io Carl Christ ophelsmeier 



among them some of the superior prelates, and of the nobles, 

 among them men of the greatest influence, had expressed their 

 willingness to join them at the first favorable opportunity. But 

 this hope was now lost. Even some of the more moderate among 

 the tiers-etat interpreted the action of the nobles, not only as most 

 insulting but as a veritable declaration of war; the gauntlet had 

 been thrown into the arena; it was necessary to pick it up. It 

 was said that a hundred nobles had declared that they would shed 

 the last drop of their blood before they consent to vote by person. 

 It was for these reasons that many deputies of the commons 

 who up to that time had favored delay decided on the afternoon 

 and evening of May 13 that the proposition of the clergy should 

 not pass the following day. More delay was considered not only 

 useless but even dangerous ; the nobility would never be per- 

 suaded to join the commons, and the people were becoming rest- 

 less and demanded the organization of the states general ; the 

 commons would be compelled in the end to decide by their most 

 resolute action the controversy in favor of vote by head anyway. 

 They should decide it, therefore, at once, and then pursue an 

 active policy. 



The commons decided immediately after the two opposing 

 motions were made that both should be considered together and 

 that every deputy should be given the opportunity of expressing 

 his opinions upon them before the roll should be called a second 

 time for the vote. We must not infer, however, that those who 

 clamored for a second speech were refused the floor. 



The idea that the commons ought still to wait a short time 

 before organizing themselves was developed by various deputies 

 in their speeches. 1 Boissy d'Anglas counseled moderation and 

 delay. "You have, gentlemen," he said, "to struggle in this mo- 

 ment against the natural arrogance of a courageous nobility, 

 which believes that it must not take one step backward. In pre- 

 senting yourself before it in such a direct manner, you exasperate 

 it and arm it necessarily against you, while the voice of media- 

 tor the account of the sessions of May 15 and 16 see: Recit, 22-24; 

 Biauzat, II, 57-59, 63-65 ; Revue de la revolution, XI, Documents inedits, 

 13-14 ; La revolution frangaise, XXIII, 366 ; Duquesnoy, I, 19-25. 



IO 



