The First Revolutionary Step 15 



undertaking on the part of the tiers does not bring about the 

 union of the first two orders with the third, in order to verify 

 credentials and then vote by head upon all questions submitted 

 to the decision of the states general, it appears decided that the 

 tiers will constitute itself as a national assembly and act in this 

 capacity without the participation of the first two orders." 



The report from the commissioners of the conferences was 

 taken up in the assemblies of the three orders on May 26, but the 

 third estate did not act upon it until May 27. It profited, there- 

 fore, by the action of the other orders on the report. 1 The no- 

 bility decreed again that the credentials should be verified sep- 

 arately. 2 This decree was read in the assembly of the commons 

 on the morning of May 27 and brought about another attempt 

 of the radical party to organize the assembly. 3 The deputies 

 were indignant that the nobility followed such a two-faced policy 

 as taking part in conciliatory conferences and declaring itself at 

 the same time constituted as a separate chamber, two diamet- 

 rically opposite plans. 4 Chapelier's motion of May 14 was in 

 substance often repeated and was gaining more supporters. An- 

 other step towards the realization of the principle of vote by 

 head was taken on May 27. Mirabeau's advice of May 18 was 

 accepted — the nobility was dropped out of consideration 5 — and 



semble de la nation, a se constituer comme ses representants naturels et 

 legitimes, et en cette qualite, a s'occuper des affaires publiques, conjointe- 

 ment avec ceux de 1'eglise et de la noblesse qui voudront se joindre a 

 elles." Biauzat, II, 88. 



l Recit, 37 ; La revolution frangaisc, XXIII, 451-52, 454. 



^Recit, 38; Biauzat, II, 86; Duquesnoy, I, 48: "La noblesse a arrete 

 . . . qu'elle se tenait de nouveau pour bien constituted, les pouvoirs bien 

 verifies." La revolution frangaise, XXIII, 452. It was announced to the 

 commons by other commissioners that "l'ordre de la noblesse s'etait de- 

 cidement refuse a la reunion, demande la verification en commun des 

 pouvoirs des deputes de tous les ordres." 



3 Recit, 38 : "Pour cette tenue d'etats-generaux, les pouvoirs seront 

 verifies separement, et que l'examen des avantages on des inconvenients qui 

 pourraient exister dans la forme actuelle sera remis a l'epoque ou les trois 

 ordres s'occuperont des formes a observer pour l'organisation des prochains 

 etats-generaux." 



i Rccit, 3S ; La revolution frangaise, XXIII, 454-55: "Cette declaration 

 a faite une sensation incroyable dans l'esprit de tous les members; tin bruit 

 sourd annongait l'indignation." 



5 Recit, 39 ; Duquesnoy, I, 48 : "Toute idee de reconciliation avec la 



T5 



