In the year 1206, immediately after they were informed of the death of Dandolo, they created six new magistrates3, called Correctors; and this institution has been renewed at every interregnum which has happened since.
The duty of those Correctors is, to examine into all abuses which may have taken[115] place during the reign4 of the preceding Doge, and report them to the senate, that they may be remedied, and prevented for the future, by wholesome5 laws, before the election of another Doge. At the same time it was ordained7, that the State should be indemnified out of the fortune of the deceased magistrate, from any detriment8 it had sustained by his maladministration, of which the senate were to be the judges. This law was certainly well calculated to make the Doge very circumspect9 in his conduct, and has been the origin of all the future restraints which have been laid on that very unenviable office.
Men accustomed to the calm and secure enjoyments10 of private life, are apt to imagine, that no mortal would be fond of any office on such conditions; but the senate of Venice, from more extensive views of human nature, knew that there always was a sufficient number of men, eager to grasp the[116] sceptre of ambition, in defiance11 of all the thorns with which it could be surrounded.
It was not the intention of the Venetian senate to throw the smallest stain on the character of their late patriotic12 Doge; nevertheless they thought the interregnum after his death, the most favourable13 opportunity of passing this law; because, when the Inquisition had taken place after his glorious reign, no Doge could expect that it would ever afterwards be dispensed14 with.
The Correctors having been chosen, and the inquisition made, Peter Ziani was elected Doge. In his reign a court for civil causes, denominated the Tribunal of Forty, was created. Its name sufficiently15 explains the intention of establishing this court, to which there is an appeal from the decisions of all inferior magistrates in civil causes tried within the city. It is to[117] be distinguished16 from the court of Forty, formerly17 mentioned, whose jurisdiction18 was now confined to criminal causes: it afterwards got the name of old civil council of Forty, to distinguish it from a third court, consisting also of forty members, which was established at a subsequent period, to decide, by appeal, in all civil causes, from the judgments20 of the inferior courts without the city of Venice.
Towards the end of his life, about the year 1228, Ziani abdicated21 his office. At the election of his successor, the suffrages22 were equally divided, between Rainier Dandolo, and James Theipolo. This prolonged the interregnum for two months; as often as they were balloted23, during that time, each of them had twenty balls. The senate, at last, ordained them to draw lots, which decided25 in favour of Theipolo.
During his administration, the Venetian code was, in some degree, reformed and[118] abridged26. One of the greatest inconveniences of freedom, is the number of laws necessary to protect the life and property of each citizen; the natural consequences of which are, a multitude of lawyers, with all the suits and vexations which they create; “les peines, les déspenses, les longueurs, les dangers mêmes de la justice,” says Montesquieu, “sont le prix que chaque citoyen donne pour sa liberté.” The more freedom remains27 in a State, of the higher importance will the life and property of each citizen be considered. A despotic government counts the life of a citizen as of no importance at all.
The Doge Theipolo, who had himself been a lawyer, as many of the Venetian nobles at that time were, bestowed28 infinite labour in arranging and illuminating29 the vast chaos30 of laws and regulations in which the jurisprudence of a republic, so jealous of her liberty, had been involved. After a long reign, he abdicated the government;[119] and, to prevent the inconveniency which had happened at his election, the number of electors, by a new decree of the senate, was augmented31 to forty-one.
In the reign of his successor, Marino Marsini, two judges, called Criminal Judges of the Night, were appointed. Their function is to judge of what are called nocturnal crimes, under which denomination33 are reckoned robberies, wilful35 fire, rapes36, and bigamy. We find also, that Jews lying with Christian37 women, is enumerated38 among nocturnal crimes; though, by an unjustifiable partiality, a Christian man lying with a Jewish woman, whether by night or day, is not mentioned as any crime at all.
A few years after, in the reign of the Doge Rainier Zeno, four more judges were added to this tribunal; and, during the interregnum which took place at his death,[120] in the year 1268, a new form of electing the Doge was fixed39, which, though somewhat complicated, has been observed ever since.
All the members of the grand council, who are past thirty years of age, being assembled in the hall of the palace, as many balls are put into an urn32 as there are members present; thirty of these balls are gilt40, and the rest white. Each counsellor draws one; and those who get the gilt balls, go into another room, where there is an urn, containing thirty balls, nine of which are gilt. The thirty members draw again; and those who, by a second piece of good fortune, get the gilt balls, are the first electors, and have a right to choose forty, among whom they comprehend themselves.
