Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1869-12-31
Brutus and Corday.
BY A. III. II. DAWSON.

all the splendid qualities that make ur
the hero, the latter was certainly the
peer, and, indeed, the superior of the
former Brutus was one Of twentythree
conspirators. CHARLOTTE corslay was
alone in her glory.
al considered" said she, $50 many
brave men need not come to Paris for
the head of one man." The Roman con-
spirators conferred one with another
much and often. She consulted no liv-
ing mortal. To the question PROFOUND
ed to her when she was arrested, "Who
are your accomplices "Ihave none" "
replied she. Unaided and alone she con-
ceived the thought, matured her plans to
execute it, and executed it. Brutus did
not originate the thought, conceive the
plan, or even strike the first blow under
which Cesar fell. Brutus was goaded
on by such taunts as Brutus, thou art
not Brutus." Thou sleepest, Brutus."
Charlotte needed no such gibes to make
her Charlotte. Brutus had the heritage
of great name to sustain Charlotte's
father was peasant. Brutus was in Of
fee at the time, and was responsible to
the people for the preservation of the
government. Charlotte had no such re-
sponsibility to warn her of duty's oaths.
+, Brutus committed one error in allowing
Antony to live, another in permitting
him to address the populace, and still
another in suffering Caesars will to be
read. Charlotte misconceived nothing,
and perpetrated not the first blunder.
Wounds inflicted upon themselves, and
Casar's twenty-three Gaping wounds"
told the Roman mob with what tremu-
lous indecision bevy of frightened con-
spirators were unnamed on the ides of
March, but a single stab through the
heart of Marat told the :nyrmidons of
blood, on the 18th of July, that there
was VIII of iron nerving the vengeance
that was on their trail. The miscon-
struction by the conspirators of remark
made by Roman citizen to Cesar, and
other remarks made by Popilius Lena
to Brutus and Cassius, came well nigh
exploding the plot, and preventing its
consummation. Charlotte did not al
low the reception she met at Marat's door
to discompo her, and no miscarriage
ever threatened her plan at any moment.
Brutus did some loud Dragging about
how much he loved Rome, when he at
tempted to conciliate the Roman popu-
lace, but when the cry of Down with
the conspirators," resounded over the
waves Of human passion that rolled like
billows of fire over Rome, under the tri-
dent Of Mark Antony's eloquence, Bru-
tus fled to Antium, and, as he was soon
thereafter found at the head of an army,
the presumption is rational that he acould
have worn robes of office even to Cesars
funeral. Charlotte wanted no office, and
she disdained to fly. On her trial the
following dialogue occurred between her
and the court
O." Why did you kill Marat?"
A" Because l hated him."
O." What did you hate in him ?"
A" His crimes"
O." Do you think you have killed
all the Marats ?" A." No but at his
fall let the rest tremble. l have killed
one man, to save one hundred thousand.
was republican long before the reyo-
luton, and never failed in energy"
| O." What do you understand by en-
ergy ?" A.-"That feeling which in
duces us to cast aside selfish considera-
tions, and sacrifice ourselves for our
country"
Q. -" What defence have you
make ?" A" None-I have done nv
task, let others do theirs"
Brutus aimed his blow against the es-
tablishment of a despotism. She, hers
against despotism established. He
struck at a meditated usurpation of pow
er, while she struck at power itself. The
rescue of his countrymen from impend-
ing thraldom, was his ostensible object.
Her real object was to save her couutrv-
men from slaughter. He gave his dag.
ger, he said to Rome she gave her life
/ blood, we know, to France. When dis
covered weeping, by Madame de Brittle
vile, just before she started upon her pa
triotic mission, in answer to the inouirv
Charlotte, why these tears? ," "Tbev
flow" said she, :" for the misfortunes of
my country" After she had stricken
the fatal blow, she said: .sIn Paris they
cannot understand how useless woman
whose longest life could have been of no
good, could sacrifice herself to save her
country. May peace be established as
soon as l desire. A great criminal has
been laid low. My country's happiness