vention, to present his means of defence, with the same firm and collected air as on his examination. M. Deseze, in an able and eloquent speech, then commenced the defence. Coming to that period in his speech, which related to the 10th of August, which was so fatal to the king, he said, "I come at last to the disastrous day of the 10th of August. In this hall men have contended for the glory of that day. I come not to dispute that glory; but since it has been proved that that day was premeditated, how can it be a crime to Louis? And you accuse him, and you would give judgement against him, who has never given a sanguinary order,-against him, who, at Varennes, preferred returning a captive, to exposing the life of a single man, against him, who, on the 20th of June, refused every kind of aid, and preferred remaining alone in the midst of the people. Hear History speak-Louis mounted the throne at the age of twenty: he exhibited on it an example of morals, of justice, of economy: he abolished servitude in his domains: the people desired liberty-he gave it. (Murmurs among the members.) We cannot deny to Louis the glory of having always anticipated the wishes of his people. I do not conclude: I appeal to History: think that History will judge your judge

When the defence was finished, the king rose, and holding a paper in his hand, spoke in a calm manner, and with a firm voice, as follows: " Citizens, you have heard my defence; I now speak to you; perhaps, for the last time, and declare that my counsel have asserted nothing to you but the truth; my conscience reproaches me with nothing: I never was afraid of having my conduct investigated; but I observed, with great uneasiness, that I was accused of giving orders for shedding the blood of the people on the 10th of August. The proofs I have given through my whole life of a contrary disposition, I hoped would have saved me from such an imputation, which I now solemnly declare is entirely groundless."

The

The discussion was finally closed on the 16th of January, 1793. After a sitting of thirty-six hours, the punishment of death was awarded by a small majority of the convention, and several of these differed in opinion from the rest, respecting the time when it should be inflicted; some contending that it should not be put in execution till after the close of the war, while others proposed to take the sense of the people, by referring the sentence to the primary assemblies. M. Deseze then solemnly invoked the assembly in the name of his colleagues, to consider by what a small majority the punishment of death was pronounced against the dethroned monarch: "Do not afflict France (added this eloquent advocate) by a judgement that will appear terrible to the nation, when eleven voices only are presumed sufficient to carry it." He appealed to eternal justice, and sacred humanity, to induce the convention to refer their sentence to the tribunal of the people. "You have either forgotten or destroyed (said the celebrated M. Tronchet) the lenity which the law allows to criminals, of requiring at least two-thirds of the voices to constitute a definitive judgement." The number of suffrages, on this ever-memorable occasion, amounted to seven hundred and twenty-one: thirty-four. gave their opinions for death, with various restrictions; two for imprisonment in chains; and three hundred and nineteen for confinement or banishment-Total 355. The number of votes for death absolutely was 366--Majority 11.

In the whole course of this transaction, nothing created greater surprize and horror than the conduct of the duke of Orleans, now distinguished by the name of Philip Egalite. This prince, it is said, intended to have abstained from voting, but Robespierre gained his suffrage by means of terror. From the tribune he deliberately pronounced these words: "Influenced by no consideration but that of performing my duty; convinced that all who have conspired or who shall hereafter conspire against the sovereignty of the people deserve death; I VOTE FOR DEATH." The

assembly

assembly was in a general ferment; one member starting from his seat, and striking his hands together, exclaimed, "Ah, le scelerat!" that is, "Ah, the rascal!" Many repeated that expression, and "Oh, l'horreur! Oh, le monstre!" that is, "Oh, horror! ob, the monster!" The king alone felt pity for the degraded state of his persecutor: "I do not know, (he said,) what I have done to my cousin to make him behave to me in the manner he has; but he is to be pitied. He is still more unfortunate than I am. I certainly would not change conditions with him." A motion for a respite was argued with great warmth, but decided in the negative by a majority of seventy; and the convention then ordered, that a copy of the decree pronouncing sentence of death against Louis, should be notified to him in the course of the next day by the executive council, and executed within twenty-four hours afterwards.

During the night of Sunday, the 20th of January, Paris was illuminated, and no person whatever was permitted to go abroad in the streets. Large bodies of armed men patroled every part of that immense metropolis: the rattling of coaches ceased: the streets were deserted; and the city was buried in an aweful silence. About two o'clock in the morning of the fatal Monday, (the 21st,) voices were heard at intervals, through the gloom of lamentation and distress; but whence they proceeded, or what they were, no person has been able to discover. This circumstance, among many others, terrified the people. The unhappy monarch passed all Sunday in preparation for his approaching change. His calm resignation, and great patience, were remarkably conspicuous; but the meeting and parting of the family was a scene too painful, too distressing to the feelings of humanity! The queen hung around the neck of the departing husband in delirious anguish; the princess royal grasped his hand; the dauphin embraced his knees; and Madame Elizabeth bathed his feet with the torrent of her tears. The queen was at last removed