, 1863-10-31
Rcbespierre.
BY JOHN S. c. ABBOTT.


Among the many remarkable men developed
by the French Revolution, there are few who
stand more prominent than Robespierre.-
His first appearance was in the Assembly Of
the States General The mobiles and bishops
resolved to meet in separate orders, having
two votes, and the commOner but one, the
commons might thus be outvoted, in immense
majority. Were they to meet in one assem-
bly,, the commons could, Of course, carry
their measures. The poor were in state Of
terrible distress. The mobiles sent the Arch
bishop Of AK with very pathetic appeal,
urging the commons, in behalf of the miseries
Of the people, to proceed to business, by con
senting to a separation Of the three cham
bers.
Robespierre, one Of the deputies Of the
commons, then an unknown young man, pale
and slender, rose and said "Go tell your
colleagues that we are waiting for them here
to aid us in assuaging the sorrows of the peo-
ple Tell them no longer to retard our work
Tell them our resolution is not to be shaken
by such a stratagem as this. If they have
sympathy for the poor let them, in intima-
ton Of their master, renOUnce that luxury
which consumes the funds of indigence dis
miss those insolent lackeys who attend them,
sell their gorgeous equipages. and with these
superfuities relieve the perishing. We wait
for them here p
We next hear of him earnestly advocating
the abolition of the death penalty. DR.. Gull
tin had introduced new machine, called
from the inventor, the guillotine, for the in
Fiction of capital punishment, without inAict-
ing pain. A general burst Of laughter was
excited in the assembly as the doctor said
"With my machine can clip off your head
in the twinkling ofan eye, without your feel
ing it,"
It may be remarked, in passing that many
who then smiled were soon beheaded by the
keen axe.
A party arose in France called the Girond-
ists-so called because their leaders were
from the department Of the Gironde. They
at first were in favor ofa constitutional mon
archy like that of England But finding
perfdy Of the King and the Court, this to be
impossible, they then advocated a republic
There was another party advocating the ex-
treme democratic license, called the Jacobins
Robespierre was one of the leaders Of the lat
ter party. He brought an exceedingly enve-
nomed bill Of accusation against the GirOnd-
lists, overwhelmed them in their trial, and
all of them were sent to the guillotine.
Robespiewe, Danton and Marat, the heads
Of the Jacobin party, were now the idols Of
France Charlotte Corday soon plunged her
dagger into the bosom Of Marat. Herbert, at
the head Of the atheists of Paris, organized a
formidable party. Robespierre, at the peril Of
his life, threw himself into the breach to op-
pose them "There are men," he said, "who
under the pretext of destroying supersti-
ton would make religion of atheism. The
legislator who would adopt the system Of
atheism, is insane The national convention
abhors such a system. Atheism is aristocrat-
ic The idea ofa Great Being, who watches
over oppressed innocence, and who Furnishes
triumphant guilt, is quite popular. The peo-
pie, the unfortunate, applaud me. If God
did not exist, it would behooye men to invent
Him p
The conflict was short and desperate. Each
party knew that the guillotine was the doom
of the vanquished. Herbert and his coadju-
tors, nineteen in number, were, on the 18th
of March, 1874, in five carts, conducted to
the scafold.
Danton and Robespierre now quarreled-
Robespierre again conquered in the death
struggle, and Danton was doomed to die. Be
fore the dawning of the morning, gems d
ar11es entered his chamber and tore him
from the arms of his wife.
AS he entered his prison, in the vaults of
Luxemburg, he said, sadly:
''At length I perceive that in revolutions
the supreme power ultimately rests with the
most abandoned. We are sacrificed to the
ambihon Of few dastardly brigands, But
they will not long enjoy the fruit of their
villiany I drag Robespierre after me-
Robespiere follow me to the grave"
AS Danton, with Camille Desmoulins and
others who were to be executed with them,