The First Revolutionary Step 71 



in a calmer mood this which he had said in order to remove all 

 accusations so poorly founded, he contented himself with the 

 apology of leaving the manuscript of his discourse upon the bu- 

 reau and of signing it with his own hand." 1 



Mirabeau's speech, being understood as it was, had stirred the 

 assembly to its very depths. It was thought that, as the discus- 

 sion continued, the agitation would become greater and possibly 

 result in a division among the commons. The deputies wanted 

 to act at once before graver obstacles could present themselves. 

 The assembly wished to constitute itself in order to act as a unit 

 against all combinations formed in opposition to it. Deputies 

 had also been frightened by rumors of a royal session in which, 

 it was said, the king would dictate his wishes and settle the dis- 

 pute between the orders. The court, the higher clergy, and the 

 nobility were thought to be in league with each other, and even a 

 delay over night seemed to many deputies hazardous to the in- 

 terests of the nation and of the assembly. These deputies de- 

 manded immediate action and called loudly for the question. 2 



It was with great difficulty that Le Grand, Pison du Galland, 

 and Sieves obtained the floor again and made themselves heard. 

 Le Grand read again his motion which had received no notice in 

 the morning session. Pison du Galland wanted the assembly to 

 constitute itself as assemblce legitime et active des representants 

 de la nation francaise. This motion, well explained and tending 

 strongly toward the idea of national assembly, was received with 

 vigorous applause. A second reading was immediately de- 

 manded. 3 Sieves, under pretext of defending his motion, 

 amended it. He made the motion read : "The title of assemblce 

 national is the only proper name for the assembly. . ." The 

 motion and title as amended suddenly gained favor. 4 But certain 

 individuals delayed the vote. They asserted that the amendment 



1 Courrier de Provence, Lettre XI, 53-54. 



2 Journal des ctats-generaux, I, 119 ; Biauzat, II, 120. 



3 Journal des etats-gencraux, I, 119; Courricr dc Provence, Lettre XI, 

 54-55. 



4 Journal des etats-gencraux, I, 120; Revue dc la revolution, XIII, Docu- 

 ments inedits, 12; Courrier de Provence, Lettre XI, 55; Duquesnoy, I, 101. 

 The last paragraph of Sieyes' motion as adopted on June 17 was entirely 

 revised. Proces-verbal, I, 2-4. 



71 



