Page:John Adams - A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America Vol. I. (1787).djvu/94

56 people, but have contantly aimed at an impoibility, that of ballancing an aritocratical by a democratical aembly, without the aid of a third power.

My dear Sir,

HE government of this republic is aid to be purely aritocratical; yet the upreme power is lodged in the hands of two hundred and forty nobles, with the chief magitrate at their head, who is called confalloniero, or tandard-bearer, and has the executive power. This magitrate is aited by nine counellors, called amziani, whoe dignity lats but nine months; he has a life-guard of ixty Swis, and lives in the republic's palace, as do his counellors, at the public expence: after ix years he may be rechoen. The election of all officers is decided in the enate by ballot.

legilative authority of Genoa is lodged in the great enate, coniting of eniors, or the doge and twelve other members, with four hundred noblemen and principal citizens, annually elected. All matters of tate are tranacted by the