<P> The King promises to address the grievances of his people . The "most notable persons" of each community and judicial district are summoned "to confer and to record remonstrances, complaints, and grievances ." Elections for Deputies are to be held . He says that he intends "reform of abuse," "establishment of a fixed and durable order," and "general prosperity ." The Lettre is signed "Louis ." </P> <P> Lettres de Convocation were sent to all the provinces with the Règlement prescribing the methods of election . During the preceding autumn the Parlement of Paris, an aristocratic advisory body to the King, had decided that the organization of the convention would be the same as in 1614, the last time the Estates had met . As 175 years had gone by since then it is clear the Estates were not a functional institution in French society . By reviving them as much as possible like they had been the King and the Parlement intended to control the authority of the people . The previous Estates had voted by order; that is, the Nobles and the Clergy could together outvote the Commons by 2 to 1 . </P> <P> If on the other hand, each delegate were to have one vote, the majority would prevail . The issue was widely discussed in the press during the autumn of 1788 . The people would nevertheless accept any national convention confident that enough members of the Nobility and the Clergy would be with them to sway the votes . A National Party was formed . It argued that France had never had a constitution and the proper function of the Convention was to establish one . The royalist defenders, however, accepted the absolute monarchy as the constitution . Just to be certain the press began to demand that the Commons be allocated twice as many delegates as each of the other two Estates . In an attempt to bolster his failing popularity the King acceded to this measure of "doubling the Third ." He was confident of his influence over the Nobility and Clergy . </P> <P> The First Estate represented 100 Catholic clergy; the Church owned about 10 percent of the land and collected its own taxes (the tithe) on peasants . The lands were controlled by bishops and abbots of monasteries, but two - thirds of the 303 delegates from the First Estate were ordinary parish priests; only 51 were bishops . The Second Estate represented the nobility, about 400 men and women who owned about 25 percent of the land and collected seigneurial dues and rents from their peasant tenants . About a third of the 282 deputies representing the Second Estate were nobles, mostly with minor holdings . The Third Estate representation was doubled to 578 men, representing 95 percent of the population . Half were well - educated lawyers or local officials . Nearly a third were in trades or industry; 51 were wealthy land owners . </P>

The tax burden on the 3rd estate led to