68 Mae Darling 



addressed to those who call themselves the first two orders, for as 

 they . do not have a single privilege outside their pecuniary ex- 

 emptions, as outside that circle all our interests are evidently 

 common, I do not see a single reason for their opposition to the 

 vote by head, if they are acting in good faith, and that is why I 

 still believe only feebly in the sincerity of their sacrifices. "-°- 



It was in this same session that Malouet made a motion which 

 apparently aroused considerable feeling in the assembly. -°^ In a 

 decree which he proposed to have sent to the other two orders, 

 he began by an introduction in which he mentioned the fact that 

 the nobles had agreed to the appointment of commissioners; he 

 then stated that the work of the commons was to aid in establish- 

 ing the constitution and that the deputies wished to submit their 

 credentials to the states general in order to hasten this work. 

 The decree proposed the acceptance of the proposition for the 

 conferences and then followed a declaration which aroused the 

 antagonism of JMalouet's colleagues. It was worded thus : " We 

 declare, formally, that we intend to respect and have no right to 

 attack the property rights and the honorary prerogatives of the 

 clergy and the nobility.-*** We are equally convinced that their 

 claim to be separate orders will not be any obstacle to the activity- 

 of the states general."-**^ 



^°^ Leitrcs dti Comtc de Mirabeaii, No. 4, 16. 



-'^^ Ibid., 5; Biauzat, II, 58; Journal des ctats-gcncraux, I, 29; Duques- 

 noy, I, 23. 



^'^^ Journal des etats-gcncraux, I, 29; Lcttrcs du Comtc de Mirabeau, 

 No. 4, 7; Biauzat, II, 63. Biauzat says that in transcribing this motion, he 

 noted that a change had been made from the wording as Malouet gave it 

 in the assembly. The motion as made by Malouet, Biauzat says, ran thus : 

 " Que nous sommes dans I'intention de respecter et de n'avoir aucun droit 

 d'attaquer les pretentions legitimes du clerge et de la noblesse." Biauzat 

 then says: " J'ai lu a la place de cette expression ' Nous declarons formelle- 

 ment etre dans I'intention de respecter et n'avoir aucun droit d'attaquer 

 les proprietes et les prerogatives honorifiques du clerge et de la noblesse.' " 



-°^ Lettres du Comte de Mirabeau, No. 4, 5-7; Journal des etats- 

 gcneraux, I, 27-29; Biauzat, II, 63. Mirabeau and the Journal des ctats- 

 gcncraux both give the complete text of this motion. They are practically 

 the same. It is possible that both had access to the manuscript text. 



270 



