118 oF eanette Needham. 
istry was merely a sop to public opinion. They were striving to 
put through a scheme which he had openly disavowed, so it 
was not to be expected that they would consult him as to its 
execution. Yet, curiously enough, Necker himself seems to 
have accepted the work of the royal session. Certainly, Necker 
had no intention, after June 23, of recognizing the national 
assembly, even though the annulment of the decree of June 17, 
proclaimed in the first declaration of the king, was more drastic 
treatment of the national assembly than he advised. His letter 
to the assembly on June 24, sent through President Bailly, 
contained only the expressions ‘‘the order over which you 
preside”’ and. ‘‘your order’’; nor was there any hint that he 
repudiated the declarations of June 23. His attitude toward 
the latter seems to indicate that his opponents ascribed to him 
deeper political insight and more strength of character than 
he actually possessed. 
The people and the deputies in general, however, had no 
knowledge of Necker’s true attitude. They still looked upon 
him as the champion of the popular cause in a reactionary 
ministry. As a result, the persistent rumors of his dismissal 
caused real apprehension. Mercy gave as his conviction that 
either his dismissal or his voluntary retirement would have 
resulted in an uprising of the people.“ The threats against 
the persons of the deputies caused genuine concern. The 
presence of guards at the hall was a constant menace and the 
reported concentration of troops near Versailles and Paris cre- 
ated grave fears for the future. So far as the assembly could 
tell on June 26, it was still questionable whether the forces on 
its side would ultimately win over thosé the government had 
brought together to enable it to carry out its policy. Asa matter 
of fact, the fear of an uprising in Versailles, evidence of insub- 
ordination among the troops there, and the possibility of an 
insurrection in Paris were suddenly to influence the court to 
such a degree that the complete union of the orders, at the insti- 
gation of the king, resulted the very next day. The various 
circumstances which culminated in this event must now be traced. 
24 Arneth and Flammermont, Correspondance secréte du Comte de Mercy- 
Argenteau, avec L’empereur Joseph II, et le Prince de Kaunitz, II, 252. 
233 
