 The Controller-General participated in a number of the King's Councils.He was always member of the "Conseil des dépêches" ("Counsel of messages", which dealt with the news from the provinces), the "Royal Finance Counsel" ("Conseil royal des finances") and the "Royal Commerce Counsel" ("Conseil royal de commerce").He was nearly always a Minister of State (the highest ceremonial rank for a cabinet member), which allowed him to attend the "High Counsel" also known as the "State Counsel" ("Conseil d'en haut" or "Conseil d'État", the paramount institution of the royal government).