Meeting of the Estates-General, 1789. 189 
the nobility had united. Then the capital gave itself over to 
demonstrations of joy more pronounced than those of Versailles. 
“The news of the complete union has created, if it be possible, 
more of a sensation at Paris than at Versailles,’’ was the opinion 
of a witness of the celebration in Paris, who had also the best of 
information as to events in Versailles. ‘‘Everybody is intoxi- 
cated with joy; the general satisfaction is manifested by illumina- 
tions and public festivities. Cries of ‘ Vive le roi, vive le reine, 
vive M. Necker, vive M. le comte de Montmorin, vive M. le duc 
d’Orléans!’ are heard everywhere. No more sadness, no more 
fears, no more misfortune, everything foretells happy days, 
peace and prosperity’’—such was his summary of the general 
situation in the capital.?° 
All these celebrations and festivities were largely produced, 
however, by the mere external fact that the orders had united 
on June 27. But that of itself did not mean very much unless 
the upper orders and the court were willing to submit to the 
principles for which the third estate stood, namely, the abolition 
of orders with their distinctions and veto, and the acceptance 
of the idea of vote by head with majority rule. The editor of 
the Assemblée nationale interpreted the event as the triumph of 
the good intentions of the king over the evil advice and con- 
tinued machinations of the council.24_ An analysis of the king’s 
letter shows, however, either that the king’s intentions were 
malevolent—an interpretation contrary to the popular belief— 
or that his views were still dominated by the reactionary minority. 
The very opening phrase, ‘‘Alone concerned with the general 
welfare of my realm”’ indicates that in no sense had he abandoned 
his ideas of divinely bestowed prerogatives. Before reaching the 
end of the first sentence, he had announced positively, through 
the employment of the term, ‘‘assemblée des états-généraux,” 
his intention to preserve the separate orders. The letter makes 
20 Bulletins d’un agent secret, No. 49 (La révolution francaise, XXIV, 75). 
Although the identity of this man is not revealed by his accounts, he seems to 
keep closely in touch with affairs and is not an extremist in any sense. Bailli 
de Virieu, 105; Jefferson, II, 488; Letter from a deputy from Paris, le 27, a 
minutt; Biauzat, II, 147. 
21 Assemblée nationale, I, 251. 
393 
