The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1909-02-18

the TOO famous reign Of FHlllp Ia, tt;.l
absolute despot,' who made IT a erin.
mai hercsy, punishable with death, 10
send horses to France. Philip reigne'l
between the years 1905 and 1895, GER
tainly the b!oodiest years Of taat
bloody ,XVI.th century. But, as Vol
talre himself admitted 1t, Spain was
spared those horrors that dlsgracesl
Europe. How many we're the Protect
ant victims Of the Spanish lnqu!slt!on
during the reign? We have nan.
suspect testimony from the French
Chancellor. Michel de L'Hopltal; hit
this brings us only to the year 1851,
the 9th year Of PhiIIp. lis reisS
Knowing Philips character as history
represents It to us, we may fairly sur
mise that the figures given to us BY
the French Chancellor represent the
number Of executions which took l,lasr
in the very first years Of that Kings
reign. His policy was to strike terror
from the start into the hearts Of those
whom he considered as, a supreme
danger for the peace and unity Of his
country. .4,.'4.5ilS / ~.
Michel de l'Hopital who was tho
Chancellor Of France from 1860 to
1572 is well known in history for hav-
Ing been always in favor OF tolerat.
Ing all forms Of religion. LET lis do
AWAY" said he at the opening Of the
States General in 1850, with those
.liabollcal words OF Lutherans, HUI
guenots and Paplsts,-names Of party
and selition; let us not Change taa
fair appellation Of Christians" (Quot.
ell from Chambers Art. HospitaD. TIE
religious dissenslons had just start.
ell in France. Led by the Bourbons
OF France and Navarro, excited by
Calvin. who ruled supreme in Geneva,
encouraged by Elizabeth Of England.
who sent her feet and soldiers. the
Protestant party formed small till
active minority In the Kingdom. The
Colleague Of poissy was intended 10
bring to a mutual understanding the
contE nling elements. Calvin was rel,
resented by BEN at that famous con.
ference Tt'Hopltal Was The spokes.
man Of the Crown Among the qua.
tons raised IN that meeting which
lastcd from July to October, 1861. the
representative Of the Gu!se party pro.
posed to establish In France the IN.
QUESTION such as It was working In
Spain, where II had so effectually
kept down the Protestant advance.
De L'Hopltal objected to such thing.
remarksng, however, that he would
vote for Its establishment, had no:
the evil OF religious dissenAon taken
so deep a root In the Kingdom and
were It likely that France would Sc.
cure that benefit Of unity which Phi'ip
had secured for Spain at the cost Of
forty-eight capital executions" This
Is what called the non.suspect test,
mony Of the French Chancellor. Ont
side Of that. know Of no other contenl.
porary Testimony. We are far from
the figures suggested by Llorente anil
SO blindly copied by Draper. To hn-
ish with De L'Hopltal's testimony. Il:
liz ndd TINT the following year, 1867.
he was instrumental In obtaining for
the rrotestants OF France an e.llr:
OF liberation; In 157? after the massa-
ere OF the st. Bartholomew. he resign.
cd his Office and died broken hearted
In the following year. 1873. We're
there more than Is Protestant. victims
OF the Enauis!tion? I sHrmise few
other executions took place during the
reign Of Philip md to the end OF that
terrible XVI. century, but i would he
very hard to establish BY historical