The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-08-11
Charles l of England.
Louis XVI of France.
Napoleon Bonaparte.
JTi1Jiora uohar1of1ar


These four names are eloquent
They tell a story of once mighty mon
archs dethroned. Three Of them were
placed ON trial for their sins. or the
sins of their ancestors, and condemn
ed-one to the block, one to the gull
lotine, and one to st. Helena.
What is going to happen to the
fourth?
Charles I and Louis XVI were for
mally called before tribunals of men
who had once been their subjects.
Napoleon was tried in the court Of
nations. His case, in many respects,
is like that of the man who saws
wood today in the beautiful park of
his castle prison in Holland. dreaming
about past glories and wondering
what the future holds for him.
In the month of July, 104 years ago,
Napoleon, driven from Paris by the
triumphant armies Of the allies of that
day and deprived OF his power by
action of the assembly, was a refugee
in the tiny Isle d'Aix, off Rocheport,
watching the British ships of war as
they cruised in the bay of Biscay, bar
ring the way to America and freedom.
Eventually he was given up into
British hands, and was sent to st.
Helena in August, 1915, without for
NAL trial. He had been condemned
months before by the allies in con-
gress at Vienna as the arch-disturber
of the world
How different was the fate of the
unha ppy Charles I and of Louis XVI.
Charles had been accused of no in
ternational crime. "Tyrant, traitor,
murderer and implacable enemy to the
commonwealth OF England" were the
charges brought by the Cromwellian
roundheads.
He faced his hand picked high court
of justice in Westminster hall and
laughed derisively in the faces of the
eighty or more commissioners as the
charges were read.
by what lawful authority am
brought here?" he demanded Re.
member l am your king. your lawful
king, and what sins you bring upon
your heads. and the judgment of God
upon this land. Think we'll upon it,
say, before you go further, from one
sin to a greater"
Said the court: "If you had been
pleased to have observed what was
limited to you by the court at your
first coming hither, you would have
known by what authority; which au
thority requires you in the name OF
! the people of England. of which you
were elected king, to answer
mo, sir. deny it," replied Charles
England was never an elective king
dom, but an hereditary kingdom for
nearly these one thousand years
therefore let me know by what au
| thority l am called hither. I do not
stand more for the liberty Of these
people than any here that come to be
my pretended judges"
The court thereupon held private
sessions January IS, 1913, the king
was found guilty of ''levying war
against said parliament and people
and maintaining and continuing the
same For all of which treasons and
crimes, this court doth adjudge-that
he, the said Charles Stuart, as a ty-
rant, traitor and public enemy to the
good people of this nation, shall be
put to death by the severing Of his
head from his body"
The sentence was carried out by a
headsman on a scaffolding in White
hall, January 20, 164S.
Louis, of France. met a like fate
by more modern means. The guillo-