Chapter XLII

May conciliation be hoped for yet? Alas! I can scarcely think so. The bloody fight will have a bloody end. It is not alone between the Commune of Paris and the Assembly of Versailles that there lies an abyss which only corpses can fill. Paris itself, at this moment—I mean the Paris sincerely desirous of peace—is no longer understood by France; a few days of separation have caused strange divisions in men’s minds; the capital seems to speak the country’s language no longer. Timbuctoo is not as far from Pekin, as Versailles is distant from Paris. How can one hope under such circumstances, that the misunderstanding, the sole cause of our misfortunes, can be cleared away? How can one believe that the Government of Monsieur Thiers will lend an ear to the propositions carried there by the members of the Republican Union of the rights of Paris,[53] by the delegates of Parisian trade and by the emissaries of the Freemasons;[54] when the principal object of all these propositions is the definitive establishment of the Republic, and the fall and entire recognition of our municipal liberties. The National Assembly is at the same point as it was on the eve of the 18th of March; it disregards now, as it did then, the legitimate wishes of the population, and, moreover, it will not perceive the fact that the triumphant insurrection—in spite of the excesses that everyone condemns—has naturally added to the validity of our just revendications. The “Communists” are wrong, but the Commune, the true Commune, is right; this is what Paris believes, and, unhappily, this is what Versailles will not understand; it wants to remain, as to the form of its government, weakly stationary; it makes a municipal law that will be judged insufficient; and, as it obstinately persists in errors which were worn out a month ago and are rotten now, they will soon consider the “conciliators” whose ideas have progressed from day to day, as the veritable agents of the insurrection, and send them, purely and simply, about their business.

Nevertheless, the desire of seeing this fratricidal war at an end, is so great, so ardent, so general, that convinced as we are of the uselessness of their efforts, we admire and encourage those who undertake the almost hopeless task of pacification with persistent courage. True Paris has now but one flag, which is neither the crimson rag nor the tricolour standard, but the white flag of truce.

NOTES:

[53] The citizens, united under the denomination of the League of
Republican Union of the Rights of Paris, had adopted the following
programme, which seemed to them to express the wishes of the
population:—
“Recognition of the Republic.
“Recognition of the rights of Paris to govern itself, to regulate
its police, its finances, its public charities, its public
instruction, and the exercise of its religious liberty by a council
freely elected and all-powerful within the scope of its action.
“The protection of Paris exclusively confided to the National
Guard, formed of all citizens fit to serve.
“It is to the defence of this programme that the members of the
League wish to devote their efforts, and they appeal to all
citizens to aid them in the work, by making known their adhesion,
so that the members of the League, thereby strengthened and
supported, may exercise a powerful mediatory influence, tending to
bring about the return of peace, and to secure the maintenance of
the Republic.
“Paris, 6th April, 1871.”
Here follow the signatures of former representatives, _maires_,
doctors, lawyers, literary men, merchants, and others.

[54] MANIFESTO OF THE FREEMASONS.

“In the presence of the fearful events which make all France shudder
and mourn, in the sight of the precious blood that flows in streams,
the Freemasons, who represent the sentiments of humanity and have
spread them through the world, come once more to declare before you,
government and members of the Assembly, and before you, members of the
Commune, these great principles which are their law and which ought to
be the law of every one who has the heart of a man.
“The flag of the Freemasons bears inscribed upon it, the noble
device—Liberty, Equality, Fraternity, Union. The Freemasons uphold
peace among men, and, in the name of humanity, proclaim the
inviolability of human life. The Freemasons detest all wars, and
cannot sufficiently express grief and horror at civil warfare.
Their duty and their right are to come between you and to say:
“‘In the name of humanity, in the name of fraternity, in the name
of the distracted country, put a stop to this effusion of blood; we
ask of you, we implore of you, to listen to our appeal.’”