Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1863-01-15

never see you again?" Then, az
: ashamed Of this emotion, he added
: "But, Danton. no weakness" Ther
as the plank fell to its place beneat
the slide. he proudly remarked TO th
J executioner, "You will show nv hea
to the people. It will be well wort
&. display"
Robespierre was now the undispute,
: victor. Day after day be punished hi
foes. and the guillotine ran red Will
blood. He was not maliciousiy cruel
but thorough fanatic. believing tha
all political opponents should be execu
ted. The mother of Lucille. the young
wife OF Desmoulins. wrote in the follow
ing terms. to Robespierre, who had
- ---------ss. -.,ssx
and Lucille and Desmoulins had for.
merly been Robespierre's most intimate
friends:
"Robespierre," she wrote, ''is it not
enough to have assassinated your best
friend? Do you desire the blood oi
his wife, my daughter? Two hours
more and she will not be in existence.
Robespierre, if you are not a tiger in
human shape. if the blood Of Camille
has not inebriated you to the losing OF
your reason entirely, you recall our
evenings of intimacy.-ify you recall the
caresses lavished on our little Horace,
and how you delighted to hold him up
on your knees. spare an innocent vic
tim. But if thy fury is that of the lion,
come and take me also. and nv daugh
ter Adele and little Horace. Come with
hand reeking in the blood of Camille,
and let one single tomb reunite US"
But Robespierre was inexorable, and
the young and beautiful Lucille per-
ished beneath the fatal AZ. Robespierre
is one of the most inexplicable Of men,
His moral character was irreproachable.
No bribes could corrupt him. He sim
cerely endeavored to establish repub-
lie upon the basis OF popular liberty and
virtue. Self-aggrandiEement was no
part of his plan. But he was as merci-
less as the slide of the guillotine. At
times, indeed, he seemed weary of blood.
On one occasion he remarked: Death.
always death; and the scoundrels throw
all the responsibility on me. What a
memory shall leave behind me, If this
lasts! Life is burden to me-"
A young girl, Cecile Regnault, but
seventeen years of age, was accused Of
plotting the assassination of Robespier-
re. She and all her friends perished
on the scaffold, and eight carts were
filed with victims to avenge this crime.
But the tickle populace at last began to
suspect their idol of being unfriendly to
- NJ, ,--If----:-i-:-.@. a-rast
its torrent Of blood. In six months,
two thousand three hundred and seven
ty-fve had perished upon the scaffold
in Paris alone. Robespierre, weary Of
blood. attempted to check their sense
less atrocities. A conspiracy of very
energetic men was formed against him.
As he entered the convention on the
99Ih Of July, 1894. cries Of "Down
with the tyrant!" filed the house.
Overwhelmed by the clamor, Robes
pierre in vain attempted to speak in
self defence. president of assassins"
he shouted. "will you hear me?" He
was arrested and led to the Hotel de
Brionne, in the Place du Carrousel.-
His friends rescued him and carried
him to the Mayors room at the Hotel
de Vile.
1t was night. and all Paris was in
blaze of commotion, mobs surging
through the streets. A detachment of
soldiers were sent to the convention to
arrest RobespIerre again. He was SIT
ting calmly at the table awaiting his
fate. One of the soldiers discharged
pistol at him. The ball entered his
cheek, breaking his jaw and producing
a terrible wound. His head dropped
upon the table, deluging it with blood.
Thus mangled, he was borne on litter,
Just as the day was beginning to dawn.
to the hall of the convention. He was
laid on the table in an ante-room, while
a vast crowd gathered around to gaze
upon the fallen dictator. He was over
wheImed with insults. The blood flow
ed freely from his wound, coagulating
in his mouth, and choking him as it
trickled down his throat. After pass
ing an hour OF almost uncomfortable ag-
ony, he with his brother and several
others of his friends. were brought be-
fore the Revolutionary Tribunal. The
trial occupied but a few moments, and
they were all doomed to die.
At 5 O'Clock Of the same evening, the
cart conveyed them through the Rue
St. Honore to the Place de la Revolu-
ton. Robespierre ascended the scaf-
fold with a firm step. As the execu-
toner brutally tore the bandage from
his infiamed wound, he uttered shrek
of terror which pierced every ear. In
another moment the axe Of the gallotine
glided swiftly down its gloove, and the
head Of Robespierre fell into the basket.
There was a moments silence, and then
there came from the lips of those who,
but a short time before, were shouting
hosanna to his name, burst of the
widest applause. Thus died Robes
pierre in the thirty-ffth year Of his age.
Cotton, paper-mill rags, and drafted