The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

Account of the Death of Mr. John Calas, Merchant at Toulouse, who was executed there for the supposed Murder of his own Son, taken from the Original Pieces on that Subject by the celebrated Mr. de Voltaire.

THIS unhappy head of a Family, who had never had a Quarrel with any one, who never had beat one of his Children, this feeble old Man of 68 Years of Age, was accordingly condemned to the most terrible Punishment. for having with his weak Hands strangled, and hanged. in hatred of the Catholick Religion, a stout and vigorous Son, who had no more Inclination for the Catholick Religion than the Father himself. His holy Body being interred.

Being interrogated about his Accomplices. in the Midst of the Horrors -of this Torture; he answered to these very Words; "Alas! where there is no Crime, can there be any Accomplices?"

When he was conducted from the Room where he was tortured to the Place of Execution, the same Tranquility of Soul accompanied him. All his Fellow-Citizens. who saw him pass by upon the fatal Cart. were melted into Compassion; even the Mob, who some Time before that had recovered from their Fanaticism, sincerely wept for his Misfortunes.

The Commissary. who had the Direction of the Execution, took the last Interrogatory from him; but had from him the same Answers as before. Father Bourges. Dominican and Professor of Divinity, who with Father Calvdigues, a Religious of the same Order, had been commissioned to aid him in his last Moments, and above all, to prevail with him to conceal nothing of the Truth, found him wholly disposed to offer to God the Sacrifice of his Life for the Expiation of his Sins; but, however resigned he shewed himself to the Decrees of Providence, . he so far on the other hand continued firm in defending his Innocence, and that of the other Persons accused.

One single Shriek, and that not one very violent, escaped from him upon the first Stroke he received; the rest did not draw the least Complaint from him.

Being placed at length upon the Wheel; there to wait the Moment that was at once to put an End to his Punishment and his Life: the whole Discourse which he held breathed nothing but Christian Sentiments. He expressed no Resentment against his Judges; such was his Charity. that he declared he did not impute his Death to them, and that they must have Been deceived by false Witnesses. At length. when he saw the Moment arrive when the Executioner was preparing to deliver him from his Pain. his last Words to Father Bourges were these? Father Innocent ; Jesus Christ. who was Innocence itself. chose to die by a Punishment still more cruel I have no regret to part with a Life, the End of which, I hope. will soon conduct me into a happy Eternity. I pity my Wife and my Son ; but what adds to my Affliction, is that poor Stranger, that Son of Mr. La Paise, to whom I thought I was doing a Piece of Civility. in interesting him to sup with me.