The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1849-08-16
NO. XVII.
Execution Of Danton.

sDanton ascended last. Never in the
tribune had he been more haughty-more
imposing. He assumed lofty air on the
scaffold, and seemed as if he measured out
his pedestal. He cast, right and left glance
| of pity, and seemed by his attitude to say,
Look at me well. You will not look upon
my like again. But nature for moment
overcame his pride. A cry escaped him,
torn from him by the remembrance of his
young wife. Oh my best belovedE he ex-
claimed with lnoistened eyes, shall never
see thee more!' Then, as if reproaching
himself for his weakness, he said aloud: -
Come, come, Danton, no weakness Then
he turned toward the headsman, and said,
with an air of authority: You will show
my head to the people-it will he we'll worth
the disp3AxP His head fell, and the execu-
toner complying with his iasG wish, caught
it from the basket, and carried il round the
Scaffold-the mob applauded! Thus end
favorites! 20
"Thus died on the stage, before the null.
titude, the man for whom the scaffoId was
also theatre, and who desired to die ap-
plauded, at the close of the tragic drama Of
his life, as he had been at the beginning and
in the middle. His only deficiency, as a
great man, was virtue. He had its nature,
cause, genius, exterior, destiny, death, but
not its conscience. He played the great
man, but was not one. There is no great
ness in part-there is greatness only in the
actual faith. Danton had the feeling, fire.
quently the passion Of liberty, but not the
faith, for internally he professed no worship
but that of renOwn.
+" The Revolution was with him an in
stinct and not religion. He served it as
the wind serves the tempest, by elevating
the foam and sporting with the waves. He
only understood its movement and nor it's
direction. He had its intoxication rather
than its love. He represented the masses
and not the superiorities of the epoch. He
displayed the agitation, force, ferocty, gen.
crosby, all in turns, of these masses. A
man of temperament, rather than of thought,
more elemental than intelligent, he was still
statesman, beyond any of those who tried
to handle and manage men and things in
those times of Utopianisn. He was even
greater statesman than Mirabeau, if by
that appellation we mean the man who UNI
derstands the mechanism of government
independently of its ideal; he had political
instinct. He had drawn from Machiavelli
those maxms which teach all that power or
tyranny may effect in States. He knew the
vices and weaknesses of people, hut not
their virtues. He understood nothing of
what forms the holiness of governments, for
he did not see God in men, but merely
chance. He was one of the admirers Of
ancient fortune, who adored in her the de-
ity of success only. He felt his value as
statesman, with the greater complacency as
democracy was further beneath him. He
admired himself as giant among the dwarfs
of people. He displayed his superiority as
a parrenuc Of genius, and was astonished at
himself. He crushed others, proclaimng
himself to be the head Of the Republic
After having caressed popularity, he braved
it as wild beast which he dared 10 devour
him. His vice was as bold as his brow
He had pushed political distrust even to
crime in the tolerated days of September.
He had defied re.DOrse, but it overcame
him-he was beset by it. Blood followed
his footsteps. secret horror mingled with
the admiration he inspired. He felt this,
and sought to separate himself from his
past. Uncul,ivated in his nature, he had
impulses of humanity as he had Of fury
He had low vices but generous passions
in word, he had heart. This heart in
his latter days returned TO God through sem
sibility, pity and love. He deserved at the
same time curses and pity. He was the
Colossus Of the Revolution-the head of
gold, bosom of flesh, loins of brass, feet Of
clay. He Frustrated, the apex of the Con-
ven;ion appeared lowered. He had been its
clouds, lightning, thunder. In losing him
The mountain lost its summit. ''-Lamarttne's
History Of the Girondisss.