Venice.
The first form of government established at Venice, was purely
democratical. Magistrates were chosen by a general assembly of the
people: they were called tribunes; and as this small community inhabited
several little islands, a tribune was appointed to judge causes, and
distribute justice on each of those islands. His power was continued one
year; at the expiration of which, he was accountable for his conduct to
the general assembly of the people, who annually elected a new set of
tribunes.
This simple form of government, while it marks a strict regard to that
freedom so delightful to the mind of man, was found sufficient, for
the space of a hundred and fifty years, to maintain order in a small
community, situated as this was. At length the bad administration of some
of the tribunes, discord and animosity among others, and some suspicions
that the Lombards promoted civil dissention, with a view to bring the
republic under their dominion, awakened the fears of the people, and made
them listen to the opinions of those who thought a change in the form of
government necessary.
After various debates and proposals, it was finally determined, that a
chief magistrate should be elected, as the centre of public authority,
whose power might give such vigour and efficacy to the laws, as was
absolutely necessary in times of danger, and whose duty should be,
to direct the force of the resources of the state with promptitude;
uncramped by that opposition, and consequent dilatoriness, which had
been too apparent under the tribunes. This magistrate was not to be
named King, but Duke, which has since been corrupted to Doge; the office
was not to be hereditary, but elective; and the Doge was to enjoy it
for life. It was agreed that he should have the nomination of all the
inferior magistrates, and the power of making peace, and declaring war,
without consulting any but such of the citizens as he should think proper.
When the election took place, all the suffrages fell upon Paul Luc
Anafeste, who entered into this new office in the year 697.
The Venetians must certainly have felt great inconveniences from
their former government, or have been under great dread from domestic
or foreign enemies, before they could submit to such a fundamental
change in the nature of their constitution. It is evident, that, on
this occasion, they seem to have lost that jealous attention to liberty
which they formerly possessed; for while they withheld from their chief
magistrate the name, they left him all the power, of a King. There is
no period when real and enlightened patriots ought to watch with more
vigilance over the rights of the people, than in times of danger from
foreign enemies; for the public in general are then so much engrossed by
the dangers from without, that they overlook the encroachments which are
more apt, at those times than any other, to be made on their constitution
from within: and it is of small importance that men defend their country
from foreign foes, unless they retain such a share of internal freedom,
as renders a country worth the defending.
It is highly probable, that the great degree of popularity which their
first Doge had acquired before he arrived at that dignity, and the
great confidence the people had in his public and private virtues,
rendered them unwilling to limit the power of a person who, they were
convinced, would make a good use of it. If the man had been immortal,
and incorruptible, they would have been in the right: however, it must
be confessed, that this Doge justified their good opinion more than
favourites of the people generally do.
In the councils which he called on any matter of importance, he sent
messages to those citizens, for whose judgment he had the greatest
esteem, _praying_, that they would come, and assist him with their
advice. This method was observed afterwards by succeeding Doges, and the
citizens so sent for were called Pregadi. The Doge’s council are still
called Pregadi, though they have long sat independent of his invitation.
The first, and second Doge, governed with moderation and ability; but the
third gave the Venetians reason to repent that they had not confined the
powers of their chief magistrate within narrower limits. After having
served the state by his military talents, he endeavoured to enslave it;
his projects were discovered; but as the improvident people, in the last
arrangement of their constitution, had preserved no legal remedy for such
an evil, they were obliged to use the only means now in their power. They
assaulted the Doge in his palace, and put him to death without farther
ceremony.
The people had conceived so much hatred for him, that, after his death,
they resolved to abolish the office. In the general assembly it was
agreed, that the chief magistrate, for the future, should be elected
every year; that he should have the same power as formerly, while he
remained in office; but, as this was to be for a short time, they
imagined he would behave with equity and moderation; and as they had an
equal dislike to Doge and Tribune, he was called Master of the Militia.
The form of government, introduced by this revolution, was but of short
duration. Factions arose, and became too violent for the transient
authority of the Masters of the Militia to restrain. The office expired
five years after its institution; and, by one of those strange and
unaccountable changes of sentiment, to which the multitude are so
subject, the authority of the Doge was restored in the person of the
son of their last Doge, whom, in a fit of furious discontent, they had
assassinated. This restoration happened about the year 730.
For a long time after this, the Venetian annals display many dreadful
scenes of cruelty, revolt, and assassination; Doges abusing their
power, endeavouring to establish a permanent and hereditary despotism,
by having their eldest sons associated in the office with themselves,
and then oppressing the people with double violence. The people, on the
other hand, after bearing, with the most abject patience, the capricious
cruelty of their tyrants, rising at once, and murdering them, or driving
them, with ignominy, out of their dominions. Unable to bear either
limited or absolute government, the impatient and capricious multitude
wish for things which have always been found incompatible: the secrecy,
promptitude, and efficacy, of a despotic government, with all the freedom
and mildness of a legal and limited constitution.
It is remarkable, that when the Doge was, even in a small degree,
popular, he seldom found any difficulty in getting his son elected his
associate in the sovereign authority; and when that was not the case,
there are many instances of the son being chosen directly on the death of
his father.
Yet, about the middle of the tenth century, the son of the Doge, Peter
Candiano, took arms, and rebelled against his father. Being soon
after defeated, and brought in chains to Venice, he was condemned to
banishment, and declared incapable of being ever elected Doge. It
appears, however, that this worthless person was a great favourite of the
people; for no sooner was his father dead, than he was chosen to succeed
him, and conducted, in great pomp, from Ravenna, the place of his exile,
to Venice.
The Venetians were severely punished for this instance of levity. Their
new Doge shewed himself as tyrannical in the character of a sovereign,
as he had been undutiful in that of a son. He became a monster of pride
and cruelty. The people began to murmur, and he became susceptible of
that terror which usually accompanies tyrants. He established a body of
life-guards, to defend his person, and lodged them within the palace.
This innovation filled the people with indignation, and awakened all
their fury. They attack the palace, are repulsed by the guards, and set
fire to the contiguous houses. The wretched Doge, in danger of being
consumed by the flames, appears at the gate of the palace, with his
infant son in his arms, imploring the compassion of the multitude: they,
inexorable as demons, tear in pieces both father and child. At such an
instance of savage fury, the human affections revolt from the oppressed
people, and take part with their oppressor. We almost wish he had lived,
that he might have swept from the earth a set of wretches more barbarous
than himself.
Having spent their fury in the destruction of the tyrant, they leave the
tyranny as before. No measures are taken to limit the power of the Doge.
For some time after this, a spirit of superstition seemed to lay hold
of those who filled that office, as if they had intended to expiate the
pride of the late tyrant by their own humility. His three immediate
successors, after each of them had reigned a few years with applause,
abandoned their dignity, shut themselves up in convents, and passed the
latter years of their lives as Monks.
Whatever contempt those pious Doges displayed for worldly things, their
example made little impression on their subjects, who, about this time,
began to monopolize the trade and riches of Europe. And some years after,
when all Christendom was seized with the religious phrenzy of recovering
the Holy Land, the Venetians kept so perfectly free from the general
infection, that they did not scruple to supply the Saracens with arms and
ammunition, in spite of the edicts of their Doges, and the remonstrances
of the Pope, and other pious princes.
Those commercial casuists declared, that religion is one thing, and trade
another; that, as children of the church, they were willing to believe
all that their mother required; but, as merchants, they must carry their
goods to the best market.
In my next, I shall proceed with my review of the Venetian government.