After some considerable consideration, he refused the election. The electors therefore returned to their deliberations, and, on the recommendation of the Ecclesiastical Committee of the National Assembly, on 8 May 1791 chose the Oratorian Luc-François Lalande of Saint-Lô, a theologian and student of Hebrew.
He ultimately decided not to participate in the election after thorough deliberation. The electors resumed their discussions, and, based on the Ecclesiastical Committee's suggestion from the National Assembly, on 8 May 1791 selected Luc-François Lalande of Saint-Lô, a theologian and Hebrew scholar.