Paris under the Commune Part 1

Paris under the Commune.

by John Leighton.

PREFACE.

Early in June of the present year I was making notes and sketches, without the least idea of what I should do with them. I was at the Mont-Parna.s.se Station of the Western Railway, awaiting a train from Paris to St. Cloud. Our fellow pa.s.sengers, as we discovered afterwards, were princ.i.p.ally prisoners for Versailles; the guards, soldiers; and the line, for two miles at least, appeared desolation and ruin.

The facade of the station, a very large one, was pockmarked all over by Federal bullets, whilst cannon b.a.l.l.s had cut holes through the stone wall as if it had been cheese, and gone down the line, towards Cherbourg or Brest! The restaurant below was nearly annihilated, the counters, tables, and chairs being reduced to a confused heap. But there was a book-stall and on that book-stall reposed a little work, ent.i.tled the "Bataille des Sept Jours," a brochure which a friend bought and gave to me, saying, "_Voila la texte de vos croquis_," From seven days my ideas naturally wandered to seventy-three--the duration of the reign of the Commune--and then again to two hundred and twenty days--that included the Commune of 1871 and its antecedents. Hence this volume, which I liken to a French chateau, to which I have added a second storey and wings.

And now that the house is finished, I must render my obligations to M.

Mendes and numerous French friends, for their kind a.s.sistance and valuable aid, including my confreres of "_The Graphic_," who have allowed me to enliven the walls with pictures from their stores; and last, and not least, my best thanks are due to an English Peer, who placed at my disposal his unique collection of prints and journals of the period bearing upon the subject--a subject I am pretty familiar with. Powder has done its work, the smell of petroleum has pa.s.sed away, the house that called me master has vanished from the face of the earth, and my concierge and his wife are reported _fusilles_ by the Versaillais; and to add to the disaster, my rent was paid in advance, having been deposited with a _notaire_ prior to the First Siege.... But my neighbours, where are they? In my immediate neighbourhood six houses were entirely destroyed, and as many more half ruined. I can only speak of one friend, an amiable and able architect, who, alas! remonstrated in person, and received a ball from a revolver through the back of his neck. His head is bowed for life. He has lost his pleasure and his treasure, a valuable museum of art,--happily they could not burn his reputation, or the monument of his life--a range of goodly folio volumes that exist "_pour tous_."

L.

LONDON, 1871

INTRODUCTORY.

Late in the day of the 30th October, 1870, the agitation was great in Paris; the news had spread that the village of Le Bourget had been retaken by the Prussians. The military report had done what it could to render the pill less bitter by saying that "_this village did not form a part of the system of defence_," but the people though kept in ignorance perceived instinctively that there must be weakness on the part of the chiefs. After so much French blood had been shed in taking the place, men of brave will would not have been wanting to occupy it. We admit that Le Bourget may not have been important from a military point of view, but as regarding its moral effect its loss was much to be regretted.

The irritation felt by the population of Paris was changed into exasperation, when on the following day the news of the reduction of Metz appeared in the _Official Journal_:

"The Government has just been acquainted with the sad intelligence of the capitulation of Metz. Marshal Bazaine and his army were compelled to surrender, after heroic efforts, which the want of food and ammunition alone rendered it impossible to maintain. They have been made prisoners of war."

And after this the Government talks of an armistice! What! Strasburg, Toul, Metz, and so many other towns have resisted to the last dire extremity, and Paris, who expects succour from the provinces, is to capitulate, while a single effort is left untried? Has she no more bread? No more powder? Have her citizens no more blood in their veins?

No, no! No armistice!

In the morning, a deputation, formed of officers of the National Guards, went to the Hotel de Ville to learn from the Government what were its intentions. They were received by M. Etienne Arago, who promised them that the decision should be made known to them about two o'clock.

The rappel was beaten at the time mentioned; battalions of the National Guards poured into the Place, some armed, many without arms.

Over the sea of heads the eye was attracted by banners, and enormous placards bearing the inscriptions--

"Vive la Republique!

"No Armistice!"

or else

"Vive la Commune!

"Death to Cowards!"

Rochefort,[1] with several other members of the Government, shows himself at the princ.i.p.al gate, which is guarded by a company of Mobiles.

