The Horrors of "September," 1792 [pp. 78-81]

THE HORRORS OF " SEPTEMBER," 1t792.
THE HORRORS OF "SEPTEMBER," 1792.
DURING the reign of terror in France,
one night, Danton, the terrible Danton, occupied the tribunal. lie was
boasting of the services he had rendered the state, and was eulogising
"reason, justice, and humanity," when
from an obscure part of the dimly
lighted hall a strong, hollow voice
slowly pronounced the word, Septenmber!
That terrible word September caused
every one in the hall to shudder, and
even for a moment staggered and silenced the imperturbable, the lying tyrant, Danton. For while he was
trampling upon liberty, and murdering France, he perpetually harped
about "liberty, justice, and equality."
Even the death-warrants of the
thousands of eminent men and women
who were arrested and condemned
without law, were dated-" At the Abbey, year 4th of Liberty, and 1st of Equality."
This was in 1792. It was the September of that year which was alluded
to by the strong slow voice in the Tribunal Hall. On the 2d and 3d days of
that September, upwards of twelve
thousand innocent men and women
were inhumanly butchered by these
friends of liberty, justice and equality!
No wonder that Danton turned pale
and trembled at the word'Septe?mber.'
That was just seventy years ago, the
2d and 3d days of last September.
Is it possible that those horrid events
were no further off than that? Is it
possible that so near our time human
delusion went so far, and the liberties
of a nation fell so suddenly and so
low?
Who will credit it' But history attests it, that such leaders of these barbarities as Marratt, Danton and Robespierre gained all their power with
the people to do these lawless deeds
of blood by calling themselves the
friends of liberty, justice, and equality.
Good God I could such things be
done in an enlightened nation like
France only 70 years ago?
And why is it that the memories of
these events start a thrill of horror
through us now?
Why are we forced to recall those
deeds of blood and crime against liberty? Why does that horrible word
September ring perpetually in our memories, like a fire-bell in the night?
One year before that dreadful September, there was not a man in all
France who imagined the horrors that
were coming.
The usurpation began small; was
humble, talked charmingly of liberty,
justice, and'equality.
Sweet words! And the people listened to them, and mobbed those who
would not listen to them, all the time
throwing down their liberties faster
than the tyrants could pick them up,
until suddenly, at last, in those two
days of September, the throat of France
was cut I
"Oh, liberty!" exclaimed Mad. Roland, as she bared her beautiful neck
to the axe, "what crimes are done in
thy name!"
Now who can help drawing paral
LApril,