The New York Herald Newspaper, October 3, 1871, Page 13

Ae Further Defence of Its Chiefs and lis Acts by George Wikes. Phil Sheridan Invoked as a W itmess. ‘The Commune a8 a Government of Morality aud Decency. Tolerance te-Petigien, Death to Thieves, and ‘Vive VHumanite’ the Guiding Pria- ciples of Its Administration. Paris, Sept, 6, 1871. ¥o THE Epitor oF THE HERALD :— Writing from this dste, since. all the complaints and suspicions upon which Paris took up arms navo been fully justified by ihe usurpations of Versailles, ‘wovare spared the nevessity of any argument to shdw that ita citizens acted upon that highest warrant men can have who are avout to be betrayed. Nay, had they wished to bevoine slaves they could not haye closed their eyes to the fact that the first step of the Assembly toward tie re-establishment of royally was to be the redu*tiou of the large cities {rom their political Imporiauce, and especialiy the subversion of the capltial from its decisive leadership tn political expression. THE CITIS VERSUS THE COUNTRY. The history of eighty years had shown to the roy- alists that this preliminary curbing of Paris would be necessary to the success Of auy reactionary pro- gramme. To use the language of a recent London journal, “There 1s, aud has been for many years, in france a strong divergence of views and instincts vetaveen the population of the rural districts and the multitudes of the iarge cities, The town is ultra democratic and revolutionary; the country priestridden and reactionary, Im @ays of great and sudden excitement the tamultuous cities, with Paris at ineir head, carry everything before them. But on the morrow of a popular triumph, and as soon as matters are referred to a national repre- sentation, it is fount that tie town bas ventared whore the country refuses to follow, and counter Teyolution sets in” (under the Influenee of the priests) “till society is brought back to the point from which if started.” This 1s precisely the caso of the iast six montis; and Paris, therefore, actod upon the conviction that the suppression of the citles Was decreed, in order that the republic might be supplanted by a ‘Romish monarchy under the @arkest forms of Church and State, The capital rose for this noble and patriotic purpoze almost to a man, aud, whatever nay be said to the contrary, its eiuzens exhibited no greater repugnance/to the draft for the common defence than 1s usual ® any conscripuion for military purposes. It ts obvions that nothing but a cheerful concord and @ common inspiration could have enanled tt to put nearly two hundred thousand soldiers in the Meld and to fight them devotedly for two full months, No amount of lying by “respectable au: ‘thority’ can reason away these facts, Jt must be conceded, therefore, that Paris was a unit in the movement tustituted by the Commune, and also voncedeu that, whcn Thiers and his Assembly ran away, and took their regiments along with them, they leit to Paris all the aitrioutes of government fitch they abandoned —so far, at least, as the con- trol of her own population was concerned. She ‘as, therefore, In every point of view, a de facto State, with all the responsibilities of protecting Iife, property and order whten devolve on power. Ver- sailles, on the other hard, was a degenerate fugt- tive, Which was glad to place itself under the pro- ‘tection of the Prussians, and to recrait, vy their co- operation, an army from the German prisons—an army which was carciutly selected fromthe French provincial element, and dogged on its road nome bv aetachmenta of the rural priesthood, to inspire it to & fearfar purpose, THs MUROPR OF LECOMTZ AND THOMAS. And now that the relative attitndes of the two parties to the massacre of Paris have been properly defned, let us inquire how they respectively be- faved, and espectatly whet there was any foun- dation for the numerous reports which have placed the Commune before the world tn such @ revolting ight. The first accusation made against it 1s based upon the alleged murder of the two generals, Qhomas and Lecomte, ‘This act, however, has siace been shown to have taken place two days previous to the organtzawion ot the Commune, and as the tm- putatiéh was not established against any of tho prisoners who were put on trial at Versailles, or bven put in the tnatctment, it must be considered as fefuted. The truth is Thomas and Lecomte were enernis of the ultra stripe, who, being suspected if reactionary plota, and having lost caste during te Prussian siege, fell sudden victims to the jealous Yury of the populace, The Commune &t once on its formation repudiated and denounced these acts, and this waa all which, to the first tnmultuous hoars of ita birth, it bad the power to perform, THE REPULSH OF THE MEN OF ORDER. ‘The next act for which the Commune haa been Qoisily condemned was what ts called the “wanton friag” upon the “men of order’ from the Place Vendome. 1t will be recollected that after the Might f the Assembly to Versailles the Commune estab- ished its 1oilttary headquarters in the Place Ven- @4me, and put out sentries to fudicate lines within which tre puvlle might not pass, While thus installed a portion of the bow -geoisie, who were ad- herents of Versatiles, got up a meeting in favor of @ compromise, and putting some rich men and gniitary persons at their head marched down’ Owards Ure Place Vendome, With loud cries of *Turrai for order! they drove in the sentres on fhe nue de la Palx and threatoned to overthrow the troops which were sta‘loned in the Place V enddine ‘This was an invasion which no military force ever submutted to ta the history of actual operations; nevertheless, the Communist troops forbore for a \ng while, and would have forborne still longer had not the “men of order,” in the arrogance of their “respectability,” seized npon an officer of the Commune, who was trying to make his way through their ranks into the square, and, by way of giving him a proof of their peaceful apirit, stripped him of hisarms, This scene was observed by gentlemen whose names I have in my possession, and who, following the enraged officer with their ‘eyes, perceived him furiously turn an adjacent cor- fer with tho view of entering the square by an op- Posite direction. In just about suMcient time for him to make the dé/our and give an account of his ignominions treatment the firing upon the mov commenced. 1am also informed by tno same par- ties who gave me this information that General Phil, bhoridan, who was also an eye-witness of the scene, had declared in thelr presence that he had seen a pis tol fired in the Rue de ia Paix from the ranka of the so-called ‘men of order” before any firing took place from tho soldiers in ie square. There were between thirty and forty persons killed by this retaliatory fusiliade; but the troops, instead of pursuing the flying crowd, contented themselves wiih resuming possession of their invaded Jines, tend that they conid have done jess and }ave main. tained the authority and discipline necessary to the pertious responsibilities they nad assumed’ KIND OF MEN THE COMMUNIST LRADERS RRALLY WERE. {tus been fulminated through every organ In Europe which 18 opposed to tie progress of repub- gan, ideas, and every journal in America which Ls of sich “respectable” xuthority, that the lead #f4 OF the Commune Were mci of desperate, valgar and abandoned lives—in short, for the most part brigands atheists and thieves, aud that their role was crie!, wanton and dishon hat they pinn- dered pubite and private proper! cked churches, forbade the practice of retiyton, degraded the mar- riage Ue. promoted tmmoraity, and, to crown the destruction of society, plotted the conflagration of the capital aa a blow civilivaiion itself, m case *heir Wicked schemes should fai. ‘This is the old Indictinent of aristocracy agaist demoucracy-of fuse who Dave against those who have not—and in tis cave, a8 In every Case before, It ia grossly False, ‘the clitets of the Commnne, as 'the revelations of Lue recent Wials show, were for the most part cite wens of posilon and respousibility, wumbering amol them artists, lawyer, savans and pubitc owt Wile some of them were men of maecans, THE COMMUNE.