The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1883-01-13
OUR PARIS LETTER.
W.. H. Y.

Arrest of Prince I<rapotkine, the Nihilist
AgEtator-Victor Hugo's Appeal gsinst
Capital Punishment, Etc.
PARIS, FRANCE, Dec. %, 1882.
EDITOR CHIEF
III arresting Prince Krapotkine the
French Government has incontestubly
struck at tho very root of the anarclical
movement in this country. When the
Nihi!ist agitator took mp his abode III
Geneva, sumo years ago, he found the
revolutionists in IL state Of complete dis
a will ans! coon anarcliicnl committees
were established at Vevey, Geneva,
Zurich and Berne. The return Of the
amnestIed COMMUNISTS opened out Il new
field for lis labors, and ere long lie was
il. constant communication with his allies
ut Paris, Lyons, st. Elienne and Mont
ceau les Mines. The announcements Of
the Nihilist party's doings in Russia,
which appeared from time to timo i'll the
Intrarsgeant Journals, were probably
due to his pen. Gradually, however, his
miscellaneous attitude attracted tho atten-
ton of the Swiss Government, which
rather more than year ago expelled
him from its territory. He then hetook
himself to ThonoH, on the French fron
tier, situated at a convenient distance
from Lyons and Geneva, aud there re-
doubled his efforts, with what success
recent events have proved only too we'll.
Prince Krapotkine, like his intimate
friend Elis6e Reclucs, is I. savant gone
wrong" Profoundly versed in the exact
sciences, he processes the most extraor-
binary political doctrines. There is,
however, this method in his madness,
viz: whereas the great majority of his
friends have no settled programme be-
yond the overthrow Of the social system,
he, on the contrary, advocates recon-
struction simultaneously with dcstrnc-
ton. The news of Prince Krapotkine's
arrest has fallen like thunderbolt OH
the Nibilist colony in Paris. Some of he
poorer streets in The QUARTER Latin are
crammed with Russian refugees, who, for
the most part extremely studious and
we'll educated, earn their livelihood by
giving lessons i'll modern languages,
chemistry and mathematics. Each man
HOW asks his neighbor whose turn will
come next. The answer to this question
may soon be given by the Government,
which is now in possession of whole
budget OF very compromising documents.
Victor Hugo yesterday followed mp his
appeal on Oberdaak's behalf by second
letter addressed to the. Emperor of Aus
tria, and coucled in these terms: "For
every civilized man the death penalty is
abolished. This penalty, with all its
will be ef.ceu from tie !
codes of the twentieth century. 1t would |
be noble thing to carry out now and
forever the law of the future" Scarcely, |
iiohCtcA, Httu tub l1llSSiN6 Dben ue- /
spatched when the news of Oberdank's |
reached Paris. Here the mat
ter might have been suffered to drop.
Unfortunately the Rappel, in reproducing
the poets second appeal, appeuds thereto
the following lines, which it woul, have
done better to suppress: The Emperor
IF Austria might have remembered, were
Eanperors capable of memory, that Victor
Hugo once begged of Juarez the life OF
ino:.lcr Emperor of his family. In re-
snsing the life Of u condemned mall to
rim who formerly pleaded for his own
the Emperor Of Austria has pro-
bounced i'll Juarez's favor; and in shoot
ng Oherlauk he has shot Maxnli!ian
over again"
The Ganlois says that tho Marseiles
Fown Council met last evening to con-
slider the generous surrender by the En-
'rcss Eugene of her claim to the Phuro
property. After ~ short discussion IL
composed Of five of its mem
1ers, was appointed to draw up IL report
N the subject, aud there is little doubt
hat it will recommend the acceptance
II the Enprcss's gift.
Truly yours, RAMBLER.
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