92 Ethel Lee Howie 



rejected the three first measures of the committee, the subscrip- 

 tion because it would neither be sufficient to relieve the suffer- 

 ings of the people nor conform to the dignity of the assembly, 

 the advances because they were uncertain and impractical, the 

 contribution because it contained a tax. The bureau, which he 

 represented, felt that it was because of the restriction on the 

 circulation of grain that dearth ravaged one province while abun- 

 dance reigned in another, hence all prohibitive laws should be 

 abohshed.**^ 



Bouche, representing the i8th bureau, proposed that the as- 

 sembly should decree that " all decrees of council, decrees of 

 court, sentences from whatever tribunal they originate and ordon- 

 nances of the intendant are null. Consequently the circulation of 

 grain whether by land or sea will be re-established."^** 



Those who thought that the exportation of grain should be 

 prohibited were Lally-Tolendal,**^ Bouche,**® and Joubert.**^ 



Several other suggestions, not proposed by the committee, 

 were brought out in the debate. One of these was a loan of 

 60,000,000 livres. This was suggested by Petion de Villeneuve. 

 He stated that at first this seemed to be opposed to their instruc- 

 tions, but the amount was small and concerned an object so en- 

 tirely different from the objects prescribed in their cahiers that 

 it seemed there should be no objection.**^ The suggestion that the 

 king should be thanked for saving the country from the approach 

 of famine and asked to continue this paternal care for the relief of 

 his people was quite generally approved of in the assembly 

 being supported by Lally-Tolendal,**^ Virieu,*^° the Archbishop 



^*^ Assemblee nationalc, I, 370; Courrier de Provence, 17th letter, 11; 

 Bulletins de I'assemblee nationale, July 6. 



4** Assemblee nationale, I, 368 ; Bulletins de I'assemblee nationale, July 6. 



^^^ Point du jour, I, 119; Assemblee nationale, I, 363; Courrier de Prov- 

 ence, I, 17th letter, 10. 



^■^^ Assemblee nationale, I, 368; Bulletins de I'assemblee nationale, July 6. 



^^"^ Moniteur, I, 128. 



4*8 Point du jour, I, 121 ; Assemblee nationale, I, 370. ••.•> 



'^i^ Point du jour, I, 119; Assemblee nationale, I, 363; Courier de Prov- 

 ence, I, 17th letter, 10; Bulletins de I'assemblee nationale, July 6. 



*5o Assemblee nationale, I, 365 ; Bulletins de I'assemblee nationale, July 6. 



374 



