Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1843-08-19
Vol. 3--N0. i7--vvhOie No. Ijf.
Death Of Lnyoiser.


was Iavoiser, the celebrated chemist. 1t was
to the labors this philosopher that modern che.
ni,try owes its existence. The discovery OF
oxygen, due to him, led immed atey TO the
know wlcdge of that vast class of compound cal
led oxides and alkaies, and to the establish.
mcnt of that beautiful nomenclature which has
conferred so much perspicuity and power on
chemical Investigations. Iavoser, not possess
sing the Independence sufficient to enable him
to devote his labors to the cultivation Of science
obtained the place, in the department Of the f.
nanccs under government, of a j;r1Gjer gem
cr0', and allied himself by marriage with the
daughter Of another who held a like post. IN
the revolutionary fury this class of public otf-
GERS was prescribed and brought under one o.
those sweeping dcnunciatons which IN those
terrible times, was equivalent TO a sentence OF
death. The philosopher was made aware ofhis
danger, but at the moment when the sword was
suspended over his head, he continued to pre-
pare for publication Il work in which he was
engaged, with serenity worthy of antiquity.
On the 2d Of May, 1891, Dupn, friend ofhs
fathcr-n.law, laid an act of accusation against
the termicrs gcnerauX before the convention,
which few days after was RENTED by FouQui-
er Talnyille to the revolutionary tribunal. La
yoscr was now aware Of the extent and reality
ofhis dangCr-proScribc isolated, cut off from
society, not daring 20 enter his own house, wan
doring in Paris, not daring to claim an asylum,
knowing that wherever he should find refuge
he must bring death with him. For several days
did tins IluStrous man wander through Paris.
deprived of food or shelter, sccrcted himself
by day whenever he could best escape notice.
and wandering abroad only when darkness pro-
teced his steps. BY chance lie encountered one
of the attendants of the Academy OF Sciences
and Garden Of Plants, porter named Lucas,
| to whom he was well known. Lucas, at the
/ hazard of his life, took Lavoiscr and conducted
him to the Louvre, where the Academy OF Sci
enccs then held its sittings, and there concea-
led him in retired cabinet connected with the
Office of the secretary of the academy. That
academy which Lavoser had adorned and sur
rounded with So much lustre thus opened its bo-
som TO him, afforded him its protection, and re-
ceived his last solemn reflections
! After passing day or two in this asylum,
! he learned from Lucas that his fathcr-in.law
and colleagues were arrested, on which he
rushed from his concclment, surrendered him
sc'fa prisoner, and desired to share their fate
| VIII it be believed that the wretchcs constitu
ting that tribunal did not hesitate an instant in
his condemnation In their inScnsatc eye it
was not Lavoiscr, the philosopher, who was
presented at their bar, but unit in the group o
the accused, the lermicr general No. ;. lie
was condemned and dccapitatcd on the Sth o.
May. Such was the serenity of his mind, that
after his condemnation he was occupied in com
plctng one of the volumes OF his works, Al
which he was engaged, with the pen in his
hand, when the ministers Of death came to CON
duct him to the guillotinc. The sentence he
was engaged in writing at this moment, re.
mains unfinished in the immortal manuscript
Nothing can be more touching than the sight O
that mournul pagc-the remainder of which
passed with the mind of its author. into the DO
som OF his maker.
The pretoNt for tho execution Of this Illus
trous man Was that, IA common with the other
icrm,cr gcncraux, he con5ajrcd against the
French people, more especially in sleeping to-
bacco in water and other ingredients hur,ful tC
the health Of the people, This, however, wa:
puerie prctcXt, the addition of water being, a,