/ 
-Girondifts, however, confidered his 
violence asa maik.—Having been fent 
on a miffion to >the South, he acted 
with great energy at the fiege of Toulon; 
and, in conjunction with hi; colleague, 
Freron, eleéted Buonaparte, then a young 
officer of engineers, to prefide as general 
of artillery, a circumfance which reflects 
fome credit on their penetration. On his 
entering la Ville Affranchi, as it was then 
termed, he informed the convention 
“ Ou'il navoit trouvé que les galériens qui 
6 fuffent patriotes*.”’ 
At three critical periods, Barras has 
been invefted with almoft unlimited pow-' 
ers, and on all thefe occalions has con- 
ducted himfelf with courage and fagacity. 
During the infurrection of the 27th of 
July, he led the forces of the convention 
againft the municipality of . Paris, then 
in a ftate of injurreétion. He fuppreffed 
the counter-revolutionary commotions in 
the fau«xbourg de Si. Anioime, on the 20th 
of May ; and on the r3th of Vendemiaire, 
Which anfwers to our 5th of Oétober, he 
' fubdued the feétions, who had organized 
a 
themfelves into an army, and marched 
againit the legiflature, headed by Gene- 
ral Danican. 
Iris to the laft of thefe events he is 
indebted for his prefent elevation; and 
fuch was the eagernefs of the national 
convention t» include him in the direéto- 
ry, that an exprefs exception on the 
{core of age was made, purely out of re- 
{pect to him, in the conttitutional code. 
Itis alfo not a little remarkable, ‘that 
he occupied all his former important em- 
ployments, and holds even his prefent fi- 
tation, in exprefs oppofition to the de. 
cree of the 27th of Germinal, which ex-. 
_cludes all the kindred of emigrants from 
t 
places of truft. 
Barras is now in the 34th year of his 
age. He is talland handfome, and makes 
a fine appearance at public feftivals, 
‘when dreffed in his purple robe, fur- 
mounted by a fcarlet mantle, with his 
head enveloped ina feathered hat, adorn- 
ed with the national colours. His com« 
plexion is rather of a yellow hue, a cir- 
-eumftance which has not e{caped the 
royalifts : 
** Ce maffacreur de rots, a face de faffian,” 
Sef 
He is reprefented as rather able than 

* That he had only found the galley flaves 
Patriots. 
: ¢ his murderer of kings, with a face of faf- 
on, &c. 
MonTHLy Maa. No. X. 
¥796.) Original Anecdotes. —. Directory... Barras... Carnit. 802 
learned, and poffefling greater activity 
and exertion than knowledge and ac< 
quirements. 
His choice of fubordinate officers; his 
military difpofitions, and his judicious, ar- 
rangements on all great occafions,and more 
efpecially on the 13th of Yendenuaire when 
the convention, if not deferted, jac icatt 
was not fupported, by General Menon, 
to whom it had confided its defence, prove 
him, however, to be no common man. 
The fix following lines, which are 
quoted-rather for their malignity than 
their wit, were written by a general, 
officer, whom he overcame on that occa- 
fion ; and evince, at leaft, how much he is 
hated, notwithftanding his nobility, by 
the emigrants of every hue and defcrip- 
tion. 
‘* PAUL DE BARRAS, PREMIER DU 
NOM, ROI DE FRANCH, DE NA-= 
VARRE, & DE LOMBARDIE, DUG 
DE BRABANT; COMTE DE NICE, 
DUC DESAVOY, PRINCE DE LIEGE, 
ELECTEUR DE COLOGNE, &c. &c: 
* Plus que Néron, mon Vicomre eft defpote! 
*¢ Se pavanant fous {a rouge Capote, 
“Ce Ror bourreau, pérore {ur un ton 
“ Dont rittout-bas le badaud dans fa craffe 
“ C’eft Arlequin, Pantalon, ou Paillaffe, 
** Contrefefant les airs a? Agamerinon.”” 
Barras is at this moment prefident of 
the directory ; and it is to him, through \ 
the minifter of © intericr relations”, 
.that our ambaffador at Paris muft tranf- 
mit his ez powers, and apply for the 
decifion of France, relative to the im- 
portant queition of peace or war, 
CaRNoT, 
As well as Barras, is of illuftrious birth, 
being defcended from an ancient family, 
and, like the German nobility, might 
boatt of his feudal domains, his ancient 
fiefs, and the thirty-two quarterings of 
his armorial coat. But he poffeffes + far 
different claims to the efeem and the re- 
{pect of a grateful country, all of which 
are included in the appellation of * da 
“‘ Terrew des Autrichiens®.”’ 
To. his early lifeg malice herfelf has 
not afixed any Dg ae than that 
he owed the care: of his infancy and.edu- 
cation te the Prince de Condé. He has 
fince, however} been accufed of counte- 
nancing flrong meafures, hurtful perhaps 
to a few individuals, attached to the an« 
cient fyftem, but generally beneficial to 
his native land; let it’ be recollected, 
however, that a treaty of ‘partition 
had been figned by the coilefced powers ; 
* The terror of the Auftrians.’” 
s Kk 
thag 
