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 CHAPTER XXXV THE FRENCH REVOLUTION I. The Cahiers of 1789 The cahiers, drawn up in accordance with an ancient custom by the three orders of the realm, form one of the most extraordinary historical documents of all time. The conditions under which they were drafted were, on the whole, favorable to a frank and general expression on the part of all classes of the French people of their suggestions for reform. A portion of one of the cahiers of the third estate, selected somewhat at random, is given below. 1 Cahier of the grievances, complaints, and protests of the electo- 394. CaMer ral district of Carcassonne, drawn up by the commissioners of the third . estate of named by the ge?ieral assembly of the third estate and based carcas- upon the various cahiers received from the several communi- sonne. tics of the said district : The third estate of the electoral' district of Carcassonne, desiring to give to a beloved monarch, and one so worthy of our affection, the most unmistakable proof of its love and respect, of its gratitude and fidelity, desiring to cooperate with the whole nation in repairing the successive misfor- tunes which have overwhelmed it, and with the hope of reviving once more its ancient glory, declares that the hap- piness of the nation must, in their opinion, depend upon 1 A cahier of a single order in one electoral district would fill several pages of this volume, and all those prepared to be taken to Versailles occupy together, when printed, six compactly printed quarto volumes. Professor Whitcomb has translated a typical cahier of each of the orders in Translations and Reprints, Vol. IV, No. 5. 397.