File:The student's France, a history of France from the earliest times to the establishment of the second empire in 1852 (1870) (14765497332).jpg

Identifier: studentsfrancehi01jerv (find matches)
Title: The student's France, a history of France from the earliest times to the establishment of the second empire in 1852
Year: 1870 (1870s)
Authors: Jervis, W. H. (William Henley), 1813-1883
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Publisher: New York, Harper & brothers
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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Among the latter were many of the timid vacillating Girondists,including Vergniaud, whose vote caused general astonishment.The notorious Duke of Orleans, who sat in the Convention underthe name of Philip Egalite, also gave his voice, amid a murmurof universal horror, for the sacrifice of his royal relative. Two more days were consumed in debates on the correctnessof the scrutiny and on the question of sursis. It was not till threein the morning of the 20th that the final decision was declared,by a majority of three hundred and eighty against three hundredand ten, that there should be no suspension ; upon which the min- A.D. 1793. EXECUTION OF THE KING. 561 isters were ordered to see the sentence executed within twenty-four hours. Louis received the announcement of his fate with perfect calm«ness. He forwarded a letter to the Convention, containino- threerequests : that a delay of three days might be granted him to pre-pare for death; that he might be allowed the attendance of a con-
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fessor of his own choice; and that he might see his wife and fam^ily without witnesses. The first of these demands was refused;tlie two latter were granted. Tiie Abbe Edgeworth de Firmont,tlic priest designated by the king, was immediately sent for, andLouis received from him the last rites and consolations of reli-ion A A 2 5f,2 LOUIS XVr. Chap. XXVI. with profound devotion. The parting scene with his family, bywhom lie was tenderly beloved, was of the most aiFecting andneart-rending nature. The king afterward slept peacefully forseveral hours. About ten in the morning on the 21st of Janu-ary, 1793, he was conveyed in a carriage, guarded by Santerre anda band of municipal officers and gendarmes, from the Temple tothe Place de la Revolution, formerly Place Louis XV., in the cen-tre of which the guillotine had been erected. He mounted thescaffold with firmness, and addressed a few words to the vast as-sembled multitude, declaring that he died innocent of the crimesimputed to him, that

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