+ i. 
Meeting of the Estates-General, 1780. 81 
others announced that they must abstain from any part in the 
deliberation until they had permission from their constituents.* 
Some simply gave notice of their remaining in the minority 
without evidence of any intention on their part to appeal to 
their electors.** Several who did appeal, added that they must 
refrain from participation in any deliberation where vote would 
be by head** and some expressly reserved all rights while awaiting 
new instructions.** Various deputies gave their adhesion to the 
‘decree in so far as it was not contrary to their mandates,®* or 
> 
with the reservation of conforming to article V of the king’s 
declaration which offered them release from imperative instruc- 
tions.** Still other representatives simply accepted the will of 
the majority, although not voting for the decree themselves.%7 
Others stated that they accepted the decision of the plurality 
of their order, in harmony with their mandates, or subject to 
the sanction of their constituents.*8 
In order to ascertain the will of those who had elected them, 
various deputies proclaimed their intention of taking steps 
to have the nobility of their districts convoked again by the 
king, that the mandates which they had received might be 
modified or confirmed.*® One group, however, protested against 
such convocation of the nobility and also against the king’s 
prohibition of imperative instructions, as infringements upon 
the freedom of the nobility.“° In some instances, it was proposed 
to have the re-convened nobility consider the king’s declarations 
as the step preliminary to the modification of limiting instruc- 
tions.*4 Some explicitly bound themselves to abide by what- 
ever changes might be made,” but many of the deputies must 
31 Nos. 8, 9, 10, II, 12, 18, 40, 46. 
8 No. 40. 
3 Nos. 4, 15, 16, 17, 20, 23, 26, 47, 49, 50. 
34 No. 44. 
% Nos. 4, 5, 13, 16, 42, 43, 47, 49. 
86 Nos. 17, 34, 41, 42. 
87 Nos. 28, 29. 
8 Nos. 21, 22, 30, 32, 36. 
Nos: 3, 8, 11,12, 13, 41, 42, 46. 
40 No. 45. 
“ Nos. 4, 42, 47, 49. 
# Nos. 16, 41, 42, 44. 
195 
