Privileges will be sacrificed! Yes! Justice wills it, necessity requires it! Would it be better to surcharge the non-privileged, the people ?" The struggle was about to begin, with all the ardor of personal interest; the principle of provincial assemblies had been favorably received by the notables; the committees (_bureaux_) had even granted to the third estate a representation therein equal to that of the two upper orders, on condition that the presidents of the delegates should be chosen from the nobility or the clergy.

The recognition of a civil status for Protestants did not seem likely to encounter any difficulty.

For more than twenty years past the parliaments, especially the parliament of Toulouse, had established the ruling of the inadmissibility of any one who disputed the legitimacy of children issue of Protestant marriages.
In 1778, the parliament of Paris had deliberated as to presenting to the king a resolution in favor of authentic verification of non-Catholic marriages, births, and deaths; after a long interval, on, the 2d of February, 1787, this resolution had been formally, promulgated.
It was M.de Lafayette who had the honor of supporting in the assembly of notables the royal project announced by M.de Calonne and advised by the Parliament.

In the ministry, MM.

de Castries and De Breteuil had supported the equitable measure so long demanded by Protestants.