Charles Jean Marie Barbaroux

One of the greatest of the Girondists, was born at Marseilles, March 6, 1767. At first an advocate and journalist at Marseilles, he was sent by that city to the Constituent Assembly at Paris. There he opposed the Court party, and took part with the Minister, Roland, then out of favor. After the events of the 10th of August, 1792, he returned to his native town, where he was received with enthusiasm, and was soon after chosen delegate to the Convention. In the Convention he adhered to the Girondists, and belonged to the party who, at the trial of the King, voted for an appeal to the people. He boldly opposed the party of Marat and Robespierre, and even directly accused the latter of aiming at the dictatorship; consequently, he was, in May, 1793, proscribed as a royalist and enemy of the Republic. He fled to Calvados, and thence with a few friends to the Gironde, where he wandered about country, hiding himself as he best could for about 13 months. At last, on the point of being taken, he tried to shoot himself; but the shot miscarried, and he was guillotined at Bordeaux, June 25, 1794. This “brave and beautiful young Spartan” was one of the great spirits of the Revolution. There was no loftier-minded dreamer in the Girondist ranks; hardly a nobler head than his fell in that reign of terror. He was “ripe in energy, not ripe in wisdom,” says Carlyle, or the history of France might have been different.

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