8 Julia Creivitt Stoddard 



the interests of the state and place restrictions on commerce when 

 public interest seemed to demand such action. Turgot had been 

 of the first school; Necker was of the last. 



The summer of 1788, just before the beginning- of Necker's 

 second administration, was one of extraordinary dryness. The 

 crop was almost a total failure. 1 Necker began by prohibiting, 

 in the most absolute manner, the exportation of grain and by 

 offering subsidies for importation. 2 As this decree failed of the 

 desired effect, it was followed by another in November in which 

 the places of sale were limited to markets, and all speculation 

 was forbidden. 3 Then there came a winter of such unusual 

 severity as had never been known in France since the beginning 

 of history. "On the 31st of December, 1788, the Reaumur ther- 

 mometer registered 18 degrees below freezing in Paris. Frosts 

 began on the 24th of November, and the Seine was frozen from 

 the 26th." 4 Prices continued to rise and the suffering from cold 

 and scarcity was terrible. 



The government then resorted to more severe measures. In 

 April there came another decree by which government officers 

 were commanded to find out just what quantity of grain was 

 held within their provinces, and to compel the holders, whether 

 farmers or merchants, to supply the markets. This was intended 

 to discourage speculation, and to reassure those whom the high 

 prices naturally made uneasy. 5 There was a clause in this de- 

 cree which forbade the gathering of crowds and shouting in 

 public, since such acts might lead to rioting. It is evident from 

 this decree that such manifestations of disorder were not infre- 

 quent. 



Not only was domestic trade controlled by government, but 

 foreign commerce also suffered severely from government inter- 

 ference. The privilege of trading with foreign countries was 

 granted or taken away at the discretion of the government. 



1 Histoire parlemeiitaire, I, 282. 



2 Anciennes lots, XXVIII, 663. 

 9 Ibid., XXVIII, G29. 



* Histoire parle me ntaire, I, 283. 

 8 Anciennes lots, XXVIII, 664. 

 6 Ibid., XXVIII, 361, 363. 



274 



