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XIV.

an officer has sometimes caused people to be put to CHAP. death, not because they were fighting against him, nor even because they were hindering the actual operations of the troops, but because he has imagined that under some probable change of circumstance their continued presence might become a source of inconvenience or danger, and he has therefore thought it right to have them shot down by way of precaution; but generally such an act as this has been preceded by the most earnest entreaties to disperse, and by repeated warnings. This may be called a precautionary slaughter of bystanders, who are foolhardy or perverse, or wilfully obstructive to the troops. Again, it has happened that a slaughter of this last-mentioned sort has occurred, but without having been preceded by any such request or warning as would give the people time to disperse. This is a wilful and malignant slaughter of bystanders ; but still it is a slaughter of bystanders whose presence might become inconvenient to the troops, and therefore, perhaps, it is not simply wanton. Again, it has happened (as we have but too well seen) that soldiers not engaged in combat, and exposed to no real danger, have suddenly fired into the midst of crowds of men and women who neither opposed nor obstructed them. This is wanton mas'sacre.' Again, it has sometimes happened, even in modern times, that when men defeated in fight have thrown down their arms and surrendered themselves, asking for mercy, the soldiery to whom they appealed have refused their prayers, and have instantly killed

CHAP. them. This is called 'giving no quarter.' Again, XIV. it has happened that defeated combatants, having

thrown down their arms and surrendered at discretion, and not having been immediately killed, have succeeded in constituting themselves the prisoners of the vanquishing soldiery, but presently afterwards (as, for instance, within the time needed for taking the pleasure of an officer on horseback at only a few yards' distance) they have been put to death. This is called 'killing prisoners.' Again, defeated combatants, who have succeeded in constituting themselves prisoners, have been allowed to remain alive for a considerable time, and have afterwards been put to death by their captors with circumstances indicating deliberation. This is called 'killing prisoners ' in cold blood.' Again, soldiers after a fight in a city have rushed into houses where they believed that there were people who helped or favoured their adversaries, and, yielding to their fury, have put to death men and women whom they had never seen in combat against them. This is massacre of non-combatants, but it is massacre committed by men still hot from the fight. Again, it has happened that soldiery, seizing unarmed people whom they believed to be favourers of their adversaries, have nevertheless checked their fury, and, instead of killing them, have made them prisoners; but afterwards, upon the arrival of orders from men more cruel than the angry soldiery, these people have been put to death. This is called an 'execution of non-combatants in cold 'blood.'

XIV.

ranging

those cate

caused by

federates.

Here, then, are acts of slaughter of no less than CHAP. nine kinds, and of nine kinds so distinct that they do not merely differ in their accidents, but are divided, Slaughter the one from the other, by strong moral gradations. under all It is certain that deeds ranging under all these nine gories was categories were done in Paris on the 4th of Decem- the conber 1851, and it is not less certain that, although they were not all of them specifically ordered, they were, every one of them, caused by the brethren of the Elysée. Moreover, it must be remembered that this slaughtering of prisoners was the slaughtering of men against whom it was only to be charged that they were in arms, not to violate, but to defend the laws of their country.

to the

shooting

soners

who were hands of

in the

the civil

power.

But there is yet another use to which, if it were not Inquiry as for the honest pride of its officers and men, it would alleged be possible for an army to be put. In the course of of prian insurrection in such a city as Paris, numbers of prisoners might be seized either by the immense police force which would probably be hard at its work, or by troops who might shrink from the hatefulness of refusing quarter to men without arms in their hands; and the prisoners thus taken, being consigned to the ordinary jails, would be in the custody of the civil power. The Government, regretting that many of the prisoners should have been taken alive, might perhaps desire to put them to death, but might be of opinion that it would be impolitic to kill them by the hand of the civil power. In this strait, if it were not for the obstacle likely to be interposed by the honour and just pride of a warlike profession, platoons

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CHAP. them. This is called 'giving no qua
XIV. it has happened that defeated comb

thrown down their arms and surrend
tion, and not having been immediat
succeeded in constituting themselve
of the vanquishing soldiery, but pres
(as, for instance, within the time n
the pleasure of an officer on horseb
yards' distance) they have been pu
is called 'killing prisoners.' Agai
batants, who have succeeded in
selves prisoners, have been allow
for a considerable time, and have
to death by their captors with
cating deliberation. This is call
' in cold blood.' Again, soldier
city have rushed into houses
that there were people who help
adversaries, and, yielding to the
death men and women whom the
combat against them. This is m
batants, but it is massacre comu
hot from the fight. Again, it
soldiery, seizing unarmed people
to be favourers of their adversar
less checked their fury, and, inste
have made them prisoners; but a
arrival of orders from men more cr
soldiery, these people have been p
is called an 'execution of non-c
'blood.'

XIV.

unconnected with offended CHAP. having had his jurisdiction e had been ordered to go to amine the prisoners, with a r they should be detained or he was engaged in this duty, sioned officers and soldiers rudely announced that they dispose of those prisoners . Then, without regard to Judge-Substitute,' they exe prisoners whom he had at the fingers of many of t once carried off all those ned, with a view (as the erstood) to shoot them, or hey were so shot the 'Judge

but it is plain that he had no what was done to the prisoned off by the soldiers. Again, 4th and the night of the 5th, e of the undisturbed quarters nly hear the volley of a single heard, they say, at such hours The sound of this occasional heard coming chiefly, it seems, Mars, but also from other spots, m the gardens of the Luxemesplanade of the Invalides. earing of this last spot deSound of the platoon-fire

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