Page:Memoir, correspondence, and miscellanies, from the papers of Thomas Jefferson - Volume 1.djvu/90

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thirty Louis a year ; while their superiors were consuming their princely revenues, in palaces of luxury and indolence.

The objects for which this body was convened, being of the first order of importance, I felt it very interesting to understand the views of the parties of which it was composed, and especially the ideas prevalent, as to the organization contemplated for their go vernment. I went, therefore, daily from Paris to Versailles, and attended their debates, generally till the hour of adjournment. Those of the Noblesse were impassioned and tempestuous. They had some able men on both sides, actuated by equal zeal. The debates of the Commons were temperate, rational, and in flexibly firm. As preliminary to all other business, the awful questions came on, shall the States sit in one, or in distinct apart ments ? And shall they vote by heads or houses ? The opposition was soon found to consist of the Episcopal order among the clergy, and two thirds of the Noblesse ; while the Tiers etat were, to a man, united and determined. After various propositions of compromise had failed, the Commons undertook to cut the Gordian knot. The Abbe Sieyes, the most logical head of the nation, (author of the pamphlet Qu est ce que le Tiers etat? which had electrified that country, as Paine s Common Sense did us,) after an impressive speech on the 10th of June, moved that a last invitation should be sent to the Nobles and Clergy, to attend in the hall of the States, collectively or individually, for the verification of powers, to which the Commons would proceed immediately, either in their presence or absence. This verification being finished, a motion was made, on the 15th, that they should constitute themselves a National Assembly; which was decided on the 17th, by a majority of four fifths. During the debates on this question, about twenty of the Cures had joined them, and a proposition was made, in the cham ber of the Clergy, that their whole body should join. This was rejected, at first, by a small majority only ; but, being afterwards somewhat modified, it was decided affirmatively, by a majority of eleven. While this was under debate, and unknown to the court, to wit, on the 19th, a council was held in the afternoon, at Marly, wherein it was proposed that the King should interpose, by a de claration of his sentiments, in a seance royale. A form of decla ration was proposed by Necker, which, while it censured, in gene ral, the proceedings, both of the Nobles and Commons, announced the King s views, such as substantially to coincide with the Com mons. It was agreed to in Council, the seance was fixed for the 22nd, the meetings of the States were till then to be suspended, and every thing, in the mean time, kept secret. The members, the next morning (the 20th) repairing to their house, as usual, found