The First Revolutionary Step 67 



larities, and the advantages to the deputies of constituting them- 

 selves the representants du peuple. The three motions agreed on 

 the four cardinal points: the necessity of constituting promptly 

 an active assembly ; "the declaration that our assembly is not and 

 may not be the states general" ; the advantage of another title, 

 under which the assembly might be constituted ; the necessity of 

 preventing an}' vote by chambers, any schism of the national as- 

 sembly, any veto of the privileged orders. And Mirabeau's mo- 

 tion was more emphatic upon this last point than were the other 

 motions. But what, he questioned, was the difference? What 

 justified the deputies in being so violent in the debates? "Why 

 is it that my motion, so clearly based upon principles which put 

 it above every criticism, so explicit, so satisfactory for every man 

 that detests, as I do, every kind of aristocracy, why should this 

 motion be pictured as so inapplicable, so little worthy of an as- 

 sembly of friends, of servants of this people which has charged 

 us to defend it?" The other titles were too lengthy and were un- 

 intelligible to their constituents. Connus and verifies had no sig- 

 nificance ; these words did not distinguish the assembly from the 

 other orders. The title and motion of Sieves did not agree ; a 

 logical conclusion of the motion would be to constitute themselves 

 as a national assembly, as states general. The title of Sieves was 

 based upon arguments and not upon positive law ; "mine rests 

 upon a fact, an authentic, undeniable fact, which is that we are 

 the representants du peuple frangais." The title of Sieyes is 

 weak, for "the deputies of the clergy and the nobility may decide 

 to come into our hall for the purpose of verifying their creden- 

 tials, and return afterward into their respective chambers in or- 

 der to vote there by order."' This action would destroy the 

 significance of Sieves' title. Not so with the title of Mirabeau 

 himself, for it would apply equally well after the union of the 

 orders. 



After defending his title against all criticism, he delivered a 

 peroration "in a ringing voice." 1 He said : "I persevere in my 



Mirabeau's third speech. Courrier de Provence, Lettre XI, 37 ; Lettres de 



Mirabeau au major de Mauvillon, 467 ; Bianzat, II, 120 ; Duquesnoy, I, 100. 



1 Courrier de Provence. Lettre XI, 37. Dumont. 74: Dumont wrote (74) : 



"L'exorde que j'avais fait concilia passablement l'attention ; la partie argu- 



67 



