62 Ethel Lee Howie 



to be rejected.^^^ Thus the debate on the San Domingo delega- 

 tion was ended and the first deputies from a colony were ad- 

 mitted to the national assembly. The deputies according to the 

 vote of the assembly reduced their number to six and on July 7 

 placed a declaration on the table stating that such reduction had 

 been made. 



The vote on the San Domingo question is of special significance 

 as it was the first time that balloting by head in answer to roll 

 call had come squarely before the assembly. Biauzat shows the 

 attitude of the higher orders at this time when he says: "The 

 Archbishop of Vienne, who aspired to the vote by order, declared 

 that he had too poor eyesight to be sure of the general wish by a 

 standing vote. The roll call of 1,200 deputies was then taken.. 

 A single aristocrat responded 'I do not vote.' The majority were 

 silent when their names were called ; others, such as a great arch- 

 bishop, withdrew when it was about time for their names to be 

 called. It is not less true that several of those who joined us only 

 because we followed in respect to them the recommendation of 

 the holy scriptures, compelle intrare, have responded, voted and 

 consequently voted by head. The great question of vote by head 

 or by order will then be decided by action without any need of 

 discussion. I am looking for that, assuming that our advance may 

 not be stopped by dominating events which I always fear."^^® The 

 Bulletins de I'assemhlee nationale states that " the three orders 

 voted by head with the exception of some members of the clergy 

 and the nobles who under pretext of their imperative instruc- 

 tions refused.'^ This source states that the voting lasted two and 

 a half hours.^^^ 



The last question involving irregularities in election, considered 

 previous to July 11, concerned the election of Malouet, deputy of 

 Riom in Auvergne.^^^ The credentials of the deputies of Riom 



^^'^ Assemblee nationale, I, 353; Point du jour, I, 108. 



318 Biauzat, Sa vie et sa correspondance, II, 160. 



^'^^ Bulletins de I'assemhlee nationale, July 4. 



^^° Proces-verbal, I, No. 20, 4; Biauzat, Sa vie et sa correspondance, II, 

 172; Assemblee nationale, I, 459; Duquesnoy, Journal, I, 183; Courrier de 

 Provence, I, 19th letter, 5. 



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