Washington telegraph., 1854-04-05
Tragedy of St. Bartholofaew,s
Day.

The scenes in the bloody drama of St
Bartholomew are memorable in Hugueno
and Protestant history As not uufrequenr
allusion has been made in our Excursion
Letters, to Catherine de MedieiS, the Queer
Mother and Charles X and Others tho
rriItv authors and actors in this dreadful
tragedy. We quote the following brief sketch
rs reference for those of our readers who
NAV not have the record within reach.
at length Charles 1N. casting his half
closed eyes on the floor. gave the fatal or
der for the murder of his subjects. The
alarm-bell of St Gernain was instantly
runp and in a moment the Palais, Tuiler-
lis, the banks of the river. the public places,
the streets the churches and edi6ces of Par
is we're brilliantly Illuminated
Guided by those terrible lights which en-
veloped the capital as in a circle of fire, they
distinguished the dwelling or heretlcs by the
fresh made marks open BY command of
the king" was the order given By the mur-
derers. Some hastened TO obey. and their
lives we're extinguished with the lights which
thev brought 10 see who called them others
opening their windows TO discover who
knocked at 50 unseasonablc an hour. fell
struck BY twenty balls at once: another bu-
ryinc himself in the bed-clothes, would pre-
tend to be fast asleep; his door was shatter-
ed in pieces, and two or three assassins. sep
arating from the rest, ran and slaughtered
him in his bed Sometimes they left the
house unstaiued with blood; but dragging
the victim from his couch into the street,
tber gave him up to the populace. As the
spoils of the doomed were TO belong to those
who should dispatch them, thousand blades
we're raised at once over unfortunate wretches.
whose death. swift as lightning. left TO time
for pain Happy they Who we're thus sur
prised in their sleep: their suferings were
brief; but when the hands Of the murder
ers became wearied with slaughter, the ag-
ony of the sufferer was prolonged for hours
While blood was thus spill in torrents be-
fore the eyes of the qaeen-mother. Gather
Inc de Medicis.l the bell of the Palais rang:
and the general massacre began. At this
signal, Tavanes and the duke Nevers drew
then their swords CRYING. kill : kill 70
The night-cuardS. the citizens among whom
arms had been distributed the whole tribe
Of mnr,lerers sailed forth from their IErik-
ing-places repeating. kill kill" The
shrill sound Of the bells. the chatter Of arms
the vagabond the tramp Of asszssins. the
Pickering glare Of torches, mingled with
shouts which the night echo rendered still
more horrible The massacre then became
general there vas 70 pity for sex. age or
condition; 10 blo5d came a1niss provided
that it circulated in heretIc veins: ard these
we're the signs by which the heretics were
Distinguished Nhoeyer shirts his doo- at
the approach Of an araled band, Is here
tic; whoever refuses TO answer or bers his
life is a hereto; whoever has not white
badge On his arm Is heretic; whoever
does not come when tie murderer calls. Is
heretic The assassiHs had no need TO
speak: here were 10 judges; ali we're exc
cutioners; but If worHs did now and then
drop from their lips. i was TO 4ompiain to
one another Of their fatigue. or 10 irlsVls the
sufferer: nav. it vas of.en an Internal laugh
that greeted his last sigh
Pursued on al sides by those insidious
flames with which the capital was 1t up.
driven Ike flock Of sheep. attacked Ike
deer, in vain did the Protessants erdeavoT
10 fee from fate If they would have sought
refuge in. the Catholic churches, armed men
guarded the doors of the sanctuary If they
approached the Louvre. the Swiss awaited
them with presented muskets; If they bFI.st
open the priscn-dooTs. 70 conceal themselves
among the malefactors whom the justice Of
men had condemned. the jaIIers denounced
or drove them down by main force. If
they attempted to gain the bark Of the river,
the implements Of destruction were quite
ready: boat-hooks to catch them in their
Hight and to knock them On the head, Totes
to thrust them into the water If they
took shelter in the dark. they fell into the
snares Of an assassin lurking for human
prey: if they sought the light. the light vas
deadly as the darkness. death was every
where. in their beds, On their house-tops,
within. without. in the public places. and IN
the very waters Of the river
Such were the Iast scenes Of the ever
memorable drama Of St. BarfhoioTne~. i
month after St. GcT1naiH's bell had given
the signal. all the dead had not been burned
Some were yet floating on the Seine, to
which fishermen resorsed for The purpose Of
picking them up and selling them to any
who choose to buy them. For long tinse
there vas an auctfoH of eoEPses On both
banks Of the river. which was pEbsIely eIied'
and at which the lots we're afJudged TO the
highest bidder. Some buyers buried thea
purchases bv night IN seqnestered spos<, OF 3 h
ers burned those whom they loved while
living. and collected their ashes IN urn=
which afterwar5 constituted ornaments Q
their habitations. For above year: Peo
pie durst not pass at night along the bank
Of the river: some said they had had seeT
the earth quake there, others bad beheh
speetres gliding alcng the water: hsherneI