Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-06-19
The Heroine of the Barricades.


1S7O-71."
made the voyage from France to
New Caledonia on board the war frigate
La Virginie, in cage situated in front
of the one occupied by Louise Michel,
the celebrated heroine of the barricades,
exiled at the same time as myself.
Louise is one of those women without
fear and without reproach, whose reli-
gious faith made Joan of Arc, and whose
republican beliefs, Theroigne de Mire-
court. After having fired the first shot
at the out-posts like the most intrepid
soldier, during the first and second siege,
she remained to the last hour in Paris,
battling bravely against the Versailles
army. The fight ended, she could have
gone without being recognized or dis
turbed, but the energy OF her resistance
had made her name redoutable 20 the
government, which trembled before wo-
men after having been palsied in pres
sence Of the Prussians. An order was
given to hunt her up, and as some friends
forced her to conceal herself, what do
you think was done by Marshal MacMa-
hon, Duke Of Magenta, commander in
chief of the Versailles troops2 He felt
no scruple at sending to arrest Louise
Michels old mother, and retaining her
as hostage, warning her that she would
be mercilessly shot within twenty-four
hours if her daughter did not give herself
up. Louise Michel did what might be
expected of her great heart. She went
and put herself into the hands of the sol
diers with this single reproach on her
lips: Here | am. Shoot me downl
But forbid you ever hereafter to re.
proach the Commune with the killing Of
the hostages. All France knows how
she bore herself before the Council Of
War. She openly braved the towards
who we're judging her. Il defy you to
to condemn me to death, she said, be
cause / will load you with shame in
showing you how a woman can die.
These brave runaways thought, sure
enough, that exile in a strong fortress
was death with less noise. Every month.
she writes to the members of the sinister
Commission OF Pardons to put under
their nostrils the odor of the blood they
have shed 1t is well that woman thus
periodically troubles the peace OF these
frghtlul men who go to discuss at the
bar of the assembly the number of car
casses that will be found the following
dav at the foot of the deathbed boards at
Satory. This excellent and brave Louise
| Michel whose unalterable sweetness
| makes such a touching contrast TO her
energy every day, deceived the watchful-
ness Of her guards, who walked, revolver
in hand, before her cage on board La
Virginie, and passed me almost daily
letters in which her faith in the republic
rose to serenity devoid of doubt. In
the hold of the ship, with twenty-five OF
her companions, all exiled like herself,
she passed four long months, never TAX
ing off her clothes in her hammock;
she thought of nothing but the triumph
of the cause of which she has made her
religion and her unique love. Clothed
almost in the middle of the icebergs of
the Pole, with a mean Indian robe that
the government had granted her, and
which was facetiously called the corbeille
de noces of Monsieur MacMabon; in
Sufficiently fed with salt meat and pre-
served vegetables, separated forever
from her mother, whom she adored, she
still found the courage to breathe upon
| ner frozen uukeIo buAlCl6ub warmth 10
enable her to write to the Commission
Of Pardons. The appeal, in passing be-
fore my cell, she passed to me, and |
have previously guarded it. | now ask
the permission to cite 1t to you.
SOUVENIR TO CITIZEN RoCHEFORT.
Copy oil the letter sent from Virginia,
in the Roads OF St. Catherine, to the
Commission Of Pardons:
MEssIEURs-You did well to prescribe
that one could correspond freely with
YOU by means of sealed letters. My
thoughts viii reach you thus from every
where. They will follow you everywhere.
There is too much blood between US for
all the oceans to ever wash out and your
fatality brings me back to it, However,
in Caledonia, there will be a good oppor-
tunity to get nd Of me; but you lack the
courage. However, if in place Of cold
" assassinating six months after the
struggle you had banished us all, the
colony would have been aourishing to-
day, and you would not be murderers.