LETTER XI.
ARISTOCRATICAL REPUBLICS.
THE CANTON OF BERNE.
My dear Sir,
IT is ſcarcely poſſible to believe that Mr. Turgot, by collecting all authority into one center, could have intended an ariſtocratical aſſembly. He muſt have meant, however, a ſimple form of government of ſome kind or other; and there are but three kinds of ſimple forms, democracy, ariſtocracy, and monarchy. As we have gone through moſt, if not all, the governments in Europe in which the people have any ſhare; it will throw much light upon our ſubject if we proceed to the ariſtocracies and oligarchies; for we ſhall find ail theſe under a neceſſity of eſtabliſhing orders, checks, and balances, as much as the democracies. As the people have been always neceſſicated to eſtabliſh monarchical and ariſtocratical powers, to check themſelves from ruſhing into anarchy; ſo have ariſtocratical bodies ever been obliged to contrive a number of diviſions of their powers to check themſelves from running into oligarchy.
The canton of Berne has no other ſovereign than the ſingle city of Berne. The ſovereignty reſides in the grand council, which has the legiſlative power, and the power of making peace, war, and alliances, and is compoſed of two hun-