| Will any one pre- | ‘The text of their political creed was, “Liberty, equality and fraternity,” and tho motto wo severai of them dled with im their moutns was, “Vive Phumanité ‘the ieading article of fatth which they dertved from their aliuaion with the Jnternationaie was iho 5 REPUDIATION OF THE PRINCIPLE OF CAPITAL PUN: whether for poiltical or civil eri 4 Lamem, ether for political or civil crime; an Without fear of succeasiul contradiction, Uat, leav- ing ovr for the present tne question of the hostaves, ‘the government of the Commune did not order the execution Of 2 Singie persun or Warrant the deliber- ate dgaihof one cupt.vo soldier Curing the whole period of 13 power. in proof of thus Lhave before me @ iui reprint agi the Journal Offetet de la Come mune, pubdlishet by ie Reue de France under the supervision of tne present government, which, though it contains veritted copies of all the 'e8 du Gouvernement Revoutionncire de Pars, arrciés déerets, ordrvs, proclamations, rapporis méutaires,” &6., cannot gatnsay vats statement. It 1s equally significant that copies of this journal were hot introduced before the Versailles courts marttal Tmay acd in ts connection that so systematically repugnanc were tnese merci‘ul philosophers to tae punishisent by death that they did not execute any of they own deliaguent chieftains, even when Sis. pected of the highest erimes, it beg noticeable that these alleged culprits would frequently be in priscn one week and at large the next. As to the moderation, morality and moral deco- Tum of the insurgent administration, and likewise the absolute secuiity of |ife and property which every one expericnced under It, fam myself a wit hess. I was in Peris during that portion ot the month of May which terminated by the fall of tte column of Ventome, Cluseret was in prison; Roasel, who succeeuod him in the War Oilico, had escaped, and was %eing atligently huatéd in every part of the city, and Delescluze was Minis. ter of War, I had gone into Paris under the tmpres- sion (as aculcated by the London press) that I should fina it i 8 state of great disorder, 18 public buildings mutilated, its works of art defaced, its beatiful shade trees (especially those of tne Champs Elysées,) teveliod with the gronnd, tts streeny dirty and negiected with the whoe town wearlag aa air of squulor, insecurity aad terror. 4 PARIS UNDER TUE COMMUNE. T found, on the contrary, that iret a tree was miss- ing, nota work of art detaced (except the recent oquestrinn monstrosity of Napoieon IL on the river favate of We Twleries), not a pubd'ic building ine jurea veyond what was necessary to remove un- perial inscriptious aud imseribe republican imottoes in their place. So scrupuions was the respect of the authorities (or private property that 1 saw imperial emblems remaiu umnteriered with in more than one shop win.ow on tae boulevards, siluply because it was the stubvorn will of the proprietor not to lake them down. Mr. Join Russell Young, of the New York Standard, noted this fact as weil as [. He will also bear me out in the assertion that the churches Were open as usual, and that religious worship remamed uniaterrapted, we having our- Selves attended service in the Madcleie. Tne only churches interfered with were those which had been used for preaching against the authority of the Commune; and J feel sate in saying that in no case was any religious instiution piandered, I speak advisedly upon this potut, and am quite aware that many reports have gone fortn to tie contrary; but 4t has been found 1u every instance where this Was sald to be the case that the pruljent fathers had simply secreted the treasures of the building, and then, for their betier security, given out that they were stolen, ‘here were snany instances of, this woridly wisdom among the worthy padres during the late revoiuuon in Epam—one notable case being that of the cathedrai of Toledo, where the 11- meee Cal ne oF 4,000,000 of Sees, Sliver. wine i@ sagacious clergymen ro! pot to the account of tue godiess perf Uneving republicans, was found snugly stowed away in one of tie church vaults, In the custody of the fathers theniseives. I wil oc'y add upon polut that the pinader of edifices was not among tho cha:ces brought the courts martial agalust any of tne Comuune. Indeed, so far irom being thieves or animated by & desire for plunder, they succecdea in extcnding & greuier security to private property during they rule than hud ever eva Kuownh under any other adminiscration in Paris, ‘Vo eifect tus resuit they had to coutend against peculiar auiicuitics. THB COMMUNE & GOVERNMENT OF SHREWD MEN. The republic of Seprember had thrown open the prisous of tie country, and neariy ail the criminals -of France, taku vantage of ther new-iouud liberty, had tiocked en massac to Paris, ‘These crea- tares the Commane found upen their hands at tic time of their listallation on the 26th of Marci, It was an appaiuag problem for tiem to coniront; | but, grappling Dvuidiy with the ~ responsibilty, they put musketa In tho hands of every oue, and, giving eaca a franc and a half aday, kept them ta control by insenbing on the street corners tue Wholesome warning of “Death to ali thieves.” Tuts, under tho laws of War. If 16 a fact, which Do one at this date will veulure to dispute, that all private property, and particularly that which had been Abauuoued by the fugitive adherents of Versailics, Was kept porfectiy secure, and came back to lw owners intact irom plilage or irom requisition. The ouly invasion the abundoued tenements of the aristo- cratic classes was subjected to was during assauit, and tien they were occupied temporarily by the in- vading troops. An @quat houesty was exuivuoa by the Commune m respect to the panito funsis de- Posited with the Bank .of. France, The. otlicers of Vhat inétitation have borne witness to this bonor- abie torbearance, and testified that the only mouey taken by tue Commune Was an ainount which stood upon tie books to the credit of the city, and this when they mght have’ taken millious upoa wil- lous, without a soul to say theul nay. THE MORALITY OF TY COMMUNE, Upon the point ot morals and respect for the out- ward deccacies of life, the record of the Coma: is very lar superior to that of any adinia.s tacos which ever preceded ut in tiie Capital, aud for iis beat reason ia the world—W wit, because the honest, virtuous people oi the city, the people who Work for their ving and cultivate the domestic ties, were for the first Uuine in Supreme authority, ‘These people, agimated and reined by the spirit of patviolsan which buraed within them, declared, Wroagn the Coxnmune, whtch fad foroidden blu der aud excesses o/ all soris, that the shametul scandal of public prostitution showid no donger be tolerated in the midsé ‘They urst gaveriue coo- sideration to tue argument of vice, tuat the ex- penses wita which the Church and ‘the inw had so surrounded marriage as to piace it beyond the reach of the younger portion of the population, aud then made a decree that auy inarriage contract should be good which was bas upon & slnple acknowiedgment of the, coutracting couple be- fore thid parties, The s.erm warning of this edict was, “Lec us hear no more of tue complaint tat the Courts and the Ciurch have made wedlock te expensive, You may be married BOW Without a firthina’s cost, aad that beimg the case, We Will no lonyer tolerate the-trade of suame upon the sireets. Under this decree public women who atveinpted to ply thelr vocation openly were mptiy arrested and locked up, whereupon tne ‘atthiul ‘loreign correspondent” at once reported that Paris was fast becoming a wilderness under the fearful rule of the Commane, and that an actual reign Of terror had set in. These writers belong to the class of cetimable cnroniciers who have always supplied tue world, and try omen § the United States, with the standard icea o1 French morals, and who take their conc. ptions from éhe abandoned creatures of whom tiey see the most, In sact, they rare.y see the worthy ciusses of France at all. ‘Vue reports af casual travellers are usaaliy Inspired in the samo way; and consequently the view we most olen get of French sentiment and character is redected from the immoral puriicus of the capital, [ hardiy need Say that the WOMEN OF THE PAVE have again recovered their importance since the triumph of Versauies. Tacy Hauut the boulevards again in gaudy dresses, and Paris is once more gay and enjoyabie to whe “veguiar correspondent.” 