opening of States General of i/Sp 8 1 



verbal, that they should listen to the report concerning the cre- 

 dentials of the deputies from Metz and the surrounding districts, 

 instead of electing the deputies for the conferences.-"* It looked 

 as if the nobles were deliberately 'trying to undo any action they 

 had taken towards conciliation. However, one of the deputies 

 whose credentials were under consideration, saved the situation 

 by urging that 'the chamber suspend the consideration of his 

 affair and take up the election of the commissioners. This sug- 

 gestion was accepted and the noWes decided to choose their com- 

 missioners.-'^^ The Proccs-verbal says that it was agreed that a 

 vote of a third of the deputies should be necessary to elect a com- 

 missioner. The same account says that it was also decided that 

 the commissioners should hold their positions for fifteen days, 

 and at the expiration of the time, they should be replaced by other 

 commissioners.-"'' 



It was while the no'bles were preparing to vote on the com- 

 missioners, states the Proccs-verbal, that the deputation came 

 from the third estate, announcing that they had completed the 

 election of commissioners. When this deputation entered the 

 hall, the nobles arose to receive them. The members of the com- 

 mons were invited to take seats, but preferred to remain standing, 

 with their heads uncovered. The Proces-verbal adds that the 

 nobles followed their example, and stood with heads uncovered, 

 while M. Target delivered a speech in which he announced the 

 election of the commissioners of the third estate.-"^ 



The three orders had at length come together on at least one 

 thing; they were all prepared, finally, to begin the conferences. 

 It 'had taken twelve days of negotiation to reach this point. The 

 situation in the states general, on the eve of the opening of the 

 conferences, was the natural result of the struggle of the third 

 estate for political equality and majority rule. The deputies of 

 the third estate, having come to the meeting of the states general 

 fully determined to carry out the instructions of their constituents 



^^i Proces-verbal de la noblesse, 60. 

 ^^^Ibid., 61. 



266 Proces-verbal de la noblesse, 64, 65. 



267 Ibid., 64. 



283 



