The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-01-09
HISTORICAL PARALLELS TO BA-
ZAINE'S CASE.
Seven Marshals OF France Sentenced to
Death In Four Centuries.

Seven Marshals OF France Sentenced to
Death In Four Centuries.
PARIS Dec. %, 1873.
Everybody in France Is still under the impTes-
sion Of the sentence pronounced on Marshal Ba-
zalne and we are likely to be 50 for yet some time
to come. The Communication Of the prisoners
penalty and his transfer the State Prison of the
Island Of Ste Marguerite will prevent the ex-Com.
mander of Metz fading out OF peoples memories,
as he might have done had he been shot, the
French being proverblaly hasty in forgetting the
dead. So long as he lives his name, his fortunes,
his errors or crimes will be matters OF household
talk wherever two or three Frenchmen are
gathered together to discuss the events Of the late
war 1t Is as yet too earlv to judge what perma-
nent effect the trial Of the 'great scapegoat" Will
produce on the minds OF the nation. For the pres
ent the immense majority fine French people have
heartily ratified the verdict OF the judges, but
whether they will continue doing SO after the first
gust Of excitement has blown over, is another
question: There Is 80 much mercuria1ty in the
French that there is no prognosticating to-day
what may be the public mood tomorrow; least Of
all is it safe to prophesy when the point at issue Is
one invoking 80 many burning political topics.
This much, however, one may say-namely, that
the communication has generally been considered an
act Of weakness on the part OF President MacMahon.
When Rosse was tried for his participation in the
Commune he declared that he had thrown up his
commission in the regular army because he was
convinced that Marshal Bazaine, under whose
orders he had served, had betrayed Metz; land
afeer that" added he, II could have no further
confidence in any Of our Chiefs" To this Colonel
Merlior, who presided over the court martial. an
swered, with Neutrality-suspicious. uspiciousness
OF treachery does but aggravate your crime. 1t
showed tortuous, unpatriotic mind;
for how dared you suppose that q
Marshal who has attained to the high
est honors by his bravery and his loyalty
would be guilty of anything unworthyf But even
II you had known for certain that your commander
had betrayed his trust 1t was your duty to wait
until he was judged by the laws Of his country.
For our laws are the same for ALL" Now, Rossel
was shot and Bazatne his chief, is to spend 20
years IN sunny island, where his wife and chill
dren will be allowed to reside with him; where he
will have nne suit OF rooms all the necessaries,
and even as many Of the luxuries, Of lie as he
chooses to pay for, and where he will be under no
other restraint than that OF not leaving the five
square miles Of field, garden land and sandy beach
OF which the island is composed. To the popular
mind this seems an unequal app0rti0nment OF PEN
alties-the more so as there are thousands OF hum
BILE Communists far less guilty than either Rossel
Bazaine, and who yet have been transported to
New Caledonia for the term OF their natural lives
and live there as close prisoners. But there have
ever been two sets Of scales in Justices hand-one
for great culprits who get short weight of punish
ment; the other for the small ones. who never fail
to obtain the utmost particle.
HISTORICAL PARALLELS
Bazaine is the eighth Marshal Of France who
has been condemned to death since the fifteenth
century, when the rank Of marshal was first
created. He is, however, the only one Of the eight
who obtained q respite, for all the others UNDER
went their sentence In its ignominy. The frst
was
GILES DE LAVAL. MARSHAL OF RErz,
born at Machecoul In 140A He distinguished him
self greatly In the wars against the English, and
especially at the siege OF Orleans, headed by Joan
Of Arc in 142o But In time of peace he allowed
his thirst for lucre to get the better of him, and
having murdered two of his cousins and his wife
to obtain possession Of their property he was tried
by the Parliament OF Brittany and sentenced to be
hanged like q common felon and afterwards
burned. He pleaded hard to be beheaded, accord
ing to the prerogative Of his rank but mis- judges
refused this request, and Marshal de Retx was
hanged to the public gibbet Of Nantes In 144o. The
people had surnamed him Blue Beard. The second
nistarred marshal was
LOUIS NE LUXEMBOURG,
Count of st. Pol Grand Constable Of France
who Was born In lAl3 and beheaded on the Place