SENIOR DEPUTY OF THE COMMUNES. 173 



had breathed his last sigh, when Bailly, President of the 

 Third Estate, insisted on admission to the king, who had 

 prohibited any one being allowed to intrude upon him. 

 But so positive was the demand, that they were obliged 

 to yield, and Louis XVI. exclaimed, ' There are then no 

 fathers in that chamber of the Third Estate.' The 

 chamber very much applauded this trait of brutal insen- 

 sibility in Bailly, which they termed a trait of Spartan 

 stoicism." 



As many errors as words. The following is the truth. 

 The illness of the Dauphin had not prevented the two 

 privileged orders from being received by the king. This 

 preference offended the Communes. They ordered the 

 President to solicit an audience. He discharged his duty 

 with great caution. All his proceedings were concerted 

 with two ministers, Necker and M. de Barentin. The 

 king answered, " It is impossible for me to see M. Bailly 

 in the situation in which I am to-night, nor to-morrow 

 morning, nor to fix a day for receiving the deputation of 

 the Third Estate." The note ends with these* words : 

 " Show my note to M. Bailly for his vindication." 



Thus, on the day of these events the Dauphin was not 

 dead ; thus the king was not obliged to yield, he did not 

 receive Bailly; thus the chamber had no act of insensi- 

 bility to applaud ; thus Louis XVI. perceived so clearly 

 that the President of the Communes was fulfilling the 

 duties of his office, that he felt it requisite to give him 

 an exoneration. 



The death of the Dauphin happened on the 4th of 

 June. As soon as the assembly of the Third Estate 

 were informed of it, they charged the President, I quote 

 the very words, " to report to their majesties the deep 

 grief with which this news had penetrated the Com- 



munes.' 5 