1 Will avail myself of this opportanity to say taat itis my firm conviction that the working and mitdlo classes of France will lead those of any other Earo- pean Nation m the observance of Ube household vir- ines aud in female chastity, except, perhaps, ihe irish, ‘This latter is the one great result of bie Cath. lic falth (not priestly poitics) wherever it provalis, and the principle applies Ww italy and Spaia as well, whatever Engitsh Provestant correspondents, woo despise all “loretgners” through a sense of duty, may say to the contrary, ‘The edict of the Commune facilttating marriage was, of course, rescinded after the massacre of Paris, and the unions effected uader 1s were pro- nounced to be adulterous, Unprinctpled parties were (nus set free irom the ovligaitons they had solemnly assumed, and a posthumous veugea indicted upon good and bad by the pros illegitimacy of their offspring, 1 re heard an Ametican, who considered himseli man of moteration aud tnteligeuce, approve this action of the Versailes government, aid, at the Same time, denounce without measure the infainy of tae Commune for mediating tie aiasolution of society by such a law, [looked at him steidily for & moment, and then quictly asked him if he was Not aware that the form of marriage prescribed by the Commune, Which be so unspariagiy condemned, ‘was the exact form which prevails ip New York and Mm several other of the States of bis own couutry ? THR “BRAVE, MERCIFUL, FORBRARING’’ COMMUNE. In this bund way do (eee ate ag Who are not bad in themseives, and wno fancy they are acta ated by very proper motives, take up tie hue and ory which ts set.on foot by very bad peoole, who are lugpired by the very worst of motuves, Thus we see the Commune (who Were guilty soleiy of making ® straggie for municipal mdepeudence Against a rural conspiracy to subvert the cities fu the ipferest of —& monareby on we plan of Church and State) howled down througnout the world as godless miscreants, devoid of honor, | honesty or social shame and whose very names should ever be wentioned without a shudder or a mate- | diction’ But Lhave looked behind this noise, and have seen the Commune at their task—brave, mer- citul and long forbearing—cheertully accepiing alt tueir sacrifices and quietly enduring the malignant storm of calumny, In the generous reliance wat the future would do them justice, So far from these men plotting the configgration of Paris or medtiat- | Ing the wanton destrucuion of national works of art, they disttnetiy did everything tiey could ao to protect aud beautify (he capital aod preserve wese treasures, And why not! Paria was theirs, for they had built if stone by stove, and almost every own toll and genius! Keceiving the eny from ue hands of the Versaillaise before winter nad quile reitrer from the fede, they began their clyic cus: ardens, by tending aud nurturing them day by day, by Watering Me séreets, by preserving public order, by protecting Rept and private property, by guaraniee.ng freedom of reagiod aud pudie ree expression Of opinion, by removing obstacies to honcravie marriage and forbidding tue disarace of pabiic prostitation, and by planning a whoie. some lutore throdgh compulsory education. Under tie enlignvenca remedy of general titelligence tiey } hoped torelevate the rarai disiricts above their + present Ignorance and buzotry, and Wius segure tue | this to have been a cities from those clerical reactions which had so Olten betrayed the cause of liberty. COMMUNIST MUMANIVY IN WARTARE. The mauner in which the Commune conducted hoabuties against the assaulting legions of Ver- Saules was equally 23 enlighteped and humane as 6 Givi poiley was temperate and moral. 16 began ts Campaign by adopting the bew principle, evolved from the recent war in the Untied States, of not willing captives, no matter how serious the ciroam- stances of thelr case. This rule had never been de- paried from in the Amerivan contest on either stue, {except in the cases of hostages who wore held for the pu of ceprizal), and was so ruridly adhered tol our struggle that it came to be regarded as worthy of immediate adoption ny every civilized belligeveat on earth. The Commune thought so; bat s0dM! g06 Versailles, though France and Prussia fought out their Llevody quarret In strict adhesion to the new-bora principe. ‘Thiers aud his party, how- ever, were not acting on a theory of war. ‘Theirs was 2coid problem of extermination, and they bee lheved that if they could Rerrsne tne cttles of france | Jrom Tsing agamst thelr echemes unt they had knocked Paris on the head, there would be an end the 135th battalion tn all its operations and sorties, aud was twice wounded, at Neuiliy and lasy, Joséphine Marchats, thirty-two, was prove! to have taken part in the “orgie? and pillage of the hotel of Count de Bethune. She had been hear: to excite the men to fight by exclaiming, “Cowards! meet the enemy! If lam killed f siall have ‘the satisfaction of knowing [had the frst shot at some of Them) ‘Tue other girl of twenty-tour was proven to have been present at the terrific combats or Neutlly, Issy, Vanyres and Levallols-Perrot, and ha also becn seen «at othe «Palace of the Legion of Hower wien the fire broke out. Lucie Boequin, the woman of twenty-clght, had been seen there, Iikewise, With w musket on ber shoulder and wearing a red searf. But three of these women had been able to employ a lawyer, and the other two had counsel assigued them by the Court, ‘They ai protested agamst any knowledge of the in- tended lucendiarism or oi Lhe use of petroleum, and ho doubt with trath, “Nevertheless they were ail found guilty, and the three first, Inciuding that mod- ern Joan of Are, Marchas, condemned to death: the two others were sentence to ten years imprison. to wae accursed democracy of the capital, which had constanuy interfered wiih aristocratic aud eccleal- asucal repose for eighty years. Wile, theretore, the ariny of the Commune spared the Ayes of ie priaoners, Versailies always Inurdéred its capuves i col bilood—ine massacre at the railway stauon of Ultmart, where several bunired sleeping soldiers, not In possession oF their arms, were ruta- Jessly bayoneted br goa ie Amero Mist for slauguter, pe but one of a hundred cases of this sort, The Commune sent flags of truce to protest against these frightful violations of the laws of war; but without avail, Yhey next tried deputations of non- combaiaals, and even the inierveniion of tie Free- ms, Lut Thiers turned grandly on his heel, re- tusing to have anything to say to ds,” and the intermediaries and thetr flags of e@ were fired on before they could regalia the shelter of the repubitcan Nnes. It was not until these enormities had beeu repeatedly performed, and that it had be. Come? certain 16 was the determination of Versailles Lo murder its prisoners whenever so tnclined, that the Cominuae feit it to be necessary to have re- course to tre only remedy provided by the laws of war to curb the licease of an inhuman ene. my, to-wit—tne iaw of reprisal ‘This iaw, as every reader of history knows, hasbeen tae frequent expewent of commanders of armies ever since the art of war began. dt ts a lemilmoave deduction of tie scriptural theory | of “an eye for