The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1848-07-15

TGuCIltu uU uiDOuHL Ol lWGUIy, tlllfIY,ullu even
forty day the instrument of death was plac-
ed in the centre of the Bont Morand, over
the river. They swept away the blood. and
cast the heads and bodies over the parapets
| into the swiftest current of the Rhone. The
sailors and peasants ofthe islets and lower
grounds which intersect The course of the
| river between Lyons and the sea, found per-
petuolly the heads and bodies of men stran-
ded on those islets and caught in bulrushes
and oser beds which surrounded them.
| These victims were nearly all the flower
ofthe youth of Lyons and the neighboring
countries. Their age was their crime, as il
made them suspected ofhuvng fought. They
went TO death with all the daring of youth, as
! if they were marching to battle. In the pris-
ons, as in bivouacs the night before the battle,
they had but handful of straw each man on
which TO lay their limbs on their dungeons
stones. The danger of compromising them
selves by appearing TO take an interest in their
fate, and dying with them, did not intimidate
parents, friends or servants in their tender
ness. Night and day large numbers of wives,
mothers and sisters wandered round the pris-
ons. Gold and tears, which flowed abundant
ly, opened the hearts ofjaers, and obtained
for them Interviews conversations and last
farewells. Escapes were frequent. Relig-
ion and charity, so active and courageous in
Lyons, did not recede i'll presence of suspic-
ion or disgust, but penetrated into these sub
terranean retreats to aid the sick and suffer-
ing, nourish the hungry, and console the dy-
ing
More than six thousand prisoners were at
time locked up in the depots ofthe guillo-
tine.
A whole generation was there swallowed
up. There were assembled all the men of
condition, birth fortune and various opinions,
who, since the Revolution, had embraced the
opposite side, and who, in common rising a.
gaiGst oppression, were here united in the
same crime and the same death. Clergy,no-
bility, citizens, tradesmen, people, were all
mingled there together. No citizen against
whom an informer, an envious neighbor, an
enemy appeared, escaped from captivity, and
but few captives from death. All who had
name, fortune, profession, mandatory, a
house, in town or countrv-any one who was
suspected ofany inclination to the cause of
the rich, was arrested, accused, condemned
ana executed, by anticipation, in the minds
ofthe procolfsuls and their purveyors. The
el,ic ola capital and several provinces-La
Bresse, La Dombe, La Fordz, Fa Deauj olais,
La Vvarais Dauphine, through
these prisons and these scaffods. The city
and the town seemed decinated. Castles,
frst-class houses, manufactures, even the
residences of the country people, were shut
up within the circumfe eace oftweniy Leagues
round Lyons. Thousands of properties were
sequestrared Doors and windows were
sealed up. Natnre'-itsef seemed Affected
by the terror of man. The anger of the Rev
olution had attained the power of a divine
scourge. The plaques of the middle ages
did not throw more gloom over the appear
ance ola province. On the roads from Ly-
ons TO the neghboring villages and towns.
nothing was met but attachments of the rev.
the law, searching cellars, lofts, even the
litter ofthe cattle, striking the walls with the
butts of their muskets, or leading, chained
two and two, fugitives discovered in their re-
treats, and followed by their weeping fami-
lies.
Thus were brought back to Lyons all the
notable and illusrious citizens whom Couth-
on mad allowed to escape-sheriffs, mayors,
aldermen, administrators, judges, magistrates,
advocates, doctors, architects, scuiptors, sur
geons, governors Of hospitals, benevolent So
cieties-accused of having fought with or
succored the combatnnts or the wounded, or
having given food to the nsurgent people. or
made secret vows for the triumph of the de-
tenders of Lyons. To these they added the
relations, sons, wives, daughters friends and
servants, assumed 20 be accomplices of their
husbands, brothers, fathers or masters-guil-
ty of being born on the spot, and of having
breathed the air of Instruction.
Daily the principal turnkey ofthe Jail read
with loud voice the names ofthe prisoners
summoned before the tribunal. Every breath
was suspended while the summons was be-
ing read. Those thus called upon embraced
for the last time their friends, and distributed
their beds, quilts, clothes and money among
the survivors. They assembled in long files
of sixties, eighties in the court, and then
the crowd on their way to the tribu
nal. The judges were nearly all strangers,
and in no way inundated by any fear of re-
sponshlity hereafter. These five Judges,
each of whom separately had human heart
Judged together like mechanical instrument
of murder. Watched by u suspicious mob,
they themselves trembled under the terror
with which they smote others. Still their ac-
,tiyity did not satisfy Fouche and Collot dHer-
bois. These representatives had promised
llo the Jacobins Of Paris prodgies ofrgorous
e administration, yet the slowness of these tri-
l. Is and sentences caused them to be accused
It khalcmeasures The days of September
q We an example before them. Dorfeuille
l. IS wrote to the representatives of the peo-
n p "a great act OF justice is in preparation
e oinature to astound future ages. To give
J. tos act the majesty which should chnrac-
h. tet it-that it may be as grand as history
" it iequiste that the administrators, the ar
es myna gistracy and public funclionaries
r. shot be present, at least by Populations.
,h wishis day ofjustice to be a festival. say
or a festl ;and that is the right word. When
lie crime seconds tothe tomb, ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
d. again!d it is the festival of virtue"
r.. Theepresenta,ives ratified Dorfeuille's
in proposals, and punishment en- ntaSse sup
w piled Individual executions. The accused
he were ca1cted with unusual ceremony to
ed the Hotee Vile, where a summary inter-
H. rogatoryia few minutes, united all in one
u cnmmnnA Lnnnnntinn and thence they