The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 3 (of 9): Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and PrivateJefferson, Thomas
History
The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 3 (of 9): Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and Private
Jefferson, Thomas
United States -- Politics and government -- 1775-1783; United States -- Politics and government -- 1783-1865
Sir,--My letter of the 17th and 18th instant, gave you the progress of the
States General to the 17th, when the Tiers had declared the illegality
of all the existing taxes, and their discontinuance from the end of
their present session. The next day being a jour de fête, could furnish
no indication of the impression that vote was likely to make on the
government. On the 19th, a Council was held at Marly, in the afternoon.
It was there proposed, that the King should interpose by a declaration
of his sentiments in a _seance royale_. The declaration prepared by
Mr. Neckar, while it censured in general the proceedings both of the
Nobles and Commons, announced the King's views, such as substantially to
coincide with the Commons. It was agreed to in Council, as also that the
_seance royale_ should be held on the 22d, and the meetings till then be
suspended. While the Council was engaged in this deliberation at Marly,
the chamber of the Clergy was in debate, whether they should accept the
invitation of the Tiers to unite with them in the common chamber. On the
first question, to unite simply and unconditionally, it was decided in
the negative by a very small majority. As it was known, however, that
some members who had voted in the negative, would be for the affirmative
with some modifications, the question was put with these modifications,
and it was determined by a majority of eleven members, that their body
should join the Tiers. These proceedings of the clergy were unknown to
the Council at Marly, and those of the Council were kept secret from
everybody. The next morning (the 20th), the members repaired to the
House as usual, found the doors shut and guarded, and a proclamation
posted up for holding a _seance royale_ on the 22d, and a suspension
of their meetings till then. They presumed, in the first moment, that
their dissolution was decided, and repaired to another place, where they
proceeded to business. They there bound themselves to each other by an
oath, never to separate of their own accord, till they had settled a
constitution for the nation on a solid basis, and if separated by force,
that they would re-assemble in some other place. It was intimated to them,
however, that day, privately, that the proceedings of the _seance royale_
would be favorable to them. The next day they met in a church, and were
joined by a majority of the Clergy. The heads of the aristocracy saw that
all was lost without some violent exertion. The King was still at Marly.
Nobody was permitted to approach him but their friends. He was assailed
by lies in all shapes. He was made to believe that the Commons were going
to absolve the army from their oath of fidelity to him, and to raise their
pay.
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Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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