an eye and a tooth for & tovth,” aud it has the merit. of ineulcating mercy upon a brutal congueror by the only argument which he can be made to feel, The practice was vad recourse to ln the late war in the United States, where the shoot- ing of ten hostages for one, by the federal General McNeil, in Missouri, was a notable instance of it ; And it will be iollowed.in every war hereater when an arrogant and ruthless combatant attempts to ignore the laws of ctvilization, aud deal with his prisoners as if they were not of the human race, THE EXECUTION OF THR FRIKSTS. The great dificulty of the Commune m making an | application of this law was to know who to take as hustages. The royalists had recently been murder. ing great numbers of their men and Blanqui aud others of their leaders, who were thon captive in their hands, stood imperilied with @ similar fate, They Knew perfectly well what power they were fighting against; what sccret mauence had In- stigated the rural war against the cities; and who, denouncing them as godiess heretics, had inspire: the poley which meditated their extermination. Beatdes these considerations they required for the extrication of sach important republican leaders as ania the seizure of such persons as the enemy would hoid most precious to themselves, ‘They acted sensibly ana logically, theretore, and also within the laws of war, when they seized as hos- tages for the ives of Blanqui and others tho Arch- bishop of and bis associate clergymen to the pamber of the special persons whom they wished to ve. Indi IT assume merciful periormance, under the most mercifai of all tue laws known to ihe bar- barity of war, for the direct object of the law Is" «2 save the UME helpless captives and to place them directly within the Custody of those Who love them best. ‘chat ta she common sense of the matter, and no amount of Feligions clamor can alter these logi- cal relations Of the hostage question. ‘she ouly pomt of any apparent force which has been made agaiust tho activn of the Commune in this matter Was one wilch Cralsed myself, In a letter irom this city, long velore the hostages were shot. In that letier, Walca was under date of the tcth of May, I regretied the arrest Of the Archbishop and his col- leagues, on the,zround not only that tt would wound the religious seutiment of the world (and thus hurt tue cause of the Commane), but that cierical hos- tages were not amenabie under tne lex talionts as nob-combatants; but 1 did not at that time know the boarirgs of this straggle, or that the loyalty of the defeuders of Paris was constantly being sapped by the suotie influences of the coulessionaL The arrest of tue hostages Wes, vherctore, a natural, legal and jnstiflubie act of reprisal, aud we shall presently see whether their execuiion Was not an aci of the same character, Their arrest, a8 I have said before, was simply a merciiul intervention in behalf of Bianqut aud others, which placed the saicty o/ the Arcubishop and us colleagues within the castody of tue Ver- Baillaise, “and par conscquence, directly in the wands ot the Church iself, Tne matter, doubtless, was Teierred \o. Roms, aud We haye sova how it was de cided. The objects to be attaiaed In the subjuga- tion of Parts aud the ESTABLISHMENT ofa legitimaie monarchy were considered to ve too Important to be compromised vy the rescue even of Qu urchoishop aud a Naadiul of subordinate clergy> men; 50 the appilcauous for Biangui apd bis asso- clabes were refused, anu Ulitriy-tWo Vacancies were ordered ior the abasuuncd hostages among tac Baluts In heaven. The Comunuinsts, however, Uivugd exasperated to the lass degree by this terrilic crtine, had such @ Dxed repuguauce io Ue deata penaily Wat they did not Keep wuelr Lhreat to retali- alo upon the clergymen, - Nevertheless iiome never remitied tie fate to which she had cousizned thein. It bud allowed to them tne destioy of uilxing an imfamy upoa the name of the Commaue, aol @bandoued them to tranquilly abide that clinax of the probiem. Jt 1s due to the world, wich has been so much Mulsied in this trausaction, that it sbould Know tuat tue life of the Archbishop, togetier witn tue lives of tirce others of the arrested 28 clergymen, were oiiered in exchange for tue life of Blauyui alone, and that the offer was not listened to by the Arenbishup's 111cnG8,6 1 am authorized to Bay Lbat tie proof of (his hustane ana libera: over. wre on the part of the Commune is now ia tle Bands of Mr. Washburoe, the Americau Minister to France, 1 leave it to the calm, recoud, er ought of an Intelitgent public w decide how the ovld-biooded rejection of Mis oiler looks wher beside the late judymeut av Versailies, wir barely find testimony enough against the chief lead: ere of the Commune to put two of thom to deal. THE PEPROLEUSE QUESTLO. ‘Thus Much at prosent on the subject of the tos tages, which has been so adroitiy used to thrill whe world with annecessary horror, and to so wajnsily stigmatize (he patriot of Paris as a band of athe ists and assassins. Beileving that the Commune stand vindicated on that pomt, asl have tried to show it to be in regaryto ali the previous charges, Lcome now Ww the omy remaining accusation, to wit, that of Vandals tn we aliempt io burn, Ww up OF otherwise destroy the cily of Paris, in cuse they were not able to defend it to jheir own possession, This examination may be very bricily disposed of, Ihave stated tn a previous letter that 7 had no hesitation tn attirrumg that there had not been, during ure late feartul struggle which resuited in the massacre ol Paris, one pé.voleuse, Or a single petroleum tbrower, man, woman or cid, and added that the reports to that effect were sim- ply given out to influence tie soidiery and justly the miurders whieh they perpetrated. Tis was @ bold declarauion for a stranger, Who could not get possession of the supposed testi- mouy On Which these reports had been given out; auct it looked sil more bazarcous tour days ago, aiter my letter Was half Way across the Atlanuc, “when the press here ainouaced wat the female petroleum throwers were about to be brought to | Uial. J Was at ease, however, fori had arrived at my conclusions through the logic of tie case, and had gone over Waris and examined the physical conditions of the problem for myself, In the first place, there were Lut twenty-four buildings, public and private, barat tn all during the five days of the massacre, lu ble second place, aif of those burn. lugs were at strategic points; aod none of them were of churches or banks of jucated at straggling points, wurteh might indicate on the part ot fhe incendiary caprice, desire for spoil or personal Mahee. in the third pla 1 examined the base- ments of the tenements of Paris, and saw at once that tb was & mantest absurdity to assume that there were bands of wouwen and children swarming streets whtcl were swept by Tiltratiieuses with @ hel of fire during five whole days, casting fireballs of cotton and pe troleum into the girtioles of the areas, with the view of Vurning down the bouses and burning up tren scives, Such a supposition Was not only ridiculous upon 18 face, but practically impossible. Paris is all of stone and iron, anu cannot be burnt dowa yy auy desuilory eurt; and besides, the best proof of | the utter jalsebood of tits whoie story Is that the time fixed as the pertod of the perpeiration of this alleged expioit is when ail the inmates of the houses were crowded tp the celiars, Where they could have detected the attempt of the incendiary at once, when @ bowiiul of water would bave put the fire out, But the most conclusive proof of the utter bollowness of this infernal smposition may ve found jn the mockery of the pretended triais of tive al- loged petroieuses, Which took place at Versatlies at the he eels | of this week, laimedtately upon the ler- m.unauon of the trials ol the chiefs of tie Commane, ‘The failure of tiuese jatter tals to produce evidence approximauing to the accusation, or