128 Ethel Lee Howie 



against the king. The nobles and higher clergy naturally opposed 

 this for they realized how ineffective the troops under the com- 

 mand of the king would be when opposed by this immense army 

 of citizens. The nobles were so opposed to the measure that 

 many left the assembly, so many, Duquesnoy asserts, that there 

 remained scarcely more than a hundred nobles to vote on the 

 question and that these without doubt belonged to the minority 

 and voted for the measure. ^^^ It was also decreed that the presi- 

 dent should that evening announce the action of the assembly 

 to the king and that Mirabeau would present a project of address 

 to the committee of redaction.^^^ 



On July 9 the president reported concerning his interview with 

 the king. The king had desired to explain his position regarding 

 the troops, saying that they were to be used to re-establish order 

 and that they would be retained only the necessary time to guar- 

 antee public security. He stated that he had been informed of 

 the action of the assembly and that he would receive the deputa- 

 tion and give " a public and ostensible response."^^'^ 



On July 9 the Bishop of Chartres reported the work of the com- 

 mittee on redaction regarding the address to the king and stated 

 that the author was ready to make any changes which the assembly 

 deemed necessary.^®^ The tenor of the address was as follows : 

 They had come to fill his heart with alarm, not to implore his 

 protection. These fears concerned the interests of their constitu- 



^95 Duquesnoy, Journal, I, 176. 



^^^ Courrter de Provence, I, i8th letter, 17; Point du jour, I, 144; 

 Proces-verbal, I, No. 18, 5 ; Bulletins de I'assemblee nationale, July 8. 



^^'' Proces-verbal, I, No. 19, i; Courrier de Provence, I, i8th letter, 17; 

 Point du jour, I, 146; Assemblee nationale, I, 426; Duquesnoy, Journal, I, 

 178 ; Biauzat, Sa vie et sa correspondance, II, 167 ; Bulletins de I'assemblee 

 nationale, July 9. 



^^^ Point du jour, I, 144; Proces-verbal, I, No. 19, 4; Assemblee na- 

 tionale, I, 432; Duquesnoy, Journal, I, 179, 181. This source states that 

 Mirabeau read the address but adds, " C'est n'est pas de Mirabeau seul 

 cette adresse, car le comite de redaction y a travaille " ; Biauzat, Sa vie et 

 sa correspondance, II, 168, says that when Mirabeau presented on the 

 evening of July 8 a project of address, "II y fit, avec una docilite admira- 

 ble tous les changements que chacun de nous lui proposa " ; Courrier de 

 Provence, 1, i8th letter, 18; Bulletins de I'assemblee nationale, July 9. 



410 



