Page:John Adams - A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America Vol. I. (1787).djvu/71

Rh and the whole is divided into ten genoamen, or inferior communities. It has no city. Altdorf, where the general aemblies are held, and the land amman and regency reides, is the principal village.

The land amman and the principal magitrates are elected in the general aembly, in which all the male perons of fifteen years of age have a right to a eat and a vote.

The enate or council of regency, in whom is veted the executive power, is compoed of ixty members, taken equally from each genoamen, though they reide at the capital borough. From this council are taken all the neceary officers.

There are two other councils; one called the chamber of even, and the other the chamber of fifteen, for the management of leer affairs.

The valley of Ureren, three leagues in length and one in breadth, marches under the banners of Uri; but it is but an ally, connected by treaty in 1410. It has its proper land amman and council, and has alo a bailiwick ubject to it.

The village of Geraw is a league in breadth, and two in length: there are about a thouand inhabitants. This is the malet republic in Europe: it has however its land amman, its council of regency, and its general aembly of burgees, its courts of jutice and militia, although it is aid there is not a ingle hore in the whole empire. Such a diminutive republic, in an obcure corner, and unknown, is intereting to Americans, not only becaue every fpot of earth on which civil liberty flourihes deerves their eteem, but upon this occaion is particularly portant,