Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-07-28

ms is the anniversary OF one Of the
most memorable events that ever occurred
in the history ofthe world. We alude to
the storming of the Bastillc.
The tumults in Paris, which had COM
menced almost Immediately upon the as
semblage of the Estates on the 5th of Nav,
had, on the / lth, risen to fearful pitch,
on account of the dismissal of Nccker from
the Councils of the King. On the 18th
and 18th, far from subsiding. the agitation
had rather increased. 1t was believed,
that the foreign troops in the service of the
Court. were to be employed against the
people. Exaspcration attained tie highest
pitch Of fury, and as it was necessary to
have some point upon which to expcnd it
self, none other appeared SO appropriate,
as this ancient fortress of despotism. On
the night between the 18th and 18th, the
people thronged around it in vast multi
tudes, crowding the streets as far as the
eye could reach. Some musket shots had
been fred, and the ringleaders to keep up
the popular animosity, continually raised
the shout "to the Bastillc, ,""to the Bastille."
A cry was raised for arms, and to pro-
cure them, the populacc broke into the
Hotel des Invalldes, in spite of the remon-
strances of the Governor, who desired first
to have the orders of the King. They
carried off large number of small arms,
together with FIVE or SIX cannon, and i'm
mediatcly proceeded to employ them a
gainst the object Of their hatred One Of
the deputies, obtaining admittancc, advised
De Launay Of the folly Of resisting, but he
turned a deaf ear to all rcmorstrances,
though his garrison consisted of only SO
SWISS aud eighty or ninety lnvalidcs-
Returning to the people, the deputy found
that az fresh mob was just arriving, who
shouted as they came "Let us storm the
Bastile." Notwithstanding the weak
ness Of the garrison, this was no easy task,
for the walls were nine feet thick, of i'm
mense height, and surrounded by dou-
bic most SO deep, that no man who fell in
to 1t could expect to come out alive. The
garrison, in the mean TINT, threatened to
fire on the populace if they did not retire.
but they paid no attention to the menace
A couple of soldiers whose names have
been preserved, Louis Tournay, and Au-
bin Bonnemere, mounted some say on the
roof Of a guard house, others ON bayoncts
stuck in the joints of the wall, and broke
the chain Of the bridge with axes
1t fell with a laundering crash, and the mob
Immediately rushed across it, They were
stopped BY second bridge and by
a fire Of musketry, which killed and woun-
ded several of them, and sctit the rest to the
right-about in double quick tir,c. They
soon rallied however, and returned to the
attack, when De Launay, seeing the exas-
perated appearance Of the mob, and very
Justly apprehending that they would show
no mercy, determined to blow up the for
tress. He was prevented from carrying
this design into execution, however, by his
own soldiers, who forced him to admit the
mob. A draw-bridge was accordingly
lowered, and the crowd rushed in. This
was a great popular triumph. and had it
ended here, the victory would have been
not less honorable than it was important.
But once within the walls, the fury Of the
populace could not be restrained, and they
polluted their hands with the blood Of De
Launay and number Of his unfortunate fol-
lowers.
The destruction ofthis stronghold Of dcs-
potism, by letting the Populace into the
secret OF their own strength, added fearful
ly to the terror Of those awful times. II
was the death knell Of the unfortunate
Louis, who from that night may be Justly
regarded as ruined man. Mr.. Jefferson,
at that time our Minister to France, wit.
messed the capture Of the BastilIe from a
house in the neighborhood. and mentions
the fact in his memoirs.-R. Dispatch.
WASHINGTON IRvING.-We have it sta.
ted on the authority Of one Of the interest.
ed parties that Sir Walter Scott; anxious
to secure the brilliant per Of Washington
Irving, offered him the editorship Of a
new Edinburgh newspaper, at salary 81
sf500 a year. The offer was declined
bu, the reason for declining it. was pecu-
liar. Mr.. Irving, stated that he could moi
write impromptu. He had his moments
Of inspiration, and ho vas obliged 70
wait for thems-EErareds Tssaea