80 Charles Kuhlmaim 



tacked it vigorously. Mirabeaii declared it absurd, ob- 

 serving that Melun, Geroflay, Corbeil, and Point-du-Jour 

 could circulate like absurdities if the right were granted 

 to Kennes. He added ironically : "The National Assem- 

 bly lias no time to institute itself professor of the muni- 

 cipalities which advance false maxims; it should address 

 itself to the \\isdom of the excellent Breton deputies to 

 cause the right principles to circulate in their country."^ 

 Le Chapelier demanded that ]Mirabeau be called to order 

 for speaking disresiDcctfully of the deputies of a province, 

 but his demand was refused. Maury then asked that the 

 address be returned to Rennes with the assembly's ex- 

 pression of disapprobation. 2 The humiliation of the dep- 

 uties of Rennes was extreme.^ Le Chapelier, who per- 

 sonally did not approve of the address, undertook its de- 

 fense, maintaining that the assemblj^ had heard the same 

 principles expressed by no less a personage than Sieyes. 

 The dignity of the assembly Avas above injury, he said. 

 The substance of the address being alone of consequence, 

 no attention ought to be given to the manner of expres- 

 sion. But the assembly refused to listen to his arguments. 

 Finally the deputy of Dinan expressed his regret at hav- 

 ing laid the address upon the bureau and made the hu- 

 miliating request that he be permitted to withdraw it. In 

 spite of Le Chapelier's objection that the deputy of Dinan . 

 did not have the right to withdraw an address once pre- 



mesure le respect dti a la dignite et a la liberte de I'assemblee. On 

 en a demande la lecture, qui a cause la plus grande emotion dans 

 Tassemblee dont le voeu s'est declare pour un decret d'improbation 

 vigoreuse contre I'arrete dans lequel cependant on avait substitue le 

 mot ennemis au mot traitres. La fletrissure de cet arrete, provoquee 

 par une multitude de voix, aurait assurement €te decernee, si I'As- 

 semblee n'avalt ete arrete par une consideration particuliere pour tons 

 les deputes de Bretagne." 



^Courrier de Provence, III, p. 10. Bulletin de Rennes, II, No. 6, supra. 



Toint du Jour, II, No. LXXVI, pp. 342-344. 



"Letter of Legendre and Moyot, No. 51. 



286 



