Page:John Adams - A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America Vol. I. (1787).djvu/114

76 gentry; well aware that no other expedient could introduce order, except a limitation of the vat influence, poeed by the Palatines or principal nobility. It this prince had been poeed of any ideas of a free government, he might eaily have formed the people and inferior gentry into an aembly by themelves, and, by uniting his power with theirs, againt the encroachments of the nobles upon both, have preerved it. His nephew, Louis of Hungary, who ucceeded him, being a foreigner, was obliged by the nobility to ubcribe conditions at his acceion, not to impoe any taxes by his royal authority, without the conent of the nation, that is of the nobles, for no other nation is thought on: that in cae of his demie without male heirs, the privilege of appointing a king hould revert to the nobles. In conequence of this agreement Louis was allowed to acend the throne: having no on, with a view of inuring the ucceion to Sigimund his on in law, he promied to diminih the taxes, repair the fortrees at his own expence, and to confer no offices or dignities on foreigners.

Louis died: but Sigimund was emperor, and therefore powerful, and might be formidable to the new immunities. The Poles, aware of this, violated the compact with Louis, neglected Sigimund, and elected Ladilaus, upon his ratifying Louis's promies, and marrying his daughter.

Ladilaus, having relinquihied the right of impoing taxes, called an aembly of prelates, barons, and military gentlemen, in their repective provinces, in order to obtain an additional tribute. Thee provincial aemblies gave birth to the Dietines; which now no longer retain the power of raiing money in their everal ditricts, but only elect the nuncios or repreentatives for the diet. Ladilaus