28 Carl Christ ophelsmeier 



selves, until they knew who should compose the assembly. The 

 assembly had proved that the credentials could be submitted to 

 no other judgment than that of the representatives of the nation 

 collectively, and this principle, the truth of which was so well 

 demonstrated in every page of the proces-verbal of the confer- 

 ences, should not be abandoned. The nobility had refused the 

 ouverture of conciliation, and by this act the commons were ab- 

 solved from considering it, because the rejection of one party to 

 a conciliatory plan annulled the plan. The assembly was there- 

 fore forced to act, and it could do nothing else than "summon 

 the members of the two privileged chambers to present them- 

 selves in the hall of the states, in order to assist in, to concur 

 in, and to submit themselves to the common verification of 

 credentials." 



After this brief exposition of the motives for action, Sieves 

 read the motion which has remained inseparably linked with his 

 name. It explained the reasons for action and the objections 

 against delay. The nation demanded from its deputies the best 

 employment of their time. "The assembly considers it a press- 

 ing duty for all the representatives of the nation, no matter to 

 what class of citizens they belong, to constitute themselves, with- 

 out further delay, an active assembly in order to fulfil the object 

 of their mission." The conciliatory commissioners were charged 

 to draw up "an account of the long and vain efforts of the depu- 

 ties of the commons for the purpose of converting the privileged 

 classes to the true principles," to explain the reasons which forced 

 the commons to action, and then to publish the account "as an 

 introduction to the present resolution." 



"But since it is impossible to form an assembly without a pre- 

 liminary recognition of those who have the right to compose it, 

 that is to say, those who are empowered to vote as representa- 

 tives of the nation, the same deputies of the commons believe that 

 they ought to make a final appeal to the deputies of the clergy 

 and of the nobility who claim to possess the same powers, and 

 who nevertheless have refused, so far, to allow themselves to be 

 recognized. 



"Furthermore, it is in the interest of the assemblv to fix the 



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