The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1826-10-23

have already given orders for their appre-
hensioD. Their deaths with soon follow"
&" Villain !" cried Charlotte and drawing
a poignsrd from hvr bosom, she plunged
It into the hrall of the munster. He reel
I'd Backward, and fell upon couch. ftis
only words were" Traiiress. yoo hyr
murdered me seize her~-seize her ~
Shr gave him but one look nf d,sd in and
horror. aud dasbiog down the bloody
weapon, strobe with fearless grandeur
out Of the room.
She went home leisnrely, nor made the
slightest attempt TO escape. Her mind
had been made up as to the result Of the
dreadful tragedy she had just acted
Meanwhile the report that Marst was kill
ed spread like "iIdfre over Paris. A sorl
Of dreadful anxiety, and suspense pervaded
this vast metropolis. Vice trembled at
the loss of its most terrific minister, while
all the nobier and more heroic passions
were wrought into exstacy, at the rel port
ed destruction of one of the most execra-
BILE wTetehes that ever disgraced humanl-
ty.
Charlotte was apprehended, but she fx
hibi"d no sign of fear (; aid when t0ld
that death would assuredly follow III"
deed she had committed, she heard II with
the most sovereign contempt. On being
brought before the tribunal, and question
cd as 90 her motives fi killing Nnrat. she
showed the same mistaken frmness. She
defended the deed on the grounds of jus.
tIce aud necessity. Marat, though not
tried and condemord by an Official tribu-
nal, was already looked upon bS his conn-
try as criminal deserving of death. She
only did that which the laws ought 20
have done, aud which fltue times would
applaud her for doing. a. slew him."
continued she " because he was the OPP
pressor OF my country slew him,
mat France might have rest from his cruz
elites slew him, to save the lives of
thousands that would have persisted by
ms DEGREES and my sole regret is, that
did not sooner rid the earth Of such mon
ster."
She heard the sentence of death passed
upon her with an unconcern which would
nave done honour 10 st0icism itself. For
a short time she coosersed with her coun-
SCI an1 some of her friends, and rising mp.
walked quietly away 10 the prison. Du-
ring the inteisa! between her condemna-
ton aud death, she wrote three letters.
Two ut these were to her friend Bafba-
roux, relating her adventures from the
time OF her quitting Caen. The third, to
her father, was couched in the most SO
Tenn and atiectionate strain, and conclu-
ded with the celebrated line Of Corneille
t'est lie crime qui fait la honte'et non
pas le'echdlaud"
""Fls crlme which brings disgrace, and
not the scafold."
The front of the Tuileries was the
place selected for her execution. mn-
tltnde of people had assembled to witness
The ceremony; among others we're crowds
OF baTbar0us women, who drew together
for the express purpose of insulting her
Last momrnts--Iiowever when she came
forth from the prison, she appeared so
lovely and interesting, that their base pur-
pose "as laid instantly aside, and not
voice WAS raised against her. She wa
elegantly dressed, and appeared smiling
upon the scalold her Ia.k and beauti-
fnl locks waving gracef lily over her Shout
ders. When the txrcutiouer renewed
her kcrchief which covered her neck and
bosom, she blpshed deeply and when her
head was held up after death, it was OBJ
served that the face still retained this
mark ef offended modesty A deep feel
Ing was produced among the spectators,
all accustomed as they were to such
scenes and when the fatal axe descend
ed, there was a shuddtr, which showed
that the death ofthis young heroine excl
ted admiration aud pity more than any
thing else. BY an emotion of generous
respect. almost all the men uncovered
themselves; those of her own sex who
came to revlle her. stood mute and abash-
ed. Many of both sexes were observed
to weep; and when the crowd separated,
II was with a melancholy which proved
that even at this dreadful period, the kind
er affections were not unsusceptibe of e.
motion.
When on her way to the scaifold a cir
cnmstance occurred, which from its ro-
mantle nature we'll deserves to he men
toned young man named Adam Lux,
a commissary froo Mayence. was at the
moment accidentally passing. He saw
her, and in an instant fell in love with her.
Ills heart became SO overpOwered with
this strange affection, that, from loving
her, he came at length TO love the gulIo-
tlne--regarding it as sacred altar, at
which the blood of royalty and beauty,
and virtue, was offered up. He immedi-
ateIy published pamphlet upon the oc-
caslon-proposed to erect monument to
her memory, with the Inscription" Great
er than Brutus," engraved upon it--and
in sort of phrenzicd enthusiasm invoked
her shade from the Elysian fields, where
it dwelt with those of the Revolution.
This brought him the doom to which he
aspired. de was thrown into the prison
of Latorce, and afterwards executed. Du.
ring confinement, his whole talk was of
the heroic object of his affections.
Such was the fate of Charlotte Corday.
Had she lived in ancient times statues
and columns would have been erected to
her memory her name would have lived
recorded in the annals of time, and she
would have stood in the foremost rank of