Born in Marseilles, 1767; guillotined at Bordeaux, June 23, 1794.
As a very young man he showed scientific aptitude, and when quite a boy
was in correspondence with Franklin. He became an advocate at the Bar
of Marseilles, and had already obtained much success as a pleader when
the Revolution broke out.
He was made secretary to the new Commune of Marseilles, and after
quelling a Royalist insurrection at Arles, was despatched to Paris as
Deputy for Marseilles. He became a member of the “Jacobin Club,” and an
intimate friend and ally of Roland and his wife. He took an active part
in the events of August 10, 1792, and was soon after named President of
the “Elective Assembly,” and, later, a member of the Convention. From
the outset of his legislative career he was an opponent of the Extreme
Left; he denounced Robespierre and Marat, insisting upon the punishment
of the authors of the bloody massacres of September. An excellent
economist, Barbaroux treated in a masterly manner the question of
commercial administration.
At the trial of Louis XVI. he voted against the execution of the
monarch. A movement was set on foot to drive Barbaroux from the
Convention, and on May 31 he was forced to fly from Paris. He was
declared a traitor to his country. At Caen he had an interview with
Charlotte Corday, and it is he who is supposed to have inspired this
young girl with the idea of killing Marat.
He was a man of remarkable personal beauty, and unjustly accused
of having carried on a guilty intrigue with Mme. Roland. He took
refuge at Bordeaux, but was discovered and arrested. Although he shot
himself twice, he retained sufficient appearance of life to enable the
possibility of his public execution.