Paris under the Commune. John Leighton
Federal Funerals
XXXVI. Prudent Counsel
XXXVII. Suppression of Newspapers
XXXVIII. The Second Bombardment—Avenue de la Grande Armée—Reckless Aim of the Versaillais
XXXIX. The Plan of Bergeret
XL. Another General—Police and Pressgang—A Citizen of the World
XLI. Women and Children
XLII. Why is Conciliation Impossible?
XLIII. The Portable Guillotine
XLIV. The Common Grave
XLV. Idle Paris
XLVI. The Press
XLVII. Day follows Day
XLVIII. The Condemned Column—Model Decrees
XLIX. Thiers and Conciliation—Paris and France
L. Communist Caricatures—Political Satire
LI. Gustave Courbet—Federation of Art—Courbet, President
LII. Camp, Place Vendôme
LIII. Elections of the 16th of April
LIV. The "Change" under the Commune
LV. Elections sans Electors—Farce of Universal Suffrage
LVI. À la Mode de Londres
LVII. The Little Sisters of the Poor
LVIII. Bécon and Asnières taken—Declaration to the French
People—Federation of Communes—The Commune or the Deluge
LIX. A Court-Martial
LX. A Heroic Gamin
LXI. Killing the Dead
LXII. The Truce at Neuilly—Porte-Maillot destroyed—Neuilly in Ruins
LXIII. Masonic Mediation—The Envoy of Peace—Citizens and Brothers—A
White Flag on Porte-Maillot
LXIV. Prudent Monsieur Pyat
LXV. Resources of the Commune—The Royal Road to Riches
LXVI. The Prophecy of Proudhon
LXVII. Revolutionary Balloons
LXVIII. A Confession of Conscience
LXIX. Communist Journalism—Sensation Articles
LXX. Fort Issy falls
LXXI. Cluseret arrested
LXXII. The Executive Commission—Committee of Public Safety
LXXIII. A Competent Tribunal
LXXIV. The Password betrayed
LXXV. The Condemned Chapel
LXXVI. Restitution is Robbery
LXXVII. The Nuns of Picpus
LXXVIII. Rossel resigns—The Semblance of a Government
LXXIX. Want of Funds—The Sinews of War
LXXX. Passwords—The Chariot of Apollo—Refractories
LXXXI. Sacrilege—Clubs in the Churches
LXXXII. Refractories in Danger
LXXXIII. The Home of M. Thiers, Demolition and Removal
LXXXIV. Filial Love
LXXXV. Communal Secessionists—Save himself who can
LXXXVI. The Failing Cause—The Column Vendôme falls
LXXXVII. A Concert at the Tuileries
LXXXVIII. Cartridge Magazine Explosion
LXXXIX. The Advent of Action—Paris ceases to smile
XC. The Troops enter—Street Fortifications—Insurgents at home
XCI. Arrests and Murders
XCII. Fire and Sword
XCIII. Barricade at the Place de Clichy
XCIV. Rack and Ruin
XCV. Bloodshed and Brigandage
XCVI. Hôtel de Ville on Fire—A Furnace
XCVII. Pétroleurs and Pétroleuses
XCVIII. Streets of Paris
XCIX. The Expiring Demons—The Hostages—Reprisals—Cemeteries
C. Sewers and Catacombs
CI. Mourning and Sadness
APPENDIX.
Chronology of the Commune
Memoir of Rochefort.
The 18th of March
The Prussians and the Commune
Memoir of Gambon
Memoir of Lullier
Memoir of Protot
Translation from Victor Hugo
Note of Jourde
Last Proclamations of the Commune
Note of Férré
The Hostages—Gendarmes, &c.
President Bonjean
Note of Urbain.
Devastations of Paris
Official Report of General Ladmirault
Ammunition expended on Second Siege of Paris
List of Monuments and Buildings destroyed
Index to Plan—Damage by Fire, &c.
[Illustration]
PARIS
UNDER THE COMMUNE.
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