Description:

Thomas's Massachusetts Spy, Bringing News of Marie Antoinette's Death

4pp of a bifolium, measuring 11.25" x 17.75", Worcester, Massachusetts, dated January 16, 1794. An issue of "Thomas's Massachusetts Spy: Or, The Worcester Gazette", No. 1085 of Volume XXII, containing news of the beheading of Marie Antoinette. Published by Isaiah Thomas. The paper has edge toning, with light foxing and soiling. Slightly uneven and chipped edges. Overall, very good.

In part:
"…The Queen of France was brought to trial on the 14th inst. and stood charged with having squandered away the finances of the states, and sent over to the Emperor of Germany several millions to make war against the French nation…To have conspired against the liberty of the people…To have endeavoured to starve the people in 1789…To have excited the massacres on the 5th and 6th of October at Versailles…To have, in concert with Bailly and Lafayette, massacred the patriots at Champ de Mars…To have ordered the Swiss guards to fire on the people the 10th August…To have lost the duty of a mother in ------ with her son. Her trial lasted from the 14th until the 17th; when she was found guilty of the several charges, condemned, and executed the 17th October…"

Marie Antoinette was brought before the Revolutionary Tribunal on October 14, 1793, having been given less than one day to prepare a defense. Many historians believe that verdict had already been decided by the Committee of Public Safety and that the trial was just for show. Among the charges against her were: orchestrating orgies in Versailles, sending millions of treasury money to Austria, planning the massacre of the National Guards in 1792, declaring her son to be the new King of France, and incest (a charge made by her son Louis Charles, pressured into doing so by those who controlled him). Marie Antoinette was declared guilty three days later and condemned to death, despite she and her lawyers having expected life imprisonment. The former queen was forced to wear a plain white dress, her hair was shorn, and her hands were bound behind her back. Unlike her husband, who had been taken to his execution in a carriage, she was made to sit in an open cart along the hour journey to the guillotine.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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