Year: 1871

The Government of National Defense Pauses


before COndomDtnE Two Millions OF People to


DeaIh by FRmlne-ElOGuent Proclamation.


The Government of National Defense has pub
lished the following proclamation


Frenchmen Paris has laid down her arms on the
eve OF pershng by famine, 1t has been said to her,
"Wait few weeks and we will deliver you" She
has resisted five months and in spite OF heroic
efforts the departments have been unable to come
her She resigned herself TO the most cruel
privations She accepted ruin, sickness, and desc
iation. During a whole month shells have been
raining upon her, killing both women and children.
For the last six weeks the few ounces of bad bread
which have been distributed to each inhabltant
have been hardly suffcient to keep them from
deaths door, And when thus vanquished, by
before condemuing 100000 of citizens to the
horrible catastrophe, when, availing herself of the
Instead of submitting to a surrender at discretion.
Outside the walls the Government Of National De-
feDse is accused Of culpabie leVity, and is de-
nounced and rejected on this plea. Let France be
the Judge between US and those who but yesterday
loaded us with the marks Of friendship and
respect and who to-day insult us. We should
not take up the question OF these attacks II
our duty did not command us to hold to
the very last hour In firm hand the Government
which the people OF Paris conded to US in the midst
OF the tempest. This duty we shall carry out.
When at the end Of January we resolved to attempt
to negotiate, 1t was very late We had -four for ten
days only, and knew that the devastation OF the
country rendered our revictualment an affair OF
great uncertainty, Those VINO rise against US to-
day will never know the anguish by which we were
agitated. We had to conceal it, however, to
accost the enemy with resolution and appear
still ready to fight and furnished with pro-
Visions This is exactly wnat we wanted-before
everything to usurp no right To France alone be-
longs the right of disposlng of herself. We wished
TO reserve that right to her. 1t has required long
struggles to obtain this recognition Of her sove-
reignty This is the most important point of our
treaty. We have reserved to the Garde Rationale
have not been able to withdraw the army and the
Garde Mobile from the severity OF the laws OF war,
we have at least saved them from captivity in Ger
many, and from interment in an intrenched camp
under the guns OF the Pruss1ans. We reproached
! with not having consulted the delegation at Bor-
| deauX. 1t is forgotten that we We're shut in by a
circle Of iron which we could not break through.
! 1t is forgotten also that each day made more pro-
babe the terrible catastrophe Of famine and never
theless disputed the ground foot by foot for six
! days while the population Of Paris was Ignorant,
as 1t ought TO be, OF the real sltuaton and, urged
/ on by generous ardor, asked to be allowed 10
! fight. We then yielded to a fatal necessity We
have for the purpose of convoking an assembly
stipulated for an armistice, when the armies which
might have come to our aid were beaten back
we imagined. Prussia demaneed the cession of Bel
fort. We refused thls and at the same time pro-
tect the rlace we reserved for few DAYS liberty
OF action for its army Of succor. But what we knew
not was that it was too late. Cut OF by the German
armies BOurbaki, in spite OF his heroism, could no
longer resist and after the act Of generous despair
| to which he abandoned himself his troops were
forced to pass the frontier. The convention Of the
2sth Of January has then compromised no interests
and Paris alone has been sacrificed. Paris does not
! murmur: she renders homage to the yalor OF those
who fought for her deiYerance from afar. She does
not even accuse him VINO is now 50 unjust and sc
rash, the Minister OF War, who stopped General
! CndDZy Mnen ne was marching 10 the releI OF
Paris, and gave him orders to retire behind
Mayenne. No; everything was useless, and we
had to succumb. But our honor is still upright
and we will never suffer IL TO be sullied


We have summoned France TO elect freely an
Assembly, which in this supreme crisis will make
known her wishes. We recognize in no one the
right 70 impose upon her a wish either for peace OF
for war. A nation attacked by powerful enemy
struggles TO the last extremity; but she is always


the Judge as the hour when that resistance ceases


10 be possible. That is what the country must de
clare now that II is consulted on the question OF i


destiny. That its wish may be imposed upon all as
law worthy OF respect IL must be the sovereign eX
preston OF Tree suffrage TO all We do not therefore
admit that any arbitrary restrictions can be imposed
upon that suffrage We have combated the empire an'
its practices; we do not intend TO recOmmence then
by institutng ofcial caudidatures by way Of elimi
nation. That great faults have been committed
that heavy responsibilities nOW from them, is per
fecty true hut the misfortune OF the cOuntr


enaces all this beneath its leVel aHd besides, II
lowering ourselves TO play the part OF a faction


order 70 prescribe onr ancient adyersaries, VI


who fight and shed their blood by our side TO re


collect these past dissensions when the enem


is upon our blOOd-stained soil Is Ia defea


by their fancor the great work Of nations


deverance. We set our principles abOV


such experiments We do net wish that the frs


be an act OF defiance against the electors II


them belongs the sovereignty; let them exercise


without weakness and our country may be saved


The Government Of National Defense rejects then


and annuls II necessary, the degree illegally passe
by the deputati0n at Bordeaux, and calls upo


all FrenchInan 10 vote without party feeling Tor tt


representatives who shall appear 10 them MOI
worthy 10 defend France.