New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1844-05-13

M.cAU1AY opens the last Edinburgh Re
view with powerful paper on the life and cha
rac,er of Borere, the confederate OF Robcspierre
ia the Reign of Terror. The picture drawn by
the Review is not what you may call hatte!ng,
and would hardly help the lllustrious subject to a
ticket at Sunday School, US the following para
graph will ev!nce:
"Our opinion then is this, that BareTe approached
nearer than any person mentioned IN history or
fiction whether man or devil, To the idea OF con-
summate and universal depravlly. in nun
the qualities which are the proper objects Of ha-
tired, and the qualities which arc the proper OBJ
iects of contempt, preserve an exquisite ana abso
lutte harmony. In almost every particular sort o.!
wickedness he has had rivals. HIS sensuality
was mmoderate but this was q failing common
to him with many great and amlable men. Ihere
have been many men as cowardly as he, some as
cruel, few as mean, a few asimpudent. There
may also have been as great liars, though We
never met with them or read of them. But
when we put everything together, sensuahty, pol
trocnery, basencSs, ctfrontery, mendacity, barba-
rlty, the result Is something which III novel VIC
should condemn as caricaturc, and to which, We
venture TO say, no parable! can be found IL his
tory.
1t would be grossly unjust, wo acknowledge,
to try man situated as Barere was By severe
standard. Nor have we done SO. We have
formed our opinion OF him BY comparing him.
not with politicians OF stainless character, not
with Chanceiior D'Aguesseau, or General Wash
lnston, or Mr.. Wlberlorce, or Earl Grey, but
with his own colleagues OF the Mountain. That
party included u considerable number OF the
wnrst men that ever lived but We see IN II no.
thing like Barere Compared with hlm Fouche
secus honest; Blaud seems humane; HILBERT
seems to rise into dignity. Every other chief OF
party, says Nj. Hippolytc Carnot, has found
apooglstS; one set OF men exaltS the Gl!ondlSts
another lusuiieS Ddnton; third CeteS Robes
pierre: but Barcfe has remained without defend
er. We venture 10 suggest very simple solu-
ton of this phenomenon. All the other chIeis vi
parties had some good qualities, and BaIerc hao
none. Inc genius, courage patriotism, and hg-
manity uf the Girondlst statesmen more than
a,oned for what was cupabie in their conduct
and should have projected them from the insult
OF being compared with such thing as Barere.
Dauton and Rohesp!erre were indeed bad men
but III both OF them some important parts OF the
mind remained sound. Danton was brave and
resoiu,e, fond Of pleasure, of power, and OF dis
t:ncuon, with vehement passions, with lax prin-
ciples, but with some kiud ana manly feelings,
capable of great crimes but capable also Of
friendship and of compassion. lie, therefore,
naturally finds admirers among persons OF bold
and sanguinc dispositions. RobespicIre was a
VAN, envlous, and suspicious man, with hard
heart, weak nerves, and gloomy temper. But
We cannot with truth deny that he was in the
vulgar sense of the word, disinterested, that his
private liio was correct, or that he sincerely
Jealous for his own system of politics and MOI
ais. He, therefore, naturally finds admirers
among honest but moody and bitter democrats.
If no class has taken the reputation OF Barsrc
under its patronage, the reason is plain: Barore
had not u single virtue, nor even the semblance
of one"