It was the Parliament's first duty to see to the extraordinary police (_haute police_) in its district; it performed the duty badly and weakly.

The populace had applauded its return and had supported its cause during its exile; the first resolution of the court was directed against the excesses committed by the military in repressing the disorders.

When it came to trying the men seized with arms in their hands and the incendiaries who had threatened private houses, all had their cases dismissed; by way of example, one was detained a few days in prison.

Having often been served in its enterprises by the passions of the mob, the Parliament had not foreseen the day when those same outbursts would sweep it away like chaff before the wind with all that regimen of tradition and respect to which it still clung even in its most audacious acts of daring.
For an instant the return of M.Necker to power had the effect of restoring some hope to the most far-sighted.

On his coming into office, the treasury was empty, there was no scraping together as much as five thousand livres.