North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1864-08-31

| lect, ana most OF tnem eloquent. priest
Abbe Lambart, who had gained admission
with his pencil noted down their words
their actions, their indication Of hero'sm,-
The repast was prolonged till the dawr
family entered the grated windows. When
the cloth was removed. and the fruits, the
wine, and the flowers alone remained, the
conversation became animated, with eccas-
ionally bursts Of gayety. A few of the un
! Delivers in Immortality endeayored thus tC
meet their doom. But it was hiarity an
natural, and unworthy of the men and their
condition. l. Death is not jest, and he who
attempts to 50 regard it does but dishonor
himself
"What shall we be doing at this time to
morrow 2" asked Ducos. -...
We shall Sleep" responded one, I" after
the fatigues of the day, to wake up no more.
Death is bat an endess slumber."
No. rel oined FOnchet, annihiIation is
not our destiny. These bodies perish
These thoughts never die. Tomorrow, in
other words, we shall think, feel, act, We
shall have solved the problem Of the des tiny
of the human mind"
All turned to Vergnaud as by a common
impulse His discourse was long, and has
been described as the most eloquent which
was ever uttered 10y human lips. death, y
said he in conclusion is the greatest act of
life. 1t intro luces us to a noble existence.
Were 1t not so, there would be something
greater than God. 1t would be just man
mmolaliDg himself uselessly aud hopeIessly
for his country. No! Yergniaud is no great
er than God God will not suffer Vergniaud
to morrow to ascend the scaffod but to jus.
tlfy and avenge him in future ages.
As the light of day penetrated the dun.
geon, some sought moments sleep, others
wrote a last line to friends, whild others
gathered in groups for conversation. At
four O'Clock the gems d arms entered with
the execu TONERS. The long hair was cut
from their necks, that it might not impede
the axe. Gensonne picked up lock and
sent it to his wife, saying:
g Tell her that it is the only memorial OF
my love which can transmit to her; and
that my last thoughts in death were hers.
Vergniaud scratched upon his watch few
zines CT tender remembrance, and sent it TO
the young lady to whom, in few days he
was to be married. Five rude cats conveyed
them TO the scaffoid. Each cart con tanned
five persons. The streets through which
the sad pro cesslon passed was thronged with
countless thousands. 1t was one of the
most splendid of October mornings. AS the
carts moved the Girondists sang the Mar.
saliaIse Hymn. At the end OF each verse
there was moments silence, and then the
strain was renewed loud and sonorous.-
Arrived at the scaffold they all embraced.
They then resumed their funeral chant.
One after another ascended the scaffoId, con.
tiruing the song till his head fell into the
baszet. There was no weakness. No voice
faltered on each succeeding moment, as
head after head fell, the song grew more
faint. Vergniaud at last stood alone. Long
confinement had spread deadly palor over
his intellectual features. He assembled the
steps, the chorus having now died away into
solo of surpossng richness. For a mo-
ment he gazed upon the headless bodies of
his friends. He then, as he surrendered
himself to the execLtioner, commenced anew
the strain .... .... ..
"Come children of your country, come,
The day of glory dawns on hi gh.'
The axe fell, ani his lips were silent in
death. Thus perished the Girondists. The
history of the French Revolution. in all its
sublime annals, has not tragedy more
thrilling ..r... ......