Those forty, by balloting41 in the same manner as in the former instances, are reduced to twelve second electors, who choose[121] twenty-five, the first of the twelve naming three, and the remaining eleven two, a-piece. All those being assembled in a chamber42 apart, each of them draws a ball from an urn, containing twenty-five balls, among which are nine gilt. This reduces them to nine third electors, each of whom chooses five, making in all forty-five; who, as in the preceding instances, are reduced by ballot24, to eleven fourth electors, and they have the nomination34 of forty-one, who are the direct electors of the Doge. Being shut up by themselves, they begin by choosing three chiefs, and two secretaries; each elector, being then called, throws a little billet into an urn, which stands on a table before the chiefs. On this billet is inscribed43 the person’s name whom the elector wishes to be Doge.
The secretaries then, in the presence of the chiefs, and of the whole assembly, open the billets. Among all the forty-one[122] there are, generally, but a very few different names, as the election, for the most part, balances between two or three candidates. Their names, whatever is the number, are put into another urn, and drawn44 out one after another. As soon as a name is extracted, the Secretary reads it, and, if the person to whom it belongs is present, he immediately retires. One of the chiefs then demands, with a loud voice, whether any crime can be laid to this person’s charge, or any objection made to his being raised to the sovereign dignity? If any objection is made, the accused is called in, and heard in his own defence; after which the electors proceed to give their decision, by throwing a ball into one of two boxes, one of which is for the Ayes, the other for the Noes. The Secretaries then count the balls, and if there are twenty-five in the first, the election is finished; if not, another name is read, and the same inquisition made as[123] before, till there are twenty-five approving balls.
This form, wherein judgment19 and chance are so perfectly45 blended, precludes46 every attempt to corrupt47 the electors, and all cabals48 for the Ducal dignity; for who could dream, by any labour or contrivance, of gaining an election, the mode of whose procedure equally baffles the address of a politician and a juggler49?
Lawrence Theipolo was the first Doge chosen according to this mode. In his reign the office of Grand Chancellor50 was created.
Hitherto the public acts were signed by certain persons chosen by the Doge himself, and called Chancellors51; but the Grand Council, which we find always solicitous52 to limit the power of the Doge, thought that method improper53; and now proposed, that a[124] Chancellor should be appointed by themselves, with rights and privileges entirely54 independent of the Doge. At the same time, as the people had shewn symptoms of discontent, on account of the great offices being all in the distinguished families, it was thought expedient55 to ordain6, that the Chancellor should always be taken from among the Secretaries of the senate, who were citizens. Afterwards, when the council of ten came to be established, it was ordained, that the Chancellor might be chosen either from the Secretaries of that court, or from those of the senate.
The Grand Chancellor of Venice is an officer of great dignity and importance; he has the keeping of the great seal of the Commonwealth56, and is privy57 to all the secrets of the State; he is considered as the head of the order of citizens, and his office is the most lucrative58 in the republic; yet, though he must be present[125] at all the councils, he has no deliberative voice.
In perusing59 the annals of this republic, we continually meet with proofs of the restless jealousy60 of this government; even the private ?conomy of families sometimes created suspicion, however blameless the public conduct of the matter might be. The present Doge had married a foreign lady; his two sons followed his example; one of their wives was a princess. This gave umbrage61 to the senate; they thought that, by such means, the nobles might acquire an interest, and connexions, in other countries, inconsistent with their duty as citizens of Venice; and therefore, in the interregnum which followed the death of Theipolo, a law was proposed by the Correctors, and immediately passed, by which all future Doges, and their sons, were interdicted62 from marriage with foreigners,[126] under the pain of being excluded from the office of Doge.
Though the people had been gradually, as we have seen, deprived of their original right of electing the chief magistrate; yet, on the elections which succeeded the establishment of the new mode, the Doge had always been presented to the multitude assembled in St. Mark’s Place, as if requesting their approbation63; and the people, flattered with this small degree of attention, had never failed to announce their satisfaction by repeated shouts: but the senate seem to have been afraid of leaving them even this empty shadow of their ancient power; for they ordained, that, instead of presenting the Doge to the multitude, to receive their acclamations, as formerly, a Syndic, for the future, should, in the name of the people, congratulate the new Doge on his election. On this occasion, the senate[127] do not seem to have acted with their usual discernment. Show often affects the minds of men more than substance, as appeared in the present instance; for the Venetian populace displayed more resentment64 on being deprived of this noisy piece of form, than when the substantial right had been taken from them. After the death of the Doge John Dandolo, before a new election could take place in the usual forms, a prodigious65 multitude assembled in St. Mark’s Place, and, with loud acclamations, proclaimed James Theipolo; declaring, that this was more binding66 than any other mode of election, and that he was Doge to all intents and purposes. While the senate remained in fearful suspense67 for the consequences of an event so alarming and unlooked-for, they were informed, that Theipolo had withdrawn68 himself from the city, with a determination to remain concealed69, till he heard how the senate and people would settle the dispute.
The people, having no person of weight to conduct or head them, renounced70, with their usual fickleness71, a project which they had begun with their usual intrepidity72.
