a note, entitled: _Historic Evidences
as to the Causes of the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes,_ and M. de
Malesherbes had himself presented to Louis XVI. a scheme for a law. "It
is absolutely necessary," said he, "that I should render the Protestants
some kind offices; my great-uncle De Baville did them so much injury!"
The Assembly of notables appealed to the king's benevolence on behalf of
"that considerable portion of his subjects which groans under a regimen
of proscription equally opposed to the general interests of religion, to
good morals, to population, to national industry, and to all the
principles of morality and policy." "In the splendid reign of Louis
XIV.," M. de Calonne had said, "the state was impoverished by victories,
and the kingdom dispeopled through intolerance." "Are assemblies of non-
Catholics dangerous?" asked M. Turgot. "Yes, as long as they are
forbidden; no, when they are authorized."

The preliminary discussions had been calm, the great question was coming
on; in theory, the notables were forced to admit the principle of equal
assessment of the impost; in practice, they were, for the most part,
resolved to restrict its application. They carried the war into the
enemy's camp, and asked to examine the financial accounts. The king gave
notice to the committees that his desire was to have the deliberations
directed not to the basis of the question but to the form of collection
of taxes. The Archbishop of Narbonne (Dillon) raised his voice against
the king's exclusive right to decide upon imposts. "Your Royal Highness
will allow me to tell you," was the reply made to the Count of Artois,
president of his committee, by an attorney-general of the parliament of
Aix, M. de Castillon, "that there exists no authority which can pass a
territorial impost such as that proposed, nor this assembly, august as it
may be, nor the parliaments, nor the several states, nor the king
himself; the States-general alone would have that power."

Thus was proposed, in the very midst of the Assembly intended to keep it
out, that great question of the convocation of the States-general which
had been so long uppermost in all minds. "It is the States-general you
demand!" said the Count of Artois to M. de La Fayette. "Yes, my lord,"
replied the latter, "and something better still if possible!" The
comptroller-general continued to elude inquiry into the state of the
treasury. M. Necker, offended by the statem