warranting Inore than’ tWo sentences ot death, had eltcited A sneer from every sheet im Parls of whatever politics, work of art within it Was the embodiment of their | tody by planting te accustomed Nowers in the | | and the governinent found itself im the duenmura of | being required to muke @ slow of proof m other | quarters. Besides, alver all the outery tt had mde about female petroleum throwers, and faise firenien pumping the explosive fluid upon ihe Hames, Ver Sailles tet that It could not afford to close the record of its conilnet without presenting someting tothe public on these poinis, We find it, aecord- Jugly, afer the fires trials are over, picking out tive poor vivandieres, or Jemate soldiers Who at spded On the aubuiances, and who, having been recruited from the abandoued classes, migit be supposed to be two poor to have any one fo look alter their defences The oidest of these Women was thirty: ning, the next thirty-two, one Was Cwenty-vight aud two Were twenty four. Tie papers deseribe two of | then as quite handsome, The evidence aguinst the first Was that sive Was dreased In military costume, with a musket slung over het shoulder, acting us vcandiere to # Communist baltaiion and supply ting the soldiers at & barcicuie wilt drink | atsoy, Liat “sie was at the Paiace of the Legion of Honor | The Valiejo Chronic’e says:--"'The following vessels | At no previous tine le mnent. It wiil be found dificult while perushie their details to refrain from wishing that the days of miracles could fora term return, in ordec that the monsters who preside over these’ enormities might e swept from the wotid which they disgrace by a | ro Trem hyavey. anal won awl VERSAILLES AGAINST PARIS, We have now thoroughly reviewer the respective | Motives aud conduct of the Commune aad the re- | actionary conspirators of Versailles, The first dew | to arms in defence of local independence snd re- Publican liberty, and the latter plotted the subyer- sion of municipal freedom as the only reliable avenue to monarchical restoration of Church and State. In pursuing these contrasted roads the 0 »m- Munists, on all occasions, exhibited integrity, mo- Tality, moderation and respect for human jie, while | the track of their opponents was red with ruthless slaughter and characierlzed at every step by per: fidy and talsehood. Tne one died nobly at the bar- Ticade with “/ive la xépurliquel” avd + Vive 0 Hu- menité!” on its lips, while the other, triumphant tn its crimes, proclaims monarchy #3 the expectauion of to-morrow, avd washes is hands compiacently inthe blood of women wiose heroism chailenges history foc a superior example, “Li 19 the cause, It | the cause,’’ which inspires (Ne couduct of its tul- | lowers; and the movality of a thowe Is as uistinetly | Marsed by the moderanion of iis proselytes as the purposes of wickedness are indicated by violence and CHING. ene the proofs of the hour and to the revelations of thé RGure for the due apph- cation ofthese principles to t® parties under ob- servation, MURR ALOUY THE COLUMN Before dismissing this branch order to discuss the remaining pi ternationale, { amt reminded iat NDOME. my sabject, in pi of tne In- louowing the current of My demonstrations as tortie innocence of the ComiMtug of the charges of Vandalisin 1 uid not pause to state that the Column of Yeud..me was not cast down a8 an imperial emblear or a work of art, but as coum tive of the man art of war; or to explain till ason why Ciiseret had threatened to blow up and why the pubilc eclifices had been fired durifig the VergaMies assanit. ‘Tue solutions of these appar wuzzles are of the simplest character, The first at was simply @ ruse de guerre, the object of wh was to spread terror in the ranks of the invading troops, and oblige them to lose time by ¢éxtra precau- tious in advancing througl the principal streets. Iu proof of this, wires were found to | be strung across many of tho avenues, which communicated with nothing combustible at either end, The object of the tires was purely mili- tary and strategic. ‘They were the ingeuious device of General Dombrowski, the republican commander, and were so planned as to supply the use of barri- cades at certun greatiy exposed, points, where the | empire had opened squares and boulevards for tne gonvenient use of cavalry. It was the calculat.on of ‘Dombrowski that the rums of these buildings, mMbling into the streets and squares wuere other riers could not be successfully thrown up, woald | spontaneously iorm barricades of fre, aud thua de- fend the insurgents in their. retreat. ‘the result vindicateu he prililancy of the conceptton; tor the conflagration. of the Tuileries ‘alone protected the retiring lines of tne tmsurgents’ ; two whole days, and saved the lives of thousands | of their wives aud children, THR HOSYAGRS AGAIN. One more word as to, the hostages and the pre- determinution of the Versaillaise to murder Parts and leave them to their tate. it willbe recoliceted that, subsequently to the arrest of the hostages by the Commune the Veraaillaise Kept murdering their cuptives and the republicans kept mercifully ab- : NEW YORK HRALD, TUKSDAY, OCTOBER 38. 1871.—QUADKUPLE SHEXT. BEAUTIFUL BARMAIDS, The Great National Exhibition at Woolwich. Women ou Show—Tapsters Selecting Their Eelp—How It is Dono—Tho Smirks and Jmtlos of the Dispensors of Drink—Canvaising for Votes—The Guzzling, Gorging and Gazing at Woolwich—Sigaa of National Degradaticn. Lonpon, Sept. 20, 1871, dotn Bull is never traly, absoluvely and irredeem- ably ridiculous and beastly save when he sets about enjoying himself, Just now he is enjoying himself near Loudon on the occasion given by the shrewd keeper of a gummill, who gathers grist to the said mill by a “bar maid show,” which ts greater than the dog show or the cat show, ureven ail the baby slows together. BARMALDISM {san institution in London. Boniface discovered it, reared it tenderly, aud now regards it with the warmest affection. The barmaid of the nineteenth century, as seen in London, 1s tn one sense the most attractive of women. Gay, affable, weil looking, dressed like a Indy and bejewelivd like a duchess, she lstens to the silliest stuiY with the sweetest grace and prattles suggestive nonsense to every man 10 her donunion. The bygone days, when sand glis- tened on the floor and men ate furtively In gloomy boxes, when the waiter was a bully and the landlord eyed every visitor with suspicion, there was still some comfort in the thought that ireedom might be regained on the threshold, Far otherwise ta it now. You may be able to withstand the works of art that fill the awkward corners of the room; you may not care to gaze on the pictorial ferocities that glaro on you from every side; you may resist the agilo suavity of the flames, bat thero is no escape trom the lady at the bar. Here young Rusttcus is spellbound. Here the cosmopo! tan lingers in easy satisfaction, Here the swilt- going city man can spare five minutes. And when departare is made of all the glories of the place the one feature not soon forgotten is that pretiy, saucy, civil, bedizened ‘designer who made every man think’himself the favorite, Like most attractions in this world, one little maid must not be looked atv too closely, SMIRKS AND SMILES, Is avsmile less pleasing because it has a profes- sional universality? You must remember it does not pretend to be other than it is. You see half a buandred men enjoying the samed favor, and if you don’t like it the fact argues your own suaceptt- bility and proves the potency of the charm. And this ig the very result for which mine host has bar- gained, é HOW THE BARMAID J3 CItOSEN? He sought out this Mtule lady from a hundred others, who sent him @ haudred cartes de vistie, a hundred letiers of recommendation and a hundred byions of self praise, couched im very bad English and lamentably deficient in orthography. I have heard of landlords who submitted a score of por- traits to thelr best