Ypsilanti sentinel. [volume] (Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co., Mich.) 1843-1900, 1848-02-02
Last Night and Execution of the
GERONDINS.

"They were all confined for the last night il
the great dungeOh-that Hall of Death. Ih'
tribunal had ordered that the still warn
corpse of Valaze should be taken ba TX to pris
on, carried OH the same. cart with his accom-
plices to the place oe Execution, and buried
with them. The gendarmes placed the
body in corner of the prison. The GiroHdins
one after tfe other, kissed the heroic hand oil
their friend. They covered his face with bis
mantle. Tomorrow said they to the corpse
! aud they gathered their strength for the COM
| ing day. 1t was near midnight. The deputy
BaiIleul, prescribed like them but concealed in
Paris, had promised to send to them from with
out on the DAY Of their Judgement a last repast
of triumph or of death, according as they
might be acquitted or condemned. BY the help
l,of friend, he kept his word. The funeral
ksupper was spread in the great dungeon. Cos
lily Wand, rare wines. flowers and lights cover
ed the oak table of the prison. The
meal lasted till the dawn of day. Vergniaud,
seated near the centre of the table, presided
Ilwith the same calm dignity which he had pre-
served during the night of the 10th of August
while presiding over the Convention.
The guests ate and drank with sobriety-
merely to recruit their strength. Their dis
course, was grave and soiemn-though not sad.
MANY OF them spoke of the immortality of the
soul. and expressed their heliefin future life.
Towards morning, several retired to their cells
-nut thirteen remained in the great dungeon.
The Able Lambert, the friend of Br ssot-who
had been waiting at the door of their dungeon
all nght-was then allowed to enter and offer
his ministry.
ssAt ten (savs M. de Eamartine) the execu-
TONERS entered to prepare the heads of the con-
deirnned for the knife and bind their hands.
Gensonne picking up lock OF his dark hair,
handed it to the Able Lambert, begging the
priest to give it to his wife-whose place OF
refuge he named to him. "Tell her that this
istaIl can send her: but that every one of my
dving thoughts is directed towards her," Yer
gniaud drew forth his WATCH and wrote with
point of pin few initials and the date of the |
goth of October in the golden case: He then
sIiDDed it into the hand of one of the spectators
IN order that it might be given to young girl
for whom he entertained brotherly love, and it
was sail he intended to have married.
Arrived Mt the foot of the scaffolj, they
embraced each other as sign Of communion in
freedom, in life and in death. They then re-
8 amed their funeral strain IN order to encour-
age themselves mutually, and sehd to the last
moment the voice of his friends to the one I'M
1erooing execution. All died bravely-Sillery
with IRONY Placed on the platform, he walked
round il, blowing to the people as though to thank
them for glory and the scaffold. Each time the
axe came down, a voice less was heard, The
rows of the condemned gradually thinned at the
foot of the guillotne One voice alone contn-
ned the Marseillais to the last:-it was that of
Verqniand Those deathless strains we've his
latest words.-Lamdrtine' History Of the Gi-
-dndins.