The Sun.
London, England, 1829-11-12 00:00:00

MILITARY EXECUTION.

PARIS, Nov. 6.—1 went to-day to Fee a mili-
tary execution which took place in the rear of the
Ecole Militaire, opposite the Bois de Boulogne. The
culprit, Fournet, a soldier of the 4th regiment of
the Guards, in a fit of revenge and jealousy, had
shot his sergeant. He was a very fine-looking
young man, about 25 years of age; and, if any thing
could palliate the dreadful crime for which he suf-
fered. the circumstances of provocation which hur-
ried him into it might be deemed some excuse. He
had for a considerable time been treated with ex-
treme harshness by his serjeant, who imposed upon
him the severest military duties. The immediate
cause, however, of the fatal act of revenge, for which
he suffered the last penalty this morning, was an at-
tempt upon the part of the sergeant to deprive him
of the affections of a young woman to whom he was
attached. Upon ascertaining this fact, he sent him
a challenge, which he refused, and the challenger
subjected to punishment in consequence. Upon
being restored to liberty he went to the serjeant's
quarters, sent a person to say that he wished to speak
to him, and, upon his coming out, shot him through
the heart. He made no attempt to escape, but de-
livered himself up immediately, saying that he knew
he should suffer death, but that, having deprived
his enemy of life, he should suffer with pleasure. It
is a singular fact that he would have been entitled
to his discharge, his period of service having nearly
expired, in a fortnight after the time which he se-
lected for the commission of the offense; and the
reason which he alleged for having chosen that par-
ticular time was, that, if he deferred his ven-
geance until after his discharge, he would have been
tried by the civil power, and condemned to the guil-
lotine, instead of dying the death of a soldier. His
conduct at the place of punishment was in con-
formity with this declaration. The execution was
to take place at one o'clock p. m. At a quarter to
one, the culprit, accompanied by his Confessor, and
attended by two of the gens d'armes, appeared in a
fiacre upon the ground. He descended with a firm
step, and walked to the fatal spot. He was dressed
in the grey undress coat of his regiment, with his
sword-belt across his shoulder. Upon taking his
station, the Commanding Officer approached him,
and read the sentence of the Court-martial which
condemned him to death. The Officer then retired,
and the culprit deliberately took off his coat, waist-
coat, and black stock, folding his shirt-collar back,
and knelt down, his eyes being uncovered. The
Priest who had accompanied him then stooped over
him, and having spent a fest minutes in prayer with
the unhappy man, kissed him on kith cheeks, and
bade him farewell. The soldiers who were to per-
form the office of executioners, 12 in number,
having received the word, raised their muskets, in
the act of doing which the prisoner crossed himself,
and, the word being given, the fatal volley was
fired, and the sufferings of the poor wretch termi.
nated. He fell flat on his face, and a quivering of
the limbs being perceptible, one of the soldiers ad-
vanced and fired his piece into his ear. The whole
of his regiment were present, and about five or
6,000 spectators, amongst whom were a number of
females.

He refused to have his eyes covered, and to the
last moment kept them fixed upon the party who
were to fire at him. Such an instance of cool un-
flinching courage, without the least appearance of
bravado, I never beheld ; and one could not help
regretting that its possessor had not been reserved
for a different fate, or suffered in a better cause.

We believe it is nearly certain that a County
3leeting will be held at Lincoln in a short time to petition
for the repeal of the Malt and Beer Duties.—Bostou Gaz.

The following Letter was addressed to Com-
modore PORTER, by the President of Mexico:—" My
dear Sir,---By vour attentive notice, I am informed of
the determination you have come to to retire to the United
States, and to the bosom of your family, convinced as you
are at this moment that you cannot be of service to the
Republic. I give you thanks in the name of my country
for the very important services you have rendered during
your command in our marine, and I do not doubt what-
ever events may occur you will show the mime gene-
rosity as you have done before towards a country in which
you may ever count on as a true friend,
46 Mexico, Aug. 14." g, GUERRERO."