Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1865-06-09

house. In his next paper, he demandet
the heads of two hundred and seventy
thousand traitors, and advised the mas
sacre Of three-fourths of the members o
the Convention. Soon after, he pro
nounced the passage Of a law for the ar
rest of suspicious persons" which con-
signed to prison four hundred tbousanc
individuals.
1t was the reign of terror. Marat
Danton and Rob-spierre ruled the coun
try. The prisons were uverhowing.-
The mobiles fled into exile. Every mar
who was better educated, better lodged
or dressed than the majority of the peo.
pie, or who had any connection with the
higher class, trembled for his life, or
sought safety in surprising his fellow
citizens in hunting down the prescribed.
Confined to his house by loathsome
disease, Marat still, by means of his
journal, fired the passions of the people,
and suggested new massacres.
There was then living in far off Nor
mandy a maiden, named Charlotte Cor
day, of noble birth and character, beau
tiful, accomplished and high-bred, aged
twenty-five. She, too, had been a re-
publican, like most of the educated peo>
pie of France, before the revolution had
assumed its bloody phase. In her dis
tant retreat, she had watched events at
Paris, with eyer deepening horror and
indignation. Her own lover had fallen.
The noblest and best of her countrymen
had perished or had fed. Amazed and
disguised at the craven apathy with
which France seemed to submit to the
domination Of the viIest men, and full of
compassion for her suffering countrymen,
she resolved, in the secresy of her own
heart, to strike one blow for their de-
liverance.
She travelled alone to Paris. While
still in doubt which of the leaders was
the guiltiest, copy of Marat's paper fell
into her hands, in which he said that two
hundred thousand more heads must fall
before the Republic would be safe
Her mind was made up. She addressed
to Marat the following note:
"CITIzEN-I have just arrived from
Caen. Your love for your native place
doubtless makes you desirous to learn
the events that have occurred in that
part of the Republic. shall call at your
residence in about an hour have the
goodness to receive me. | will put you
in a condition to render a great service
10 France"
No answer came. She wrote again
no answer. A third note ELECTED no re-
ply. She went herself to the house.
Two women met her at the door and re-
used to admit her; but Marat, overhear
ng the colloquy, cried out, Let her enter
She found him in bath tub writing |
Ipon stool at the side of it. She pro-
,eeded TO give him a list of persons at
Caen who were preparing for armed re-
istance to the revolutionary triumvirate.
lie eagerly wrote them down, saying, as
le did so:
an week they shall go to the gull
ltine."
These words" said she, afterward,
sealed his fate"
Drawing knife from her bosom, she
plunged it into his heart.
"Help, my DEAR" he cried, to bis mis-
ress, 81 am dying"
The two women rushed in, and seeing
Charlotte Corday, with the bloody knife
n her hand, attempting to leave the room,
hey overturned some furniture in her
way which prevented her escape. They
aised Marat from the bottom of his tub,
ut he had already ceased to Breathe
rhe beautiful assassin was secured and
AIKEN to prison.
Arragned before the tribunal, she ex-
ibited the most perfect serenity, and
ore herself with admirable dignity
When one of the counsel asked her some
uestions of form, at the opening of the
rial, she interrupted him, saying:
"All these details of form are needless.
t was l who killed Marat."
"What instigated you ?" asked the law.
er.
"His crimes" was her reply.
"What do you mean by his crimes p
"The i'll that he has done to France
nce the revolution, and which be would
ct do"
"By whom was this assassination sug-
ested TO you ]"
81 alone concluded to do it,"
"Was it TO a sworn or unsworn priest
nat you were accustomed to confess to at I
,aen ~
81 confessed TO neither"
WIVhat and d;d NON nrorasa 20 colo H., /,