General Trochu appears in undress; he is received with cries of "_Vive la Republique! La levee en ma.s.se!_ No Armistice! The National Guards, who demand the _levee en ma.s.se_, would but cause a slaughter. We must have cannon first; we will have them." Alas! it had been far better to have had none whatever, as what follows will prove. While some cry, "Vive Trochu!" others shout, "Down with Trochu!" Before long the Hotel de Ville is invaded; the courts, the saloons, the galleries, all are filled. Each one offers his advice, but certain groups insist positively on the resignation of the Government. Lists of names are pa.s.sed from hand to hand; among the names are those of Dorian (president), Schoelcher, Delescluze, Ledru Rollin, Felix Pyat.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Cries are raised that if the Government refuse to resign, its members will be arrested.

"Yes! yes! seize them!" And an officer springs forward to make them prisoners as they sit in council.

"Excuse me, Monsieur, but what warrant have you for so doing?" asks one of the members.

"I have nothing to do with warrants. I act in the name of the people!"

"Have you consulted the people? Those a.s.sembled here do not const.i.tute the people."

The officer was disconcerted. Not long afterwards, however, the crowd is informed that the members of the Government are arrested.

The princ.i.p.al scene took place in the cabinet of the ex-prefect. Citizen Blanqui approaches the table; addressing the people, he requests them to evacuate the room so as to allow the commission to deliberate. The commission! What commission? Where does it spring from? No one knew anything of it, so the members must evidently have named themselves.

Monsieur Blanqui had seen to that, no doubt. During this time the adjoining room is the theatre of the most extraordinary excitement; the men of the 106th Battalion, who were on guard in the interior of the Hotel de Ville, are compelled to use their arms to prevent any one else entering. After some tumult and struggling, but without any spilling of blood, some National Guards of this battalion manage to fight their way through to the room in which the members of the Government are prisoners, and succeed in delivering them.

At about two o'clock in the morning, the 106th Battalion had completely cleared the Hotel de Ville of the crowds. No violence had been done, and General Trochu was reviewing a body of men ranged in battle order, which extended from the Place de l'Hotel de Ville to the Place de la Concorde.

An hour later, quiet was completely restored.

The members of the Government, who had been incarcerated during several hours, now wished to show their authority; they felt that their power had been shaken, and saw the necessity of strengthening it. What can a Government do in such a case? Call for a plebiscite. But this time Paris alone was consulted, and for a good reason. Thus, on the 1st November, the people, of Paris were enjoined to express their wishes by answering yes or no to this simple question:--

"Do the people of Paris recognise the authority of the Government for the National Defence?"

This was clear, positive, and free from all ambiguity.

The partizans of the Commune declared vehemently that those who voted in the affirmative were reactionists. "Give us the Commune of '93!" shouted those who thought they knew a little more about the matter than the rest. They were generally rather badly received. It is no use speaking of '93! Replace your Blanquis, your Felix Pyats, your Flourens by men like those of the grand revolution, and then we shall be glad to hear what you have to say on the subject.

The inhabitants of Montmartre, La-Chapelle, Belleville, behaved like good citizens, keeping a brave heart in the hour of misfortune.

However it came about, the Government was maintained by a majority of 557,995 votes against 62,638.

Well, Messieurs of the Commune, try again, or, still better, remain quiet.

During the night of the 21st of January the members of the National Defence and the chief officers of the army were a.s.sembled around the table in the council-room. They were still under the mournful impression left by the fatal day of the nineteenth, on which hundreds of citizens had fallen at Montretout, at Garches, and at Buzenval. Thanks to the want of foresight of the Government, the people of Paris were rationed to 300 grammes of detestable black bread a day for each person. All representations made to them had been in vain. Ration our bread by degrees, had been said, we should thus accustom ourselves to privation, and be prepared insensibly, for greater sufferings, while the duration of our provisions would be lengthened. But the answer always was: "Bread? We shall have enough, and to spare." When the great crisis was seen approaching, the public feeling showed itself by violent agitation.

It was not surprising, therefore, that all the faces of these gentlemen at the council-table bore marks of great depression. The Governor of Paris offered his resignation, as he was in the habit of doing after every rather stormy sitting; but his colleagues refused to accept it, as they had before. What was to be done? Had not the Governor of Paris sworn never to capitulate? After a night spent in discussing the question, the members of Government decided on the following plan of action. You will see that it was as simple as it was innocent! The following announcement was placarded on all the walls:--

"The Government for the National Defence has decided that the chief commandment of the army of Paris shall in future be separate from the presidency of the Government.

"General Vinoy is named Commandant-in-Chief of the army of Paris.

"The t.i.tle and functions of the Governor of Paris are suppressed."

The trick is played: if they capitulate now, it will no longer be the act of the Governor of Paris. How ingenious this would have been, if it had not been pitiful!

"General Trochu retains the presidency of the Government."