The Insurrection in Paris

Insurrection in Paris, by An
Englishman: Davy

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Title: The Insurrection in Paris
Author: An Englishman: Davy
Release Date: November 24, 2006 [EBook #19912]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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THE INSURRECTION IN PARIS
RELATED

BY
AN ENGLISHMAN
An eye-witness of that frightful war and of the terrible evils which
accompanied it
PRICE: 2 fr. 50 c.
PARIS
A. LEMOIGNE, EDITOR
26, PLACE VENDÔME
1871
Imprimerie de F. Le Blanc-Hardel, rue Froide, 2 et 4, à Caen.
Paris, June the 25th 1871.
DEAR EDWARD,
To you who have been pleased to take some interest in what I wrote
about Paris, I inscribe this small volume which, according to your
suggestion, I publish under the form of a nearly day per day
correspondence.
Yours truly,
DAVY.

RECOLLECTIONS
OF THE
PARISIAN INSURRECTION.

The desire of appreciating de visu the results of a five month's siege in
a town of two million inhabitants, unexampled in the annals of
humanity, made me leave London on the twentieth of March.
Hardly landed in the Capital of France which I thought of finding
tranquil and occupied in exercising its genius in repairing the disasters
caused by the enemy, I heard with stupefaction that Paris, a prey to
civil war, was under the blow of a fresh siege.
Sad change! the German helmets had given place to the French kepys;
citizens of the same nation were going to cut one another's throats.
My first thought was to withdraw from this mournful and dangerous
spectacle. Of what importance to me, a simple citizen of Great Britain,
were the disorders and furies of that people, in turn our most cruel
enemy or our friend according to circumstances, as European politics or
the interests of sovereigns make of them our adversary or our
ally?--Why expose myself voluntarily to the heart-rending and often
dangerous trials of a war that had none of my sympathies either on the
one side or on the other of the enclosure? Was I going to see a great
people breaking its irons and fighting to death in order to recover its
rights and liberty?--No--the French people had at last the government
of their choice,--the Republic. There was, then, question of an impious
war, undertaken by a blind multitude for the profit of a few hidden
ambitions: that is to say, a war without grandeur and without interest
for a simple spectator.
However, after due reflection, I overcame my repugnance. I had, in my
excursions, remarked, among the armed bands, so many heterogeneous
elements; that is to say, thousands of individuals of all social positions
and of so many nationalities, that I began to think it would perhaps be
useful to my compatriots to hear by and by a sincere recital, written by
a disinterested pen, of the events about to take place.
I did not conceal from myself the dangers to which my curiosity would
expose me; but had I not, and that too without any advantage, incurred
as great dangers in escalading Mont-Blanc and in going up along the
borders of the Nile? Besides, as is generally the case, the certainty of an

imminent peril only served to strengthen my resolution. Moreover, not
wishing to run any useless risk, I thought good to take a few
precautions: I went to see Monsieur ***, an old French refugee that I
had known at London, by the interposition of M. Causidiere. I asked
him if he could not procure me a permission, a pass, some paper or
other.
«Are you quite decided on staying?»
Asked that gentleman, whom I do not name for a reason that will be
appreciated by the reader.
«Perfectly decided.»
«Could nothing, not even good advice, make you renounce your
intention?»
«Nothing.»
«Then come with me to the Town-hall.»
I followed him; and, half an hour afterwards, I was in possession of a
pass signed by two members of the Commune.
This precaution was not to be useless. A few days afterwards, going to
see the fort of Vanves, strongly menaced, I was arrested and taken
before the commander of the Fort.
This officer examined my pass; and, hesitating without doubt as to my
identity, he put several questions to me in English. My answers
certainly satisfied him, for he took me by the hand and said to me in a