Page:The Peace League of George Poděbrad, King of Bohemia.pdf/17

 in the assembly. In case of equality of votes within each national group an attempt is to be made to decide on which side are the most important states: but if even then no agreement is arrived at the vote of this nation simply falls out for the one special voting. The decisions of the Assembly sometimes were taken on a majority of votes, sometimes unanimity was required. The regulations do not contain any particular definition as regards this.

The head of the Assembly was the president (praesidens pater) and probably this honour was to be conferred upon the French king. The membership of the league was not to be personal, even the successor being bound by it.

The confederation was to have its own mark of distinction or badge and its owns seal, as well as its treasury and archives and a number of officials who, however, were not to be permanently employed, but by turns were to be taken from the countries in which the confederation met.

It would be superfluous to enlarge upon the fact that their formal organization was built up upon the principles of some of the last Church Councils.

The Assembly held the highest power within the confederation: it admitted new members, decided on the whole organization of the league, completed and changed the rules and regulations of the latter, had to decide on peace or war, on the strength of the army to be put in the field and its provisioning, introduced military coins for the army, directed the whole military action and disposed of the conquered enemy territories. It further directed the collection of the funds which constituted the income of the federation, appointed the federal tribunal and administrated its conditions and issued the necessary instructions.

Finally it generally had to exercise legislative power without any restriction whatsoever, if voted laws for any possible question when the members of the federation thought if necessary; these laws should be based on the principles of natural right «de naturae gremio nova jura producere.»

Under these circumstances, there was only a very small sphere of activity left to the other organ of the league i. e. the tribunal (generale consistorium, parlamentum, judicium) which was composed of judges and assessors and which had to administer justice quickly and without any unnecessary formalities. Its seat was there where the Assembly met, and the details of its organization had yet to be determined by the Assembly. By its competency it is evident, that this Court of Justice was in the first place intended to be a tribunal for the princes and that it further had