Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1804-06-02
GENERAL MOREAU.

before the public, III consequence OF his
supposed friendship and connection with
fIcheSru. Considering his setting out in
NE, 1t IS difficult 10 say whether his rise
or ms tall, had the suspicious OF his fi,leli-
ty been well founded, would have been
mos surprising.
He was born at Morlaix, in Basse Brfe-
fagne. His father was a man of great re.
spectablity, and on account of his in,erri-
ty, Observation-Disclosures, and various private
virtues, was commonly called the father
81 me fo0r. On the breaking out of the
revolution, such was the general conf
dence in his honesty, that ne was elected
by the gentry and nobility of Nor
lax and its neighborhood, principally
those who proposed 10 emigrate, as
the Properest person to be entrusted
with the management of their affairs.
The great number of their commissions
and deposits which he received on this &C.
casion from the mobiles and e,nigrants,
contributed not little to bring him after
wards to the gullotine, under the govern
ment OF Robespierre. He was put to
death at Brcst; and eye witnesses declare,
that the people present at his execution,
shed torrents OF tears, enchanting several
times, "rhey are taking our best father
away from us ."-Such worthy father
Gould not be disappointed in the liberal e.
ducation which he gave his son, on account
OF the excellent example which he &C.
stantly set before him.
Young Moreau had from his early youth
strong prepossession for military life,
and at the age Of l8, he enlisted himself
"A &c St
considered his conduct as the effect of
imprndencc, bought his congo, and sent
MIN back TO resume his studies. Whc-
Their the study of law was an unpleasant
task to him, or whether his propensity for
arms so; the better Of every other inclina-
ton, II is certain that he soon enlisted a.
gam. His father, hurt at this second act
OF rashness, with view that he might
feel the hardships Of the life he had cho.
sen, suffered him TO serve as a private.
during four months or whereabouts, after
which he prevailed upon By his friends,
not TO letthey young man continue any long
er IN that low condition, as il would occa.
sion him to lose the benefit of his early
education. Before the revolution, man
who was not OF the cast Of the .NobIrsse, had
little hope OF advancement in the army,
whatever might have been his conduct or
merit. Moreau was therefore, almost in
spite OF himself, compelled again 10 re.
turn to the dry study of the law, and to
follow the profession of his father, who
was, we have already noticed, an eminent
lawyer.
When the revolution broke out, MoIeau
was PreUot dc DroI at Rennes, mark of
IL
In that office he acquitted himself to the
complete satisfaction of his fellow studeuts
1t is said that when NJ. lie ChevaIier de
Bremieres brought the Edicfs of MAY,
1888 the Parliament of Rennes, TO be
regis red, Moreau, then a supporter of
the privileged order, against the court,
went to the Literary Chamber, and offer
ed the students together with = great num-
Der OF other young people, 10 the Paria-
ment as volunteers to support it against
the MEASURES Of the court. OBSERVING.
however, the stubbornness and want of
principle among the privileged orders, he
soon rellnqulshed his concern for their
interest, aud espoused the party of the
people.
In the month of October, 1898, the
states OF Britanny assembled at Rennes {;
but the Tiers Efat were then not willing
TO sit with two other orders, composed Of
mobiles and priests. The latter, therefore,
summoned the sindicks of all the corpo-
ralions to appear among them, but we're
constantly opposed--and the summons, in
stead of quoting, increased the dissatis-
faction of the people against the two or.
ders. Atlength with view to force them
to put an end to their sittings, the people
assembled on the place called lie Champ
Montmorln, and at the same time, about
twelve hundred young men of Nantes, yea.
lous supporters of the new order Of things,
arrived armed at ReDnes. The city ma
gistrates we're unwilling at first to let them
enter the city-upon furthcrconsideratio
however, they received them and lodged
them IN the bourgeoise. These young men
lost no time in joining the people, who con
tinued assembled on the Champ dc Mont.
MORN, and were preparing to besiege the
hall Of the states.
In these circumstances, the states sent