But each
city's power constitutes a large part of the power of the dominion
itself, and so much the larger, as the city itself is greater. And,
therefore, the cities cannot all be held equal. But, as the power of
each, so also its right should be estimated by its greatness. The bonds,
however, by which they should be bound into one dominion, are above all
a senate and a court of justice (Chap. IV. Sec. 1). But how by these
bonds they are all to be so united, that each of them may yet remain, as
far as possible, independent, I will here briefly show.
5. I suppose then, that the patricians of every city, who, according to
its size, should be more, or fewer (Sec. 3), have supreme right over
their own city, and that, in that city's supreme council, they have
supreme authority to fortify the city and enlarge its walls, to impose
taxes, to pass and repeal laws, and, in general, to do everything which
they judge necessary to their city's preservation and increase. But to
manage the common business of the dominion, a senate is to be created on
just the same footing as we described in the last chapter, so that there
be between this senate and the former no difference, except that this
has also authority to decide the disputes, which may arise between
cities. For in this dominion, of which no city is head, it cannot be
done by the supreme council. (See Chap. VI. Sec. 38.)
6. But, in this dominion, the supreme council is not to be called
together, unless there is need to alter the form of the dominion itself,
or on some difficult business, to which the senators shall think
themselves unequal; and so it will very rarely happen, that all the
patricians are summoned to council.
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