North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1864-08-31
EXECUTION OF THE GIRoNDISTs.
By JOHN s. C. ABBOT

During the progress of the French Rovo-
luton, there were two yarties which arose
and for long time contested for the supre
macy-the Girondists and the Jacobins.-
The mob of Paris was al the disposal of tn,
Jacobins, and sustained them IN their mos
atrocious measures. We must" said Mu
rat, one of the leaders of the Jacobins,
strike into the hearts of our foes. 1t il
our only safety" The Grondsts attempted
to arrest the progressof the frehtful massa
ere in which the Jacobins were engaging
They thus exposed themselves to the dan
gerous charge of being in sympathy with the
aristocrat. The strife which ensued, strife
involving life or death, was one of the most
terrible recorded in hist ory.
Madame Roland was one evening urging
Vergnaud to rally the Girondist party at ev.
cry hazard TO arrest the massacres. The
only hope of France" said she, sis in the
Sacredness of the law. This atrOcious car
mage causes thousands of bosoms to thrill
with horror. All the wise and good in
France, and in the world, will rise to sus-
tain those who expose their own hearts as a
barrier TO arrest such enormitics -
"Of what avail" was the sad reply Of
Vergniaud, can such excrtions be ? The as
sassinS are supported by all the power OF
the street. SIch conflict must ecessalily
terminate in street fight. The cannon ar.
with our foes Tie 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 ia the
convention with the utmost intensity, be-
tween tho Glrondists and the Jacobins,- -
The party 3hich could obtain the majority
would surely consign the other TO the scaf-
fold. NJ. Roland, the Glrondist Minister of
the Interior, was man of great power, but
Madame Roland, was a brilliauce of genius
seldom surpassed, prepared for him his
speeches in the convention. France recog
nized his marvellous abilities the one party
regarded her with alteration, and the other
with hate, Probably never before in the
history of the world has woman occupied
such position. 1t soon became evident that
the rage Of the Jacubins would descend upon
Madame Roland, and she was urged to es-
cape from Paris. The heroic woman replied ::
81 am ashamed to resort to any such ex-
pedient. l will neither disguise myself nor
make any attempt at street escape. My enc
mics may find ne always in my place. |
owe my country an example of lirmness and
| will give it,"
She remained in Paris, and soon perished
upon the guilotine. The convention CONSIST
ed Of eight hundred members Twenty one
considered leaders of the Girondist>. The
Jacobins accused them of treason, and over
awing the members of the convention by a
mob, carried the accusation ahd condemned
them to death. 1t was then vo.ed that all
Paris should be illuminated in view of the
triumph of The people. At midnight the
whole convention, in procession, traversed
the brilliant streets. leading, to grace their
were all then consigned to the Concargeri,
there to await the final trial Summer came
and went, while ilustrious men fingered in
their dungeons. With fortitude, the record
Of VIII ich has enabled their memories, they
struggled to sustain each other to meet that
fate which they knew could not be doubtf ul
At length the hour of final triumph came.
With the most imposing military array Of
infantry, cavalry, and artillery, 20 guard
against the possibility of any counter reVolu
ton, the prisoners were conducted in long
procession, two by two, to the judgment bar,
1t was the Both Of October, 1898. At eley-
en- o'clock at night the verdict was brought
in, and they were doomed to be led the next
morning to the guilotine. As the sentence
was pronounced, one Of the Girondists, Va
lane, plunged his dagger in his heart, and
fell lfeless to the floor. Another in the de-
lirium of enthusiasm, shouted: "This is the
most glorious day of my life - It was mid
night when the victims we re conducted back
to the Conciergerie AS they marched along,
their voices burst into the Marseillaise Hymn,
in tones which reverberated through the
corridors 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 unfurIed
Her blood stained banner in the sky"
They were placed in one large hall, and
the hfcless body of their companion was de
posted in one corner. By decree of the AS
sembIy the remains of Valane were to be
taken, with the rest, to the guillotine, and
the axe was to sever his head from the life
less body, aud all the headless trucks were
to be inferred together. Some friends Of
the Girondists Immediately sent to them a
sumptuous banquet, their final funeral re-
D,st largo oaken table was sDread Ser