The King is honest, and wishes the good of his
people; but the expediency of an hereditary aristocracy is too difficult
a question for him. On the contrary, his prejudices, his habits, and his
connections decide him in his heart to support it. Should they decide
openly for the _Noblesse_, the Commons, after suppressing taxes,
and finishing their declaration of rights, would probably go home;
a bankruptcy takes place in the instant, Mr. Necker must go out, a
resistance to the tax-gatherers follows, and probably a civil war. These
consequences are too evident and violent, to render this issue likely.
Though the Queen and Princes are infatuated enough to hazard it, the
party in the ministry would not. Something, therefore, like what I
hinted in my letter of May the 12th, is still the most likely to take
place. While the Commons, either with or without their friends of the
other two Houses, shall be employed in framing a constitution, perhaps
the government may set the other two Houses to work on the same subject:
and when the three schemes shall be ready, joint committees may be
negotiated, to compare them together, to see in what parts they agree;
and probably they will agree in all, except the organization of the
future States General.
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