and example of what our ancestors have done 
in times which we ourselves allow to have 
been those of ignorance and barbarism, has 
tod much prevailed in affairs of moment. 
This method tends to excite in princes a dis- 
gust of their most important functions, by 
rsuading them, that, in order to discharge 
their duties with usefulness and glory, it ts 
requisite to possess extensive information.’ 
«© Remarks of Lewis XVI. 
-<©'No great sagacity is neeessary to judge 
that the present note is calculated to establish 
a new form of government in France, and to 
depreciate its ancient institutions, which the 
uthor supposes to be the produce of ages of 
ignorance and barbarism; as if the reigns of 
my last three predecessors could be consider- 
a by just and reasonable minds, among 
those of barbarous ages ; or as if my king- 
som were not indebted to thos¢ three reigns 
for the tone and rank it holds in Europe. 
\ will not readily be persuaded that 
those three reigns were those of barbarism 
and ignorance ; she will more easily believe 
that she owes in part to those three reigns the 
civilization she now enjoys. 
~ You will be able, Sire,’ continues M. 
Turgot, ‘to govern, like God, by general 
_ Jaws, if the integral parts of your empire 
were regularly organised, and connected with 
ist other.’ 
) Remark of Lewis XVI. 
~ €* Most probably, on the contrary, if the 
organization of my provinees were alike, it 
would be a reason for not being ebeyed, or 
for being ill obeyed ; since it would be much 
_ more diificult to set at once in motion a 
_ whole mass, than to move it, as my ancestors 
have done, by intendants and state-previncial 
assemblies. 
_ «The cause of the evil,’ says M. Turgot, 
\ * is: that your nation, Sire, hes no constitu- 
| tion,’ 
* 
# Remark of Lewis XVI. 
«* This is the great grievance of M. Tur- 
pot: the lovers of novelty must have a France 
‘iore than English. 
_ **Some of your provinces have, however, 
@ constitution, assemblies,’ says M. ‘Turgot, 
{a sort of public voice: such are the provin- 
cial assemblies ; but, being composed of-or- 
ders whose pretensions are very different, and 
whose mierests are opposite to each other, 
and to those of the nation, the states are far 
from effecting all the good that might be 
owislied for the provinces, in the administra- 
_ tion of which they partake. Your majesty 
_ tay give to the other provinces, who have no 
_ sort of constitution, a better organized consti- 
“tution than that of which the provincial as- 
; semblies are proud. A plan should be adopt- 
ed, that might link individuals to their fami- 
lies, families to their village, villages and 
towns to their district, districts to the pro- 
evinces, and ptovinces to the state.’ 
no «Remark of Lewis XVI. 
4 
“WILLIAMS’S CORRESPONDENCE OF LEWIS XVI. 
277 
enemy of the variety of orders which com- 
pe the provincial assemblies, and of the 
iierarchy of those assemblies, which preserves 
in France the faculties and honours of dif- 
ferent. individuals, and forms the hierarchy 
of my subjects, without which monarchy 
can no where exist. M.Turgot proposes an 
hierarchy of powers, which is chimerical, unr 
Jess an hierarchy of birth forms its basis, as is 
the ease in all monarchies, antient and mus 
dern, and in almost all republics. 
«<The right of citieenabic cannot be law- 
fully granted,’ says M. Turgot, nor a voice 
in the parish-assemblies, except to those whe 
possess Janded property.’ 
“© Remark of Lewis XVI. 
«« This is the means of creating mal-con~- 
fents in the parish, among the class of non- 
proprietors ; and if the former are permitied 
to hold assemblies, it is a germ of discord. 
«« T would propose to your majesty,’ says 
M. Tirgot, ‘ only to grant a vote to each 
proprietor of six hundred livres a years He 
who possesses only one hundred livres a year 
would be the sixth part of a citizen.’ 
«6 Remark of Lewis XVI. 
“* To cut into two or four parts the rights 
of aman in a political assembly, in propor- 
tion to the size of his fortune, is an idea so 
new, and that has also something in if so ec- 
centric and so strange, that the dignity of the 
state could not admit of its being praposed. 
«¢ The provincial assembly,” says M. Tur- 
got, ‘should be composed of deputies of mu- 
nicipal assemblies, to determine for each of 
their own districts the sums they have to 
pay.” 
«< Remark of Lewis XVI. 
«© This operation is transacted by means 
of intendanis commissioned by the king, and 
in the provincial assemblies by the three or- 
ders. The composition of three orders has 
too essential a connexion-with the privileges 
of the French, and the mission of intendants 
is too closely connected with the royal au- 
thority, to suffer their being metamorphosed 
into deputies of the people ; which would be 
the total subversion of the established order. 
‘The administration, in general, of the pro- 
vineial assemblies, with some exceptions, 
and that of the intendants, setting aside a few 
abuses, are what is best inmy kingdom. I 
is not in that quarter that lies the phased 
defect of the state. ; 
«© The great municipality, Sire, the general 
municipality of the kingdom, weuld com- 
plete the municipalities of the first order: it 
would be the centre around which would 
twine, through the hands of your majesty, all 
the threads corresponding to the most distant 
and the smajlest points of your kingdom. The 
general municipality should be composed of 
deputies from each provincial assembly ; each 
deputy should be permitted to have an ad~ 
joimt. Your majesty would declare, by your 
minister of finance, to the whole of the pro- 
vinces, the sums which you would want toe 
Te stil appears that M.‘Vargot is the defray the expences of the state. 
a 
