Alexandria Gazette & Daily Advertiser

This morning the gaoler, on visiting the cell in which John Lamarde was confined, discovered that the wretched man had put a period to his own existence.—He had torn his shirt into pieces—these he twisted together and formed a rope, with which he hung himself to a spike nail he had contrived to drive into the wall, thus executing on himself that sentence of the law, which, but two days before, had been pronounced in such an impressive manner. In his cell was found a paper on which he had written a few lines with a pencil, of which the following is an exact copy.
[ibid.
Un Chinois condamné à la peine De mort par un Conseil especial, il est de son honneur D'en être l'executeur lui même.
Ce qui est vertu chez un peuple est un vice chez l'autre.
Le Soleil Les eclaire tous.
Que-étiez vous avant que D'être Rien.
Que Serez vous quand vous ne Serez Rien.
Ainsi finis
JEAN LAMARDE,
âgé de 47 ans 9 mois et 9 jour.
Mort victime.
[On the back of the same paper was the following memorandum:]
Dans mon bagage chez feu Clement il y a une paire De Rasoirs que madame Tayly m'a prêtée quand elle demeurait chez Clement.
JEAN LAMARD,
(he probably meant to write 'honneur,' but we have given the copy literally.
The following translation has been obligingly furnished to the editor by a friend:
A Chinese condemned to death by a special court, it is to his honor to be his own executioner.
That which is virtue with one nation is a vice with another.
The Sun enlightens all.
What were you before you existed? nothing.
What will you be when you cease to exist?—nothing.
So ends Jean Lamarde, aged 47 years, 9 months and 9 days.
Died victim.
In my basket at the late Clements there is a pair of razors, which Mrs. — lent when she lived with Clements.
JEAN LAMARD