opening of States General of lySg 57 



orders. ^^^ It was argued that by doing this, they need have no 

 fear of being considered as separately organized, and that, on 

 the other hand, since it would be necessary for them to deliberate, 

 this was a legitimate way of doing so without compromising 

 themselves. ^^^ The decision, however, was against the proposi- 

 tion.^^® 



The Rccit says that it was during this same session that one of 

 the deputies complained of the arrangement of the seats in the 

 hall and proposed that the grand master of ceremonies be asked 

 to have them arranged in the form of an amphitheater. The 

 proposition was opposed on the ground that the hall did not 

 belong to any particular order, but to the states general and there- 

 fore only the states general could order the seats to be changed. 

 This view was evidently that of the majority of the deputies, and 

 the matter was dropped.^^^ 



It was also on May ii, that certain members from Dauphine 

 brought in a protest concerning the constitution and election of 

 deputies from their province, and asked the commons to decide 

 the matter.^^^ The reply of the commons was that since they 

 were not an organized body, they could not pass judgment on the 

 matter.^" 



^^^Ihid.; Recit des seances des deputes des communes, ii; Lettres du 

 Conite de Mirabeau, No. 2, 2. 



^^'' Recit des seances des deputes des connnunes, lo, ii. 



^•''S Ibid., 10. We have only this one account which states that the motion 

 failed to pass. Since there is no record of its being put into effect, it is 

 safe to assume that the Recit is correct in its statement. 



^^^Ibid., II, 12. 



''■^'^ Ibid., 12; Biauzat, II, 49, 50; Lettres du Comte de Mirabeau, No. 2, 

 9, 10. The Recit and Biauzat agree that the Archbishop of Embrun was 

 the spokesman of the deputation. Biauzat mentions the Bishop of Digne 

 and the Marquis of Autichamp as being members of the deputation. The 

 Rccit says that there were fifteen members of the deputation besides the 

 Archbishop of Embrun; Biauzat states that the deputation consisted of 

 fifteen or sixteen members ; Mirabeau says that there were twelve or 

 fifteen persons in it. 



'^^'^ Recit des seances des deputes des communes, 12; Biauzat, II, 50; 

 Lettres du Comte de Mirabeau, No. 2, 10. The account of the reply as 

 given by the Recit is as follows : " M. le doyen a repondu que les com- 



259 



