Biographies of distinguished scientific men. First seriesArago, F. (François)
History
Biographies of distinguished scientific men. First series
Arago, F. (François)
Scientists -- Biography
As many errors as words. The following is the truth. The illness of the
Dauphin had not prevented the two privileged orders from being received
by the king. This preference offended the Communes. They ordered the
President to solicit an audience. He discharged his duty with great
caution. All his proceedings were concerted with two ministers, Necker
and M. de Barentin. The king answered, "It is impossible for me to see
M. Bailly in the situation in which I am to-night, nor to-morrow
morning, nor to fix a day for receiving the deputation of the Third
Estate." The note ends with these words: "Show my note to M. Bailly for
his vindication."
Thus, on the day of these events the Dauphin was not dead; thus the king
was not obliged to yield, he did not receive Bailly; thus the chamber
had no act of insensibility to applaud; thus Louis XVI. perceived so
clearly that the President of the Communes was fulfilling the duties of
his office, that he felt it requisite to give him an exoneration.
The death of the Dauphin happened on the 4th of June. As soon as the
assembly of the Third Estate were informed of it, they charged the
President, I quote the very words, "to report to their majesties the
deep grief with which this news had penetrated the Communes."
A deputation of twenty members, having Bailly at their head, was
received on the 6th. The President thus expressed himself: "Your
faithful Communes are deeply moved by the circumstance in which your
majesty has the goodness to receive their deputation, and they take the
liberty to address to you the expression of all their regrets, and of
their respectful sensibility."
Such language can, I think, be delivered without uneasiness to the
appreciation of all good men.
Let us be correct; the Communes did not obtain at once the audience that
they demanded on account of the difficulties of the ceremonial. They
would have wished to make the Third Estate speak kneeling. "This
custom," said M. de Barentin, "has existed from time immemorial, and if
the king wished...." "And if twenty-five millions of men do not wish
it," exclaimed Bailly, interrupting the minister, "where are the means
to force them?" "The two privileged orders," replied the Guard of the
Seals, somewhat stunned by the apostrophe, "no longer require the Third
Estate to bend the knee; but, after having formerly possessed immense
privileges in the ceremonial, they limit themselves now to asking some
difference. This difference I cannot find." "Do not take the trouble to
seek for it," replied the President hastily: "however slight the
difference might be, the Communes will not suffer it."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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