94 Jeanette Needham. 
assembly to act with hesitation, the news of the coming of a 
deputation from the majority of the nobility, previous to the 
appearance of the delegation of the Paris commune, not only 
led to much greater hesitation, but produced marked excitement. 
The admission of the deputations from the capital was, at bottom, 
a question of expediency; the reception of that from the order of 
the nobility had to do with the principles upon which the national 
assembly was based. A heated debate was on when Bailly 
announced that the nobles were coming.*! Everything was put 
aside to meet this new exigency which gave rise to a lengthy 
discussion, marked by a lively tilt between Fréteau for the 
nobles, and Mirabeau for the third estate. Some, it seems, 
did not wish to receive them under any condition and Bailly’s 
opinion was that the manner in which the assembly was organ- 
ized prevented any effective reception.” Fréteau, however, 
while recognizing the integrity and indivisibility of the national 
assembly, held that the delegation should be admitted as a 
means of effecting the desired union of all the orders. The 
nobles were to be received, however, not as deputies of the 
chamber of the nobility, but as deputies of the bailliages, of 
which they were representatives. This capacity belonged to 
them, he held, because, even if a truly legal judgment of their 
credentials had not yet been pronounced, the deputies of the 
nobility, who were already united, could attest, at least, to the 
truth of a friendly and a provisional verification.” 
The Archbishop of Vienne and Garat seemingly supported 
the view that they should be admitted, but not in such a manner 
as to recognize the order of the nobility.“ 
41 Point du jour, 1, 57; Assemblée nationale, I, 239. 
4 Assemblée nationale, I, 239-40; Boullé (Docs. inédits, Revue de la rév., 
XIII, 77) merely refers to the debate, but gives no particulars. Etats-généraux, 
Extrait du journal de Paris, I, 114. 
43 Point du jour, 1, 57; Assemblée nationale, I, 240; Courrier de Provence, 
Lettre XIV, 3. The second source represents Fréteau as having spoken twice, 
once at the opening of the debate, and again after Mirabeau; the first gives 
but one speech, which seems to be a combination of the two in the Assemblée 
nationale. The Courrier de Provence does not give Freteau’s name, but says: 
“Un député réuni,”’ and gives the import of his speech. 
44 Assemblée nationale, I, 240. 
208 
