Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1849-11-23
THE TOMBS OF ST. DENIS.

VI tNliSli diiO III ltldl
pacity | was present at the eXhumatiou o. the
bodies inferred in the Abbey of ST Denis, whose
name the enlightened patriots had changed into
that of Franciad Although forty years have
elapsed since that time, am yet able relate to
you the singular events which signaIiZ3d that
proclamation.
The hatred which had lately inspired the peo-
pie against the king, Louis XVI. hal not been
assuaged by his execution on the Dist of Janua-
ry, but it was excited against all the monarchs of
his race; they wished TO pursue ROYALTY to its
source, and its representatives to their tombs {;
the ashes of sixty kings werG scattered TO the
winds
"Perhaps they were actuated by curiosity, to
discover il the great treasures which were said
to be enclosed in some of the tombs, were as
carefully preserved as had been reported.
" The mob rushed upon Saint Denis From
the sixth to the eighth of August, they destroy
edhIty-one tombs; the history OF twelve centuries
"Then the government determined to regulate
this disorder to search the tombs, on lis own ao-
count, and become the heir Of monarchy whose
last representative they had just struck, in the
person of Louis XVI.
thus they endeavOred to annihilate the
names memory, and even the very homes of the
kings, to erase from the pages Of history the
records OF forty centuries Of monarchy. Poor
fools, who could not comprehend that man can
sometimes change the tuturc-but ntv1rthc past
In the cemetry had been prepared a large
common grave, after the model of the graves for
the poor. In this pit, on bed OF lime, the bones
OF those had been thrown as III Il common ditch
who had made France the first Of nations from
Dagobert TO Louis WI. Satisfaction was thus
given to the people but above all to those env-
ons Legislators, advocates and journalists those
revolutionary birds of prey, whose eyes are
wounded by all splendor, just as their brothers,
the birds of night, are oppressed by the light Of
day. Those who cannot build up, take pride in
destroying.
- | was appointed inspector of treGchcrs as it
gave me an opportunity to save quantity OF val
liable things, accepted the office.
son Saturday the 10Th Of Octobor,While they
were bringing forward the queens cause, | had
the vault Of the Bourbons opened on the side of
the subterranean chapels and commenced opera
tons by removing the coffin of Henry ~, W, 0
was assasinated the 14,h of May, 1910, at the
age of tifty-seyen. His statute at the Pont Neuf
the masterpiece of John of Boulogne and his
pupil, had already been melted down into coin.
" The body was in state of uncommon pre-
saryation the features were easily recognized as
those the pencil Of Rubcns and the love of the
people had consecrated. When they saw him
come, first from the tomb, and displayed to the
light of day in his shroud with scarcely any sign
of decay, their enthusiasm was so great that the
once popular cry of Live Henry "" almost
burst from their lips.
When | observed these tokens of love and
respect, | ordered the body to be placed standing
against one of the pillars of the choir, that each
one might view it. lie was dressed as when
living in black velvet doubict, with white rulls
around his neck and wrists; his breccheS and
shoes were Of black velvet, and his hose of silk
of the same color. His fine gray hair was float
ing round his head, and his white beard fell up
on his chest.
" The people formed an immense procession,
as they would to the shrine of a saint the wu-
men came to touch the hands of the good king:
some kissed the border OF his mantle, while 9th
ers made their children kneel before him. muir
muring in low voice; "Ah if he yet lived.tho
poor people would not be so miserable !" They
might have added nor 50 terocous : for misery
will make a nation desperate This procession
was continued for three entire days. On Mon
day after the workmcn had dined, the exhuma-
tons recommended, about three o'clock in the
afternoon.
The next corpse which was displayed after
Henry ", was that of his son Louis XII il was
tolcrably well preserved, and although his fea-
lures had fallen away he could be recognised by
his moustache.
Then came came Louis NV. who could be
identified by his large features, which made his
coun enance appear like the typical mask of the
BOurbonS only it was as black as ink.
The bodies were successfully disinterrcd Of
Mary de Medicis, the second wife of louis XIII
Maria Theresa, intanta Of Spain, and wife Of
Louis NV and the grand Dauphin. These bo-
dies were all in a state of great decay. That of
Dauphin was in state of liquid putrelaCton-
While these examinations were in progress the
corpse of Henry ", was still standing against
the column of the abbey, as if passiyely over
looking this vast sacrege, which was inflicted
at the same time on his predecessors and descen-
dants.
"On Wednesday the 10th, at the very mo-
ment when Maria Antoinettc was beheaded, at
the place de la Revolution; they drew from the
vault of the Bourbons, the coffin of Louis Nv
He was, in accordance with the ancient cergmo-
NAL of France, laid at the entrance of the vault
where he waited for his successor,w who was new
er destined TO meet him there. The coffin was
borne away and opened in the cemetery on the
edge of the pit
When the coffin was first drawn from its
eadcn coffin and cnvclopcd in its bands of linen
it appeared to be entire and we'll preserved, but
when disengaged from its covering ii presented
an image Of the most hideous putreiacton and
such an intolerable ctlluvia escaped from it, that
every one was obliged to retreat. and several
pounds of dsinfecting powder were burnt before
the air could be purified.
" The remains OF the hero Of the "Pare-au-
Cert" he who had been the lover Of Me>damas
de ChateaurouX. de Fompadour and de Barry
were thrown into the common pit as soon as pos
sibIe; they fell upon bed of quick lime, and the
same substance formed the sole covering for
these foul relics.
." ! had remained behind the rest, for the pur-
pose of burning the powder and throwing on
lime, when heard great tumult in the church.
hastily entered it, and beheld workman FIGHT
ing in the midst of his comrades, Whilst the VIC
men threatened him with their cleuchcd ii Is.
The wretch mad left his horrid a1ory, to Wit
ness still more horrid spectacIe-fhc OK, cution
of Maria Antoinctte and intoxicated with the
blood which he had seen shed. and the brutal
rage which he had shared with the populace he
returned to st. Denis, ard approaching TIE figure
of Henry ", which was vet resting against thl
column, surrounded by devoted admirers. he said
BY what right art thou standing here when
they are cutting oil the heads Of the kings in the
Place dc la Revelation ?" At the same zine be
seized the beard OF the monarch with his left hand
while with his right he gave a severe blow to the
t.EI 1