opening of States General of i/8p 19 



decision to the deliberation of the three orders united; a pos- 

 session which goes back to the remotest times of the monarchy is 

 a right which becomes still more worthy of respect at the moment 

 when those who enjoy it are disposed to renounce it. It is just, 

 then, it is right, that the deputies of the commons leave to the 

 representatives of the first two orders all the honor of such a 

 sacrifice.""* Necker stated that after this had been done, the 

 privileged orders would often " be invited to unite with the 

 representatives of the people," and then they could " examine all 

 forms of deliberation." He then attempted to show that the 

 separation into three orders was really a disadvantage to the king 

 and an aid to revolutionary spirits, as the king would be better 

 able to control a single assembly than the three separate orders; 

 hence, according to this view, the king was really making a con- 

 cession to the radical forces in having the orders meet separately. "^^ 

 Necker's address was a great disappointment to the deputies of 

 the third estate. They had been led to expect much from him, 

 and they had received nothing. It was perfectly clear, moreover, 

 that the government had no intention of agreeing to the demands 

 of the third estate for a union of the orders and vote by head. 

 Various contemporary writers mention complaints that were heard 

 because Necker had said nothing in regard to the constitution, 

 because of his attitude toward the vote by head and the general 

 reactionary tone of his discourse.'^*' 



^'^ Discours de M. le dircctenr-gencral des finances, no, in. " Pen- 

 sonne d'entre vous, Messieurs, ne pourrait avec justice, essayer de ravir 

 aux deux premiers ordres le merite d'un genereux sacrifice ; et ce serait 

 cependant les en priver, ce serait du moins en obscurcir I'eclat, que de 

 soumettre cette decision a la deliberation des trois ordres reunis ; une 

 possession qui remonte aux temps les plus reculis de la monarchic, est 

 un titre qui devient encore plus digne de respect au moment ou ceux qui 

 en jouissent sont disposes a y renoncer; il est done juste, il est raisonnable 

 que les deputes des communes laissent aux representants des deux pre- 

 miers ordres tout I'honneur d'un tel sacrifice." 



^^ Ibid., 113. 



66 Biauzat, II, 30; Duquesnoy, II, 7, 8; Jefiferson, II, 760; Mercy, II, 239; 

 Boulle in Revue de la revolution, X, Documents inedits, 168; Bulletins d'un 

 agent secret in La revolution frangaise. III, 352. 



Duquesnoy states the feeling of the third estate thus : " En un mot, tout 



221 



