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… Cf。 Lafayette； 〃Mémoires；〃 and Madame Campan； 〃Mémoires。〃
＇39＇ 〃Procédure Criminelle du Chatelet。〃 Deposition 24。 A number of
butcher…boys run after the carriages issuing from the Petite…Ecurie
shouting out； 〃Don't let the curs escape！〃
＇40＇ 〃Procédure Criminelle du Chatelet。〃 Depositions 101； 91； 89；
and 17。 M。 de Miomandre； a body…guard； mildly says to the ruffians
mounting the staircase： 〃My friends； you love your King； and yet you
come to annoy him even in his palace！〃
＇41＇ Malouet； II。 2。 〃I felt no distrust；〃 says Lafayette in 1798；
〃the people promised to remain quiet。〃
＇42＇ 〃Procédure Criminelle du Chatelet。〃 Depositions 9； 16； 60； 128；
129； 130； 139； 158； 168； 170。 M。 du Repaire； body…guard； being
sentry at the railing from two o'clock in the morning； a man passes
his pike through the bars saying； 〃You embroidered b。 。 。 ； your
turn will come before long。〃 M。 de Repaire； 〃 retires within the
sentry…box without saying a word to this man； considering the orders
that have been issued not to act。〃
＇43＇ 〃Procédure Criminelle du Chatelet。〃 Depositions 82； 170
Madame Campan。 II。 87。 De Lavalette； I。33。 Cf。 Bertrand de
Molleville； Mémoires。〃
＇44＇ Duval；〃 Souvenirs de la Terreur；〃 I。 78。 （Doubtful in almost
everything； but here he is an eye…witness。 He dined opposite the
hair…dresser's； near the railing of the Park of Saint…Cloud。） M。
de Lally…Tollendal's second letter to a friend。 〃At the moment the
King entered his capital with two bishops of his council with him in
the carriage； the cry was heard； 〃Off to the lamp post with the
bishops！〃
＇45＇ De Montlosier； I。 303。 Moniteur； sessions of the 8th； 9th；
and 10th of October。 Malouet； II。 9； 10； 20。 Mounier；
Recherches sur les Causes； etc。；〃 and 〃Addresse aux Dauphinois。〃
＇46＇ De Ferrières； I。 346。 （On the 9th of October； 300 members have
already taken their passports。） Mercure de France； No。 of the 17th
October。 Correspondence of Mirabeau and M。 de la Marck； I。 116；
126； 364。
＇47＇ Correspondence of Mirabeau and M。 de la Marck； I。175。 （The
words of Monsieur to M。 de la Marck。）
BOOK SECOND。 THE CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY； AND THE RESULT OF ITS
LABORS。
CHAPTER I。
THE CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY。 … CONDITIONS REQUIRED FOR THE FRAMING OF
GOOD LAWS。
Among the most difficult undertakings in this world is the
formulation of a national constitution； especially if this is to be
a complete and comprehensive work。 To replace the old structures
inside which a great people has lived by a new； different；
appropriate and durable set of laws； to apply a mold of one hundred
thousand compartments on to the life of twenty…six million people；
to construct it so harmoniously； adapt it so well； so closely； with
such an exact appreciation of their needs and their faculties； that
they enter it of themselves and move about it without collisions；
and that their spontaneous activity should at once find the ease of
familiar routine； … is an extraordinary undertaking and probably
beyond the powers of the human mind。 In any event； the mind
requires all its powers to carry the undertaking out； and it cannot
protect itself carefully enough against all sources of disturbance
and error。 An Assembly； especially a Constituent Assembly；
requires； outwardly； security and independence； inwardly； silence
and order； and generally； calmness； good sense； practical ability
and discipline under competent and recognized leaders。 Do we find
anything of all this in the Constituent Assembly？
I。
These conditions absent in the Assembly … Causes of disorder and
irrationality … The place of meeting … The large number of deputies
… Interference of the galleries … Rules of procedure wanting；
defective； or disregarded。… The parliamentary leaders …
Susceptibility and over…excitement of the Assembly … Its paroxysms
of enthusiasm。 … Its tendency to emotion。 …It encourages
theatrical display … Changes which these displays introduce in its
good intentions。
We have only to look at it outwardly to have some doubts about it。
At Versailles； and then at Paris； the sessions are held in an
immense hall capable of seating 2；000 persons； in which the most
powerful voice must be strained in order to be heard。 It is not
calculated for the moderate tone suitable for the discussion of
business； the speaker is obliged to shout； and the strain on the
