The Labor enquirer., 1885-02-21
LOUISE nIoHrIL.

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LOUISE MIcHHlL.
re Llss and Opanssns e tI.ts saertAesng
WensaA ef ths Peepls-A Lie Ds-
vessA u the Cause.
The following sketch OF tho life aad deeds
Of Lonise Michel is condensed froma q letter
written BY Paris correspondent Of the
New York Sun. Readers of 1'HE EHQUEEE
are advised to read 1t closely:
Louise Michel was born about 1880. Her
mother Was chambefmaid at the Chateau Of
VroDcourt the property Of n dc Mailly.
Her father was a Belgian of Vesqusville In
Luxembourg. He died very ,Foung. Louise
was educated at the chatsau tDf II. de Mailiy,
the elder, strange old geItieniail whose
bible WAS the encyclopedia, and who pro-
fessed at the same time the cult of God and
Of JeanrJacques Rousseau. Louise was ex-
ceptionally intelligent and admirbly edu-
Gated, md 30 when, by 1oere of circum-
S1pao1k - sna ~ lsolA4s 4 mi. In =!
prayi1 II shen ~ ~ ~ t15
to earn her living Is : schoolnbtsss We
find hr successfully ut ArdeloncOurt and
Millieres in the Haute-Mnne, teaching
school, writing verses full td phiIanthropic
passion, composing the words and music of
romances and giving the government an inn
preston of her high qualities and talents,
combined with the impression of 4 woman
Of strange and exalted character. Rer cas-
tune was black dress and q. black hat, and
blood-red rose in the trimming pr in her
hair.
When the Frances German war broke out
Louise Michel at once joined an ambulance
corps, and when the year cf the Commune
came she organized the central coIlmittee OF
the Union des Femmes, and presided over
the Club de Ia Revolution, which held its
meetings in the Church of Saint Bernard, the
pulpit Of which was occupied in tim by the
different orators. At the time of she second
siege Of Paris, dressed in tile uniform of the
National Guard, she braved shells and bullets
and went about picking up the wounded, and
from time to time taking her turn at firing
from the barrlcades. During the Commune
she proposed to the Communal government
that she 60 to Versailles and suppress THEIRS
This was objected to, they telling her that
she could not even get through tho lines and
90 to Versailles. She thsreupon went to
Versailles and back again, simply to prove
that her plan was feasible; but this time she
did not attempt even to see Tniess, because
she had given her word OF honor. On her
return to Paris, Ferre disarmed her ardor to
kill a prominent enemy, BY arguing that the
Revolution must not be founded en- a crime.
In private letter Louise has r,lated how
she fell into the hands OF the victorious Yer
sailles troops, the troops of Thiers and CALI
fet. She had been wounded during the de
Tense Of the town OF Issv, aid had returned
mto,town to help, s best she could, At the
barricades. Shs and two others were defend
ing. alone a barricade in The Chausee Gig
nanconrt, when. seeing SOME men dressed as
National Guards approach, she ran toward
them, thinking th6y vert friends come 70
fei6ld1 q III: 6llg nltn ffUckcd nel
down. They were Versai1lais disguised. But
Louise sprang to her feet and fed, while the
disguised versaillais fired on her but missed
her. The next day, when Louise went to see
her mother, she found tha.t the Versaillais,
having lost the daughter. had contented them
selves with the mother, whom they were in
tending to shoot that everiing at the thirty
seventh bastion. So, to save her dear old
mother, Louise gave herself up. on condition
tnat her mother should be released, and was
Immediately sent to the prison al Versailles,
where, on her arrival, onthe night OF October
4, 1s71, she wrote an sdmirable piece OF
verse, full of heavy discouragennent, on the
situation Of her party.
Brought before the court martial Louise
refused to parley with her judges, and would
not allow herself to be defended. She said:
81 am accused of hayinl. proposed to burn
Paris. Yes, wished to oppose barrlcade
of flames to the army of Versailles. That is
why proposed to burn Parisl look you
in the face,u she continued to her judges,
sYou are the court martial, am woman OF
the social revolution. What is the good Of
defending myself2 1t will not change your
sentence. lam here in your hands; you are
entirely masters Of my person; do with me
what YOU please, but before sitting down |
wish to glorify the memory o' those who
have been shot at Satory! Yes, | proclaim
at the top of my voice, they are the martyrs
of that social revolution of which flatter my
self am one of the promoters One word
more. not to defend myself, but to demand of
you an irreyocable judgment You ought
not to let me live; for so long as live Shall
nnrsIIe Won with my hatred and instigate my
brothers to vengeance. What ask OF you is
a Mace on the plain of Satory with my BROTH
ers beside our dear Ferre Ii you do not
shoot me you will be miserable towards r.
During her trial she displayed an energy
which none of her braYe fellow prisoners
showed and says the fsicb shs
means had she renounced the cause) she
might even have been acquitted; for apart
from her wild Socialism she was proved TO De
most worthy woman.
Condemned to transportation for life she
was taken to New Caledonia, where, athougn
tho governor was ordered 70 uea1 nef IN
diligently and allow ner eertam pfixnegss, p,
Of her companions in exile, and made neI
self useful By watching over the sick and
teacbine the children. At the same time she
Eent m the courage Of her fellow-prlsoners
nv nreaching Socialism and prophesying that
tSe hoar Of Justice would come. She was
the very very type Of the insubordinate prisoner,
but her charity, her self-sacrifce, which lea
her even to give her stockings 70 = ptSa ~
brother and go barefoot herself, won her tne
resnect t Of the prison authorities, who appear
to have heen brutal enough. Louise Mlcnel
loves humanity. and she would give her lire
II by so doing she could beneht those VINO
suffer. Such nature inspires admiration;
= The amnesty bill was voted, and one No
yember, 1850, I found myself among tne
crowd assembled at the western rSr,way ' ar. ssa-
Lar Viryins nnpeared, clad in black, with
ios rhSM efrYSLst aow Rnehefort and