The Democratic pioneer. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1845-1853, 1847-07-09
MlSCELL.HVN.
HISTORIC Al ANECDOTE,
From, The French Of Madame Clement.

Joseph Lebon was procurer OF the com
mmne d'Arras, when those terrible bands
called MarseliIais overran France to es
,abl'-h the happiness OF the peope. as
they saId, by hanging and downing The
arisiocrats. The disasters which these
bandits had occasioned in Paris spread
alarm IN the provinces; and, thongh very
young at that time, remem her the ter
ror that pervade d the town, when it was
known that three thousand Marseiliias
with two pieces Of cannon, were at lhe
to the Gre and sword, unless they were
freely permitted to enter. The authort
ties had refused 40 receive them because
they were not military force acknpw.
ledged by the government; but such were
their hostile preparations, that l.ehon al,
slseh that they should be admitted. These
assassins. whom fancy can yet see,
rendered hidcous by iuebrioiy and tie
horrible imprecaiions that issued from
their lips, defled bv the Porte Rohville
Rue St. Grey, and drew up in the lesser
square. While they W ere taking up tins
position Le5on had assenlbiei seven or
eight hundred OF lie National Guard, an d
squadron Of cuirassiers thea 10 garrison
at Arras--not more than twelve hundred
men, at most. The lesser square las 6ut.
let's at each corner. aud these of wind
ing nature, communicate with the Hotel
de Vile. which viii explain an admirable
maEguvte, planned and executed under
The orders of Joseph Iebon.
Tie National Guard kept definc for
more than half an hour. favour ed hy the
localities of the place, in manner !"
ftigtien the Ma,seiilais. who believed
that there tnnsi .be al least ten ihonssnI
men under arms. When is man though,
advisable 10 terminate The lengthened.
marcl,sa company was stationed at each
corner Of The square. with three piece.
of cannon, loaded with old iron from the
arsenal. The cuirassiers were drawn up
in the space which forms mmnnication'
between the small and large squares: Le-
bon. at length, issued from the Hotel de
Vile, accompanied by the municipal Of,
fcers. and advancing boldly TO the aston,
ished Marseillias, said, If yom do not this
instant lay down your arms, in less than
a quarter Of an hour not one of yon will
be left alive and at the same moment as
had been previously arranged, at a signal
from the drums, the pieces Of cannon,
which had been hidden by files of grena-
Hiers. were expos ed to view. The con
honeers. their matches lighted, pointed
their pieces toward the wretches, who
without word or parse, threw down their
guns, pixies. hatchets, and other offensive
weapons. They advanced a few PAGES
and three companies of the National
Guard we're ordered to secure the arms.
while Lebon harangned The surprised reb.
els in manner TO which they had not
been accustomed They were promised
safe quarters for the night. on condition
that they should rid u. of their odicns pre-.
sence early in the following morning -
And tins. by his address. Joseph Lebon
saved the town of Arras from pillage, and
probably from massacre, for the MarseiI-
lias were exaspersted, and the Ariesiaps
overcome by terror.
This was the same Joseph Lebon. who.
shout two years sf,er, decimated the town
he had saved; not only to please Robes
pierre, as the Duchess dabrsates says in
her Memoirs. but through ven-eance, to
satisfy his passions and That love oi evil to
which he had graduIly succumhed. Even
Rnbe<pierre himself was hSsfihed al The
a.rocities which he committed. sni in
May. I1ei. ordered him TO aba,e'a little
oflis pace. Lsbop became SO ha mated
n eriar ibs' bs would drink }sIy rcd