22 Carl Chrisiophelsmeier 



in case of an emergency they could constitute themselves and act 

 instantly. 1 A deputy proposed rules of order for the government 

 of the assembly and rules which should regulate the manner of 

 presenting the motions, the debates, and the voting. But the as- 

 sembly was interrupted in this work by the appearance of a dep- 

 utation from the clergy which announced that the king's ouver- 

 ture was accepted by their order. 2 Various other questions 

 presented themselves so that the matter of organization had to 

 be set aside. Later in the day the same committee of the clergy 

 presented itself with a proposition which called forth from many 

 members of the third estate expressions of disgust against the 

 clergy. 3 It convinced many deputies, who heretofore had be- 

 lieved in the coming union of the deputies of the third estate and 

 of the clergy, that it was necessary for the commons to organize 

 and to constitute themselves alone, that they could no more de- 

 pend on the clergy than on the nobility. 4 This committee an- 

 nounced that the clergy was "profoundly touched by the misery 

 of the people and by the high price of grain which afflicted the 

 provinces," and they proposed that the three orders should ap- 

 point committees who together should consider plans for the 

 alleviation of that evil. 5 "A general murmur" and "the most 

 profound silence succeeded" this proposition. The note was read 

 once more when the committee had left the hall. Then various 

 motions were made, such as to ignore the proposition or to con- 

 sider it only after the assembly was constituted; again, that it 



written on June 3, 1789; La revolution franqaisc, XXIII, 363. Troops 

 were assembled in the neighborhood of Paris. 



1 Recit, 81; Courrier de Provence, Lettre X, 1. 



-Recit, 81; La revolution franqaisc, XXIII, 520. 



3 Recit, 84 ; the commons were already discontented, because of the king's 

 ouverture , and, furthermore, they had been humiliated by the king. La 

 revolution franqaise, XXIII, 469; Duquesnoy, I, 65, 70. 



4 Duquesnoy, I, 76-77: "Le clerge a cherche a tendre un piege dans 

 lequel il est tombe lui-meme. . ." La revolution franqaise, XXIII, 521, 

 523 : "L'effet de cette deputation a ete de soulever tous les membres du 

 tiers-etat. La commotion a ete generale et tenait de l'effervescence, du 

 delire. Jamais, non jamais, la chambre n'a ete dans une telle agitation. 

 Les motions faites a ce subjet sont extremes." 



5 Recit, 84; Courrier de Provence, Lettre IX, 16; Biauzat, II, 96; Du- 

 quesnoy, I, 76; La revolution franqaise, XXIII, 521. 



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