The Shasta courier., 1867-05-11
SHASTA COURIER
Women at the Scafold.
CHARLOTTE COKDAY.

In one OF the oldest streets Of Caen, the
capital Of Normandy. there is an ancient
mansion, with pointed, overhanging roof, its
brick walls intersected with crossed beams
of wood. Ii is called, for it exists still, g lie
Grand Manior" and is but dull, melan.
choly looking abode.
1t was here that Nine. de Bretteville, the
representative of one of the oldest of the
provincial nobility, had taken refuge with
her niece, Charlotte Corday d'Armont.
They had taken refuge here against the
storms of the revolution and the priyations Of
an honorable and dignifed poverty.
Charlotte had been educated in convent
with other girls of noble family, and proba-
bly, but for the revolution, Charlotte de Cor
day would have accepted this permanent
asylum, the usual home for the dowerless
girls of noble birth, and beneath the veil of
professed nun have hidden in perpetual
obscurity the name which now waves above
the laundering annals of the greatest revolu-
ton civilization has ever known.
Condemned by the social condition of the
times to complete isolation, Charlotte de
Corday dedicated herself to mediation and to
study.
Her intellectual powers were of the high
est order, but inclined her to serious studies
all The modern philosophers, those whose
writings and doctrines had contributed to
the revolution, especially attracted her at
tention. The old classical writers, Plato and
Plutarch, gave dignity to her mind.
Excluded tr1m the usual ties of her sex by
birth and poverty, the love she might have
lavished on husband and children was given
to her country.
France became her idol. Her education
and the traditions of her family inclined her
to royalism, but the result of her own
thoughts converted her to republicanism.
But the public she would have created
was not the saturnalia of crime and blood
that was being substituted in mockery to the
supposed tyranny of royalty.
Amongst all the parties that were strug-
Cling to give substance to the shadowy re-
public, the Girondins seemed to Charlotte
Corday the one that united the dignity and
purity of the ancients with the necessities of
the present.
With deep interest she watched their
course, each account she read increasing the
horror she felt for the terrible and atrocious
party of the Mountain and it's monstrous
leader, Marat, who waded to liberty and
power through sea of blood.
4. The guillotine was now permanently es-
tablshed in Paris. The number of victims
both there and in the CAPITALS Of the provin
ces was counted by millions. Each day
Charlotte Corday grew more indignant
The cheerfulness of her character forsook
her, she remained hour after hour plunged
in thought. With the eagerness with
which girls Of her age await a love letter she
watched for the newspapers from Paris.
When, at length, she there read the defeat
Doj
though her vague aspirations had all con-
centrated in one definite object Caigula
had wished that the Romans had but one
neck that he might destroy them at blow.
Charlotte Corday imagined that the barbara
ty of the revolution had but one head and
that one blow could des,ry it and establish
true liberty. She resolved on the death Of
Marat, and determined to be herself the sac
rifice that should save the lives of the limo
cent victims pershing then by thousands.
In the Bible she usually read, the book of
Judith was especially marked with pencil
under every verse. especially referring to
Judith's decision of staying Holofernes
Her resolv. was taken evidently for months
before she executed it, Once Nine. de
Bretteyile surprised her weepir- bitterly,
and being asked the cause she replied
j weep over myself-over the times
live in-over the thousand victims to whose
cries Heaven is deaf. As long as Marat
lives no one is sure of an hours existence"
The leaders of the Girondins, to escape
from the prescription of Marat, now came to
Caen. This reused Charlotte Corday to
action.
She sought them out, selecting especially
Barbaroux, and without alluding to her pro
OH al info E.,
ward it.
Barbaroux gave her letters of introduction
to Paris, whittier she told him she desired to
20 on business connected with the interests
of her convent friends exiled in Switzerland
and England
There has been an attempt among the bio
graphers of Charlotte Corday to mingle
love story with her achievement, and to make
love the impelling motive for the assassina-
ton of the tyrant.
But with such motive the heroic crime
she committed sinks into mere vulgar,
common place murder
Because Barbaroux was the handsomest
of the Girondists, and because Charlotte
made to him special appeal, Barbaroux has
been by romance and tradition converted into
her lover.
There is no foundation for such an asser
ton: Probably true, impassoued love
would have turned her away from her crime
rather than have urged her on.
Without justifying Charlotte Corday. it is
calumniating her to mingle any feeling BUT
that of pure patriotism with her motives.
SIZE resolved now on going to Paris. She
collected her money secretly, sold her trink
cts and valuables and disposed of all for her
journey.
She confded, however, in none. and it was
not until after her departure that her rela-
tions and friends received the. parting gifts
and farewell letters she had left for them.
Contriying to send small trunk to the
diligence unknown to her aunt, one morning
she left her old home with drawing purt
folio under her arm, as though about to
sketch, as was usual to her.
About mile from the house she met n
young lad whom she knew, and to him she
gave the portfolio.
Take it," said she, :" to my aunt, and