1 6 Carl Christ ophelsmeier 



since many of the cures expressed themselves as willing and even 

 desirous of joining the assembly of the commons, it was decided 

 to wait a short time longer and to bring the greatest pressure to 

 bear upon the clergy in order to persuade them to take the de- 

 cisive step, to join the assembly of the commons at once. 1 The 

 following summons was drawn up : "Gentlemen, the deputies 

 of the commons invite the gentlemen of the clergy, in the name 

 of the God of peace and of national interest, to unite themselves 

 with those deputies in the hall of the general assembly, in order 

 to consider plans which will bring about concord, that at present 

 is so necessary to public welfare/ 2 This proposition was ac- 

 cepted unanimously and was carried to the hall of the clergy by 

 a large number of deputies. 3 This invitation, couched in such 

 solemn language, together with the solemn and imposing depu- 

 tation, worked like a charm upon the clergy. A large number 

 wanted to accept the summons at once ; they did not care to de- 

 liberate upon the subject. Nevertheless a violent discussion 

 arose ; the cures forgot their clerical subordination. The ques- 

 tion did not come to a vote, for it was already late in the day 

 when the deputation appeared, and by the next day much of the 

 enthusiasm at first manifested had disappeared ; the higher clergy 

 had again control of the chamber. 4 The deputies of the third 



noblesse a ete rejetee, et jamais la haine contre cet ordre, le mecontente- 

 ment qu'inspire sa resolution ne s'est si clairement manifeste." 



1 Rccit, 38-39; Courrier de Provence, Lettre VI, 3: "Le 27, plusieurs 

 membres ayant declare qu'ils avaient regu, de la part des ecclesiastiques de 

 leurs baillages, de pressantes invitations pour que les communes fissent 

 aupres de leur ordre une demarche solennelle, qui deciderait infailliblement 

 le clerge, a une reunion dans la salle nationale." 



2 Recit, 39 ; Courrier de Provence, Lettre VI, 7 ; Biauzat, II, 85 ; Duques- 

 noy, I, 48; La revolution francaise, XXIII, 454. 



3 Ibid. 



*Recit, 39 ; Duquesnoy, I, 50 : "II parait que la levee de la seance est 

 l'ouvrage du haut clerge, qui a craint que les cures ne prissent une deter- 

 mination favorable au tiers. Au reste, je suis convaincu qu'on exagere 

 beaucoup les dispositions des cures, parmi lesquels le plus grand nombre, 

 subjugues par les eveques ou maitrises par leurs interets personnels, ne se 

 preteront jamais a l'opinion par tete" ; Courrier de Provence, Lettre VI, 7; 

 Biauzat, II, 86-88, 91 : "Le haut clerge apergut sensiblement la disposi- 

 tion des cures a se rendre dans la salle de l'assemblee nationale. En con- 

 sequence, et n'ayant pu eluder cette deliberation par les delais proposes, il 

 chercha un moyen de rompre la deliberation meme" ; La revolution fran- 



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