The New York herald., 1877-09-08
THE PARIS COMMUNE.
ITS ORIGIN AND TESDENcIEs-LEcTunE By MA
JoR sEaUIN BEFORE THE LIBERAL CLUB.

IT'S ORIGIN AND TENpENcIEs-LEcTunE BY MA
JoR sEoUIS BEFORE THE LIBERAL CLUB.
Major Leo segun lectufed last night before the men,
bers of the Liberal Club, at the College OF Physicians
and Surgeons, Twenty-third street aud Fourth ave-
nue. on the s'Orgin and Tendencies OF the Paris Com
mune.' In spite OF the bad weather a fair audience
was present, and the lecturer was listened to with
marked attention. Although Major Segun found O
slight difficulty in pronouucing English. he being a
Vrenchman by birth, the lecture proved very inter
esting.
The lecturer opened his remarks by expressing tho
hope that his Of speech would be excused
and then announced his intention Of erdeavoring
10 dspel whatever illusions might be entertained BY
bis hearers In regard to the Paris Commune.
mrASrsG OF TIE WORD "coMMuNE."
In the first place, he said, the word .'commu1e' in
French signi6ed merely the word "town," being a
translation OF the Latin word s'cirtds The origin Of
the Paris Commune tho desire OF the town people
TO regain their municipal liberties Under the govern
ment OF Napoleon Baron Hausmann was at the head OF
the city government and with his brother counsolIors
acted in a manner decidedly "TCeedish" They beau.
titled the city and built up hall OF Paris, but they all
went Office poor and camc out rich. Alter the fall
OF Metz the national government had charge OF the
city OF Paris The people were exhausted by the war,
decreed The postponement Of all commercial bills
for six months. Generals who were hated by
the people were put In command OF the
troops, and newspapers were suppressed. At
the end of the months the 18th Of March, 1871,
the government did not further extend the time for
commercial payments, and in day $50, 900 bills
were protested In Paris All the small dealers were
forced into want by the sudden pressure and became
disconentea The question OF artillery FASTENED the
Commune The people of Paris had subscribed for and
man acturcd 500 cannon, which had been lett IN the
hall OF the National Guard. Tho Versailles government
resolved TO take this cannon for their protection.
The people Paris would not allow this. and In re-
sistng the attempt they not only defended right and
justice but law and strict legality In the emeute which
followed General lie Compe was killed. but this can
not be blamed on the Commune. as the Commune did
not then exist. on the 18th OF March all the admnis
tratve parties left Paris 10 the protection of its Ma
tonal Guard They appointed seven of their number
to act as a central committee. This committee or
dered q general election on the 26th OF March for
municipal government, and then the Commune was
established.
COMMUNISTS vs.. SOCIALISTS.
Many of the members OF the Commune were social
ists the lecturer himself one, but the Commune
and socialism were not identical II was lin possible
however 10 abstain from showing socialist tendencies
the city wished 10 do away with night work the Com
mune gave them permission. The only purely
social decree Of Communists was that constituting
commission TO examine all questions rel
alive 10 the differences between capital and
labor The first socialists thought that the few had
much and the many TOO little Their first idea was
In favor Of an equal division OF property, but they
that that practically impossible and destroyed
the freedom OF the individual The next class OF So
ciasts too this individual freedom the basis Of
their SYSTEM The socialists of the present day only
demaud ded that persons shall be put upon equality
only IN SO far that certain families individuals
should not be allowed TO become tho possessors of
wealth acquired by no merit OF their own. These few
the difference between socialism, Communism anu the
Commune