Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1856-10-28
Execution IF Louis the Sixteenth.

The condemned man trayersed the in-
ner cottrt on foot. At the entrance of the
external court a green carriage was wait
ing wiki two gems d'armes holding open
the door. Louis entered, his confessor
taking a seat by his side, and the soldiers
mounting front. The signal is given and
the cOrte2e moves on. it was amournful
scene. From the prison tc the place of
death was ranged double line Of pixies
or guns, borne by men who, III their I'M
movable silence, seemed like armed stat
ues. The weather was cold and mistv.-
\ leaden silence, only once broken at the
gates Of the Temple, by a cry of g mercy,
mercy" uttered by the trembling voices
of some women, ranged along the entire
line of march. Here and there few
shops were half open; everywhere the
shutters were closed. For the foot pas
senger there was no means of issue; nor
was there a single carriage in the streets,
except that one which rolled on amid uni
versal silence, bearing the unhappy one,
then called Louis the Last
At ten minutes past ten they reached
the foot Of the scatioId. l. had been erec-
ted in front of the square called after
Louis the Fifteenth, and near the spot
where stood the statue of the most corrupt
OF kings king who died TRANQUILITY III
hls bed. The condemned was three min
utes descending from the carriage Up
on quitting the temple he had refused the
redIugote which Clery had offered him,
and now appeared in brown coat, white
waistcoat, gray breeches, and white stock
ings. His hair was not disordered, ner
was any change perCepuble in his coun-
tenancc. The Able FIrmont was dress
ed In black. 4 large open space had
been KEEP; round the scaffold-with can
non ranged OH every side-whiie beyond
as far as the eye could reach. stood an
armed multitude gazing.
Descending from his carriage, Louis
fixed his eyes upon the soldiers who sur
rounded him, and with menacine voice
cried: "Silencp!" The drums ceased
to beat, but at a signal from their officers,
the drummers again went on. -" What ttrea-
son is ;his?" he shouted. 81 am lost! !
am lost" For it was evident that up to
this moment he had been cingin9 10 hope.
The eXecutioner now approached 10 take
off part of his clothes; he repulsed him
iercclv, and himself removed the collar
from his neck.
But all the blood ia his frame seemed
to be turned into fire when they sought to
tie his hands. Tie nay hands, he shriek
ed. \ struggle was Inevitahle--it came.
1t is indispurable, says Mercier, that Lou
IS fought with his cxecuuoners. The Ab-
be Edgeworlh stood by, perpiexed, horri-
fed, speechless. Al last, as his master
seemed to look iuquiringly at him, be
said, - Sir, in this additional outrage lsec
only last trait OF the resemblance be-
tween your majesty and the God who
will give You your reward At these
words the Indignation of the man gave
way to the humility of the christian, and
Louis said to the executioners, 4 viii
drain the cup to the dregs." They tied
his hands, they cut off his hair, and then
leaning on the arm of his ccnfesscr, he
began, with a slow tread and Sulken de-
meanor, to mount the steps, then very
steep, of the guillotine. Upon the last
step, however, he seemed suddenly to
rouse, and walked rapidly across TO the
other side of the scafiold, when, by sign
commanding silence, he exclaimed, :" |
die innocent of the crimes imputed to me-
Ills lace was now very Geu; ana dCtctt-
ing to the narrative OF his confessor, his
voice was so loud that it could he heard
as far as the Pont Tournaut. Som other
expressions were distinctly heard. Il
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 rolling of
the drums, at a signal which, 1t is affirm
ed, was given by the comedian, Dugayon,
in anticipation Of the orders OF Sauerrc,
" Silence! be silentr' cried Louis the
Sixteenth, losing all self control aud
stamping violently with his foot. Rich
ard, one of the cxecutioners, then seized
a 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 ltnife.-Lou-
is Banc's History of the French Revolu-
tIon.
Ers@If the mind SOW not corn, 1t Viii
rlapt ,histIas. They who raise envy will