8 Ethel Lee Hozuie 



the vote by head.^^ -p^e clergy, on the other hand, decided that, 

 after they had attended mass, they would join the assembly with- 

 out making any reserves.^* 



The assembly had been in session about half an hour when 

 the new members entered. ^^ They came according to orders, each 

 order being led by its president, and took the place designated 

 for them. The leaders occupied the most prominent seats. This 

 manner of emphasizing the distinction of the orders displeased 

 the commons,^® but nothing was said and the newcomers were 

 received "without enthusiasm, yet without indifference, with the 

 dignity and gravity which belonged to an august assembly."" 

 When the first moments of enthusiasm were over, there was ex- 

 treme impatience to know what could be done by an " aggrega- 

 tion, which, a few days before, seemed very remote, or to speak 

 more exactly, impossible."^^ " It was also noticed," observed 

 Barere, " as a unique event in the annals of the French people 

 that a member of the commons presided over a prince of the 

 church, prelates, a prince of the blood, and lords. But such is 

 the irresistible empire of circumstances and the march of 

 revolutions."^^ 



That there was some bitterness within the order of the clergy 



'^^ Proces-verbal des seances de la chambre de I'ordre de la noblesse, 



304-349- 



1* Biauzat, Sa vie et sa corrcspondance, II, 149; Bulletins de I'assemblee 

 nationale, June 30. 



^^ Bulletins de I'assemblee nationale, June 30; Bailly, Memoires, I, 261- 

 262; Assemblce nationale, I, 267; Point du jour, I, 74; Biauzat, Sa vie et 

 sa correspondance, II, 149; Journal de Paris, No. 183; 823 (July 2) ; Cour- 

 rier de Provence, I, isth letter, i ; Duquesnoy, Journal, I, 142. Bailly says 

 that as the new members were not present, he delayed opening the 

 session, but that he finally opened it at eleven o'clock. He asserts that 

 the new members entered at eleven-thirty. The Assemblee nationale says 

 that the session opened an hour late. This agrees with the Proces-verbal 

 of the nobles which says (303) that the assembly was to meet at ten. This 

 also agrees with Bailly. 



1^ Bailly, Memoires, I, 262. 



I'' Bailly, Memoires, I, 262; Assemblee nationale, I, 271. 



18 Courrier de Provence, I, 15th letter, i. 



19 Point du jour, I, 74. 



290 



