The Shasta courier., 1863-04-04
Execution of the Girondists.

During the progress of the French Revolu-
tion there were two parties which arose and,
for long time, contested the supremacy
the Girondists and the Jacobins. The mob of
Paris was soon entirely at tue disposal of the
Jacobins, and sustained them in the most
atrocous measures I'VE must" said Mar
at, one of the leaders of the Jacobins, strike
terror into the hearts of our foes. Ii is our
anly safety" The Girondists attempted to
arrest the progress of the frightful massacre
in which the Jacobns were engaging. They
thus exposed themselves to the dangerous
charge of being in sympathy with the aris-
tocrats. The strife, between the two parties,
which ensued, strife involving life or death,
was one of the most terrible recorded in his
t,ry.
Madame Rolanl was one evening urging
Fergniaud to rally the Girondist party, at ev
cry hazard, to arrest the massacres. 1.-The
only hope Of France" raid she, is in the
sacredness Of law. This atroeiops carnage
causes thousands of bosoms to thrill with hor-
ror. All the wise and good in France, and in
the world. will rise to sustain those who ex-
ease their own hearts as barrier to arrest
such enormities."
"Of what avail, was the sad reply of
Vergniaud, can such exertiona be? The
assassins are supported by all the power of
the street. Slch a conflict must necessarily
terminate in a street fight. The cannon are
with our foes. The most prominent of the
friends of order are massacred. Terror will
restrain the rest. We shall only provoke our
own destruction
For several days the strife ragged. in the
convention. with the utmost intensity, be-
tween the Girondists and the Jacobins The
party which could obtain the majority would
surely consgn the other to the scaffold. M
Roland the Girondist Minister of the Inter-
ior, was man of great power, but Madame
Roland, with brilliance of genius seldom sur
passed, prepared for him his speeches in the
convention. France recognized her marvel
ous abilities; the one party regarded her
with alteration, the other with hate. Proba-
bly, never before. in the history of the world,
has woman occupied such position. 1t
soon became evident that the rage of the Ja-
collins would descend upon Madame Roland,
and she was urged to escape from Paris. The
heroic woman replied
:" I am ashamed to resort to any such expe
dent. / will neither disguise myself. nor
make any attempt at secret escape. My en-
emies may find me always inmy place. If
ana assassinated it shall be in my own
home. | owe my country an example of
She remained in Paris, and soon perished
uponth the guillotine. The convention consist
ed of eight hundred members. Twenty two
of the most illustrious men of France were
considered leaders of the Girondists The
Jacobius accused them of treason, and. over
awing the convention by the mob, carried the
accusation aud condemned them to DEATH 1t
was then voted that all' Paris should he illum-
mated in view of this triumph OF the people.
At midnight the whole convention, in nroces-
sion, traveised the brilliant streets, leading,
to grace their triumph, the doomed Girondists.
They were all then consigned to the Concier-
gerie, there to await the final trial. Sum
paer came and went while these illustrious
men fingered in their Dungeons With for
titnde, the record of which has ennobled their
memories, they struggled to sustain each 9TH
er to meet that fate which they knew could
not be doubtful.
At length the hour of final trial came
With the most imposing military array ofin-
fantry, cavalry and artillery, to guard against
the possibility of any counter revolution, the
prisoners were conducted. in a long process
sion, two by two, to the judgement bar 1t
was the 30th of October, 1888. At eleven
O'Clock at night the verdict was lrcaght in.
and they were doomed to be led. the next
morning, to the guillotine. As the sentence
was pronounced, one of the Gircndists, Val
aze, plunged dagger into his heart and fell
lifeless upon the floor. Another. in the delir
ium of enthusiasm, shouted, 80 This is the
most glorious day of my life!' 1t was mid
night when the victims were conducted back
to the Conciergerie. As they marched along,
their voices burst into the Marseillas hymn,
in tones which reverberated through the cor
ridors of the prison and echoed through the
streets:
"Come children of your country, come.
The day of glory dawns on high,
And tyranny has wide unfurled
Her blood-stsined banner in the sky