The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-09-21
RETURN OF THE EXILES.
Arrival of Amnestied Communists
i'm Paris.
A Great Gathering of Relatives and
Friends at the Station-Th
Changes Of Years" Vive
Ia RepubHque.s

Changes OF Years" V1v0
la Republique."
From Paris Letter to London NeWsJ
The return OF the first batch tn amnestfed
Communists to Paris took place at this
morning, on the anniversary OF N. ThierH
death and the eve OF the fourth OF september.
This advent was marked with many touching
Incidents, and has not been the occasion OF
the slightest disturbance
AS lists OF passengers In the Vair had been
published In all the Republican journals, tho
friends and acquaintanees of the pardoned
men and women were sure their uoubio
would not go for nothing Ii they prepared to
receive them. The special train, which started
from Port Vendres on Sunday afternoon, wae
due at the terminus OF the Orleans Railway
at in afternoon, and a great crowd had
gathered there, which, however, was doomed
to long hours OF disappointment There wera
fathers and mothers, impatient to embraces
their children, and children to see parents,
who would not perhaps recognize them. The
eight years which had passed since the YER
sailIes court martiais fulfilled their harsh
mission have told fearfuily on thoee who re-
NAMED behind, and also, nobody doubted, on
those who we're returning. The decade, the
end Of which We have nearly reached, has
been cycle Of utter misery to all. Men and
women who were In their prime when IL
opened are as aged and broken down a8 sep
tuagenarians. However, there seemed no
place yesterday evening for recrimfnati0n.
There was no brooding over wrongs, and NO
display OF venom.
At o'clock there must have been 5000 per
sons stationed on the avenues leading to tho
terminus. As the time ran on, the courtyard
became choked up; lads climbed up on thu
ratings, and on the stone benches were ranged
women-old, middle-aged and young; grand
| mothers, mothers, wives and daughters OF tina
returning exiles, some OF whom took the pre-
| caution TO bring suits OF clothes with them,
| so that the prison dresses might be cast away
before the Communists reappeared In their
| homes.
| The clock had struck and no train was yet
| signaled, but, instead of losing patience and
dispensing, the crowd prepared to spend the
| night where 1t was. Toward 8 placaF0
was stuck on a door OF an inner court, intt-
mating that the special train SO anxiousIy
awaited would not arrive before 1855 In tho
morning It had stopped for three hours 1t
| PoictierS to enable the travellers to stretch
their cramped up limbs, and they had pre- flied
| by the halt TO walk about the town. This an
| uouncement was only known to a very few
until after 10 o'clock, so that eacn time an on-s
CINE whistle was heard there was an exultant
| cry Of "Here they are,' and rush forward.
Luckily the weather was delightful. never
remember more lovely starlight night. The
| temperature was almost warm and there was
not a cloud on the sky above.
| At IL there was a fearful surge forward,
| which commenced 30 far away as the Bae~
| tile The last train from BIoiS had entered.
| and there was unanimous notion that 1t
must have been the one expected. At mid
night the terminus and the courtyard Wer0
cleared, and the weary walters turned into.
the nelghboring avenues. They took this In
<dd In mart r.
stoker pass out by side door, cried Out@
ssThere is tne first installment OF the ann
nestled proscripts." The man, though every
one saw who he was, at once received an Gvn-
! ton, and was hoisted on strong shoulders and
borne into cafe, where he Was treated 70 9
bowl OF punch.
Mere spectators now began to drop on CT
those who remained women were In the me-
iority. l was near respectable gray haired
old lady, VINO fell into conversation with ms
4 She said her son had joined the Federala be-
cause he was convinced the Assembly wanted
to foist king on Paris. He was, In good
faith, thoroughly honorable, and she could
not disapprove Of anything he did. But 6
common law offense Was trumped up againg6
him, and he was sent out as vile fel0n 70
New Caledonia by Bonapartist officers who
had sold Metz to the Prussians. The old
lady wondered whether her boy was much
changed, for he was only eighteen when Gh0
saw him last. She also wondered would ~
know her? She had come in cap which he
mad seen her In, so that she might NOT 10
altered by new fashioned bonnet. 4 10
NAMED with her until the end, which W.
sooner than we expected, for the train steame0
in exactly at $50. The gates were thrown
o OF an and a rush was made through them, but
wide as the terminus vestibule Is, 1t was too
narrow to admit a twentieth part Of fh6eo
, making toward 1t.
the crowd will never be forgotten by anyone
who felt 1t. Eyes brimmed over, speech w.
, paraylzed there was not word uttered Ion
| some moments Then there Was halt.
At last the door OF the baggage-rO0m SWUNG
. hack An old Weatner-beaten man In canvas
clothing headed a long file similarly dressed.
A young woman with a child In her arms, Ano
boy cIinging to her skirts, bounced upon
: him, and cried "Father, fatherH be neld -
out from him Tor a moment, anu tneA iOsAc4A
! her in his arms.
The old lady with whom I was came up.
She scrutinized the band as 1T passed or
without pereeiving the lace that sne loo ~
, must have fallen i'll and remained beninQ
; Here man OF apparently forty stepped %
fore her and accosted her with. Dear motne1.
is it possible that You 90 not reeognaze me s.
: bitter disappointment nassed over la14n
: face. which had been radiant with hope. no
= she did not recognize him; he could not -
her son Eighteen and e'g aardsd e man 5eoT
her. When he took of his cap she then 50
a that abe had not to deal with an lmposSnr;
nut the anguish Of mind from which she 80
; inst suffered after the hours OF prolonged o.
> pectation deprived her Of all strength Of ~
3 or OF speech. Have / killed you, dariin1
mother p said the poor fellow. Come, che!
up; you know me, don't you :" and ne ~
her, or rather half bore her, into the court
/ asked German friend whom I met wtel
| he thought OF the amnestied Communists. ~
= said they appeared to him fine veterans, VI
Q had nothing On their eOnsciencee, and 49,
= Kept up In their misery by the conviction
having, as MacMahon said, fought In goo
g cause. The transformation scene 10 the COM
was an odd feature OF their reception, whtc
: wac overpoweringiy affectionate. In the fe1
;, minus they were stripped Of their pris0
8 hlouaea nv the women. and clad In coats. IL