The Grand Council, freed from alarm, proceeded to a regular election, and chose Peter Gradonico, a man of enterprise, firmness, and address, in whose reign we shall see the dying embers of democracy perfectly extinguished.
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1
augmenting
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| 使扩张 | |
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magistrate
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| n.地方行政官，地方法官，治安官 | |
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magistrates
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| 地方法官，治安官( magistrate的名词复数 ) | |
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reign
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| n.统治时期，统治，支配，盛行；v.占优势 | |
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wholesome
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| adj.适合；卫生的；有益健康的；显示身心健康的 | |
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ordain
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| vi.颁发命令；vt.命令，授以圣职，注定，任命 | |
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ordained
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| v.任命（某人）为牧师( ordain的过去式和过去分词 )；授予（某人）圣职；（上帝、法律等）命令；判定 | |
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detriment
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| n.损害；损害物，造成损害的根源 | |
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circumspect
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| adj.慎重的，谨慎的 | |
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enjoyments
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| 愉快( enjoyment的名词复数 )； 令人愉快的事物； 享有； 享受 | |
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defiance
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| n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗 | |
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patriotic
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| adj.爱国的，有爱国心的 | |
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favourable
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| adj.赞成的，称赞的，有利的，良好的，顺利的 | |
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dispensed
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| v.分配( dispense的过去式和过去分词 )；施与；配（药） | |
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sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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jurisdiction
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| n.司法权，审判权，管辖权，控制权 | |
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judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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judgments
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| 判断( judgment的名词复数 )； 鉴定； 评价； 审判 | |
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abdicated
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| 放弃（职责、权力等）( abdicate的过去式和过去分词 )； 退位，逊位 | |
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suffrages
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| （政治性选举的）选举权，投票权( suffrage的名词复数 ) | |
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balloted
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| v.（使）投票表决( ballot的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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ballot
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| n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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abridged
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| 削减的，删节的 | |
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remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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bestowed
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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illuminating
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| a.富于启发性的，有助阐明的 | |
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chaos
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| n.混乱，无秩序 | |
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Augmented
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| adj.增音的 动词augment的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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urn
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| n.（有座脚的）瓮；坟墓；骨灰瓮 | |
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denomination
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| n.命名，取名，(度量衡、货币等的)单位 | |
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nomination
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| n.提名，任命，提名权 | |
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wilful
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| adj.任性的，故意的 | |
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rapes
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| n.芸苔( rape的名词复数 )；强奸罪；强奸案；肆意损坏v.以暴力夺取，强夺( rape的第三人称单数 )；强奸 | |
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Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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enumerated
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| v.列举，枚举，数( enumerate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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gilt
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| adj.镀金的；n.金边证券 | |
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balloting
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| v.（使）投票表决( ballot的现在分词 ) | |
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42
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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inscribed
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| v.写，刻( inscribe的过去式和过去分词 )；内接 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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precludes
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| v.阻止( preclude的第三人称单数 )；排除；妨碍；使…行不通 | |
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corrupt
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| v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的 | |
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cabals
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| n.（政治）阴谋小集团，（尤指政治上的）阴谋( cabal的名词复数 ) | |
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juggler
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| n. 变戏法者, 行骗者 | |
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50
chancellor
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| n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长 | |
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51
chancellors
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| 大臣( chancellor的名词复数 )； （某些美国大学的）校长； （德国或奥地利的）总理； （英国大学的）名誉校长 | |
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52
solicitous
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| adj.热切的，挂念的 | |
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53
improper
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| adj.不适当的，不合适的，不正确的，不合礼仪的 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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expedient
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| adj.有用的，有利的；n.紧急的办法，权宜之计 | |
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commonwealth
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| n.共和国，联邦，共同体 | |
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privy
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| adj.私用的；隐密的 | |
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lucrative
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| adj.赚钱的，可获利的 | |
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59
perusing
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| v.读（某篇文字）( peruse的现在分词 )；（尤指）细阅；审阅；匆匆读或心不在焉地浏览（某篇文字） | |
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60
jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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umbrage
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| n.不快；树荫 | |
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interdicted
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| v.禁止（行动）( interdict的过去式和过去分词 )；禁用；限制 | |
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approbation
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| n.称赞；认可 | |
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resentment
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| n.怨愤，忿恨 | |
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prodigious
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| adj.惊人的，奇妙的；异常的；巨大的；庞大的 | |
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binding
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| 有约束力的，有效的，应遵守的 | |
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suspense
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| n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑 | |
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68
withdrawn
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| vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出 | |
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69
concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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70
renounced
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| v.声明放弃( renounce的过去式和过去分词 )；宣布放弃；宣布与…决裂；宣布摒弃 | |
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71
fickleness
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| n.易变；无常；浮躁；变化无常 | |
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intrepidity
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| n.大胆，刚勇；大胆的行为 | |
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