# The Trial of Louis XVI. Late King of France, Who Was Beheaded on Monday, January 21, 1793/Part 2

The execution of Louis xvi.
The following is the report of the Commune of Paris of this horrid murder:
The proclamation of the Provisional Executive Council relative to his execution, had hardly been notified to Louis, before he requested permission to confer with his family. The commissioners testifying their embarrassment at this request, proposed to him, that his family should be brought into his apartment; to which he agreed. His wife, his children, and his sister accordingly came to him; and they conferred together in the room, in which he was accustomed to dine. This interview lasted two hours and an half; their conversation was very earnest. After his family had retired, Louis told the commissioners that he had been obliged to use strong language to his wife.
His family had asked, whether they might not see him again in the morning. To this he made no answer, and Madame Elizabeth saw him no more. Louis cried out in his chamber, "Oh, the murderers! the murderers!" Addressing herself to the son, Marie Antoinette said, "Learn by the misfortunes of your father not to avenge his death."
The morning of his execution Louis asked for scissars to cut his hair; they were refused him.
When they took away his knife he exclaimed, "Do they think me base enough to destroy myself?"
The Commandant General and the Commissioners of the Commune ascended, at half past eight o'clock in the morning, to the apartment of Louis, and signified to him the order which they had received to conduct him to the place of execution.—Louis required three minutes to speak to his confessor, which were readily granted.—Immediately after, Louis presented a packet to one of the commissioners, with an entreaty to convey it to the Council General of the Commune.
​Jaques Roux, the citizen to whom Louis addressed himself, answered that he could not take charge of it, because his mission was only to conduct him to execution; but he engaged one of his colleagues, who was on duty in the Temple, to do what Louis desired; with which he was satisfied.
Louis then told the Commandant General that he was ready; and in going out of his apartment, he begged the Municipal Officers to recommend to the commune, the persons who had been in his service, and to beg that they would give his Valet-de-Chamber, Clery, a situation under the Queen—correcting himself, he said "under my wife." They answered Louis, that an account would be given of what he required to the Commune.
Louis crossed on foot the first court; in the second he mounted into a carriage, in which were his confessor, and two officers of the Gensdermerie. The executioner awaited him at the Place de la Révolution. The whole train moved along the Boulevards to the place of execution, where Louis arrived at ten minutes after ten o'clock. He undressed himſelf, mounted the scaffold with firmness and courage, and shewed an inclination to harangue the people, but the executioner of criminal justice, by the order of General Santerre, and by sound of drum, gave him notice that he was only to receive his sentence.
The head of Louis was then struck off; and being exhibited, a thousand cries were heard of Vive la Nation, Vive la Republique Française.
The spectators rushed towards the scaffold, to behold the dismal remains of a dethroned monarch. His hair was distributed, and sold to the crowd. Some people dipt their handkerchiefs in the blood that flowed, and tossing them in the air, cried, Behold the blood of the Tyrant.
After the execution, his mortal part was carried to the burying ground of la Madiline. To accelerate the dissolution of his body, lime was thrown into his grave. Guards were placed to prevent his being taken away in the nights.