The Counter Revolution of June-July 85 



It seems that when this memoire was taken up in the 'bureaus 

 it did not give general satisfaction,^^" although we are told in the 

 Journal de Paris that the report received a general and flattering 

 success and was equally approved by the three orders.^-^ Mira- 

 beau found in the memoire the merit of analysis and clearness but 

 a vagueness of program more suitable to a society of philosophers 

 than to a national convention. *^^ 



The work of this committee was evidently considered at an end 

 by the assembly for no further reports were made by it and a new 

 committee of eight was chosen July 14 to draft a plan of a consti- 

 tution and to present it to the assembly.*^' 



IX 



Although the making of a constitution for France was regarded 

 by the national assembly as its chief work the deputies were not 

 permitted to limit their labors to this one great task; the question 

 of the food supply of Paris early demanded their attention. The 

 clergy had attempted to make political capital out of the economic 

 distress by inviting the third estate, June 6, to examine with it the 

 problem of the food supply. The third estate did not fall into the 

 trap but replied to the invitation that " the most ardent desire of 

 the representatives of the people is to come to its help. The 

 decree of the clergy justifies them in believing that that order 

 shares their impatience in that regard, and that it will not refuse, 

 for any length of time, a union without which the public mis- 

 fortunes can only be increased."*^* But while they did not allow 

 the clergy to use the economic question to defeat their efforts to 

 form a single assembly they did not fail to recognize the neces- 

 sity of taking some steps to relieve the famine in Paris and in the 



Journal de Paris, No. 192, 872 (July 11) ; Gazette de Leyde, Sup. No. 57 

 (July 10) ; Proces-verhal, I, following No. 19. 



420 Bulletins de I'assemblee nationale, July 9. 



^^'^ Journal de Paris, No. 192, 872. 



422 Courrier de Provence, I, 19th letter, 2. 



■^^^ Proces-verhal, I, No. 23, 4. 



^-^ Recit des seances des deputes dcs communes depuis le 5 mat 17S9 

 jusqu'au 12 juin suivant, 84. 



