by every American citizen. The principles of government, the neceſſity of various orders, and the fatal effects of an imperfect balance, appear no where in a ſtronger light. The fatal ſlumbers of the people, their invincible attachment to a few families, and the cool deliberate rage of thoſe families, if ſuch an expreſſion may be allowed, to graſp all authority into their own hands, when they are not controuled or over-awed by a power above them in a firſt magiſtrate, are written in every page. I need only refer you to Dr. d'Ivernois's Hiſtorical and Political View of the Conſtitution and Revolutions of Geneva in the Eighteenth Century, which you received from the author, to convince you of this.
Let me add here, that the facts relating to the Swiſs cantons, and their environs, mentioned in theſe letters, are taken from the Quarante Tables Politiques de la Suiſſe, par C. E. Faber, Bernois, Paſteur, à Biſhviller, in 1746; with ſome additional obſervations from the beautiful Sketches of Mr. Coxe, which I ſend you with this letter; and which you will find as inſtructive as they are entertaining.
The petty council is indifferently called the council of twenty five, the petit council, or the ſenate.
The council of ſixty is a body elected by the ſenate, and meets only for the diſcuſſion of foreign affairs.
The grand council, and council of two hundred, are one and the ſame body; it is ſtill called the council of two hundred, though it now conſiſts of two hundred and fifty members.
The general council, called indiſcriminately the ſovereign council, the general aſſembly, the ſove-
