American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1826-12-19
THE GUILLOTINE;
Or The Execution If Charlotte Cor


OF all countries, ancient or modern, France has
produced the greatest number o! illustrious women.
There, the female sex rules with resistless sway,
and there, more polpaby than any where else, has
it left the stamp of its powers upon society From
the times OF Clovis down to the present day, we
notice succession OF distinguished women. The
State, in some instances has been indebted to thei
vaor Tor its preservation. in the case OF Joan OF
A'c. In Others, we have a Man,enon. Nnon
and Pompadour, guiding the helm Of government
according to their wills, and ruling by the united
influence Of beauty and talent, monarchy itself
Then appears de Stael exang the sex BY pow
ers Of intellect which might well excite the .dm
ration and The envy Of man, and caring up monu
men,s Of genius which will hand down her name 10
he latest time.
Women and above all, French women, are more
distinguished, in general by gaety and sprg htness,
than BY other more energetic qualities; but, not
unfrequently these qualifications blended with
others of grander character; and while the exte-
rlr is buoyant and airy, heart lies within endowed
with more than Roman virtue and Roman courage
The Revolution, so pregnant with human suffer
ing, furnished many such examples In that awful
conyulsion. no age, or rank, or sex, was spared.
Virtue and vice persisted together. Royalty me,
the fate Of its meanesl subject. Wisdom ard folly
science and ignorance, prince, ahd priest and pea
SAINT. we're blended in the same destruction. The
scaffoId which shed the blood of Louis and his
queen snd sister, was also glutted with that of La
yosier and Robespie' re The one the amlabe
disciple Of philosophy the other, The demon Of
cruelty and discord Madsme ROLAND, wife Of the
virtuous Minister of the Interior and authoress OF
those incompatible political documents which bear
his name, was one of those whose fate excited the
most lively interest; moi so much from her rank
from her personal character her exalted alents AID
the memorable circumstances which attended her
death. The words Of this high minded lady to the
Judges who condemned her, are deserving Of notice:
You do me then the honor OF bestowing upon me the
same treatmen, as upon those great men whom you
have assassinaed. and of sending me to enjoy their
tompanionshp forever"
In prison. she showed the most perfect indffer
encc 10 her fate There one victim "a many
who was her companion in misfortune He was
sadly broken down in spirit at the doom which
awaited him !; but when they were carried together
to the place Of execution she consoled him tender
Nv, employing every effort TO revive his eour-
age In those cases where more than one we're to
be executed together, it was deemed favor to be
cullloned first The noise OF the falling axe. the
cad lumbling from the trunk. and the blood flow
inp in streams around. we're dreadful to the imagin
atoms of those who came after. Being = wpman,
she had the precedence, but she proposed 10 nrr
moor fellow sufferer that ii should be taken by him
II will. a, lest said she, save you the pain Of
seeing nv blood flow" On arriving at the scat
fold. She en,reated this las favor OF the execution
er. lie refused aedging that his orders prevented
him from complying. " You will not surely deny
lady her las, reque,,f" said she, with smile:
+" Come my good TREND grant me this small boon"
The man relen,ed, and her companion was tirs'
disposed Of Her apes, ance is described as being
noble and interesting. She was dressed in white,
and her whole demts was iull OF calmness and
dipuily. When her head was placed upon the
block, and before the weapon OF death came down.
she raised it towards the statue OF ioe,'y' @n,ch
was nlar ed opposite the guilloine. "Ah Liberty,
~, cr;mr, ave been committed in thy name "
These were her last words. Another moment, and