The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1856-10-15
THE EXECUTION OF LOUIS THE
SIXTEENTH.

The condemned man traverssd the in
ner court on foot. At the entrance Of the
external court, green carriage was wait
ing with Two gondarmes holding open the
door. Louis entered his confc>sor taking
a seat by his side, and the soldiers mount
ing in front, The signal is given and the
cortcge moves on. It was q rnournrul
scene. From the prison to the place of
death, was ranged double line OF spikes
or guns, borne by men, who in their i'm
moveable silence, seemed like armed stat
utes. The weather was cold and misty.
! 4 leaden stiffness, only once broken at the
gates Of the Temple, by cry OF Mercy !!
mercy " uttered by the trembling voices
OF some wo;EeGa feis&ed along the entire
ine Of march. Here and ,hsse few
shops were half open; everywhere the
shutters we're closed. For the foot pas.
| sengers there were no means oc issue nor
was a single carriage in those streets, ex-
cept that one which tolled 81 amid uni.
versal silence, bearing the unhappy one
then called Louis the Last
At ten minutes past ten they reached
the foot Of the scaiiold. 1t had been
erected in front Of the Palace Of The Tuil-
lcres, in the square called after Louis the
Fifteenth, and near the spot where stood
the statute ofthe NEST corrupt Of Kings
II king who died TRANQUILITY in his bed
The condemned was three minutes dc
scending from the carriage. Upon quit
ting the Temple, lie had refused the redin-
gote which C!ery bad offered him, and
now appeared in brown coat, white
wais;coat, gray brecches, and white stock
ings. His hair was not disordered, nor
was any change perceptible in bis coun-
tenance. The Able Eirippnt was dressed
in blacl.. a large open space had been
kept round the scatfold-with cannon
ranged on every side-while beyond, as
far as the eye could reach, stood an un-
armed multitude gazing.
Descending from his carriage, Louis fixed
his eyes ugcD he soldiers who suEE4nad-
ell him, and with menacing voice cried,
"Sience y The drums ceased to beat,
but at signal from their officer, the
drummers again went on. "What trea-
soa is this s. he shouted. "L am lost |
am lost ~ For i, was evident that up to
this moment, lie had been clinging to
hope. The executioners now approached
to take of part Of bis clothes; he repulsed
them fercely, aud himself removed the
collar 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 !" lie slricked. A struggle
wss inevitable--it came. alt is indispu.
table," says Nercier, "that Louis Tough;
with his execu,ioners." The Able E'lge
worth stood by, perplexed, Mortified
specifies. At last, as his master seemed
TO look inquiring at him, lie said, :" Sir
in, tbis additional outrage, | only see a
last traiI Of the resemblance between your
Majesty and the God who will give you
your reward" At these words, the indig
ination Of the man gave way to the hu
mility Of the christian, and Louis said &c
the executioncrs, II will drain. the cup tc
the dregs." They tod his hands, they
cut off his hair, and then, leaning on a,
arm Of his confessor, he began with slow
tread and sunken demeanor, to mount the
steps, then very steep, Of the guillotino.--
Upon tho last step, however, he seene(
suddenly TO rouse,. and walked rapid,