The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-10-26
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2e. 1871

Today Is the birthday OF Danton, In
li5?. one OF the men, more than any 9TH
or: whom the French revolution threw
TO the surface and renlzed the fun popu'
lar Idea OF revolutionst. lie was born
al Arcis -sur-Aubc. OF well-to-do farming
people. and WIS educated for a lawyer
In person he was almost sigantic-tall
and muscular His head was large and
covered with stin black hair. Ills tea-
lures were bold and irregular. and by
some called ugly but when liz up by the
fire OF his intellect their coerseness dis
appeared In harmony.
Danton's voice Is said to have been
powcru-in the outbursts OF his ora
tory. terriblc-and was llkenod 10 thun-
der and lions roar. He began practic-
Ing law In Paris and. having revolution
ary tendencies, which were easy to fos-
ter at the time. he sought out the ac-
guaintance of such men as Mirabeau
Robespicrrc and Marat, He lived eco-
nomicaliy and spent his days In the as
sembly and his nights at the clubs.
Danton attached himself to the Giron-
dists, and. says Lamartlne. Madame
Roland hattered him. but with fear and
repugnance. as lamb would pet a lion.
Daily. however he grew In popularity.
The court sought his influence by bribcs.
and In the pride Of his strength he eE-
claimed: II shall save the king or Kill
him.
Tho revolution. however. was greater
than Danton. He who would live in II
was forced TO run with IT or be trampled
In In It's path After the flight OF Louis Louis,
Prussia. in 1892 invaded France In vindi-
cation OF royalty. and spread terror on
every side. Danton. by his brave words,
gave gave cournge to the the nation o., "Lsgisla-
cannon that you hear II is; the pas de-
charge against your enemies. To con-
quer them. TO hurl them back, what do
we require? To dare, and again to dare,
and without end 70 dare!'
In a few weeks fourteen republican ar
mics were In the field, repelIne the al
He'd forces with vigor and success whleh
set Europe aghast. In the course OF
events Robespierre and Danton came
face to face as rivals for the leadership
OF Paris and in France. Danton was
luxurious. reckless, generous and frank,
on the other hand, Kobespierre was as
cctic. cold. severe. cautious. and uncom-
promising, Feeling that the contest was
unequal. Danton withdrew to his native
town OF Arcis: but not ror long, for his
associates keenly felt his absence from
the field of action He was recalled
by him of having embezzled the public
money, He retorted by calling Robes
pierre a sanguinary tyrant This dispute
fixed his doom. His wife and friends
urged him TO fly, "Whither fy2' an
swered lie. 'If freed France cast me
out there are only dungeons for me else
where. One carries not his country with
him at the sole of his shoes"
He heard there WAS warrant for his
arrest but he said, "They dare not. they
dare not But he forgot he had Robes
pierre the infiexibe to deal with. On
the night OF the 3lst OF March 1874. he
was arrested Brought up for trial on the;
2nd OF April. he was asked by Fouquier
Tinville his name and place of abode.
"My name" said he, SIS Danton. a
name tolerably well known in the revo-
luton I am thirty-fiye years old My
abode will soon be in nothinsness. but my
name shall live in the pantheon Of his
tory" He was declared guilty. In
prison he affected Indifference. II have
enjoyed my moments of existence well; !
have made plenty OF noise upon Garth
I have tasted well OF life-let us go 10
sleepi" AS he mounted the scaffold
from the cart in which he was conveyed
TO execution he was neard to say: 20
my wife my well beloved, / shall never
see thee more" then. interrupting him
self: "Danton, no weakness" His last
words were TO Samson. the exccutioner:
You will show my head to the people.
1t Is we'll worth showing" Danton died
on the 5th OF April. 1874. Robespierre's s
triumph was brief; his own head fell OH
the 2Sth or July.
October 20 1926, the Erie canal was
chiefly through the influence
OF Dc Witt Clinton. Today is the birth
day Of Charles Francis Dupuis, French
G7s2); Ashur Robbins, who
was known as 'tthe Cicero of the Senate"
G75D. Charles Sprague. the American
poet UT9D Elizabeth P. Prentiss. Ameri
can author NS1S); and John w. Noble.
secretary of the interior under Harrison
Qs3D. 1t is the date OF the death OF
Dr. Philip Doddridge, the eminent Eng
lish divine and author G75D.