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 44O General History of Europe to come before the National Assembly. The club decided before- hand what should be the policy of its members and how they should vote. The Jacobins rapidly developed branches of the mother society at Paris and in this way exercised a considerable control over public opinion throughout France. They were bent on opposing any re- turn to the old institutions under which France had suffered so long. At first they were not in favor of a republic, but finally came to the conclusion that the old monarchy must be abolished. 765. Completion of the First French Constitution. At last the National Assembly put the finishing touches on the new con- stitution for France upon which it had been working for two years, and the king swore to observe it. The discord and suspicion of the past few months were to be forgotten. The government was turned over to the new congress or Legislative Assembly provided for in the constitution. This met for the first time October i, 1791. 766. Problems facing the Legislative Assembly. The new assembly was made up for the most part of new and inexperienced young men. For the National Assembly had voted that none of its members should be eligible for election to the Legislative Assembly which it had created. France was in a critical condi- tion; there was a general distrust of the king, the emigrant nobles were conspiring on the borders, foreign kings had sug- gested armed intervention to restore the old regime, and large classes in France itself were opposed to certain features of the new order, especially the laws concerning the Church. The growing discord in the nation was increased by the severe edicts which the Legislative Assembly immediately issued against the emigrant nobles and the nonjuring clergy. "The Frenchmen assembled on the frontier" were ordered to return to France by January i, 1792. If they failed to do this they were to be re- garded as convicted traitors to their country, to be punished, if caught, with death, and their property was to be confiscated. Clergymen who refused to accept the Civil Constitution of the Clergy and the new constitution of the National Assembly were regarded as suspects and finally ordered to leave the country.