statement which I have before made on this subject has surprised many who heard it; but from everything which has since come to my knowledge, I am confirmed in that statement. I am certain that I shall be within the real numbers when I assert, that in these dreadful scenes two hundred persons have been murdered, and nearly two thousand persecuted in their persons and property. Two hundred and fifty houses have been destroyed; and some of these outrages have been attended with circumstances so horrid, that it would appear almost incredible that they should be suffered to pass with impunity in any civilised country. An old unmarried man named Lafond, who lived in retirement — who had neither the inclination nor ability to engage in political plots or discussions — whose only crimes were, that he professed the Reformed Religion, and was possessed of a few hundred pounds — was singled out as one of the first victims. Trestaillon, accompanied by other ruffians, went to his house, forced open the street door, and entered his apartment, which was on the upper floor. They demanded the instant surrender of his money, and threatened him with immediate death on his refusing to become a Catholic. He offered them all the money he had in his house if they would not murder him. To this they pretended to agree; but when they had obtained their booty, regardless of his cries and entreaties, they dragged him by his white locks to the landing-place, and precipitated him from the top of the balustrade. They thought he was dead, and left him; but returning soon after, and finding him only stunned, they brought him to the door, and there, amidst the acclamations of the populace, literally cut him into pieces with axes and broadswords. Out of a family of the name of Leblanc, consisting of eight persons all residing in the same house, seven have been murdered by Trestaillon and his associates. Two of them, who made some resistance, they brought into the street and cut to pieces on the threshold of their own habitation; the others they strangled. Five persons of the family of Chivas were immolated. One of these had been for some time confined to his room by sickness. Trestaillon went to his lodging, and, finding his wife on the staircase, asked for her husband. Shuddering at the sight of the murderer of her brethren, she hesitated what to answer. He saw her alarmed, and told her to fear nothing, he intended no harm. As he appeared without arms, she suffered him to enter the room of her husband. He found Andre Chivas in bed, and, approaching his bedside, put several questions to him concerning his illness, with all the appearance of one interested in his welfare. Trestaillon then took him by the hand and said, ‘They have not treated your disease properly; I am the better doctor, and will cure you immediately.’ On this he pulled out a pistol from his pocket, and holding it to the head of Chivas, blew out his brains in the presence of his wife, who has since shared the same fate.
“Having mentioned the name of this monster Trestaillon, I cannot but remark to the House, that he has never been brought to punishment. He has been twice in custody; once he has been released. I know not whether he is still in custody, but I know that he has not since been brought to justice. This wretch, as it has been reported, frequently boasted in public of the horrid outrages he had committed. He was a member of the Urban Guard. One man, whose house had been entered and set on fire, was condemned to see the body of his daughter, who had died a short time before, dug up and thrown into the flames. Barbarous instances of this kind are too numerous to be repeated in detail to the House. And it is to be recollected, that these murders and atrocities have not been perpetrated on men taken in arms, they were committed in cold blood.
“The National Guard, who, it is to be recollected, were all Catholics, continued at Nismes until the 24th of August. During this time the murders of the Protestants continued, nor was tranquillity restored until the Austrian troops entered the place. Whilst they remained, all was tranquil. When they departed, the murders of the Protestants were once more renewed. After the National Guard had quitted Nismes, they were removed to the mountains of the Cevennes, where, under pretence of suppressing treasonable conspiracies against the government, they exercised great cruelties on the unoffending mountaineers, by which several lives were lost. The Austrians at length arrived, and they were all disarmed. The Austrian troops, which entered Nismes on the 24th of August, remained there until the 15th of October. On the 16th, fresh murders were committed. Though Trestaillon had been arrested and sent out of the Department, yet there were not wanting others to emulate that monster in his crimes. Amongst these was one who assumed the name of Quatretaillon, and who particularly signalized himself by his cruel atrocities. He was suffered to pass with impunity, though there were hundreds who had been witnesses to his crimes. In fact, not one of the many who were implicated in these outrages has suffered.
“Since December last, I am happy to believe, no crimes of so ferocious a nature have been committed. Protestants, however, still continue to be the subjects of insult and reproach. They are driven from the public walks; they are interrupted in their religious duties. They have a different measure of justice dealt out to them from that which is enjoyed by their Catholic fellow-citizens. Many of them have been sentenced to long imprisonment, sometimes even for life, under pretext of having uttered seditious expressions. If any person comes forward and says, that he has heard a Protestant use such and such words, the Protestant is immediately thrown into prison. There was a case in which two persona were accused of singing an improper song and of insulting a waiter; one of them was condemned to imprisonment for ten years, the other for life. It is impossible for me to say on what evidence these convictions took place; though it will not, surely, be very uncharit-