these words, 1.-The strife is
promise speedily sustained by facts. The excuses
which the regular troops committed In their hour
OF triumph, whatever may have been their prOvOca-
tons, were wholly unjusLinabe. II cannot be denied
that the French army in the fierce eation OF Victory
treats tigers and wolves. Thc dreadful thirst to
Kill was dominant botn in officers and In soldiers.
to exterminate everybody who was supposed to be
engaged in the work OF eXterminatng French civil.
ders or the Frencn army were resi- Sins Of Impulse.
while the murders OF the insurgents were Sins OF
system. "Rule or ruin l" was the object oil che COM
mune and when II was unable to overthrow the
legal government OF the country 1t carried out its
original plan, and with generalization set fire to
Paris determined that It's dwellings, its libraries, Its
museums, It's monuments should cease 10 exist. Its
spirit was simply barbara and when the Com
mune was stricken down the civilized world ex-
peCted that it's friends would at least disavow It's
atrocities but such was not the case.
tna dsended rs most ac rne
Italian lnternationals. In an address emanating
from the Mlanese sections. said The principles
accept the responsibility OF It's acts.'' The
English Internauonals echoed this sentiment.
Mr.. johnson, one OF their speakers at a meeting
held last June, IN London. declared that those
workingmen who since the fall OF the Commune.
perfect right TO execute the hostages" Germany
was especially outspoken In Its defence Herr
Babel, member OF the German Parliament from
Saxony, made speech before that body, in which
he sad:-"Tne aim oil the Paris Commune Is neither
an Impossible nor pernicious one as IL has been
enormously called by previous speaker. On the
contrary, In all Europe those classes not dead to
all feeling OF liberty and independence lock upon
Paris as their sta OF hope Never mind whether the
Instruction is suppressed or not, what Is doing
at the French capital is only outpost skirmisn,
which Will be followed up some day by great
European Dattle. War to the palaces, peace to the
cottages and death 10 luxurious ldleness Is, and
ever Will be. the watchword OF the proetayiotin all
parts OF the wOrld.r
the terrible story OF 1901 will long be remem-
bered, and those who control public opinion must
and Will unite In preventive measures to guard
against the recurrence OF similar political c0nvul.
sions and diasters In the future. To this task the
finest minds OF France are directing their studies