The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-06-06
NEW YORK HERALD SATURDAY JUNE q, s74-TRIPLE SHEET


murderers. Now try to wash your hands in the
LOUISE MICHEL.
She added this postscript, which makes allusion
to the names OF the two snlps-of war who were
aware OF our intention:-
"P. S.-You might have feared perhaps in send
ing US on the Sybile that this name would have
brought you misfortune You have chosen another
presage virginia was fatal to the decemvirate."
Thrown to-day upon the sands OF the peninsula
Ducos, under the burning winds and mosquitoes
OF New Caledonia she finds means still to renew
courage and to prevent weakness. Whatever
may be the opinions Of those who listen to me, 1T
is impossible not TO bow before that force and tnat
goodness OF soul which make OF young woman
the expression even Of sacrifice The
abnegation OF those who are called the servants
OF Jesus Christ is often spoken OF. Compare it, II
you dare, with the devOtedness OF the servants OF
liberty. Besides. 1t should be known and pro-
claimed aloud that II loses Its prestige the
grand examples during the foreign war,
as during the civil war, came from
the women. At my entry into the govern
ment OF the 4th OF September, when peculiarly
preoccuped by the defence OF Paris, eneeavored
to encourage the people to resistance and to re-
attach to our cause General Trochu this insup-
portable speechmaker, who, after having
promised to die at his post, finally went down In
the capitulation, in the reaction and nearly in
the pollce-at this tlme ! say when the
Bazaines, the DucrOts and the Vinoys were
preparing the drama OF their treasons. there
was not day but some deputation Of
Partisan women came and asked me- who sent 1t
TO the most dangerous positions either to assist
the fighters or to fight themselves. Later when
the situation, already so sombre, became more
sombre yet, and when succeeding the Prussians'
balls which burst on our houses, came French
,%nc
by their temerity, their indifference to
danger and what the great Victor Hugo
calls "this sinister facility Of dying" when
chained together three by three, sometimes
five by five they were directed by hundreds upon
Versailles through the vocierati0ns OF o rabble
drunk with blood. Young girls Of eighteen were
seen TO reply to the howlngs OF this multitude by
smiles, and the history oil the martyrdom OF the
women OF Paris from the beginning OF the war to
the present time, would fill volumes. Nothing
was spared to them in misery, in hunger. in cold,
in insult When after saving for a quarter OF a
year to devote little money to their
imprisoned brothers, their sons, their fathers
or their husbands when after journey
OF fifteen miles. which they achieved on foot,
followed sometimes by little children whom they
led in their company, they arrived at Versailles,
harassed, dusty. but happy in bringing little
comfort to the wretched sufferers herded together
In the sewers, Go you know what happened over
and over again That they were met with
disappointment from some inexpllcable order,
which no one would even take the trouble
to try TO explain, and 1t was announced
to them then that their visits were sus-
pended and that they must consider themselves
fortunate to be allowed to retrace their steps to
Paris. Besides, how many have succumbed to
their punishment No single day passed that some
prisoner did not come to tell us with tears in his
eyes, II have just heard that my wife is dead" My
turn did the Others. One day, at the castle
OF Re, l got q letter informing me that
the mother Of my children was at the last
extremity At the time OF my arrest she had
lived for four months at Versailles, in the bosom Of
her family, and was absolutely ignorant OF every
thing that had been going on IN Paris. She was
none the less subjected to scandalous arrest in
the streets OF Versailles, and dragged before the
then Project OF Police, General Valentine, whO
coward, like Bonapartist officer. as he was
| heapeG upon her Tor two hours aouse
and threats in the presence OF his stan,
! who much enjoyed the scene. AT last,
released from this drunkard she returned home,
took to her bed and never again rose from IT.
appeal to eternal justice. was shere not here arp.
trary arrest complicated Dy murder9 And |,
/ scarcely recovering from tedious illness. was
plunged to the Utmost recesses OF little cell under
| the blow OF sentence OF death, while they MUIR
dered my wife, who had been left de!enceless.
| Have not to-day, that am free, every right to
| revenge on her assassin
PERSECUTION OF THE FAMILIES OF THE ExILEs.
The uneasiness caused in the minds OF our con-
| uuerors by the determination OF our women Tor
the past three years has not yet subsidized, and
they have found means to get rid OF the wives of
the men they have already transported. Very
|
Of bringing to New Caledonia families seek
ing their patertamisias. Those wives and
children are promised at the authorized agencies
organized for The pur oose and by the representa-
I tlves Of the government, immunity from personal
! harm, work at pleasure and a speedy fortune.
Seventy victims caught at this delusion, and after
a terrible voyage on the steamer Fenelon they
landed on Caledonian soil, but found neither
means OF living, clothes nor work 1t
has been told to many transported to
the Peninsula Of Ducos, "Your wives and
! children will soon be here. You can
4 have them when you meet them, but the govern
ment will not be responsible for their means OF
living either to clo,he them feed them or to
support them in any way" The exiles reply, 1--WE
| are dying, many OF US, Of hunger We have no
chance to work. as tools or money to buy the
same are debarred US. How then do you imagine
! we can support our families ?"
! "Wel, that's your business and not Ours,n SAYS
the government: ''all we know Is that your
wives and families, although not under sentence,
must undergo the same penalties as the convicts
themselves And indeed the relatives who
came oftheir own free viii from France are in the
hands OF galley slave keepers. Women whom
! circumstances drive to manual labor need special
permit before they do so. Yet this is frequently
refused them, and when granted 1t is good only
Ior day. They are prohibited under penalty OF
/ Imprisonment, to absent themselves more than
twelve hours, and the least violation OF those
very arbitrary rules subjects them to being pub
licly posted in the most insulting manner. The
! adage
! MAxIMo PUERO DEBETUR REvERENTIA
has there the queerest kind of meaning. Lovely
children OF thirteen, fourteen and fifteen years
! OF age, who exiled themselves TO be near their
fathers are called the mos opprobrious names