David Carnegie Andrew Agnew

“ 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. ”

“ There was not a single Protestant a member of the Revolutionary Tribunal of the Department of the Gard; whilst of the 130 persons who were guillotined by its orders at Nismes, more than 100 were Protestants, though the Protestants only formed about one-third of the population.
“The Protestants being restored to the rank of citizens, all religious animosities seemed to subside in the south of France. In 1802 Buonaparte, the First Consul of France, procured the enactment of a law placing the Protestant on the same footing with the Catholic faith, in point of establishment and privilege. ”

“ I have no intention of accusing His Majesty’s Ministers of criminality. All that I complain of is, they have been too credulous, and that they have listened with too little suspicion to the assurances of the French Government on the subject. The Duke of Wellington’s letter was printed at Nismes, and scattered about that town with great activity by the Catholics. It has filled the Protestants with the utmost consternation, taking (as it does) from the oppressors the only restraint to which they had until that period been subject, and from the oppressed their last hope and consolation. ”

“ The death of the poor princess is indeed a great public calamity. With her are extinguished all hopes of a Whig administration being ever again formed in this country, or at least within any time that those who are now mixing in the affairs of the world can suppose that they will live to see. ”

“ 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. ”

“ I should wish, indeed, to see the first best man of his profession occupying, at some time, the first rank in it, and giving dignity to some new title, which might hereafter be quoted as the heraldic name for fine sense and integrity. ”

“ After the 15th of July, many of the royalists from the Duke d’Angouleme’s army, and from various adjoining places, flocked to Nismes. The garrison, consisting of 200 men, laid down their arms, but (shocking to relate) were, with a few exceptions, killed in cold blood.
“Now commenced the persecution of the Protestants. Their houses were pulled down, their furniture was burnt, the rich were laid under severe contributions, and the poor exposed to the utmost cruelties. The greater part of these unfortunate people were manufacturers. ”

“ It is impossible for me to say on what evidence these convictions took place; though it will not, surely, be very uncharitable to suppose, that those who had hearts to perpetrate the atrocities which I have described, are not likely to be very scrupulous as to the evidence they give against the Protestants. ”

“ Houses and manfactories were totally destroyed, vineyards laid waste, and the vines torn up by the roots. Many females were exposed in the street to every description of insult. One woman in particular, who was scourged in a most brutal manner, was known to be far advanced in pregnancy. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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 ”

“ It has been represented that, during the reign of Buonaparte from the 3d of April to the 15th of July, acts of the greatest violence had been committed by the Protestants towards the Catholics, and that everything which subsequently took place was to be considered as mere acts of retaliation and revenge. The fact was, however, that no such acts of violence were committed by the Protestants. Of this I have been assured on the best authority. During that period the town was under the command of a Catholic, General Gilly. ”

“ 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. ”