Page:John Adams - A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America Vol. I. (1787).djvu/81

Rh and war, decides appeals in the lat reort; elects the treaurer, the fourth in rank in the tate, and the exterior bailiffs. The thirty-three enators conit of eleven alt-raths or enior counellors, and twenty-two yunk-raths or juniors. Upon the removal by death of one of the alt-raths, the eldet of the yunk-raths uccecds him, and this vacancy is filled, out of the great council, by election of the eleven alt-raths. From among the alt-raths, the two avoyers, the banneret, and the treaurer, the four principal magitrates of the commonwealth, are choen; and on the death of an avoyer, the banneret ucceeds to his place, after having gone through the formality of a nomination by the general aembly of citizens. Vacancies in the grand council are upplied by the alt-raths, from the ame tribe to which the deceaed member belonged. There is an annual meeting of the whole body of the citizens, in which the avoyers and banneret are confirmed in their places: the enior and junior counellors at the ame time mutually confirm each other. All thee confirmations are matters of coure, and mere form. All other public employments are dipofed of by the enate.

The revenues of the public, and alaries of offices, are very coniderable, and afford the few ditinguifhed families very profitable emoluments. The grand autier is annually elected by all the citizens. There are everal tribunals and chambers: the ecret council, formed of the two avoyers, the banneret, the treaurer, the mot ancient of the enators of the firt; order or alt-raths, the ecretary of tate, and attorney-general: the council of war: the council of jutice, which is compoed of ix members of the little council, and eleven members of the grand council, one of