The Sun.
London, England, 1839-12-26 00:00:00

PARIS REVOLUTIONISTS.

It may be recollected that a German, named Austen
was convicted before the Court of Peers last July for
being one of the May insurgents. and that he is now
undergoing his sentence of fiftoen years' imprisonment at
Douliens. On the trial his defence was, that he had
seen forced against his will to join the insursection, and
great interest was excited for him on account of his
interesting figure, and the number and dangerous extent
of his wounds. M. de Merilhou, in his report before the
Court of Peers on Monday, December 16, in noticing
that one of the prisoners who has yet to be tried had set
up the same defence as Austen, quoted the annexed cu
rious correspondence of the latter, which shows the des-
peration of the combat in May last, and, at the same
time, the frightful perseverance of the Paris Revo-
lutionists.

" Austen also," said M. Merilhou, " the same Austen
whom you (the Peers) condemned at the last trial, and
who had been wounded and arrested at the same time,
and at the same place, and by the same hand as Heraud,
Austen said that his being there was mere chance, that
curiosity led him to look on, and that he was forced; o
remain. May I request your attention to the two fol-
lowing letters which were found in his cell after his con-
demnation ? You will then learn the exact meed of
confidence which is to be placed in these prepared pro-
testations of innocence :
" A. MICHEL, RUE DES PRECHEURS.

'' ' Paris, July 13, 1839.

" My Very Dear Friend,—At half-past nine last
night my sentence was passed. I expected twenty years'
imprisonment, but am let off with fifteen. Did the
President but know all that I did on May 12, I should
have the same sentence as Barbes, who is the only one
of us condemned to death. But he is not dead yet.
" As soon as I shall regain my liberty, and can carry
a musket, I shall be able again to fight with renewed
courage for the welfare of this country, for now nothing
can stanch inf wounds but the gore of tyrants ; but,
whatever happens, I shall always be yours,

" FREDERICK ('RITZ) AUSTEN."

" ' Paris, July 10, 1839.

" My dear Friends—* # * * I have now
made up my mind, and fear nothing. I assure you
that my hatred against the tyrants who now govern
France is deeply rooted in my heart, and that their
blood alone can cure my wounds. Yes, you may be
assured that you have lost in me one who, perhaps,
would have made himself remarked. But be not cast
down on this account : and even should all of us (nine-
teen) be taken from you, you must march still more
firmly against tyranny. Once more I repeat I have no
dread of death ; nor have you, I firmly believe, my
friends.

" On the 12th of May four bullets were fired at my
heart, and two of my comrades fell dead at my feet.
A third, in dying, held out his arms to me, exclaiming,
"0 ! brother, avenge me." But did this discourage
me ? No ; it gave me the force of a madman. Yes,
like a madman, I fell upon our enemies, hoping to
defend the barricade, when I saw Barbes fall ; but
it was too late ; on came the Municipal Guard, and
our comrades retreated. I saw the offi'cer advance ;
I fired, but missed him, and hit a poor Municipal
Guard. I again loaded my musket in great haste, but
it was too late. Several voices exclaimed, " Pole,
Pole." On came the Municipal Guard, and again I
tried to kill the officer. but he thrust his sword into my
breast, and at the same moment I had several bayonets
stuck into various parts of my body, and I fell.
" You must not wonder that I fell, for I had already
livn wounded at the first onset. I turned round and
fi'avv nought but the dead and the dying around me—all
nOtVr comrades had retreated and the barricade was taken.
The soldiers then fired a tremendous discharge, and the
barbarians attacked us with their bayonets.
‘" At the moment when I was wounded I fired for
the last time, and hit a Municipal Guard in the shoul-
der. Four days after this, and on regaining my senses,
I found myself in the hospital, and on looking around
me I saw by my side two Municipal Guards, both of
whom loaded me with abuse for having wounded them,
whereupon I thought myself lost ; but I began to be very
civil and repentant—told them that I loved and adored
the Municipal Guard, and that it broke my heart to think
that I. had been the unwilling cause of their pain—" for,"
said I, " I was compelled by the others to do as they
ordered me on pain of instant death." I then asked
their pardon, and expressed such repentance that they
swore they would henceforth look upon me as their
brother, and that they would do their best to get me
out of any dilemma. Into one of these men I had sent
a bullet, which went in at his right side and came out at
his left ; he is, however, still alive.

" Once more, my friends, be not cast down, for as
soon as I regain my liberty I will lead you on to the
combat, and will give my life and shed my last drop
of blood for liberty, and to avenge those whom death
snatched away from your bosoms on the 12th of May.
"' Adieu, I shall ever be your brother, and love you
dearly.
"‘ FREDERICK (FRITZ) AUSTEN.' "

WOOD PAVEMENT AT WHITEHALL.—This
pavement, which was in part completed last week, was
on Monday opened to the public, but is again closed
in consequence of the concrete bed having sunk, upon
which the wooden blocks were laid, by which in many
instances they became displaced and out of level. we
understand this has entirely arisen from the great desire
and anxiety expressed that the road should openedbentlynot
before the meeting of Parliament. and consequeeavy
rains
coinmf°prleteiy allowing the concrete time during the lavvb
to become sufficiently hard and solid.
made comp now taking up the blocks, and we are orinkme,denthaaret
the concrete foundation will be
per-
fect, and the blocks relaid in a e
oleronity. The Lords
east of Christmas with greaetgsn,
i and it was the season
According to ancient chronicles,f' Arthur kept the
kept it chiefly with the Sovereign,
their domesties. Barons
upon thetable, richly gilded, by
a boar (not I
feasted the whole country, when the great:gave clothes
and
gilded, by
a
was put
boar's head)
sailed only with the
foremast,
way of brawn. Ships
. conducting in
For the purpose of
honour of the season• l
times—such as singing the was-
the amusements in 3'
earuts, dancing was-
saill, scrambling for n _ ng round standards de-
corated with evergreens,
..
the hobbyhorse, &c., a lord of
master et _ the revels, was appointed, who
misrule, or
was sometimes crowned and attended with all the para-
phernalia of royalty during the 12 days. He was also
called the Christmas
, Prince; a mock play, as Alexander
and the King of zigypt, was usually acted by mummers,
The chief performers in the interludes and plays were
the gentlemen and children of choirs Interludes were
also usual in the Inns of Courts, as were revels and
dances before and after supper. So early as 1509 puri-
tanism began to object to these sports of our ancestors.
We are assured that there is no truth in the
statement respecting the outrage committed upon Lady
Eldon. Her Ladyship, we are glad to hear, was in
full health at Shirley.