North American. [volume] (Swanton, Vt.) 1839-1841, 1840-07-25
SPEECH
CHI Waller DE LORIM Z r.
The epening before his execution.

The epening before his execution.
Our readers will remember that in The
biography oil Brigadier General linden
lang, IL was mentioned that on the eve OF
their execution, the political sufferers gave
dinner TO which they had invited several
Of the political prisoners. One Of the
number took notes Of the speeches OF
General HndeElanp and Chevalier De
Lorimier. These speeches were sent us by
friend, and the first we have already
published /; we now give that oil the i'm
mortal De Lormier. It was Immediately
after General HinGenIang had addressed
his fellow prisoners, that our departed
Hero spoke in the following terms !:
Dear Friends in misfortune,
You have listened TO him, who is soon
TO suffer with me, with the most profound
silence, and your ears have caught with
the greatest avidity every word that fell
from his lips. Yes, he has iold US that he
was about to die, and to die with great
pleasure for the political redemption of our
enslaved and oppressed country What
can we say in return for such generous
and patriotic sentiments Noble and gen.
erous foreigner! Accept our gratitude, and
be certain that our hearts are entirely devo-
ted to thee. But what is our gratitude and
our devotedness in these terrible moments
when despolism reigns unchecked over the
land Of our birth ! What can we do for
this man whom death and the greedy Brit
ish gallo,cs claim as their prey ]! Nothing
friends, we can do nothing. The most
painful Incarceration, the most CALLING fet-
tiers, the sword of death pending over our
heads and ready TO cut the thread OF our
devoted lives; such is our actual and much
to be deplored position, in this world OF
woe. But if our physical means are little,
let us improve the more the means which
morality and the hand Of God have i'm
planted in our souls. Let us live the few
hours we have TO live together, in the
practice OF all those virtues which ought
to adorn mankind. Let us love one ano-
ther as true brethren, as children Of the
same father. Let US hate and despise vice,
and more particularly tyranny, the mos,
hideous crime in the eyes of God, who has
created all men free and equal, without
any distinction or preference whatever.
My heart throbs with emotion when adj
dress you, friends in misfortune. Many oil
you, dear countrymen, did know when
fortune with all its enjoyments was smi-
ling upon you. Where do we NEE, now !
Shut up within these walls, under bolts
and iron CRATES, guarded by the guns and
bayonets of mercensry soldiery, who,
for six-pence day, are ready TO Gu, the
threats OF their fellow beings, and carry
devastation over the land they ought 10
protect every one Of US under sentence
OF death, pronounced by an arbitrary and
illegal tribunal, whose jurisdiction we can
not acknowledge, so long as we remain
true TO our country; five of US are 10 sui
fer death on the gibbet before the sun shall
again light the whole circumference OF the
terrestrial globe. Such ID our position,
dear brethrcn,-couId il be more painful
And by whom are all these wrongs inflict-
ed upon US Why, by the servants, and
by the express orders Of young girl,
nineteen years OF age, who has proved
herself more sanguinsry than her prede-
cessors, Mary and Elizabeth. They were
living in the dark ages OF superstition and
bigorry, but our present Q oeen lives in the
nineteenth century, when political and re-
ligious freedom ought to reign. o that
had five livesl with what pleasure
would willingly yield them all to save my
poor unfortunate and brave companions,
who are to share my fate on the gaIIows.