opening of States General of lySg 45 



latter."^"^ Thus it will be seen that it was in an order where 

 there was a deep-seated hatred between the two opposing parties, 

 that an attempt was being made to save the states general from 

 being involved in an open struggle, that attempts to reconcile the 

 nobility and the third estate were being made by a body of depu- 

 ties who were themselves disunited. 



In the sessions which had taken place in the meantime, in the 

 hall of the third estate since May 7, there had been no action in 

 regard to the proposition to name conciliatory commissioners. 

 The commons were waiting, evidently, to see what the nobility 

 intended to do. If the nobles refused to accept the proposition, 

 that would relieve the third estate of the necessity of either 

 accepting or rejecting it. If, on the other hand, the nobility 

 accepted the proposition, there would then be time enough for the 

 third estate to act.^*^^ The nobles, however, were having a recess 

 from May 6 to May 11. 



The third estate, meanwhile, held to its policy of inaction, 

 although the discussion of matters of organization was taken up. 

 A list of the deputies from each bailliage was prepared, probably 

 for the purpose of facilitating the taking of votes. "^ A plan 

 was also proposed for conducting the business of the assembly.^"^ 

 This reglement, as it was called, was presented by the dean, and 

 was supported, the Journal des etats-generaux says, by those who 

 favored the privileged orders,^°^ their idea evidently being that 

 by adopting this reglement the third estate would virtually 



102 Jefferson, II, 460. 



1*^3 Boulle, in Revue de la revolution, Documents incdits, 171. Boulle 

 hints that the third estate was waiting for the action of the nobles. Speak- 

 ing of the session of May 8, he says: " Les cures nous assurent toujours 

 qu'ils ne tendent qu'a le reunion et que, des la noblesse sera assemblee 

 lundi, ils s'occuperont de tous les moyens et les demarches propres a y 

 parvenir; ainsi, il faut attendre ce jour qui pourrait voir entamer les 

 grandes questions; mais nous ne nous flattons pas qu'elles puissent se 

 resoudre sans obstacles et sans peine." 



^^^ Recit des seances des deputes des communes, 7; Biauzat, II, 42. 



i°5 Recit des seances des deputes des communes, 7 ; Lettres du Comte 

 de Mirabeau, No. 2, 2; Journal des etats-generaux, I, 14. 



^°^ Journal des etats-generaux, I, 14. 



247 



