Louisiana capitolian., 1880-07-27


forward grow into the BnstiIle {bo'ld'
ing), or M IL waa sometimes called,
Castle Of Paris, was part Of tho wall" OF
Paris and Of tho 4 .toway Of ~. Antoine
Between tho years 1860 and l3s', under
Instructions from Charles v, Hugo Au'
.briot, Provost Of Paris, mado largo nd
hlLions, converting what wor" little
more than mere gale towers into hugo
stronghold IN n dcfohso against tho En'
giiai. Although from timo to timc 10
underwent certain external 0l.angoS II
retnined to tho lnsL substantially tho
features which IL received from tho
vigorous Provost, To eight gloomy tow
ora, mounted with cannon, looking
down Irowningly on many generations
Of law abiding, peace aud ple"a''re low
Ing Pafisians. With tho varying for
tunea of the city tho Bastlle was nl'
ways mprs or lesa intimately connected.
When in ii3G Charles VII, re.took Paris
FROM tho Eng|ish h's opponents took
refuge iu tho Bas,illo. In 1868, tho
Dnk" of 0niss shut up In tho baAtlllo
tho wholo rarl lament 0f Paris, because
10 refused 10 adhere TO tho League. IL
had u special attraction for Horny ~,
who, nn soon ~ ho became master OF
Paris, made Sully Governor of tho i'as'
tile and there depoaiteA his vast wealth,
which, Ut his death, amounted to $780,
600 liyrcs. On tho lAth Of January, l6i0,
IL cnpituIatod TO tho forces of tho
Fronde, after thrco days' Investment
lu later times ID waS used simply ~ \
prison for oll'onacA against tho Stato--p0'
| ltcal criminals. Tho prison chambers
were for tho most pnrL in tho towprs or
undor tho lovol Of tho ground. OncO
innido tho isolation was comploto, and IL
| wns oflon final. Within ta gloomy walls
were confined NJ ,lilcronL timos SOmo Of
tho greatcut names in lronch history,
such, for example. as tho Man Of tho
| Iron Mask, Marshal Rclcliou, Voltairc'
do Lntnle, LabouidonnniH. Cardinal do
Rohan aud obhora.
ATTACH ON THE BAsiiIIE.
10 wna used ~ II prison for State often
doris, who broke out III tho Revolution
of 1859. u had for many generations boon
ussoontod in tho minds not only Of Pa
riyinna, but Of Fronclm0n generally,
with all that waa m0st hateful IN dos.
potiam, with NIL that was most tcrriblo
in prison tolLuros, and with all that was
most rcpulAivo TO tho sentiment OF tibor-
ty. 70 was natural, therefore, that as
soon as tho populnce Of Paris found
themselves armed IL should DO tho frat
object to command thoir attention, tic
first TO feel tho weight Of thoir blows
On tho morning of tho lALh Of July u
became known aud was noticed abroad
that tho troops stationed at st. Donir
wero marching on tho capital, and that
tho cannon of tho Bastillo wore pointed
towards tho street -. Antoine. lmmcdi.
atoiy tho cry arose, "A la Baatt|}o "and
Immediately, as if moved by ono com
mon impulse, tho mighty mass--"lroady
some eighty thousand strong, all VOL
supplied with arn'a, and having among
thom largo nnmbors Of tho troops Of tho
limo aud Of tho French Guard-rOllcd
on to tho now doomed fortress. Carlyle
makes tho taking Of tho Bastilo con
spicuous feature of his famous history
This is not tho placo to 20 into tho dotailt
of tho struggle. Suffice IL TO say thai
tho place soon yielded to th6 strength
Of tho assailants. Tho chain which sns
pended tho iunor drawbridgo gave way
tho drawbridge foil, tho surging crowd
rushed in spite Of tho white flag which
had boon raised in token Of surrender
Doluunay tho Governor, and thrco of BIZ
subordipatos wero cruolIy butchcrcd
thoir bodies mutilatot, thoir heads ant
ono of tho hands of each borne aloft OF
pixies to tho Place do Groyo amid shout
of triumph and howlings of revenge
Tho prisoners, who were few in number
wore liberated Tho greater part OF TIN
garrison was set FREQ. On tho following
day, amid tho thunder Of cannon an'
tho poaling of tho Tc Dcum, tho work Q
, destruction was begun and completed
Tho Bastillo was no moro. II wns doubt
loss Il great victory for tho pop
alar cause. 1t was % triumph, however
in moral rather than In materia
sense. A symbol and visible cmbodi
, mont of tyranny had been abolished
utterly demolished, never again to b
! restored. 1t was tho triumph Of lbcrt
= against dcspotism, of right agains
!; might. 1t inspired tho epcoplc with con
fdonco. It gave them u new faith