Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1842-11-18
BY M. Il. RYTH r..
THE FRENCH REVOLUTION.

the Evening journal, we take the following
sketch
Danton and Robespierre determined TO
establish a system of espoinage-in other
words to send their myrmidons as spies in
to the houses of all suspected persons. To-
wards the end of August, this atrociOus
measure was carried into execution, and
thousands were daily arrested, until the
prisons were literally filled to overlooking.
On the ID of September, a band of three
hundred hired assassins arrived in Paris who
were exhorted by Danton and his associates
to massacre all in prison, and being promised
n louis dor per day for their services, pro-
ceeded to the execution ofther bloody en-
gagement 1t so happened that at the Ho-
tel de Vile, there were "a arrested persons,
who had not yet been committed TO prisons
Among these, was the Able Sicard. These
"a persons, lest they should escape, were
first conducted to prison. Their conductors
were not content to wait until their ar
rival at the prison, but as. they passed
along, the most opprobious language was
used toward them. On their arrival, as they
descended from the carriages they were all
mastered with the exception of the Able
These three hundred assasins we're then
Joined by Maard, who had led the women
at the instruction of the Tennis Court,
and proceeded to their work with cool-blood-
ed deliberation. Malard led them up TO the
hall of the prison where the prisoners were
to undergo mock trial. He sat down at Il
table as Judge, and called on the jailer to
produce register of the names Of his prison.
ers, and the offences with which each was
charged. The prisoners were then separate
Ia e., "a hot
when Mallard, after the mock trial, should
say Set the prisoner free :" Ire should be
conducted out, apparently to be set at liber-
ty, and massacred by the assassins, who
were arranged in files at the door awaiting
his appearance.
These proceedings were conducted with
the most heartless and unnatural cruelty,
and vet there occurred singularly inconsis-
tant instances of mercy. At one time, as a
daughter chung around the father the upllt-
ed hands Of the executoners we're stayed,
and they were allowed to escape Those
who manifested fear were sure to be massa-
cred while on the contrary even aristocrats
who exhibited great courage, were sometimes
escorted home by deputation of these as.
sassins, who, without conserving TO receive
any thing, then returned to their bloody work
On one occasion, daughter was asked if
TO save the life of her father, she would
drink the blood of an aristocrat! cup o
blood was brought, which in desperation she
drained. The deed excited their applause
and the life Of her father was spared
At window of the prison, overlookln!
. the place of these horrible butcheries, wer
collected those who awaited similar fate
And they actually debated among themselve
how they could pass through the files il
such a manner as to be killed most speedily
They observed that those who held up thei
hands were not despatched as soon as thos
who made no effort to avert their fate-tha
these were not generally killed until the
arrived near the end of the line while thos
who made no resistance were almost instant
" despatched They therefore, determine
that they would not hold up their hands ?
The result of this determination was tn;
those nearest the door of the prison ha
more murders to accomplish than thos
more distant, and the latter complained tn;
they had not a fair chance 1t was final
arranged that all should take turn abo'
in the bloody business
Besides the 300 hired murderers, thel
were also present large body of spectator
and, strange as it may seem, many of the'
were women. As these proceedings wei
continued at night, the spectators complaint
that they could not see, and petitoned f
light over the door, which was granted
They also complained that part of the are
4 which they occupied was too low, and stan
were erected for each Of the sexes, and
y belled. "For the Ladies"-"For the Gent
men,"
In one Of the prisons there were confn'
q 300 ecclesiastcs who would not take Il
oath. Some of these succeeded in elfectlI
their escape but as the greater numb
were not equally successful, those who {
capped could not consent to avail Intensely
of an advantage which would not be shar
81 by their brethren, and returned, to die wi
them!
At another prison was confined the Prln
ess Lamballe. She was asleep when t
messengers of death called to take her befo
the mock tribunal When before that t
bunal, she was asked various questions
mong others, whether she would swear et'
nal enmity to the Royal Family. This S
Indignantly refused She was then order
to be set at liberty and conducted to
door The first cut she received was on
back of the head-then a stab-then tho
81 sand wounds. Her body was literally
into thousand pieces-her head sever
from her body, and carried to the Temp
where the Royal Family were confined.
One held it up, and called on the King
observe but another, more humane, to
means to prevent this outrage on his fe
ings The King was subsequently asked
he recollected the name of the author of
,lar IN mod tanlI