104 Jeanette Needham. 
affront to the government which had force at hand to uphold its 
policy. 
Although, as yet, no definite action had been taken by the 
government, the military situation showed no signs of improve- 
ment. The policy of the assembly in dealing with the matter 
seems to have been clearly comprehended by Le Hodey de 
Saultchevreuil, who wrote June 26: ‘‘The hall is still sur- 
rounded and to prevent all accidents the culpable prudence of 
the council has summoned a troop of pandours to be in readiness 
for any occurrence and to execute with more vigor the orders 
given by men who are the enemies of France, but whom, never- 
theless, the council summons into its body.’’ The cautious 
action of the assembly was explained on these grounds: ‘‘The 
deputies conceal within their hearts the chagrin which the con- 
duct of the court inspires; circumstances induce them to stifle 
their murmurs that they may give the French nation lessons in 
subordination, and doubtless, they would prefer to owe to the 
love of the king rather than to the plenitude of their own power 
the revocation of an order which cannot last long.”’ 
Then he went on to show that the placing of troops around 
the hall of the estates was contrary to all custom and precedent: 
“Courts of justice, companies, corporations have the interior 
policing of their halls and the national assembly cannot be 
deprived of this right. It cannot deliberate in the midst of 
arms, it cannot be free when invested with troops; regiments 
cannot enter cities where the provincial estates are in session; 
there are reasons of justice and equity, customs, which prescribe 
to the court the conduct it should follow, unless it desires to 
persist in violating the liberty of an assembly representing 
twenty-four millions of men.’’7® 
XI 
Matters connected with the presentation to the clergy and 
the third estate, of the decree passed by the nobility on June 25, 
engaged the attention of the nobility during most of their session 
on June 26. After the minutes had been read, the president gave 
79 Assemblée nationale, 1, 232-33. 
218 
ag ee 
