When the new constitution had been accepted by the King, and sworn to by the Assembly, that body closed its sittings, September 30, 1791. From its having framed the constitution (which lasted only twelve months), this assembly is usually called the Constituent Assembly. It made way for the Legislative Assembly, which was to reform the civil and criminal laws in accordance with the spirit of the new constitu tion. A decree provided that no member of the Constituent should be returned to the Legisla tive Assembly; and, as a result, the only men whose experience made them fit to carry on the work of the Revolution were excluded, and the Legislative Assembly was captured by untried and hot-headed radicals. The Assembly, from the very first, began an attack upon the remnants of the royal authority, which culminated in the rising of August 10, 1792, the suspension of the royal power, and the establishment of the Re public by the National Convention in September, 1792. The constitution had provided for an ap peal to the nation in extreme cases, and the Legislative Assembly exercised that right by con voking a National Convention (q.v.), which was invested with the powers of the sovereign, was to decide the fate of the monarchy, and renmidel the whole political system.
The title of National Assembly has been as sumed by various other parliamentary bodies, originating in popular eommotions, and aiming at radical political changes: as the French Assembly that met after the Revolution of Feb ruary, 184S, followed. Slay, 1849, by a legisla tive assembly; the German National Assembly at Frankfort, known as the Frankfort Parlia ment (1848) ; the PruAsian National (Constit uent) Assembly; and the legislative body in France, which was instituted in 1871 after the fall of the Empire. 12mh.r the existing French Republic, the Senate and the Chamber of Depu ties unite to form the National Assembly for :unending the constitution and electing the Presi dent of the I:el:Id:lie.
For further information, consult: H. Morse Stephens, History of the French Revolution (London and New York, 1386-91) ; Bu•hez and Roux, Histoire parlementaire de la franeuise (Paris, 1834-33) ; Thiers, Histoire de la ri'volution franeaise (Paris, 1827) ; Doniol, La et la Podalit(' (Paris, 1374) ; Mon tigny, Memoires de ilirabean (S vols., Paris, 1834-43) ; Lafayette, Memoires (6 vols., London, 1837). See FRANCE.