Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1864-12-21
EXECUTION OF THE GIpoyDrsT.
BY JOHN c. ABBOTT.

rose. and for long time contested for
,he supremacy, the Girondists and the
Jacobins. The mob was at the disoosnl of
4 the Jacoblns and sustained them in their
most atroclous measures awe must -
said Murat, one of ihe leaders Of the Jac-
obins, strike intolhe hearts of our fees.
! 1t is our only safety. p The 6iropdists at
] tempted to arrest tho progress of the
frightiul massacress in which the Jaco-
bins were engaging They tbas exposed
themselves to the dangerous charge of be-
Ing in sympathy with the aristocrats. The
strife which easred, strife involving life
or death, was one Of the most terrible re-
corded in history.
Madame Roland was one evening ure.
ing Vergniaud to rally the Girondists par
! ty at every hazard 10 arrest the massacres
''Ihe only hope of France" said she sis
in the sacredness, of the law. This afro
clous carnage causes thousands of hoso ms
to thrill with horrorh All the wise and
| good in France, and in the world, will
rise to sustain those who expose their own
hearts as the barrier TO arrest such enor-
mites"
'Of what avail, was the sad reply of
Vergniaud, "oan such exertions be :? The
assassins are supported by all the power
OF the street, Such a conflict must neces-
sarlly terminate in z street fight, The
cannon are with our foes. The prominent
OF the friends of order massacred. Terror
will restrain the rest. We shall only pro
woke our own destruction"
For several days the strife ragged in the
Convention with the utmost intensity,
between the Girondists and the Jacobins
The party which could obtain the ma
jority would surely consigu the other to
the scatlold. NJ Roland the Girondist
Minister OF the Interior, was q man Of
great power, but Madame Roland with q
briiliancy OF geRius seldom surpassed, pre-
fpared for him his speeches in the Conveu-
ton. France recognized her marvellous a.
bilities ; the one party regarded her with
alteration, and the other with hate. Pro
! badly never before in the history Of the
world has woman occupied such posi-.
ton. 1t soon became evident that the
rage of the Jacobns would descend upon
Madame Roland. and she was urged to
escape from Paris. The heroic woman re.
piled: ... -..
ent. &fi}l Tfsht TRfsShittSrr tSr rrfdiafTtt sxiped.
make any attempt at street escape. Ny
enemies may always find me in my place.
| owe my country an example of firmness,
and will give it." .....
She remained in Paris, and soon per
ished upon the guillotiue The Conven-
tion consisted ofeight hundred men.
Tventy-one of the tnost illnstrious men
of France were considered leaders Of the
Girondsts. The Jacobins accused them
of treason, and overawing the numbers Of
the Convention by a mob, carried the ac-
cusatiou, and condemned them to death.
| 1t was then voted that all Paris should he
Illuminated in view of the triumph of the
people. At midnight the whole Conven-
ton, in procession, traver5ed the brilliant
streets, leading to grace their triumph,
the doomed Girondists. They were all
then consigned to the Coneiergerie, there
| 10 await the final trial. Summer came and
went, while illustrious men fingered in
their a dungeons. With foriitude the re-
cord of which has enbalmed their memo.
ries, they struggled to sustain each other
to meet that fate which they knew could
not be doubtful
At length the hour Of final triamph
eame. With the most imposing military
array Of infantry, cavalry, artillery, to
guard against the possibility Of any ooun-
ter revolution, the prisoners were COZ
Quoted in long procession, two by two,
to the judgement bar 1t was the 9Oth of
October, 1893. At eleven o'clock at night
the verdict was brought in, aud they were
| doomed 10 be led the next morning to the
guillotue, As the sentence was pronoun-
oed, one OF the Girondists, Valsne, plum
ged bis dagger to his heart, and fell life
less to the floor. Another in the delirium
of enthusiasm, shouted: This is the most
glorious day of my lifel' 1t was midnight
when the victims were conducted back to
the Cohcergere, as they marched along,
their voices buTsted into the MarsaiIles
Hymn, in tones which reyerberated thr'o
. the corridors of the prison, and echoed
through the streets
Come children of your country come,
The day Of glory dawhs on high,
And tyranny has wide unfurled
Her blood stained bapner in the sky
They were placed in one large hall, and
/ the lifeloss body Of their companion was
deposited in one corner BY decree OF
, the assembly the remains Of Valane was
to be taken with ne rest, 10 the guillo-
tine, ard the axe was to sever the head
from the lifeless body, and oil the head
| less trunks were to be Inferred together.
Some friends of the Girondists immedi-
ately sent TO them sumptuous banquet,
their final funeral repast. A large ooken
table was spread. Servants enteredswith
brilliant lamps. The richest viands OF
meats and wines were brought in. Vases
of flowers smiled and the costly dishes ap-
peared one afteroanother, until the board
was covered with luxury and splendor.
] In silence they took their places at tho
table. They we're all men of brilliant in
tellect, and most Of them eloquent. A
priest, Able Lambert, who had gained
admission, with his pencil noted down
their words, their actions, their indica-
tions of herosm.' The repast was prolon-
geo ill the dawn fIintly entered the gra-
ted windows. When the cloth was re-
moved, and the fruits, the wine, and the
: flowers alone remaned, the conversation
became animated, WITH occasional bursts
Of gaiety A few of the unbelievers in i'm
mortality endeayorcd thus 10 meet Their