The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1876-11-09
A NOTABLE FRENCH INSTITUTE.
THE BANK OF FRANCE.

| uctll0 OOtGTuOl VI tuC OtaHh VI i IuuCCs
when he said NO." to the Communist
leaders who had his life in their hands.
1t was Citizen Beslay. to whoa be all
honor, who called upon the marquis to
deliver up his trust. The citizen was a
gentleman of good connections and ana
tecedents, whose ideas were partly those
of a French man of business, partly Uto-
plan; and said Citizen Beslay to the
MARQUIS de PlGuc, after brief prelimin>
aries, 1.-THE bank will be pillaged."
The face of the marquis did not de-
part from its handsome gravity when
thus addressed, and he replied with
cool politeness, exquisitely finished and
high bred, II shall defend myself when
attacked"
..Let us spare blood, SIR" said Citizen
Beslay, for the first time in his life adj
miring the marquis with whom he had
been long at enmity.
II will be Governor of the bank of
France" then suggested the citizen.
"Way, no, sir" quoth the marquis;
commissioner or delegate, yes, if your
fellow citizens wish it? Governor,
no."
Il am Force" then remarked Citizen
Beslay, and there was grim truth in
what he said, tor the clash Of steel might
have been heard without the door
of the bank parlor, and armed men who
filled the staircase leading up to it
seemed to punctuate the citizens dis
course with notes OF exclamation.
EYES," replied the marquis, looking
steadily at his visitor, you are Force,
and am Law"
Then these two became fast friends,
feeling, it may be supposed, the strong
attraction which honest men have for
each other in time of puolic trouble.
Moreover, the marquis, in his deposition,
before the Parliament of Versailles, gen
erously adds that his colleague, the
Communist delegate Beslay, saved
France from disaster without parallel
in history Men-even marquises-are
some what prone to exagerate the mag
nitude OF their own affairs; but it is Ger.
tain that the extent OF the national dan.
ger can only be estimated by the inn
portance which may be attached to the
absolute humiliation of the bank, which
Marquis DePIEuc, even with Citizen
Beslay at his side, had during severa
weeks to perform part which demand
ed consumate ability and tact as q ne
gotiator. Again and again they were
summoned to surrender their trust; ant
it is to be remembered that the men wht
called upon them to do SO spoke in mos
lofty and winning language. They pre-
terred their requests IN those 5urnin!
: words of French patriotism which art
so Ineligible to Frenchmen, ant
, which make as deep an impression OF
their hearts as on their understanding
Now no one need say for certain whethe
Versailles or Paris would come out vic
,, tollous from the strife between them
!, and the Marquis DePiEuc had only
: rigid and iuh, xible integrity to guild
him in the course which he took durin;
q period beset with doubt and peril.
The situation of the bank on the got
= of March, 1871, Paris being then com
:. pletely in the hands of the Commune
: may be thus described. 1t held cas-
= and securities to the amount Of tire
:. millards, or say one hundred and invent
:. millions sterling. besides eighty million
\ sterling, or two milliards of francs, i
. bank notes which had not been issued
but which might have beer Immediate
. put into circulation. Moreover. ther
% were two milliards OF francs worth
20 notes in the hands of the public, guar
"a anteed only by the bank funds. Be
i sides all this treasure many securities b.
= longing to private persons were d,
,f posted, according to French custom,
:, the bank cellars tor safety Some
= them might have been reconstructed b:
~ they been destroyed. but by tar Il
A. greater part OF them, drafts to bear
an stock. receipts and foreign bonds,
IL gots, plate and jewels. would have be-
i. lrreyocably lost
ae The condition OF the bank was pecull
H. and exceptional. 1t could not refuse t
a. demands OF the revolutionary chief /
or cause it could not transport its adm
on istration to Versailles as the other q
be partmeuts had done. tor it would ha
he required eighty wagons. escorted by
Ter army, to move its effects. Ia Paris
Sc was altogether without protection, a
he its position was made worse owing to
ge unfounded belief which prevailed amo
en- the Communists tn II the Gro xn Jew,
lid alleged to be national property, ",
ne CUuCC0lC0 toCACs Auu al Ia
he lotion which existed at Versailles q
,ut all vslnab!es had sbeen removed fr
m. the bank during the late war.
les position of the governor was essecia
he delicate. He was obliged to supply
we demands OF the Commune, and CO.
Ids only do so by order of the Govern
The Council, which could not be assemble
ice He was equally oolige,i to honor
The drafts Of the treasury at Versailles. 1
ion his doing so was held an act Of b
g. treason in Paris. Likewise in Paris
ult self there were no less than four q
au- seraments claiming obedience-first,
di> Commune second. the committee Of p,
. OF lie safety third. the central eommit.
I.ly fourth. the federal committee. plu,
~. military authorisies. II to have s.,
the the bank Of France from pillage ,
de- ruin i to have saved the country.
lca Marquis DePlGoc i eatisled to I i
il, lplace among hsr dsisadsrs. He