voice communicates itself to the mind； the place itself suggests
declamation； and this all the more readily because the assemblage
consists of 1；200； that is to say； a crowd； and almost a mob。 'At
the present day （1877）； in our assemblies of five or six hundred
deputies； there are constant interruptions and an incessant buzz；
there is nothing so rare as self…control； and the firm resolve to
give an hour's attention to a discourse opposed to the opinions of
the hearers。 What can be done here to compel silence and
patience？ Arthur Young on different occasions sees 〃a hundred
members on the floor at once；〃 shouting and gesticulating。
〃Gentlemen； you are killing me！〃 says Bailly； one day； sinking with
exhaustion。 Another president exclaims in despair； 〃Two hundred
speaking at the same time cannot be heard； will you make it
impossible then to restore order in the Assembly？〃 The rumbling；
discordant din is further increased by the uproar of the
galleries。＇1＇
〃In the British Parliament；〃 writes Mallet du Pan； 〃I saw the
galleries cleared in a trice because the Duchess of Gordon happened
unintentionally to laugh too loud。〃
Here； the thronging crowd of spectators； stringers； delegates from
the Palais…Royal； soldiers disguised as citizens； and prostitutes
collected and marshaled； applaud； clap their hands； stamp and hoot；
at their pleasure。 This is carried to so great an extent that M。
de Montlosier ironically proposes 〃to give the galleries a voice in
the deliberations。〃＇2＇ Another member wishes to know whether the
representatives are so many actors； whom the nation sends there to
endure the hisses of the Paris public。 Interruptions； in fact； take
place as in a theater； and； frequently； if the members do not give
satisfaction； they are forced to desist。 On the other hand； the
deputies who are popular with this energetic audience； on which they
keep and eye； are actors before the footlights： they involuntarily
yield to its influence； and exaggerate their ideas as well as their
words to be in unison with it。 Tumult and violence； under such
circumstances； become a matter of course； and the chances of an
Assembly acting wisely are diminished by one…half； on becoming a
club of agitators； it ceases to be a conclave of legislators。
Let us enter and see how this one proceeds。 Thus encumbered； thus
surrounded and agitated； does it take at least those precautions
without which no assembly of men can govern itself。 When several
hundred persons assemble together for deliberation； it is evident
that some sort of an internal police is necessary； first of all；
some code of accepted usage； some written precedents； by which its
acts may be prepared and defined； considered in detail； and properly
passed。 The best of these codes it ready to hand： at the request
of Mirabeau； Romilly has sent over the standing orders of the
English House of Commons。＇3｝ But with the presumption of novices；
they pay no attention to this code； they imagine it is needless for
them； they will borrow nothing from foreigners； they accord no
authority to experience； and； not content with rejecting the forms
it prescribes； 〃it is with difficulty they can be made to follow any
rule whatever。〃 They leave the field open to the impulsiveness of
individuals； any kind of influence； even that of a deputy； even of
one elected by themselves； is suspected by them； hence their choice
of a new president every fortnight。 … They submit to no constraint
or control； neither to the legal authority of a parliamentary code；
nor to the moral authority of parliamentary chiefs。 They are
without any such； they are not organized in parties； neither on one
side nor on the other is a recognized leader found who fixes the
time； arranges the debate； draws up the motion； assigns parts； and
gives the rein to or restrains his supporters。 Mirabeau is the
only one capable of obtaining this ascendancy； but； on the opening
of the Assembly； he is discredited by the notoriety of his vices；
and； towards the last； is compromised by his connections with the
Court。 No other is of sufficient eminence to have any influence；
there is too much of average and too little of superior talent。 …
Their self…esteem is； moreover； as yet too strong to allow any
concessions。 Each of these improvised legislators has come
satisfied with his own system； and to submit to a leader to whom he
would entrust his political conscience； to make of him what