The First Revolutionary Step 27 



The whole assembly was eager to hear what Sieyes had to say. 

 But, now that the time had come, Sieyes seemed to hesitate. He 

 should have taken the floor immediately after the dean's first 

 statement. When he let the opportune moments slip by, Mirabeau 

 became impatient, and when Sieyes kept the assembly in suspense 

 after the dean's second remarks, which really were a suggestion 

 to Sieyes, Mirabeau, to give him courage, called upon him, and 

 stated 1 that the commons, in order not to expose themselves to 

 the greatest dangers, must hesitate no longer; they must take a 

 decisive step ; and he concluded with the announcement that a 

 deputy from Paris wished to propose a motion which was of the 

 greatest importance.- The assembly expressed its desire to hear 

 the motion, and the dean called upon Sieyes. 



It was in the midst of a profound silence that the famous dep- 

 uty from Paris began his discourse. The session was well at- 

 tended by the public, for it was known that the conference had 

 been closed and that important business would be considered. 2 

 Like Chapelier and others who had made similar motions before, 

 Sieyes reviewed the action of the deputies of the third estate since 

 the opening of the states general, and their relations with the 

 clergy and with the nobility. 3 ' He described the circumstances 

 that had prevented the organization of the states general, the 

 proofs of good-will given by the commons, the obstinate resist- 

 ance which they had encountered on the part of the other orders, 

 the uselessness of the conferences, and the obstacles placed by 

 the nobility in the way of every attempt at conciliation. He con- 

 cluded that the commons could no longer remain in inactivity 

 without neglecting their duties and without betraying the inter- 

 ests of their constituents. It was necessary to begin work. But 

 it was impossible to form an active assembly, to constitute them- 



526; Revue dc la revolution, XII, Documents incdits, 50, 51; Journal des 

 etats-generaux, I, 53. 



1 Recit, 101. 



2 La revolution frangaise, XXIII, 525, 526; Duquesnoy, I, 83; Biauzat, II, 

 102; Revue dc la revolution, XII, Documents incdits, 39, 40, 49. 



3 Recit, 101-3; Journal, des etats-gencraux, I, 53-56 (paging for the 

 month of June) ; La revolution frangaise, XXIII, 526 ; Duquesnoy, I, 83 ; 

 Biauzat, II, 102, 103, 105-7; Courricr dc Provence, Lettre X, 3-7; Revue 

 de la revolution, XII, Documents inedits, 51, 52. 



