The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1856-10-10
THE DAILY DISPATCH.
60
Friday nkern1n.. October 10. fsHes Z

The kxecutions OF Louis the SixtSAsfh 3
Louis Bianc's history of the French Revolution
c,ntaias many thrilling scenes Of thai ter,,hl.
event One Of the most graphic Is the description
OF the execution of Louis the Sixteenth:
The condemned man traversed the inner eour. =,
foot. AT the entrance Of the external court !.
'n green sas,se ns Mss waiting with two genoarmes
fefsor taking seat by his side, and the solsier
mounting In front. The siguai II given Ana IL
cortege movcs ON. II was . mournful scene From
the ptison to the place Of death was ranged a
their immovabe siiencs, seemed like srmsd .,..
nee The weather was cold and misty. leadeo
stiffness, only once broken at the gates of the Tenn
pie by acfy OF Mercy mercy l" uttered BY the
trembling voice OF some women, reigned along the
entire march. Here and there Z few shops were
half open; everywhere the shutters were closed.
For the foot passengers there were no means Of
issue; nor wAs there single carriage In those
streets, except that one which rolled on amid uni-
vessat silence bearing the unhappy one then
called Loli, the Lssti sesl,z-s E4s-71 -
At ten minutes past ten they reached tho foo. of
the scafoid. II bad heen erected In front of the
Palace of the Tui.leriss In the square ca
Louis the Fifteenth. aud the spot where stood
the statue OF tha most corrupt of kings-a king
who died tran. u lily In his bed. Ths condouued
was three u,ioutss descending from the carriage -
Upon quitting the temple he had refused ths red
ingote which Cleary had offered him, and no W sp
peared IN brown coat, white wais,coat, grey
breeches, and white sto kings. His hair was not
disordered, Lor was nv ehant pereeptibIo in his
countenanes. The Abbs Firmont was dressed
In black large open space had been kent
round the scafold-with cannon ranged on eve.
ry side-wnile beyond, as far ~ the eye could
reach, stood an unsrined multitude gazing
Descending from his car.
riage, Louis fixed bis eyes upon the soldiers who
surrounded him, and with q nenaeins voice cried,
"sisnce" The drum ceased to beat, but at sig
nal tRnrr Hhafp Att,nA
'Wbat treason is this9' he shouted. II am lost p
It was evident that up to this moment he had been
clinging to hope. The executieners now ap.
preached to take off part of his clothes; he re-
pulsed them fercely, and himself removed the col
lar from his neck. But all the blood in his frame
seemed to be turned into fire when they sought to
tie his hands. Tie my hands," he shrieked A
struggle was inevitable-it came 1t Is ndisputa-
BILE, says Mercier, that Louis fought with his exc.
cutioners The Able Edgewor.h stood by, per-
plexed Mortified speechless.
Atiast, as his master seemed to look inQuiringly
at him, he said, Sir, in this additional outrage
only see q last trait of the resemtla between
your eward.' At these words the indigu of
the man gave away to the humility of the Chris.
tan, and Louis said to the executieners, 1 will
drain The cup to the dregs.' They tied his hands,
they cut off his hair, and then leaning on the arm
of his contessor, he began, with slow tread and
sunken demeanor, to mount the steps-.hen very
steep-of the guilletine Upon the last step, how
ever, he seemed suddenly to rouse, and walked
rapidly across to the other side Of the scaffold
when, by sign commanding silence, be exclaim.
ed. i die innocent of the crime imputed to me -
His face was now very red, and according to the
narrative of his confessor, bis voice was SO loud
that it could be heard as far the Pont TournaDt
Some other expressions were distinctly heard 4
pardon the authors OF my death, and pray heaven
that the blood you are about to shed may never be
visited upon France He was about to continue,
when his voice was drowned by the renewed roll
ing of the drums at = signal which it is affirmed
was given by the comedian, Dugayon, in autcipa
ton of the orders of SauterTe Silence! be si-
lent cried Louis the Sixteenth losing all self
troll and stamping violently with his foot Richard.
one of the executioners then seized q pistol and
took aim At the king. 1t was necessary to drag
him along by force With difficulty fastened to
the fatal plank he continued to utter terrible cries.
only interrupted by the fall of the knife r. Id H..