customers, and the verdict de Cided the competition. I have heard of customers who sought ingratiation into favor by plead. staining from reprisals, It will also be borne in nuod that Taiers, when be announced his army ready tor assauil, made no offer of lorbearaace towards ihose who should lay Gown ther arins, Om tho contrary, he simply proclaimed that the country ehould be satisfied that justice would be fully meted out to the offending city, aud thug shut out the last hone from the besieged. A statesman in whose heart there ln- gered asingic rain of mercy would have issued a bulletin recognizing the hardship of many thousands Of cases within the city, and at least have advised ‘all prudent citizens to Keep within their doors ; but asi nave said before, the Jesuit politician was ——enal with a problem: of yeah fe mange an ‘ a wi pores thousand Day by day for whole five day3 of tne assault he issued buje: ‘Hus announeing that ‘justice should be done,” and on the fourth day be wantonly inflamed the fury, of Ris soldiers by teliing tiem that two of their gen: erais had been shot vy the insurgents in the Piace de Ja Bastile, contrary to the laws of war, Day by a@uy his infuriated minions waled kuee deep iv bivod, Kitlug every living thing they met—mazn, Woman and child—without stup or queshon, an even bayoneting fugitives, of both sexes, who had taken sanctuary ut the sfadeleing. Tho Prussians, to wnom Tiers had reported against the repabhe at the opening of the season, helped him by closing their Mnes aguimst ail chance of the ciuzens? escape, and they fell by thousands, i the wildegt butchery that was ever institnted by demons in the shape of men. It was uot until the tourch day of this infernal massacre, when more victims had Talicn than perished in the joint fields of Waterloo, Gravelotie and Sedan, that ‘the hostages, who bad been Strangeiy spared, under ali provoca- tion, for nearly thirty days, were taken out aud shot, and even wen they were executed without an order trom the Commune, but on the sole authority of one Lefrancais, wno had temporary custody of them and their prison, And yetthe world cries OUb aAgAIst this act With an agony of vitupera- luva, as if It supposed tt to be the destiny of the Commane to be murdered without retaliation, and tuat iis followers ougut to have conducted them- selves like angels! Will any unprejudiced man pretend to say that, under tue exasperation of the hour, this act of Lefrancals was equal fa enormity to tat of the moaster Marquis de Guilfet, who, on being appeaied to by a Deauittul girl of eighteen whose shoulder he had tapped with his cane a3 a@ signal for execu- tion, coldly replied, while twirling his mustach “Ah, Mademoiselie, 1 have been to all the theatres Paris; your acting can baye no effect npon me?” The despairing girl then stretched her arms, wich shrieks Of agony, to the rade soidiers, Who twice re- fused totire, Di ees however, and a tatrd angry commaud prevatied, and sbe fell headlong, a heap of torn and shattered flesh, upon the ground, tier crime Was that of having been out endeavoring to buy some meat, after a three days imprisonment in- doors. ‘This was @ specimen of M. ‘Thiers’ ju G RGE WILKES. SUICIDE OF AN EDITOR, Mr, EB. L. W. Baker, late pudlisher of the Lainzs- burg (Mict.) Recorder, committed sulcide at Ovid, ‘on the 24th ult., by taking laudauum. The tacts ta the case, as elicited by @ Coroner's jury, are sab- siantally these:—"Mr, Baker and wile have, for the past year, lived very unhappily together, she having treated him with coldness and coatempt—going so av as -to show favor to other men, and, for a few weeks past, Keep in their company, Mr. Baker, according to a letter Written to his motner beiore the deed was committed, visited mis wile at the house of her mother, wo resides tu this village, and mm agentiemany manner endeavored to persuade her to abandon tie course she had taxen, aud retarn to him, ant ail would be forgiven. This she refused to do, and in the piatuest of terms gave nim to understand that sie lad ceased to love him and could no longer lve with him, Alter this conversition had ciosed, and Mr. Baker saw It was an impossible thing to induce his erring wito toreturn to him, he toox from his pocket two sealed letters, one directed to his wile, the other to his mother, Who resiies at Lansing. These letters, together with a pocketbook coutalping $130, he gave to his wife, saying, ‘vhia is the jast you wil ever seeof me ailye.? te then asked her forzive- ness Jorany act he might have done to displease her during their tour years of married life, waich she flatly refused to grant, and in this state of feeling We left the house. This was late on Saaday afternoon, From the nome of his mother-in-law ho proceeded to the Northern Hotei, where he engaged a room for the mght, and in which he took the dose which put an end to his life. When found the nextimorning he waa not quite deat, but lived only @ few minutes. There was nothing in the roum Which would indicate that seif- destruction Was tie cause of hia death, pat under his bedroom window @ bottle, labeled laudanum, was found, With, perhaps, an ounce of that liquid in it. AS 800M as possible after lt was known a messenger Was sent to their houae, and his wife and her motner made acquainted with the tact. They touvk Ute announcement with perfect composare, but | re(used to Visit the hotel, They, however, delivered the Jetter given by Mr. Baker to his wile, direcced | to hig mother, to the messenger, Which was read at | the inqnest, aud waich gives about the substance of what Is above Written, iis wife claims not to have | opened the letter given her until Monday morning, althongn it 1s not believed. Tne feeling Manifested agwtust Mrs, Baker and her mother 18 great. Gur | ciizena fee! very indignant over ine matier, The only excuse given by her jor not treating her hus- | baud botver than she has, was that he was a drink. | ing man, and when In iiquor abused her. This it disputed by the physicians who neld the inquest, who say he must fave beet strictly temperate maa, It is wiso stared that he was a Good Tem piar. UNITED Starrs War Vaaseis IN CALIPORN IAs 01 the United States Navy are now at Mare Island. there been so many in port 8, second rate, axship; Catdorafa, 2 guns, secon rate; Monican, 6 guns, Hrd rate: Narragansett, 5 | uns, fourth rae, ali steamers; sloops-oF War, Cyane, 4 guns, fourth rale, And Jamestown, 16 guns, thivd Tale, Not im commission—Screw steamers, Pensa- sla, 20 GUNS, Second rate, soon to gO Into conus Sin; Kearsarge, 6 guns, third rate: Lackawanna, 10 uns, third rate; Nyack, J guns, fourth rave; Da- yetroloum with Which tt had been pro- Jussly eaxenron was sot fire to,” and that she had been heard to exciaim, ‘All Parts must burn.” The same evidence was proluced agains! one of the gira Ol twenty-four, Whose Case seems to have been ag. Gravated vy Wie VFvO! tua “eho Lal accompanied ula, 7 guns, thurd rate, all lying here for repair Laymg up in ordimry-—Paddleewheel —steamel Vanderbilt, 12 guys, sgcond rate; tron-clad mon to Omadnock, 4 guia, third rate screw, aud Vo. MaUeng 2 Guns Igetin tale sorew, | ladies’ admission, | there was no mistake about this business, She | roarious harly-burly which they cail calisthene ex- jng that they had voted for the lady and won her the appomtment after a most exciting contest. Douptiess something of this kind wili be rite in London during the next week ortwo. Of course you have heard of the fourtecn-day contest which We lave had at Woolwich. A QUESTION OF NATIONAL IMPORT. It.has been of far more national import than the ruin s and has not coat @ millionth part of money. The fBttendance of the public has been greater and ‘thetr satisfaction far more intense, You can always calculate on English happiness wherever you give physical delights. Give theim plenty to eat and arm and dance and swing, and when all is over feed them again, and you musi succeed. ‘This ts just What the originator of the great barmaid contest proposed to himself to do, and in soine sort he has done tt, He advertised for fifty barmaids who had been tweive months engaged in smtllag; who could show their aptitude for business by recerpts of custom; who were prepared w be stared at Vy whatever mob might find eighteen pence for railway fare and as much else as toey liked to spends who by attire, courtesy and all tue other harmless euphonisms for harmful blandish- ments might succeed In Giling the money box, and go home contented with a £20 watch and the chance of @ three weeks’ ovation. 