The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-06-26

tame. Tile insCniiicance o. these results
began IN encourage the iden TINT anarchism
could n"ver hecone dangerous The poo
pic no longer believed In its threats
Ws have seen how these illusions OF security
suddenly came to an end aud how they
were replaced By extreme terror Witness
ing In the space Of a week two houses Quilted
In the richest and most fre1usnted quar-
ters Of Paris. tho Imagination. so easily e1-
excited with us, came into play. The terror
30 suddenly aroused creuted phnnto'ns and
made tlynnmitrs u pear everywhere Thou
sands Of peop!o who the day before contempt
uously shrugged their shoulders at the name
of Anarchists with their doctrines and their
projects. passed from one extreme t. the
othsr. and fanciei that they had before them
avast AMI mysterious conspiracy whose at.
tacks would be repeated reentlessIy and
without truce. The emotion was somewhat
calmed down by the arrest OF Ravachol. and
by the inquiry which established the fact that
he hal Teen almost alone in the conception
and tho accomplishment Of hls criminal idea
The fact that he had aimed solely ut two
magistrates rs an act OF venG 'anre contrthu-
ted II great deal also to arpease the general
alarm. Indivi lual srnshness felt itself
assured by the conviction that the en-
plosions only threatened special cat
egory OF persona. The past life Of
Ravachol showed. moreover. that he was
nothing more than q vulgar criminal. and not
the az ,nt n pLcty. II, wts a thie'. a coun-
ter!e,ter. and a m rderer. He had assaesinated
ono man and two women before no became the
apostls OF anarchsn. From the NON ent that
he was made n prisoner. and consequently
was powsrles+ to continue his outrases. there
was nothing to be feared. Partisan light
heartedness took the upper hand 50 well that
the viglant watch through VIII ch the people
had pas sed was turnel into Joke. Cries. OF
alarm gave place to rlillery in regard to the
memners OF the judiciary. who experienced
great difficulty in finding shelter. because mo-
body wlnt ed to have for either dodgers or eixh-
bors persons susceptible OF attracting dyna-
mite TO their houses.
The unhealthy allurement which every &C.
lebrity. even OF perversity. exercises over
manv peope. brought ar'un Ravachol
little Ivy little a curiosity. W ,ich. with
out going so far as sympathy. ceased
to be blended with indi lnation. His adven-
turous career. the cynical holiness OF his Ian
guaga. and even tho strnnss nesS OF his name
appeared to present something picture sue.
Tho people began tn admire In him sort OF
sinister courage. and courage. even when 1t IL
badly employed. always wins some prestige
In word. public anger. becoming cJo'ed
down at the same time with the popu-
lar fear. was not far from changing into SYM
pathizing interest when new change OF front
was brought about IN the puo. ic sentiment Ivy
the catastrophe In tho restaurant where the
arrest OF ttavAchoI took place Tnis time the
explosion produced complete effects and
tragic CONSEQUENCES. Some were wound
ed and two were killed. But the
terrifying side OF the now attempt lay In tho
evidences which shave, that ltavachoi had left
behind him rnplces to av"nge him ana TO
continue hi. work. The threat Of u permanent
conspiracy again arose before the eyes OF the
population. and revived its anger hy reviving
its fears There was u unanimous clLuOr Tor
tho death psna ty for l;avachol. who was n lout
to DO trie | the next day. His CON lemnnti
seemed certain and almost necessary. II Will
be remembered how the jury deceived the
general expectation and gave to the accused the
benefit Of extonuatlny circumstances. that Ia
to suy. his life.
The reproach OF want OF courage In tho ac-
conf lislnrnt OF their mission was Violently
mad against the Jury. They were accused Of
being afraid OF the vengeance OF the Annr-
chlsts II they pronounced capital sentence, l
Imagine that the explanation OF their unex-
pectsd verdict can DO found elsewh than
In moral cowacdice. In tho FIRST places. IL
reprisals were hound to come. thure could
not BIZ much difference In tho eyes oil the
frvuds OF iiavachul between II sentence which
condrmnei him to penal servituIo for lie and
ono which would have sent him Immediately
to tho sc.nold. to which he will undoubtedly
70 for his other crimes. In the second place.
there is nothing extraordinary In the idea that
the alerna,l"ns In rullIc sentiment had
thrown uncertainty into tn. minds Of n portion
Of the iury. lorletuai tiscus~ ion ends in OBJ |
scuring judgment Dyelsit OF commentaries ,
troulies mo conscience and a! garments carried
10 III" extreme uI"'n ono and the same fltt /
proauee mai CONFUSION in the mind from |
whieh wo frequently suucr. II peciully is this !
the case when 1t harrens that politics get !
mixed up Win AM event. near or far. In such /
aconnti"n OF ahnl's previous views bccome |
changed appreciation aud judgement get bs. |
logged. and one losos tn" exact uo,i,n ~ |
thing as they nrr. particularly when pulit ,s |
ere complicated by the So, ia! Question which |
for many Ieorlo Is stIll IL sort If chaotic !
mi age, With these two words We ,unv mn
longer be a>tOn' he'd al any hInG. rhoy Lo
come an excuse and palliative for tn Will. |
est and even the most mUnstrou- conventions.
They trouble the mind to such 4 dogr"athat ,
lucldity and rrcitudo are ohltcratcd II
Is an Irresistible influence whic, every. /,
body IN France Ii incessantiy afflicted WITH .
10y reason OF living constantly III tho ,
midst II INTERN nable polemics In which
assertions and denials are exchanged with
equal 'ehcmcnce and an Q Iuai appearance of
honesty In regard to tho same fact. II is not
rare to meet with perfectly honest people, and
even sincere conservatives. IN 'aiaDlJ Of any
eaulv"'"l ACT In ordinary 40. who almost adj
init some extcnua,iJn in the crimes Of the
Anarchists. ic"auss they und In them an nc
casl"n ~ ilame the excess OF rsru lean
liberty They forget III" general dang # and
their OWN. aud ony look at the I'VE throw
which thy hope viii come anon the -oiitlity
Of tnn poll ical regime wnlrh they Grtcst.
ire!Gilcc carries them away 80 that they lose
tight u principles and interests. None Of !
the'n. assurrtiy. dreams Of entering INTO a
compact with tho Au"'cniet': iut in repe ing
'hsm many allow themselves " dlilt into !