Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-04-10
FRANCE.
The Commune aud the Bank o
France.

France.
A Paris correspondent of the Pail
Mall Gazette writes: One Of the most
interesting episodes in connection with
the Commune was, without doubt, the
preservation OF the bank, which may
be said 70 have contained tho fortune OF
France. II is still somewhat mystery
how the building and lis treasures we're
saved, and an immense armed force, not
overburdened with scruples. thoroughly
wanting in discipline, aud eminently
hostile 10 capital, prevented from falling
on so rich a prize. The Marquis de
Pleuc, Deputy Governor, and a number
OF the employees remained at their posts,
determined to defend the place to the
last, but they might have been over.
whelmed in half an hour. Citizen
Charles Beslay. the eldest and
most respectable member Of the
Commune, had also hand in protecting
the establishment--he il was who carried
on Negotiations with NJ. de Pleuc, and,
by getting some advances, quieted those
Of his. colleagues who we're anxious to
seize the bank aud share the spoil Still
1t is wonderful that such class of men
as fred the Tuileries, the Hotel de Vile,
the Palais Royal, etc, should have been
restrained from grasping at treasures
lying, as one may say, at their feet.
When the troops entered Paris and put
down the insurrection, Citizen Charles
Beslay was allowed to depart in peace in
recognition Of his services. Since then
all sorts OF absurd and unjust accusations
have been brought against him by the
Royalist papers, and the whole credit Of
having saved the bank has been bestowed
by them on the Marquis de Pleuc,
who, no doubt, behaved with great
skill and courage. Citizen Charles Bes-
lay now writes to deny the unfounded
charges laid at his door. He says he
did not ask for the safe conduct which
was given to him, and that he wrote to
NJ. Thiers and the Procureur General,
asking to be tried. To the accusation
that he only went to the bank through
motives of personal interest, and never
left IL without his pockets being full, he
replies: :" | went to the bank with the
intention of sheltering it FROM the vio-
lence of the exaggerated portion of the
Commune, and l am convinced that L
preserved for my country an establish
ment which was its last financial re-
source. / never received any pay,
gratuity or souvenir of any description
from the bank, my resolution having
been irrevocably fixed as far as that was
concerned. Knowing by an experience
Of fifty years political life how people are
Judged by their adversaries, | would not
allow the only clerk who accompanied me
and on whose fidelity counted, to accept
the smallest sum from the bank. l en-
tered the bank and left it with empty
hands. do not boast of this, for | only
did my duty" etc. OF a truth the finan-
cial men ofthe Commune contrast favor
ably with the persons whose conduct has
been exposed by the Due d'Andifret-
Pasquier in this country, and by Com
mittees of Inquiry in other countries.
There is poor Citizen Jourde, who was
Minister of Finance under the Com
mune, who never paid more than three
francs for his dinner, and whose wife
continued to wash the family linen, as
she had been accustomed to do before
her husband took office. Jourde is now
expiating his crime at New Caledonia,
or some other distant penal settlement,
and Charles Beslay is in exile at Neut-
chatel.