The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-07-27
ROBESPlERRE.
A sketch from French History.

From the Louisville Courier-Journal.l
The scenes in the French Chamber OF
Deputies, a few days ago, when the lead
ers OF the Left were denouncing the dis
missal of Jules Simon and the revolu-
tionary tendencies of MacMahon, are
quite suggestive of the dramatic occur
rences in the Assembly of 1871. The
fiery speech of Gambetta, at the conclu-
sion of which he tainted in the tribune,
has been compared by the Bonapartist
organs to the scene of the ninth Thermi-
dor, in which Robespierre figured so
prominently, but Gambetta is different
Frenchman from Robespierre, and his
emotion was not the outcome of circum-
stances like those which environed the
French tyrant. ,.,. eiIV
The famous debate which sealed the
doom of Robespierre was one of the
most dramatic occurrences of the stormy
period of the First Republic. Lavallee,
in his history of the French factions,
sketches the most feverish scene as fol-
lows:
SO Hardly had Tallien finished when
Robespierre darted to the tribune. At
the same moment twenty members rushed
toward it. Instantly the whole Mount
ain arose, and cries of 'DO,On Uith
Ro6espierre-doa0n aOith the tyrant ?
resounded on every side. Yadier, Amar,
Bourbon de rOise, Lecointre de Yer
sailles, Collot d'Herbois, Leonard Bour-
don, Javogne Legendre, even Billaud de
Varennes, reused from his profound dis
stimulation by a dexterous appeal from
Tallien, spoke in succession. Oh, what
crimes, what hateful .intrigues, what
bloody oppression, what unheard-of in
trigues were brought to light on that
terrible morning! During more than
two hours Robespierre was absolutely in
commissions all the movements Of his
frame expressed the rage which devoured
him. A hundred times did he demand
permission to speak, and could not
obtain it. He chung to the
stair of the tribune, and would not
be torn from it, and in this position the
speakers, who followed each other in
rapid succession, seemed so many divin-
tiles launching themselves at his head,
and the countless details OF his atrocities
streamed upon him like a rain of fire.
His strength at last gave way. He
sought on every seat a resting place, and
everywhere met with a repulse. He WIS.,
pursued from place to place with bitter
reproaches. When he seemed nearly
fainting, one said to him, You are
choked NTH the blood of DantOa !"
Wretch, touch not that BENCH said
another, for there sat Verginaux ! He
advanced to the galleries, and, raising
his arms towards those who filled them,
exclaimed: 'Willyou abandon me, will
you suffer me to perish, me your cham
pion?' All were silent, and those very
men who were posted there by himself,
terrified at so unexpected scene, re-
manned motionless at his appeal. Robes
pierre, sinking with exhaustion, sue
ceeded once more in reaching the
tribune. Thuriot was President.
Robespierre exclaimed to him, Presi-
dent of assassins, for the last time L ask
to speak !! At this moment general
cry bursts forth, The decree of accusa-
ton to the vote. The President put the
question, and not single Deputy kept
his seat"
Thus ended the reign of the blood
stained tyrant. When Gambetta tainted
the other day at the tribune, certain
enemies, recalling the scene, shouted,
You are choked with the blood Of
Danton !" Others cried: You are
choked NTH the beer you drank at Sar-
| bou's."
The spirit of the Republicans in
France during the last two months pre-
sents great contrast to the sanguinsry
patriotism of the First Republic. Fac
tons then disposed of each officer at the
guillotine. Power was license to
slaughter those who interfered with you
in opinion. To-day, Frenchmen are
perhaps quite as impulsive, but the
turbulence, brutal enthusiasm, and
practical ignorance of the old days have,
to a great extent, passed away, and re-
Election has taken the place of mutual
slaughter A dreadful reveH du peulole,
like that which followed the fall OF
Robespierre, is hardly possible in
France to-day.
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