The First Revolutionary Step 77 



The decree that they had just passed announced that, "It pertains 

 to the national assembly alone to interpret and to present the gen- 

 eral wishes of the nation." The national assembly could assume, 

 therefore, according to these expressions, all the powers that it 

 wished ; it could constitute France, it could legislate for France. 



Thus constituted and ready for the great work before it, the' 

 assembly sought at once to fortify itself by declaring its policy 

 and its powers. The advice of Mirabeau, as presented in his res- 

 olution on June 15, that to constitute the assembly was not suffi- 

 cient — its principles should also be announced — was now followed. 

 Up to this time, the public had looked upon the disputes, the in- 

 activity of the states general with wonder and doubt. France 

 had been left in suspense as to the outcome of all the agitation 

 between the orders. A new order of things had been expected, 

 a regeneration of France had been looked for, but these expecta- 

 tions had not been realized. It was now the business of the as- 

 sembly to calm the public and to make it realize that the reforms 

 for which it had so long striven would be secured. The national 

 assembly, therefore, decided to make a general statement of its 

 policy, and in this way present something tangible around which 

 public opinion could form. The support of the public was neces- 

 sary in order to successfully conquer the deputies of the clergy 

 and of the nobility. 



To this end, the national assembly declared that taxes could be 

 legally voted only by the representatives of the nation; that since 

 the existing taxes had not received this consent they were illegal, 

 consequently null and void in their creation, extension, and pro- 

 longation. But the assembly "declares, by a unanimous vote, that 

 it consents provisionally, in the name of the nation, that the taxes, 1 

 although illegally imposed and collected, continue to be raised in 

 the same manner as they have been heretofore, but only up to the 

 time of the separation of this assembly, no matter from what 

 cause the separation may proceed. After the day of separation, 

 I'assemblee nationals entend et dccrctc- that every levy of taxes 3 



1 "Impots et contributions." 

 2 Orders and decrees. 

 3 "Impdts et contributions." 



77 



