P 
Meeting of the Esiates-General, 1789. 59 
consolation and joy. We said in receiving the members of the 
clergy that there still remained some desires to be formed because 
some brothers were absent from this august family. These 
desires,’ he added, ‘‘have been fulfilled almost as soon as they 
were formed. We see here an illustrious prince, an important 
and respectable portion of the French nobility. We give our- 
selves up to the joy of receiving them; to the hope of seeing the 
whole body of this nobility united. Those who are still absent 
will join us, all our brothers will come to this place. Reason 
and justice, the interest of the country call them and guarantee 
to us that they will come. . 
“Let us,” he exclaimed in conclusion, ‘‘work together for the . 
regeneration of the realm and the welfare of the people; let us 
carry the truth to the foot of the throne and its voice will be 
heard by a king whose confidence may be deceived but whose 
intentions are just and his goodness unchangeable.” '® This 
peroration of the worthy president called forth much applause 
from the assembly which was ever sensitive to such views.?° 
As in the case of the Archbishop of Vienne, June 24, the 
Count of Clermont-Tonnerre was placed at Bailly’s left,?' thus 
recognizing in a most conspicuous manner the existence of orders 
within the national assembly despite all the acts destructive of 
such divisions. Yet an incident occurred later in the day, in 
reference to’ which the assembly absolutely refused to recognize 
any order outside its jurisdiction. The minority of the clergy 
wished to open negotiations with the assembly by sending a 
deputation, but Bailly answered that he recognized no clergy 
except those within the assembly. If the rest of the members 
19 Procés-verbal,, No. 7, 8-9; Courrier de Provence, Lettre XIII, 21-22; 
Duquesnoy, I, 129; Biauzat, II, 140; Assemblée nationale, 1, 227-228. The 
first two and the Assemblée nationale give full texts of the speech. 
20 Assemblée nationale, I, 228. In giving accounts of Clermont-Tonnerre’s 
speech and Bailly’s reply, this paper says: ‘‘ On y repondit de part et d’autre 
par les acclamations les plus vives.’’ Duquesnoy (I, 129), remarks: “ M. 
Bailly lui a repondu d’une maniére noble et simple, et avec une grande effusion 
de sentiment.’’ Biauzat (II, 140) wrote: ‘‘ Notre président y a répondu en 
académicien quia l’ideé juste. Nous sommes tous trés contents de la maniére 
dont il se tiré de toutes ces missions imprévues.”’ 
21 Duquesnoy, I, 129; Bailly, I, 234. 
173 
