New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-06-10
VICTOR HUGO ON AMNESTY.
AN ELOQUENT PLEA FOR CLEMENCY.

THE LEGISLATURE URGED TO ASSERT IFS POWER
THE MisDEFDs or PoLE0N III. REVIEWED.
Paris (MdB 22) telegram 10 The London Times. =,
The Amnesty question came on to-day In the
Senate. but was very summary disposed Of, 81 Victor
Hugos speech being followed by an immediate decision
without formal vote Alter stating that In order
not to utter anything unaysedly on so important and
SGnt m mas rs5 ne haa committed n' Sp0'0n "
"After those fatal MISUNDERSTANDING called social
crises after stres and dscords, after civil wars which
ATE chassenent, strc. right is mstSe the only OBJ
lvion is amnesty. All have been hearing for five days
conditional amnesty 1t is because seek the truth alone
Hitherto have found nothing put rtons let us go
10 facts. r. the amnesty just mott III IL Is JUST IL Is
expedIPnt. The whole question lies there. In periods
Of dscord justice is invoked by all parties; but Is OF
mix itself up In civil wars, but it does not ig-
more them, IL mtcryencs in them. DO you know
exceptional tribunals net. ana when they have finished IL
besns II then changes ITS name II becomes cienehey
gilty-he guilty surrounded by the innocent Clcmency
enters, and pardon Is tue sublime rectCation which III
spires the justice of earth with lie justice OF heaven II
right in the civil and social aud stll mOr so III the
political order CEmency is not only useful
sary; that /, why demand the Amnesty. Ihavo seen
such misery thai am astOnshed 10 nd so much resist
husband To his unhappy wife. Hear INC with patience
am an old man. speaking in the cause OF women ana
children. You will sti remember thlt II is prOsca who
is speaking to you Gentlemen, profound suspicion ac-
companies all evil wars call to witness the official report
which declares the obscuIity OF the Of the
18TH March allowed rybOdy dmlY the rcaliza-
ton OF some just ideas. That Is what have always said
The prosecutions have been unlimited. The amnesty
must not be less The amnesty alone ciiace the
proceedings against crowd which began with $4,000
arrests, among whom there were $50 women ana 600
children under IL years OF gge. IL there one Of YOU
gentlemen, who now passes through certain paris OF
Paris without certain agony Of hearth There Is under
very pavement tnat confused cllmOr OF victims
which echoes sometimes far into the future Whether
this clamOr shall die away dep nds yUu. Close tue
mouths Of the ad. and enact oblivion Pardon ana r.
assure them. Seventies which strike populations react
Oh public prosperity Voc lhe siy, vote 1t 1udu-
fully raise yourselves above traditions OF tnc stale 0f
siege. -.
''rhe burning Of the Tuerics and the Hotel de vile
crime Ike the violation OF the nail OF the NatlOna
Assembly. The OF the hostages was crime just
a. the massacre OF paSscrS-by the BOueyardS was
cre The deed OF the 2 OF December ard the deed Of
18th OF March throw light on each other They on-h
he judged alike and II Justice Is unequal In s doclccs
IL Will all its nlu the desperate
ana frycish population. and all IL SEVERITY for the ad'
Prince who after the Eee wanted the Louvre,
and stabb ny tue Republic stabbed his own oath
uteIYupiiO The nuthUr Uf the crime died III lis bed,
after having completed tine 2d Of December by sedan,
treason by opacity, the oycrturniug OF the RcpnDc
by the fall Of France. Warm approval OF tho Left
As for the accom- iccs-MOry, Biiiault, Maguan, ST.
Armand AbbatuCCl-hcy have gwen their names 10
streets Pans Compare with this the execution ground
of saiory; 1884 condemned Ia transportation and hard
Justice mas cnasti,ed the 18th Of March. while 1t swOre
allegiance Ia the crime of the % ~ December"
Victor HUGO then described the state Ui the prisoners
m Caledonia He painted their agony, deporcd the
continuation OF the prosecutions ana Inc last TRANSPORT
OF cOnyicts:
ma. a. ow the 18th OF March has been atoncd for.
As tue gd OF December, II has bcc1 gDrhcG, h.
been adOrcd AID yeucaei, II has become legal crime
Loud accamaton tho Left Tho priests have prayed
FOR IT, the judges have Judged ~ H. ana the representa-
tive, of the peope, at whom thc blows were dealt by
thi. crime only received them nut accepted ana sub
mtrd To them. acting with al rlgpr against the people
ANA all ba.curss before the Emperor II IA time To put a
stop the establishment uf tao human consclthce Is
.wO measures ask fun amnesty Tor the events OF
tie ls.h VI March" tAppaiire on the Extreme beIII