The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1847-12-04

Listening the Wltu-naTp ssOng, and watching by
The wild-thyme pillow of her sleeping queen,
When proud Titania shuns her Oberon.
But twas that foot which broke the spell--alas
Its stocking had deep, deep tinge of blue
| turned away in sadness, and passed on.
:. HaiIeek.
The SECRET CLOSET OF THE, TUILER
IEs.--0ne of those lortuitous chance.
which occasionally happen in the midst o
events, to aggravate and unravel them, sud
denly furnished the Jacobins with fresh
arms against the Girondists and accusation;
against Louis XVI. 1t will be remembers
ed that this Prince, nlistrusting the safety o.
the Tuileries, some days before the 10Th o.
August had constructed, in the wall Of q
dark passage, leading TO his cabinet, a Sc
cret closet, covered with an iron door and q
wooden PANEL. The King had been assist
ed by the companion of his manual toll,
when he, in other days, forgot the cares Of
royalty in the labor Of the smith. Thi:
man, of whom we have already spoken,
was locksmith Of Versailles, named Ga
main. He was tenderly attached to Loui:
XVI, and nothing could have induced him
to betray him, had not the general delirium
and the entreaiies of his wife gradually
eradicaied from bis heart his love for the
King. But this robust workman, having
been attacked by slow fever, Immediately
after the construction of this hiding place,
reflected with all the ardour oil a heated ina
gination, by what means his body, until
that time strong and healthy, could have
suddenly lost all its strength, and wasted
away as though stricken by the hand OF
death. He, at last, called to memory a
circumstance, trihing in appearance, but
which his disordered brain perverted into
food for suspicion. From suspicion to accuse
ton there is but n short transition in the
mind Of a simple and unreasonable man,
and his ifilagiiIsfion cIeared. at al a. bouad.
ssruIuin remembered that during the hard
ls'bors of the forge, the King had offered
HIM some refreshment, and given him, with
his own hand, a glass OF cold water
Whether the chill Of the water had struck
him, or that the commencement of his illness
naturally conceded with this epoch in his
life, Canaan believed himself poisoned by
the hand Of his King and friend, whose in
terest, he said, it was to rid himself of the
only witness Of the treasure contained in
the walls OF the palace. Canaan commu-
nicated these suspicious to his wife, who
shared in and increased them. He strove
for a long time against the suggestions Of his
heart but at last, overpowered by despair
at perishing by so infamous plot, and fear
ing lest his silence might, at some future
period, be imputed against him as a crime,
he resolved to revenge himself ere he died,
and reveal this mystery, Of which he alone
was cognizant. He went to Roland, and
made his deposition. Either from his de-
sirelt TO safe these fresh pieces de conriction
against royalty, from a hope of finding
written proofs Of the corruption Of Danton,
Ma;at, and Robespierre himself; or that
he feared suuendering to the Convention
correspondence which would compromise
his own friends, he FASTENED to clutch his
prey like a man whose eye and hand are
equally prompt TO detect secret. Roland
did not reflect on the immense responsible
ty he took upon himself by discovery
without witnesses. HIe did not summon
any members Of the Convention 10 break
the seals; but be made Canaan get into his
carriage, went to the Tuileries, burst open
the door ofthe closet, collected its contents,
and took them to the Ministere de L Int
rieur, TO examine them before producing
them in the Convention. AT the announce
ment Of the discovery OF this treasure Of
accusations, Acry q joy arose In Paris; a
murmur 81 Indignation burst forth in the
Convention a the temerity Of the Minister.
All the parties mutually accused each other
of some dccskt completely. oil which the
iron chest contained the proofs and all
lest Roland had examined and
sorted these proofs of treason. All, with
the exception of the Girondists, made a
crime Of his rnpatience, and Of having sub
stituted the hand Of minister TO the eye Of
the nation in the examination Of this depot,
Of treason and intrigue. Although, in the
course of the day, Roland laid the contents
Of the iron chest on the table Of the Presi-
dent, yet the fact Of having been the only
person present at their discovery, and Of
having perused ere be surrendered them, laid
hin open to suspicion of abstracting and
partiality. The Convention charged COM
nittee Of twelve TO draw up a report on
hese papers and the members therein impli-
,ated. They contained the secret treaty oil
he Court with Mirabeau, and positive proofs
If the corruption Of this great man. The
truth quilted the walls Of the palace in
which it had been enclosed, to accuse his
memory in his tomb Barrere, Merlin, Du-
luesnoy, Rouger, the most eminent members |
# the Legislative AsseuIbly--and under
his denomination came Gaudei, Vergniaud,
md Gensonne--were mentioned, il not &C
used, of having been in secret communica-
ion with Louis XVI. These conespon- |
ences. for the most par, rather reveal
ID those vague plans which political adven-
urers offer in exchange for little gold to |
'ower in distress, than decided plans OF ac-
ual participation: and nearly the whole of