original passage: Paine was an enthusiastic supporter of the French Revolution, and was granted honorary French citizenship alongside prominent contemporaries such as Alexander Hamilton, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and others. Paine's honorary citizenship was in recognition of the publishing of his "Rights of Man, Part II" and the sensation it created within France. Despite his inability to speak French, he was elected to the National Convention, representing the district of Pas-de-Calais.
original sentence: Despite his inability to speak French, he was elected to the National Convention, representing the district of Pas-de-Calais.
sentence2: Does the passage suggest that there is a rule (perhaps unwritten) requiring French legislators to be able to speak the language?
sentence1: Paine was an enthusiastic supporter of the French Revolution, and was granted honorary French citizenship alongside prominent contemporaries such as Alexander Hamilton, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and others. Paine's honorary citizenship was in recognition of the publishing of his "Rights of Man, Part II" and the sensation it created within France. After sufficiently demonstrating that he had overcome his previous inability to speak French, he was elected to the National Convention, representing the district of Pas-de-Calais.