第35章

willobserve，thatthatofMr。Neckarstatedtherealandordinarydeficittobefifty-sixmillions，andthatheshewedthatthiscouldbemadeupwithoutanewtax，byeconomiesandbonificationswhichhespecified。Severalarticlesofthelatterareliabletotheobjection，thattheyareproposedonbranchesoftherevenue，ofwhichthenationhasdemandedasuppression。Hetrippedtoolightlyoverthegreatarticlesofconstitutionalreformation，thesebeingnotasclearlyenouncedinthisdiscourseastheywereinhis`Rapportauroy，’whichIsentyousometimeago。Onthewhole，hisdiscoursehasnotsatisfiedthepatrioticparty。Itisnow，forthefirsttime，thattheirrevolutionislikelytoreceiveaseriouscheck，andbeginstowearafearfulappearance。TheprogressoflightandliberalityintheorderoftheNoblesse，hasequalledexpectationinParisonly，anditsvicinities。Thegreatmassofdeputiesofthatorder，whichcomefromthecountry，shewthatthehabitsoftyrannyoverthepeople，aredeeplyrootedinthem。Theywillconsent，indeed，toequaltaxation；butfive-sixthsofthatchamberarethoughttobe，decidedly，forvotingbyorders；sothat，hadthisgreatpreliminaryquestionrestedonthisbody，whichformedheretoforethesolehope，thathopewouldhavebeencompletelydisappointed。Someaid，however，comesinfromaquarterwhencenonewasexpected。Itwasimaginedtheecclesiasticalelectionswouldhavebeengenerallyinfavorofthehigherclergy；onthecontrary，thelowerclergyhaveobtainedfive-sixthsofthesedeputations。

Thesearethesonsofpeasants，whohavedoneallthedrudgeryoftheservice，forten，twentyandthirtyguineasayear，andwhoseoppressionsandpenury，contrastedwiththeprideandluxuryofthehigherclergy，haverenderedthemperfectlydisposedtohumblethelatter。Theyhavedoneit，inmanyinstances，withaboldnesstheywerethoughtinsusceptibleof。Greathopeshavebeenformed，thatthesewouldconcurwiththeTiersEtat，invotingbypersons。Infact，abouthalfofthemseemasyetsodisposed；butthebishopsareintriguing，anddrawingthemoverwiththeaddresswhichhasevermarkedecclesiasticalintrigue。ThedeputiesoftheTiersEtatseem，almosttoaman，inflexiblydeterminedagainstthevotebyorders。

Thisisthestateofparties，aswellascanbejudgedfromconversationonly，duringthefortnighttheyhavebeennowtogether。

Butasnobusinesshasbeenyetbegun，novotesasyettaken，thiscalculationcannotbeconsideredassure。Amiddlepropositionistalkedof，toformthetwoprivilegedordersintoonechamber。Itisthoughtmorepossibletobringthemintoit，thantheTiersEtat。

Anotherpropositionis，todistinguishquestions，referringthoseofcertaindescriptionstoavotebypersons，otherstoavotebyorders。Thisseemstoadmitofendlessaltercation，andtheTiersEtatmanifestnorespectforthat，oranyothermodificationwhatever。Werethissinglequestionaccommodated，Iamofopinion，therewouldnotoccurtheleastdifficultyinthegreatandessentialpointsofconstitutionalreformation。Butonthispreliminaryquestionthepartiesaresoirreconcilable，thatitisimpossibletoforeseewhatissueitwillhave。TheTiersEtat，asconstitutingthenation，mayproposetodothebusinessofthenation，eitherwithorwithouttheminoritiesintheHousesofClergyandNobles，whichsidewiththem。Inthatcase，iftheKingshouldagreetoit，themajoritiesinthosetwoHouseswouldsecede，andmightresistthetaxgatherers。Thiswouldbringonacivilwar。Ontheotherhand，theprivilegedorders，offeringtosubmittoequaltaxation，mayproposetotheKingtocontinuethegovernmentinitsformertrain，resumingtohimselfthepoweroftaxation。Here，thetaxgatherersmightberesistedbythepeople。Infine，itisbuttoopossible，thatbetweenpartiessoanimated，theKingmayinclinethebalanceashepleases。Happythatheisanhonest，unambitiousman，whodesiresneithermoneynorpowerforhimself；andthathismostoperativeminister，thoughhehasappearedtotrimalittle，isstill，inthemain，afriendtopublicliberty。

Imentionedtoyouinaformerletter，theconstructionwhichourbankersatAmsterdamhadputontheresolutionofCongress，appropriatingthelastDutchloan，bywhichthemoneyforourcaptiveswouldnotbefurnishedtilltheendoftheyear1790。

Ordersfromtheboardoftreasury，havenowsettledthisquestion。

Theinterestofthenextmonthistobefirstpaid，andafterthat，themoneyforthecaptivesandforeignofficersistobefurnished，beforeanyotherpaymentofinterest。ThisinsuresitwhenthenextFebruaryinterestbecomespayable。Myrepresentationstothem，onaccountofthecontractsIhadenteredintoformakingthemedals，haveproducedfromthemthemoneyforthatobject，whichislodgedinthehandsofMr。Grand。

Mr。Neckar，inhisdiscourse，proposesamonghisbonificationsofrevenue，thesuppressionofourtwofreeportsofBayonneandL’Orient，whichhesays，occasionalossofsixhundredthousandlivresannually，tothecrown，bycontraband。(Thespeechbeingnotyetprinted，Istatethisonlyasitstruckmyearwhenhe