Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-08-26
Marie Antionette-A Victim
of the French Revolution

The French revolution furnishes with with n
INC! most fearful example of the length to which
the passions OF hatred and revenge will carry
a people, who after many centuries Of grinding
oppression, rise In fury against their oppres-
sors. Inc crimes OF the French government
against Its people were many and great, 1t is
true-its cruelty cannot be excused-but the In
humanity of that orgy Of blood in which the
people lnduIgeo as revenge against the no
bihty VIII ever disgrace the fair name Of
France.
For centuries. but chiefly during the reign
OF Louis XIV and Louis XIV the great popula-
ton of peasants had been so oppressed with
taxation that as in the OF Ireland only
a Few generations ago, starvation the rule,
not the exception, and hundreds persisted of
famine. Riots were frequent, and ragged men
and women, holding their little ones in their
arms, filed through the streets, calling for
bread; sometimes In accents of sorrow, again
In anger and despair; they the court with
its hundreds of parasites being luxuriously fed
clothed and entertained at their expense and
knew that while they starved the courtiers in
dulged In the most appalling extravaganza.
The storm Of dissatisfaction, checked BY the
personal popularity of Louis XIV, chief Offend
er though he was, increased during the reign
OF Louis XIV, and broke in all it's fury over the
innocent heads Of Louis XVI and his beauti-
full young Austrian wife, Marie Antoinette.
Timid, pious and retiring, disliking intensely
the responsibility OF kingship Louis XVI was
not the man for the crisis. He the pitiful
conditions brought by centuries of mis-
government. the selfishness of the nobility, and
the unfair distribution of land and taxes and
with his ministers, whom he constantly chang
ed with the advice of his queen, he tried to
solve the. problems. but failed.
Marie Antoinette, daughter of that powerful
queen and woman of unusual ability, Maria
Theresa, Of Austria, beloved by her Hun
garlan subjects, inherited from her unyieldng
pride, but little of her tact and prudence. In
trying to introduce into court life a better
atmosphere, she alienated the nobility by dis
csrding rigid etiquette for Democratic sim
plicity.
Sometimes she scandalzed them by acting the
part Of shepherdess or dairy maid.
Strange to say, the common people, who still
loved royal pomp, also disliked this mode OF
life, and began to look upon their queen, who
yet wished for their love, as a hated Aus
trian enemy. Every effort she made to con-
ciliate them only resulted in sorrow for her
self. Her girlish love of pleasure, expressed
In acting dances, banquets and fine dress,
were many points of criticism. 1t is not
her renown a queen, but her development OF
character under deepest sorrow, her devoted
love of husband and children, and finally the
tragic death Of herself and her family, that
have hallowed her name In history.
After the convention Of the states general in
1850. In which the people assumed a part in
government and the death of the statesman,
Mirabeau, all hope for the monarchy was lost.
The king and his family fled by night to take
refuge with the queens Austrian brother, but
were turned back at Varennes. On June 90
1902 a mob invaded the Tuileries, forced Louis
XVI to don liberty cap. and heaped insults
on the hated queen. On August 10th took ylace
the final storming of the Tuileries. the queens
guards being murdered ut her door.
They among the first of the victims
sent TO death during the Reign of Terror. The
royal family were imprisoned in the temple
and January u, 1893. the king executed,
after a most farcial trial.
The saddest scene of all took place when the
young prince was snatched from the arms OF
his hcart-broken mother to become the victim
of the cruelest Imprisonment and torture. For
two hours the mother defended her child. plead
Ing for him in agony. and only yielded when
the guards threatened 10 murder him in her
arms. Marie Antoins tie separated
from her daughter. and her sister-in-law and
Sl~eAd In the Copei0ssa TO await har trial The