The sun., 1895-05-26


| Marathon, was playing the samc comedy a:
his elder. in that town. where everybody stood
| in awe of him, and where he was constant
speaker at the meetings Of the local popular so
cety. He would. II seems, in one and the same
speech, express the desire Of seeing every arsto'
crat and priest hanged, and pursue with his In
vectivs even God, whom he braved, de6ed, and
INCREASINGLY denied. According to Barrns, he
actually perpctrated the crime with which TIE
most fronzied demagogues were charged In
those terrible days. Tho reference is to the
proclamation Of the elements Of holy COM
munion, and the Infamous Dissertation to which
tho holy vessels were subjected.
Returning from Lucien TO Napoleon Bona
parte the author recalls that he was struck
with the latter's activity from the time they
frst came together at Toulon, while his atten-
tion to his military duties impressed the repre-
sentative of the Convention favorably. Tho two
had many conversations during the prepara-
tions for the siege. and. presently admitted to
the table of Barrns, the young artillery officer
was always placed at the hosts side. The ut
traction which the author felt for him Is at
tributed to the amazing physical resemblance
which Bonaparto at this time bore to Marat.
That such o likeness existed will be new to
many persons, and we accordingly quote the
passage which relates to It: THE world in gem
eral is inclined to kindliness, and even to n GER
tain admiration for man Of frail physique who
displays more strength than nature seems to
have granted him. His soul appears superior to
his body. and ono feels that he ought to havo
credit for double triumph. Independently of
this reason, there was another about which do
not wish to make any mystery, but which at-
tracted me toward this young Lieutenant of
artillery. 1t was not merely the merit of cou-
rageous activity. tho perpetual motion and phys
ical agitation which, replete with energy, be-
gan with the head, never to end. even at tho ex-
tremities, in that little man Of low stature. 1t
was rather in all this ensemble. etrk
ing resemblance TO one OF the famous.
not to say the most famous of the
men who fitted by on the stage of
the Revolution. This Revolutionist whose
name the reader is anxously awaiting do not
hesitate to name in tho naive expression Of the
frankness debating my memoirs Well. then,
this physical double of Bonapnrte was Marat. l
had seen good deal of the latter on tho benches
of the Convention. and even previously could
assuredly not have felt any more attraction
toward him than that allowed by his perpetual
violence and appeals to slaughter; still, without
political writer. I was far from believing Marat
rs monstrous n fend as no was, and ever will be
considered
Barras goNs on to give some reasons for his
belief that the philosophy of Marat, though
moro violent in its expression, was less per-
sona and more dsinterested than Bonaparte's
He asserts that no consideration could mako
Marat swerve from his course when what
he considered the interests of the republic
were at stake. From the tribune and in his
writings he inveighed against the most in
he detected anything contrary to the principles
Of equality: and. on the other hand. he would
sustain his personal enemies II he thought them
sincerely attached to the cause Of liberty. Such
was his line of. conduct toward Robcsperre.
Danton and all his colleagues of the National
For instance. while Louvet was de-
livcring his attack against Robcsperre, Marat,
who had been sitting with folded arms ut the
foot Of the tribune, began speaking on
the assailed mans behalf. gcsticulating
wildly. II do not he said. like Robespierre;
he is n vain man. ambitious of domination,
but he is n genuine republican, and, on that
count. l consider it my duty to give him my
support. Nor am the friend of Danton." The
fact is recalled that Marat twice saved alleged
aristocrnts from death at the hands of tho
populnce. and that his very death was due to an
Impulse OF generosity. Charlotte Corday went
10 his residence and asked to speak to him. She
vas told that he was i'll and taking n bath. She
hcreupon sent word to HIM that woman in
distress had come to claim his protection and
humanity. 1t was this message being
to Marat that he gave or
lers that she should be admitted to his
presence. Misfortune, cheyenne he said,
On seeing her. enjoys rights which l have
never dsregarded. Be seated Then did Char
otte Corday draw her dagger and end the
istan aNfo ,hnr, uly,ao tpl,t ha,,a
carried Off few days later How different
might have been the course of events had Char
Iotte Corday given the preference to Robes
pierre" 1t is noted finally that Marat was In the
habit of giving to the poor everything he pos
sessed He died in insolvency, having exhausted
all the profit derived from his works and his
which had enjoyed great boom.
We have said that the editor OF these me-
moirs, NJ. George Duruy. in u preface. demon
strates 10 his own satisfaction, and to that, rs
we think, of the reader. that the credit of devils
Ing and, to n large extent, of executing the plan
Of operations which resulted in the king OF Tou-
lon was due to young Bonaparte Barras will
not admit this. He AYERS, on page LAT. that
- the real conqueror uf the coalesced forces OF
Toulon, the actual captor Of the town, IL one
may use the word. is no other than Gen. Dugom-
mier. and to linn belongs the immortal glory of
the deed" lie goes on to say that the taking
prisoner of Gen. O'IIara, attributed to Bona
parte. the British ship he is alleged to
have sunk, the plan of campaign in
which he is said to have participated. are SO
many mcnducOus assertions drawn from the
imagination of the man who later was to fabri-
cate still other statements to be repeated by his
tinttcrers when the day dawned upon which he
4 I,
proofs Of his military talent, then beginning
to develop itself, but he played only secondary
part on this occasion. The actual captor of
Toulon, say it once more, was Dugommier" In
the same chapter it is recounted that Bonuparte,
after the siege of Toulon. was appointed
General, with orders to join the army
Of Italy, under Gen. Dumerbion. 1T was due