Gazette Of The United States

Translated for the City Gazette, from a Paris paper called Nouvelles Politiques.

NATIONAL CONVENTION, 16 Florial, May 8.

Dufauld. You have honoured by your bounties the last days of the citizen Barthelemy. Our successors, it is not to be doubted, will haste to consecrate his memory, when the delay the law has fixed will permit them.

Let his former friend anticipate their kindness, and trace to you, in a few words, the rare qualities of this Nestor of French literature; it will be sufficient, perhaps, to say to you, as Xenophon said of the profound learning and simplicity of one of his contemporaries: Barthelemy was an excellent man in every point of view. In effect, those who knew him did not know which to admire most his immortal Anacharsis, or the dignified conduct of his whole life.

All his politics consisted in benevolence. The immense treasure of his science served only to purify the manners, to perfect taste, to make mankind more friendly, and contribute to the splendour of his country. A single trait will paint to you the goodness of his philanthropic soul. "Why is not the power given to a mortal," he would often say, "to bequeath happiness!" Sublime wish! But he suddenly became poor, after having been covered with the favours of fortune, whom he always mistrusted, and who, sought for by him, had found him out. Far from losing by this, he acquired new means of developing himself in a new aspect; and he proved, that indigence worthily supported, was not less honourable than beneficent wealth.

Soon after, persecuted, as all the enlightened and virtuous citizens were, he carried into the dungeons of tyranny—which you have so gloriously destroyed, the constancy and serenity of Socrates. It was here this venerable Octogenarian offered to his companions in misfortune the magnificent spectacle of a good man striving with adversity.

I have said he was once rich; but let us not forget that his income was expended for the benefit of the unfortunate. Besides, he adopted all the children of his numerous family; the republic has thereby gained good citizens, who serve her this day in a manner most useful and honourable.

Barthelemy foresaw the term of his career; he was worn out by long labours, and bowed down under the burthen of years: but all his sensibility awoke on the report of your just decrees, particularly when he learnt that you intended to repair, as much as in your power lay, the wreck of misfortunes of so many thousand innocent men, reduced to misery the most rightful, and truly worthy of respect and pity; then, lifting his hands to heaven, "Glory to God," cried he, "honour to the national convention; I have lived long enough."

Our country at this age, waits for you to do him honour; I will therefore confine myself to requesting one favour, which will rejoice the manes of the illustrious Barthelemy. One of his nephews, I do not speak of our worthy ambassador at Basil, but of the citizen Coursey, his brother, who for the space of twenty-five years has fulfilled all the duties of a tender and respectful son, and who has supplied his place a long time as keeper of the medals and antiquities in the national cabinet; I demand that this good citizen be continued in the place which he has exercised with so much assiduity and success.

The national convention decreed the impression of the discourse, the insertion of it in the bulletin, and referred the demand to the committee of public instruction.