Eugene de Barrau

Eugene of Barrau (1801 - 1887), legitimist, historian, publicity agent

Studies and professions

Eugene de Barrau is initially supernumerary then receiver of the Recording in Aveyron, but it is revoked in 1830 for its political opinions. It leaves to Toulouse to pass its license in Droit. During 2 years, he is private secretary of his cousin Marie-Auguste de Balsac then prefect of the Moselle. Then, he is lawyer at the Bar of Rodez, but also historian and the chief of the legitimists in Aveyron. After its marriage, it carries out a life of ease.

The main leader of the party legitimist in Aveyron

Eugene de Barrau is the main leader of the movement legitimist in Aveyron which it animates with, in particular, his/her brother Hippolyte de Barrau, his cousin Marie-Auguste, baron of Balsac, and Doctor Viallet. He is the founder and the writer of the Echo of Aveyron , newspaper of opinion legitimist.

Eugene de Barrau consigned in notebooks the account of his voyages near Henri d' Artois:

“I read with an interest growing the layers of our uncle Eugene de Barrau. Detailed accounts of its many voyages, through the Italy, the Swiss , the Austria; its visit with Goritz in 1844, then residence of Henri V, who accepted it with great benevolence; its presence with Paris at the time of the coup d'etat of December 1852 by that which was going to become Napoleon III; the mission which it then accepted from the big bosses of the royalist party and which it achieves, in common with his/her old friend Dalbis of Salze, deputy, at Henri V, in Prague; excel reception of the descendant of the kings of France which invited it several days of following its table, just as Dalbis. (…). ”

" I had had the honor to dine with the left on the king, this place was given this time to my friend Dalbis, and that which it had occupied close to the queen was given to me; The queen was full with kindness for me, and caused with touching simplicity, as could have done it the simplest lady of the manor: she spoke about her family, of the tests which the last revolutionary disorders had imposed to him, she spoke about the children of Madam the princess of Lucques and her last born who was her favorite, because it resembled Henry V much, that she called quite simply, its mari."

In 1869, here a letter of the “count de Chambord”:

“I read with the greatest interest the letter of our excellent friend the baron de Balzac about the last elections. If it is necessary to be afflicted with little energy characters, it is necessary however to be comforted while seeing how much the religious feelings remained deeply engraved in the heart of the inhabitants of Aveyron. I count more than ever on inalterable devotion of the baron de Balzac and Mister de Barrau, as they can count them same on my sharp gratitude and my constant affection. HENRY. Frohsdorf the July 3rd 1869. ”

Starting from the years 1870 and the fall of the Second Empire, Eugene de Barrau founds committees legitimists in Aveyron and deals with the newspaper the People by whom these committees express their convictions near the general public. It will cease its political activities with dead of the “count de Chambord” in 1883.

Confidential mission at Henri d' Artois

In 1852, the chiefs of the royalist party entrusts a confidential mission at Henri to him d' Artois, “Count of Chambord”, exiled initially with Goritz then with Prague:

“(…) among the political people that I on the occasion to see, Mister the Duc Bus, was in first line, causing one day with him, I testify to him that without the rigor of the season, I will have perhaps undertaken to go to seek close to the representative of our monarchical principle, some consolations with all that was achieved in the destinies of the country; he says to me that for the case where I will decide there, I will receive a mission who could be transmitted only orally and by anybody sure. The idea to be of some utility to my cause determined me very quickly, and the following night I had taken my party (…). (...). This one (the audience) was short, the prince charged me in few words of its verbal answer to the verbal message which I had filled close to him, (...)”.

Its principal work

( nonexhaustive list )

contemporary Documents of Terror in Rouergue
1789 in Rouergue - historical and critical Study of the electoral institutions of old and the new Mode (Work dedicated to the count de Chambord)
the revolutionary Age in Rouergue - historical Study (1789-1801)
Critical on the old religious and civil institutions. Answer to the author of the Letters to my nephews
historical and descriptive Note of old the abbey of Conches
the seat of the castle of Balsac starting from a chronicle of 1660
Of the electoral Reform
Notebooks of Memories

Political mandates

It is elected with the General advice of Aveyron from which it is a time secretary
It is city council man of Valady

Other activities and functions

In 1854, it makes confirm for the family of Barrau the pleasure of the vault of the Virgin (also called Chapelle of the family of Barrau ) in the church of Carcenac-Salmiech
In 1871, it is elected vice-president of the Société of the letters, sciences and arts of Aveyron
With the autumn 1874, opens with Rodez the fortieth session of the scientific Congress of France, Eugene de Barrau is member of the Steering Committee and president of the fifth Section in charge of the questions in the fields of the Philosophie, Littérature, social Economie, Jurisprudence and Art schools
He is president of association aveyronnaise creditors of Decazeville
He takes part in an active way in recruitment of pontifical Zouaves in Aveyron
He would be one of the founding members in 1840 of the Conferences of Saint-Vincent de Paul

Quotation

"To be ignoramus is the beginning of the science" (Eugene de Barrau)

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