Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1879-09-26
OUR PARIS LETTER.
Regular Correspondence,

UNI
The Figaro has been interviewing some
Of the COMMUNISTS who have Just returned
10 Paris, and as the account is instructive
as well as interesting, may lay brief re-
sumo thereof before your readers. These
Communists display the utmost JOY at be-
ing once more free in France, and declare
that never again will they meddle with
politics. None OF them will admit that
they ever fought. They mounted guard,
they were Informed against, but they never
shed drop of blood. They suffered much
during the voyage to New Caledonia, al
though the weather was fine and they were.
well treated. When they landed on the
lie des Pins they were exposed for three
whole days to a steady downpour, and then
tents were procured, and they ran up small
cabins. There were five villages, of which
they were allowed full liberty, and had
only 10 report themselves once a week.
After the escapes, however, the reports
were more frequent. Some cultivated the
ground, others bred pigs, others again
worked at trades which they had practiced
at home. Some, indeed, who could do
nothing, had to content themselves with
the government ration, which was fresh
meat every two days, preserved meat on
the Monday and on the Wednesday, and
bacon on the Friday. Every other day
coffee, brown sugar, salt, and oil we're
served out. No wine was provided, those
who wanted it bought it on the sly from
the English ships, or openly at the can
teens, where, however, it was very dear-a
franc and half the litre. The Commun-
lists were allowed a new pair Of trousers
every six months, and one blouse per an
mum. As for their chaussure, they went
barefoot most of the time. In the evening
they met at each others huts, smoked their
pipes, played at cards and dice, and talked
over France and The Commune. They
even had the theatre on Sunday afternoons,
the troupe being composed of former az
tlstes; but there were no actresses, and al
though there we're twenty-five women on
the lie des Pins, who had come out to join
their husbands, not one of them was ever
seen on the stage.
Question as to how they first heard Of
the amnesty, these Communists replied
that the news leaked out from those who
were employed, it was officially announced
at the end of April, when the command
ant read out the names of the first eleven
hundred amnestied. He was greeted with
cries of ''Vive la iberte," and ''Vive la
France, but not of ''Vive la Commune.
No one, they declared desired the Com
mune again. From that happy moment
all work was at an end, but they did not
lose much, as their toll was very poorly re-
munerated. They could not complain of
their treatment during the homewsrd voy
age, though they were badly off for fresh
meat, which was only served out once in
every ten days, and then it was simply
COW beef. The crew, however, were not
better off in this respect. Twenty-seven
barrels, and, later on, thirty barrels of
water were placed at their disposal every
day, but they did not consider this allow
snce sufficient, and suffered much from
thirst, especially while in the tropics. FL
nally all the Communists interviewed ex-
pressed an intention to live quietly and
work hard as soon as they were provided
for, and it is satisfactory to add that some
have already found means for obtaining
an honest livelihood.
Paris, Sept. 18th, 1879.