The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1855-12-05
Communication.
q For the Spirit of Democracy.
TIE DAUPHIN LOUIS CHARLES

p 3fszr1sss = For the spirit oil democracy.
THE DAUPHIN LOUIS CHARLES.
Mr.. EpIToR:-A very general preiu-
dice exists in American society, against
the intellects of the crowned heads of
Europe. This feeling originates in an
acquaintance with their history. AS they
are generally the offspring of first cousins
or other very near relations, no person
acquainted with the laws of generation,
would expect them to be other than inn
beetles. Old George the Third, was in
sane great part of his life, and when
sane, possessed only "the narrowest and
meanest understanding. There is moth
ing strange about this, the only marvel
about the matter, is that Lord Brougham,
should muster courage to say SO in the
very bluntest and plainest English, during
the reign Of his grand daughter.
But we are not to expect all heirs to a
crown to be imbecile alike and / think
We may safely mention as an instance of
precocious intellect Louis Charles of
France, and of Bourbon, commonly called
Louis the XVII, who died at Paris, lit
tie after be had attained his tenth year, in
consequence of the cruelties inflicted upon
him, during his imprisonment by the ia
cobins. A descendant of Maria Theresa
of Austria and Hungary, he may have
inherited her intellect. last winter, sent
to your press little touching instance of
the infantine gratitude of this child, in
presenting two pears to O gentleman who
had prevented his brutal jailer, Simon,
from dashing his head against the wall.
When at Versailles he used to arise at the
dawn, to gather fresh flowers from the gar
dens, which he laid on bis mothers pill
low ere she arose. This was "earning a
kiss from mammal Towards the close of
his Imprisonment, which terminated only
with his life, he was committed to the care
of Laurent, a man, who in comparison
with the brutal and ferocious Simon, de-
serves to be called generous and compass
sionate Wasted as he was with fever,
filth, famine, horrors, Laurent, one even
ing took the child to walk upon the plat
form of the tower There he discovered
a few scattered weeds growing from the
soil, lodged in the erevices of the stones;
with eager, trembling hands he culled
their yellow blossoms to form q little nose
gay for his mother. "On descending the
staircase, in lieu of proceeding, as usual
to his own room, he hurried to the closed
door of the chamber, in which he believed
the queen to be still confined; Laurent
had not the heart to tell him of her fate,
and the child WIS led back to his own
room" Alas poor child, he did not know
that the remorseless guillotlne had done
its work and that his mothers body was
then dissolving in quicklime in a loath-
some ditch, Sometime after ihis, while
Comm, another friendly keeper, was in his
cell, he sobbed out g Always alone, al
ways alone, my mother locked up in the
other towern On the 9Th of June II 95,
His sufferings terminated in death, he hay-
ing gcompleted his tenth year OH the 9th
of the preceding March. shall not af-
fiict your readers with detail of the
horrors of his prison house." On one
occasion, soon after his total seclusion,
the monster, Simon, discovered the unfor-
tunate Dauphin, kneeling at his bedside,
repeating his little childish prayers, and
Instantly flooded his person and bed with
. bucket of cold water, and then eompell-
ed him to remain in it, during the linger-
ing watches of long, cold winter night!
No wonder the days of the child were
fewj
eI have only one reflection to make,
The worst enemies of every cause are its
injudicious friends, the ultras, the Fire.