1 don’t know WHAT TAKES PEOPLE TO WOOLWICH When there is no barmaid contest; and, evea with it, 1 don’t think anybody was ever there twice. It ts distressingly dreary and ugly beyond description, In such @ place the gardens ninst be the universal resort. ‘There ts @ jective attempt at beauty ail over these two acres. At night the trees aro iiiuminated with tawdry-colored pots, Wich dimly reilect the asthmatic light afforded by murky lamps. There are. strauge appliances for testing the bi there are swings in which yuu find the London git | whirling irrespective of etfect; there are little lakes | wih sham ships wien are setj on fire every nigh and a stam city tn the background which is stormed on special occasions and twken with great delat, But there are three places to which all comers iuva- rlably betake themselves— | THE DANCE BOARD, THE BALLROOM AND THE MAZE. The former 1s an open-air construction, with a var- at one end and an orchestra at the other, The bail room Is that in woich the barmaid contest was held. ‘The maze 1s large, slovenly, 111 kept, and guarded by agipsy. When I was there I pald my penuy and declined to hear my fortunc. Two young ladies, gorgeously apperelied, Were chatting to tne gipsy, and that person suggested that I snould pay for the I dared not refuse a twopenny favor, so 1 collapsed, paid and found myself in charge. 1 didn’t very weil know what I was about, My companions were manifestly persons of expe- rience, not Increased by modesty, possessed of an unmistakably Rachel beauty and gitled with the Taost volable eloquence, Cotte naturally did one young lady take my arm and quite naturally did she relinquish her place when | pleaded the narrowness of whe path, Of course wo jost the way, and of course this made great fun; and then the gypsy was cailed, add of course the gypsy must be Uppea for making exit easy. But THR NUT-BROWN MAID (everybody isa maid here) cunningly conducted us Wa littic hut fa the centre, and here there was a trio of appeals for fortunes to be told. I have heafd of my good Inck so often and found it so seldom that 1 am now proot against the prettiest gypay that ever lived; and my present propaetess was not sain atail. They ran off gatly enough; I did not haste to follow. So L loss iny way, my temper and | my time, ant came forth at last in the dgjection of defeat. The dragoness was there, bat the ladies were gone. | betwok myself io ‘THE CONTEST. saw a young lady at every bar, looking as bean tifulas paint and powder could make her; now smiling, now looking sad, suggesting to you nuw neglected you were; the tall ones walking up and down, tue’ short ones sliting on hugh chairs; ai! in- tent on making you captive and snatening the voting paper which you carried in your hand. have oiten observed how snecpishly men look when they find a hundred female eyes upon tiem, Here mm this room the men all bung about the door, ‘they had paid sixpence to come m, and yet - could get no farther. one gentleman I noticed, tall, self-possessed, wholly un- concerned, te stayed not a moment tne door, swept the room at @ glance and saun on, Lam certain he came from the New World. Everybody envied his nonchalance, and wondered admuringly as he looked from one competitor to the other, took All their tnvitations as matiers of course «and stnoked with gentle benignity. Whether the honor of the English nation was deemed to be eniangered by the stranger I cannot Ray, but very $900 4 sina band of halla dozen ventured on a march. T gided | im the rear, CANVASSING FOR A VOTE. Very soon a maiden nodded to me with a galety that nothing but acquaintance could justify. 1 felt certain | did not know woman in Englund; but hailed me and held out her band, aud now I saw one of my graces of the maze. tere Was } entrapped | at the very start. low could 1 retuse my voter And yet I don't care for } painted women, Retreat 1 felt would be | mean and unconditional surrender—the -vertesi cowardice, 1 looked turtively aronnd and spied the other creation of the toilet table, and responded boldly to the chalenge, I tien found that the roum was getting to be crowded and | was geting to be courageous, 1 kept my vote until I saw every maid in the room, and 1 kept it even after thaw 1 lis- tened to the Draying of the band and saw the mob geiung into sing. How they danced and whirled and jumped and fell and jostied was astonishing | en®igh until Tsaw bow they consuined meat and dvink. PROMTGIONS GORGING was engaged in when they were free from the up ercise, And then 1b was that I discovered the com. Mereil canning of the gentlemen who contrived } the rout, For six hours there was nothing other thought of but drinking and dancing, The receipts must have been enormous. Everybody was wo happy to be critical, and votes wote given with the most reckless profusion, But all tus, caich tao twelve o'clock train, and such @ bundie of WIOKED, BOISTRKOUS, BRTCMBLEU HUMANITY 1 never saw tm my Iife, Here were ali the bar. maids, in ali thei paint and silks and satins and jewels, jumbled p with noisy tipsters and over-fed young Diades, And girls of the period, and watters and flidlors, nndjdandies, aud city clerks, aud tours ea) and) what not And in chaos ot commaniy twey come t Tandew agd 13 ‘ a me somehow; and for - fis Pune vag fs “done, not re ee 4, Bat. ‘2 maids, thoy goon for four- teem days, eecing tm. ®!Ways aud aotiiag otier ever, ‘aud, of course, pro tt¥Ing womanly teeing and cierieting womaniy how? ud looking for hamege and getting ib trom every at le-pated foot with half a crown in bis pocket, [dome Know thas among the signs of the times & greaver proof of national degradation 1s to be found than such @ suow of wonte a5 [ bebeld at Woolwich. ’H8 PRINCE ALPX'S. Wow Russia Recelved aa Amerioin Ficet ia 1866—Royal fMovors to Our Yavy~4 Mint Wort Remembering. It may be worth whtlo remembering tuat the Em- peror of Russia, on every occasion opportunity waa offered him to houor American representatives, be- stowed nts imperial favors on Uncie Sam with ao lavish hand, Provious to 1866 there had uot beon for twenty years an American fect in Russian waters, but in that year the steamers Augusta and the dou- bie terreted monitor Miantonomon visitea our Ras- stan ally, ad recetve) sach a welcome as is seldons accorded by one nauuon to the representatives of another. Resolutions had been adopted vy Congress ,ex- pressing the sense of the United Staies toward Rassia, and of these Mr. G. V. Fox, ex- Assistant Secretary of the Navy, was the enstodian. ‘The squadron sailed from hers ov the Sih uf May, arriv- ing at Croustadt on the Sth of Angnst. Whea the vessels had reacited Helsingfors, Finland, they were met by members of the Uzar’s stail, who were specially detailed to see tai the American otticers had every attention shown them, and thas they were properly entertained. This act of courtesy on the part of the Czar was only the prelude w a national reception which subsequentiy awalfod the American visijors. On the evening of their arrival the ofiivers of the squadron were entertained at @ grand banquet given in thelr Honor, and next morning they were met by a Russian feet of four frigates and two meniters (built after the manner of our first monttor), which surrounded tae American Vessels a8 a guard of honor, and daring the twilight of the evening the Russian fleet was illummnatea and @ brilliant display of