Page:John Adams - A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America Vol. I. (1787).djvu/88

50 The overeignty reides in the little and grand councils

The enate, or little council of twenty-five, has the executive power.

The great council, comprizing the enate, has the legilative, and finally decides appeals.

The burgomaters are the chiefs of the republick, and alternately preide in both councils.

Beides thee there are, the ecret council, of even of the highet officers; the chamber of jutice, of twenty-five, including the preident; the prætorian chamber, of thirteen, including the preident; the. conitory, of nine; and the chamber of accounts, of nine. The city has ten bailliwicks ubject to it.

The overeign is the city: the overeignty reides in the little and the grand council. The leer council is compoed of twenty-tour perons; viz. three burgomaters, who preide by turns, each one ix months, nine counellors, and twelve tribunes, who ucceed by election, and are taken from the grand council.

The grand council is compoed of eventy-eight, viz, the twenty-four of the leer council, thirty-ix members of the tribes, ix from each, and eighteen taken from the body of the citizens, and elected three by each one of the ix tribes.

The republick of Bienne contains les than ix thouand ouls. The