Martinsburg Gazette

From the Museum of Foreign Literature, for Oct.

THE DEATH OF ROBESPIERRE.

"The conspirators finding themselves abandoned, gave themselves up to despair: the National Guard rushed rapidly up the stair, and entered the room where Robespierre was sitting with his elbow on his knees, and his head resting on his hand; Meda discharged his pistol, which broke his under jaw, and he fell under the table. St Just implored Le Bas to put an end to his life. "Coward, follow my example," said he, and blew out his brains. Couthon was seized under the table, feebly attempting to strike with a knife, which he wanted the courage to plunge in his heart, Coffinhall and the young Robespierre, threw themselves from the windows, and were seized in the inner court of the building. Henriot had been thrown down the stair by Coffinhall, but though bruised and mutilated, he contrived to crawl into the entrance of a sewer, from whence he was dragged out by the troops of the Convention.

Robespierre and Couthon being supposed to be dead, were dragged by the heels to the Quai Pelletier where it was proposed to throw them into the river; but it being discovered, when day returned, that they still breathed, they were stretched on a board, and carried to the Assembly. The members having refused to admit them, they were conveyed to the Committees of General Safety, where Robespierre lay for some hours stretched upon a table, with his broken jaw still bleeding, and suffering alike under bodily pain, and the execrations of those around him. From thence he was sent to the Conciergerie, where he was confined in the same cell which had been occupied by Danton, Hebert, and Chaumette. At length he was brought, with all his associates, to the Revolutionary Tribunal, and as soon as the identity of the persons were established, they were condemned.

"At four in the morning on the 29th July, all Paris was in motion to witness the death of the Tyrant. He was placed on the chariot, between Henriot and Couthon, whose remains were as mutilated as his own; the crowd, which so long had ceased to attend the executions, manifested the utmost joy at their fate. The blood from his jaw burst through the bandage, and overflowed his dress; his face was ghastly pale. He shut his eyes, but could not close his ears against the imprecations of the multitude. A woman breaking from the crowd exclaimed—"Murderers of all my kindred, your agony fills me with joy; descend to Hell covered with the curses of every mother in France!" Twenty of his comrades were executed before him; when he ascended the scaffold, the executioner tore the bandage from his face: the lower jaw fell upon his breast, and he uttered a yell, which filled every heart with horror. For some minutes the frightful figure was held up to the multitude: he was then placed under the axe, and the last sounds which reached his ears were the exulting shouts, which were prolonged for some minutes after his death.

Along with Robespierre were executed Henriot, Couthon, St. Just, Dumas, Coffinhall, Simon, and all the leaders of the revolt. St. Just alone displayed the firmness which had so often been witnessed among the victims whom they had sent to the scaffold. Couthon wept with terror; the others died uttering blasphemies, which were drowned in the cheers of the people. They shed tears of joy, they embraced each other in transport, they crowded round the scaffold to behold the bloody remains of the tyrants. "Yes, Robespierre, there is a God!" said a poor man as he approached the lifeless body of one so lately the object of his dread; his fall was felt by all present as an immediate manifestation of the Divinity."