hich but too plainly established his participation in the
infamous trade of libels carried on by his allies. It was proved to
demonstration that Brissot had connived at the sending into France, and
the propagation of, odious pamphlets by Morande. The journals hostile to
his election seized on these scandalous facts, and held them up to
public obloquy. He was, besides, accused of having extracted from the
funds of the district of the _Filles-Saint-Thomas_, of which he was
president, a sum for his own purse, long forgotten. His defence was
laboured and obscure; yet it was held by the club of the Rue de la
Michodiere sufficient proof of his innocence and integrity. Some
journals, solely occupied with the political bearing of his life, took
up his defence, and made loud complaints against his calumny. Manuel,
his friend, who edited a vile journal, wrote thus, to console
him:--"These ordures of calumny, spread abroad at the moment of
scrutiny, always end by leaving a dirty stain on those who scatter them.
But it is allowing a triumph to the enemies of the people, to repulse
thus a man who fearlessly attacks them. They give me votes, in spite of
my drivellings, and my love of the bottle. Leave 'Pere Duchesne'[4]
alone, and let us nominate Brissot; he is a better man than I am."

Marat, in his _Ami du Peuple_, wrote thus ambiguously of
Brissot:--"Brissot," says the Friend of the People, "was never, in my
eyes, a thorough-going patriot. Either from ambition or baseness, he has
up to this time betrayed the duties of a good citizen. Why has he been
so tardy in leaving a system of hypocrisy? Poor Brissot, thou art the
victim of a court valet, of a base hypocrite!--why lend thy paw to La
Fayette? Why, thou must expect to experience the fate of all men of
indecision. Thou hast displeased every body; thou canst never make thy
way. If thou hast one atom of proper feeling left, hasten, and scratch
out thy name from the list of candidates for the approaching general
election."

Thus appeared on the scene for the first time, in the midst of the
hootings of both parties, this man, who attempted in vain to escape from
the general contempt accumulated on his name from the faults of his
youth, in order to enter on the gravity of his political career--a
mingled character, half intrigue, half virtue. Brissot, destined to
serve as the centre of a rallying point to the party of the _Gironde_,
had, by anticipation in his character, all there was