6 Charles Kuhhnann 



peaux-Palasne and Poulain cle Corbion, and of Boulle 

 are especially valuable because these writers express their 

 opinions, impressions, hopes, and fears without the re- 

 serve characterizing the printed correspondence of Kennes 

 and Brest and the letters of Pellerin. That such a method 

 must be used with caution is evident. In favor of it is to 

 be urged the fact that the Breton deputies were charac- 

 terized by their contemporaries as exceptional for their 

 unity of views and action. When, therefore, we find the 

 same sentiments persistently recurring in the correspond- 

 ence of a number of the deputies, without meeting with 

 contradictions, we have a very strong presumption that 

 this is the reflection of a general attitude rather than the 

 expression of mere personal views. By means of this evi- 

 dence and the motions made or sustained in the assembly, 

 we are enabled to reconstruct the consistent course fol- 

 lowed by the deputation and the club from the opening of 

 the States General to the discussion over the veto. 



It is important to know that this correspondence, if not 

 in every case technically, was in effect official in charac- 

 ter. A number of municipalities and seiiechaussces in 

 April and May, 1789, established "bureaus of correspond- 

 ence" by which to keep themselves in touch with the work 

 of their deputies and that of the States General.^ An ex- 

 ample of the manner in which this correspondence was 

 conducted is found in the regulations adopted at Brest 

 and preserved in the city library of that place under the 

 title: Resultat dcs conventions pour Vetahlissemcnt de 

 la correspondance de Brest avec AIM. les deputes de la 

 senecliaussee aux Etats Generau.r, et de la ville avec les 



^Besides Brest, these were Rennes, Nantes, Saint-Brieuc, Guerande, 

 and Lorient, so far as I have been able to discover from definite 

 records, but that there was correspondence besides this is shown by 

 the collection of letters of Boulle and isolated letters of the deputies 

 of Quimper and of Corroller du Moustoir, 



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