7 2 Carl Christophelsmeier 



to Sieyes' motion made it a new motion and therefore subject to 

 new discussion and further clarification. But they were unsuc- 

 cessful ; the assembly decided in favor of putting the motion. It 

 was now nearly midnight and many deputies had left the hall and 

 gone to their lodgings. It was, therefore, urged that the assem- 

 bly ought to adjourn to the next morning. The agitation became 

 most violent. 1 The majority of the deputies promenaded the hall 

 shouting either "aux voix, aux voix!" or "a demain, a demain!" 

 or demanding further discussion of Sieyes' new motion. 2 Bailly, 

 at this time president, wrote later: "The session of this evening 

 was one of the most important and critical moments of my life," 

 and "this day presented to me the image of two armies ready for 

 attack." 3 A large number labored under the impression that it 

 was dangerous for the commons to wait, that preparations were 

 made for the defeat of their plans, that the delay over night might 

 destroy all the advantages they had obtained and counteract all 

 the progress they had made up to this night. And there was truth 

 in this belief, as will be shown later, but even illusions ap- 

 pear often grave realities, especially in the mind of excitable 

 Frenchmen. 4 



But the assembly was finally restored to its equilibrium. A 

 member loudly summoned "all good citizens" to be seated. About 

 four hundred followed the advice, while about eighty still re- 

 mained standing. This minority was then invited by some spec- 

 tators to leave the hall and not to interfere with the action of the 

 majority. This demand started a new commotion. The counter- 

 demand, on the part of one of the eighty that the visitors ought 

 to depart instead, was greeted with shouts of "you are traitors, 

 bad citizens, leave the hall !" It seems that most of the minority 

 actually did leave. Then a deputy, Biauzat perhaps, called at- 



1 Revue de la revolution, XIII, Documents inedits, 12; Journal des etats- 

 generaux, I, 120; Duquesnoy (I, 101) says that 494 deputies voted against 

 further discussion and 80 in favor of it. The Courrier de Provence (Lettre 

 XI, 56) says that 99 voted in favor of renewed discussion. Proces-verbal, 

 I, 104. 



2 Duquesnoy, I, 101; Revue de la revolution, XIII, Documents inedits, 

 12-13. 



3 Bailly, I, 150, 153. 



'Revue de la revolution, XIII, Documents inedits, 12-13. 



72 



