Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1805-05-18

lpubIic death, did not even ATTEMPT her
escape. SHE had received several viol-nt
blows or her head from usighbor OF Ma.
rat, the person who ran into The room on
hearins he news of his assassination; but
when the armed force arrived, she put
herself under their protection. An officer
of the police drew up minutes Of the as
sassinaiion, which she chccriully signed,
and was then conveyed TO The prison cfthe
Abbey.
Calumniated, abused, and even person.
ally lltrea,ed by the faction Of Marat, she
was three days exposed in her Dungeon to
all their insults and ill usage, before she
was brought to trial. During this Il go
val, she had found means to yri,e t05,cr
father, implcurg his forgiveness for. Eov-
Ing thus disposed of her life without ais
concurrence. s.'
| 1t was in the presence Of the men a.
| bout to decide uponher death, one should
have seen Charlotte Cordee, to have felt
the grandeur Of her character. The re-
cords OF the trial, and her own letters, give
! but faint picture of her noble and
! digniiied department. IL She spoke 20
! her Judges, II wasneither with the Wild G.
pcrgy of a demonec, nor did she Affect
the language Of innocence il was with
the seIf-saiisfacion of voluntary vict,m,
who feels It natural to devote her life 10
the salvation of her country, who did not
welcome death as the expia,ion ola crime,
but receivcd il as the inevitable conse-
! quence of mighty effort To avenge the
an incensed aud prsjudiced people resoun.
ded on all sides, she betrayed neither
scorn nor indignation. When she looked
upon the angry multitude, her eyes ex-
pressed generous pity for the sufierings
and delusion of her countrymen. II she
despised the men who sat in judgment on
her life, she forbore to insult them; but
| replied to their reiterated questions with
a composure and presence of mind that
astonished them: while her face apd per-
son were animated with the bloom, cf
! youth and beauty, her words were graced
with the eloquence of a sage!
The defence made by her counsel de-
serves TO be recorded here for its peculiar
propriety in her circumstances.
! t" You have heard" said her counsel. altogether
COMPOUNDED by the courage she had displayed,
"the answers of the prisoner; she acknowledge
es her guilt; she even acknowledge, in very
deliberate manner. her icng predeterm;nation Of
the event. She has not suffered any Of the n,osr
revolving of It's circumstances TO pass unnoticed
by you She confesses the whcle charge. and
does not seek in any manner TO Justify herself
| This imnsovaoe temper. this absolute desertion
Of hcreclf in the very presence, may say, OF
death: this absence OF all reinorse; these IRE
sotar from being natural. THAI they can only Be
resolved into thar political phrenzy. which pla.
i ces rogaard IN the hands OF maniac; and it
/ IL for you, citizens jurors, to- determine what
weight this consideration ought to have in the
balance of justice"
! After tho tumuit Sc loud appIauses that
Followed her condo mnation had ceased,
1 She addressed herself To her COUNSEL
-"You have defended me - she said, " in man
ner ~ generous as delicate /: 1t was the emily one
that could have rendered me that service which
/ was in your power: accept my franks and my
esteem. These gentlemen inform, me that my
| property is cor5scated; but there ave some li,cc
debts 10 pay in my prison and as 4 proof the
esteemI bear You. ! give he performance of this
my last duty into your bands"
] The hour of her punishment had drawn
immense crowds into every avenue TO the
place Of execution. When she appeared
alone with the cxecutioner in the cart, in
despite ofthe Observation-Disclosures in which
i she sat, and the disorder or her dress,) for,
with littIeness of malice, they had des-
poiied her of every thing that could con-
tribute to the deoenoy of her appearance)
she excited the silent admiration ofthose
even who were hired to curse her. One
Z man alone had courage 10 raise his voice
in her praise he was deputy from the
city of Mcntz--his name was Adam Lux.
He cried" Sac is greater than Brurtts :"
He published the same sentiment, and
signed his own condemnation. He was
shortly after ruila,ined.