flroworks stili further added tothe feativity., When, on their way to St Petersburg, they had got a few miles from Cronstadt, ney were met by & Dumber of Clyde steamers, having on board thousands of ladies and gentlemen who haa come to welcome the Amett- cans. Cheers, Waving of handkerclilels and cries of greeting showed the beartiness of the reception, which was perfect ovuilou aud entirely a Volum tary mark of good will from the ciczeus, At Cron- stadt the Ozar nimselt camy to welcome them, aud Was received Wit & salute oi (he heaviest guas by our squadron, In the eventog of that day the visitors Were entertained at & gorgeous banques jiven by the Army uud Navy Cluv. Next day one Jwur's steata yacht arrive. from Peterdorf (tho Em- peror’s suuimier residence) with forty officers, whom the Czar had detailed to accompany the American squadron vurlig their entire stay 14 his dominioas, Tue Amcricans were wien conveyed: to Petersburg, stopping, however, at Peiernof, where they breax/asted, and were then shown through tie grounds, carriiges having peen provided tor the Purpose. The grounds around tue Cxar's residence a Peterhon are on & maguilicent scaie,@ « fountains in every style being somo Of theorna- meta. Proceeding (hea to St. Potersuurg the party jaaded at tue Koyal Yacht Club leading plage, and were met by doputations of army, tavy und local ofticiais, ‘ney were then taken. to the Huter de France, the entire of which eswblishment bad been chartered by the Czar for the accommuration of the visitors. h officer bad wsuitof rooms for him sell, and Was provided with wseryaut, The recep- tion at St. Petersburg Was, from frst to last, o Teci ovation. Bails, banquets, visits, receptions, éo., were continually going oa. Lt would be impossibie to over-estimaie the attention puid the gues or tue good will showa thea on every side. They were taken to see all tie public places, some of waich the citizens were not mitted to visit. Carriages, always with four orses, were at thelr disposal at ali hours, accou- panied by the ‘‘prancers’’ (a# horseman on citaer side of the carriage), and no pluce of any interest was left unnoticed, As an evidence of tie altealion shown the guests it may be meutioued that on one occasion, Wulle driving through oue of tue strects, Paymaster J, 8. Post made w remark a8 Ww tue beauty of a set of pearls ln one of the sture windows, Next morning tue set of pearls was lett m his room With @ note requesting that it should be accepted as @ present. Of course the pearls were rewuraed, under the circumstances; but tis slight oocurtcnce is ouly an evidence of the sort of reception Unc Sam's boys received. At all the public eatertan ments mementoss were always scattered about, such as lite silk Russian wad American &c. ‘The Americaus speat two weeks oul of the seven they Were in Kassia tn visittag Moscow and the great annual fair. On their return to Cron stadt they gave a farewell banqucton board oue of their own Vessels, From the above it may be scen how the Czar thought fit to honor American seamen, aud in th weicome accorded by him to Untied. States onicers there would seom to be an implied lessou us to how the heir to ui3 throne shonid be received on hrs visit to tins country. Adimiral Farragut, Wao more re- cenily visited Kassia, was also received tn princely style by te Czar. The Conmitice of Receptioa, composed of some of our best citizens, are working har. to muke tue Grand Duke's reception as brie hant as possible. ‘Tue ctiy auihorities, however, do not seem to have made any attempt ut an organizet programme of welcome. The reception to the young Iriuce cannot be tuo hearty, OTS AND GALLOT BOXES. ELECTION BALL! The New York Legislataro at tts last scesion passed An act, Chapter 712, Laws of 1871. Waking Uaportans changes tm the statutes relauag to ue election of | his Weapon to hus other bank aud fired tue oF | five shots. mee and surrentereak humselt & Senators and inembers of Assc.auly, aud Kepresem tatives tn Congress. Heretuiore (except ta New York city and Brook- lyn) Senators and Represeatatives in Congress have been voted for upot tue bailot endorsed “Siate.” Ly the act of lust winter Senators aud Representa- tives in Couyress in all the counties o! the State will hereafter be vote. for upon separate baliots. in counties elecilag only one member of Assembly the nominee has heretofore beeu voted for upon the ballot endorsed “State.” By the uct of 1871 mem- bers of Assembly 10 all the counties aud “Assemply districts Will now be voted [or upod & separate ballot. At the ensuing general election at least foar ballots will be voted tn all Lis counties, aud tae spectors of Election are required to furnisk @ cor responding number of bejlot boxes. ‘The baliot endorsed “State will contain the nominees tor State officers anc the county oillcers to be chosen tuls fall. Senators will be voted for avon the batlot en. ee ra bt 1 br the Members of Assembly will be voted for in ballot endorsed “Assembly.” ish Justices oF the. Sapreme Court, County sagen, Surrogates and Special County Judges or Sarre: gates whl be voted for upon & Lullot« adorsed “Judienary.?? ‘the ballots will be depostted In alot hoxes cor- respoadiagily lavetied, aud caavassea la the order above named. in several counties or Commisstoner districts, where vacancies exist, Sehoul Comuussioners wil be elected upon @a addiuionual ballul, endorsed “sehool Comumilssioner.’? ‘A special Election taw rewatns in force as to New York city. In the city of Brooklyn an election for cltv oficers will be beld on the day OF the ensuing general eles ton. Jn the city of Utica, a Recorder wil! also be chosen, ae in ine chy of Buffalo, & Judge of ine Superior url. By an amendment of the charter of the city of ButYalo, passed in 1871, the time for bolding tie city election Was Changed trom Novemver unui the fest Tuesday in Maren, ‘Tne Secretary of State is preparing & comtpt lation of the election laws, wisi forms and Instvactions adapted to the ge in ballots apd ballot boxes, and order Of Canvassing vo"es—the repeal of the Registry law, and the extension of the Tigut of suffrage to colored men by the Legistature of 1879, &e., Which will be distributed to eicchon nz TaOUth, officers duriny the con PORDER RBUFFT? SPORTS. 1 sas City (Mo) Vews of (he 26th September say auy of our readers wiil remember tuat about two ycars ago an afray ocvarred to Sal-a-bar Township, in whteh & Mr, Siuclaw Was Killed, and @ man named Gardner was snot by whotner mai named Kesiiear, Threats of killing have sin been made by Iriends of both parties, and vester- day some of them met at Oak Grove Church, ta Sni-wbar township, woea young Samuel Gardner, gon of the man who was shot two years ago, toh Keshiear that he intended to kil him, and, pulling out a revolver, commenced tiring. Kesnlear alse drew a revolver and recurned the firg, Six shots were fred on both sides, Gardnor receiving one bali In the arm and two through the bovy, from the ei. fects of which, it ts said, he cannot possinly recover. Keshiear was uninjured, although he re or two bullet holes through hts clothes, During fring an old gentieman named Love, long resideat in thts county, received one of the babs irouga nia lew, inflicting a very painful Mesh wound. The trst ball trdin Keshiear’s pusol struck Gardner in (ne arm, duabling it, When the latter tustantly changed 7 Keshlear at once proceeded to inle- Marsivai The cemetery question ts causing tmménse trouble ih Spain. ‘The clergy refuse to permit, so (ac as Uhey have the power, which is simpy by protesting aus the burial in consecraved grout of Utos? ‘HO die outside the paie of the Churod The utes on ls 1¥ CAnottical. A priest who hat sworn Obedience to the canons of the GauToh caniot te otherwise, if he has a consciouce. ‘The bishops have lasued circulars to their clergy reaunding thou of thelr canonical obligations in nue atte montshing them to fad naw comet re compeliq’ by governmeyt presaure vi give up Old ONG,