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the Genevese had no intention to abridge
the temporal or spiritual power of their
bishops, but unforeseen circumstances effected
much more than they had dared to
hope for, and removed them from all
foreign authority whatever : they were left
independent of both, and members of the
reformed religion.
The revenues of the church were appropriated
to the foundation of a general
hospital, and to the college and public
library. It is not to be supposed that the
dukes of Savoy relinquished at once all
claim upon Geneva ; they made many attempts
to regain their power, but after the
complete failure of the celebrated escalade,
of 1601, in which it was attempted to take
the city by surprise in the night, Charles
Emanuel the First acknowledged the independence
of the city, by the treaty of
St. Julian, in 1603 , yet his successors kept
open their claims till long afterwards, waiting
for some favourable event which might
give them possession.
Thus, it may be seen, that the present
form of the government, and the names of
the magistrates in Geneva, are derived
from very ancient- usages, a municipal
jurisdiction being changed into a national
government, elected by the citizens, and
exercising supreme power. Before that
period, the citizens might be compared
to the livery of a corporate town; the
council of two hundred were the common
council, the little council were the aldermen,
and the syndics were the mayors.
On the acquisition of independence, the
functions of the different bodies assumed a
higher character, but the councils and syndics
were annually elected.
In former times, on the election of the
syndics, there was a grand public procession
; the four syndics were each mounted
on an ass, and decorated with the insignia
of office. In this manner they proceeded
through the streets, and on arriving at the
Maison de Ville, or town hall, they did
not alight, but mounted the staircase, seated
on their asses, and rode into the council
chamber in state. The same staircase remains
: it is not formed of steps, but is an
inclined plane, paved with pebbles ; or rather
there are a number of inclined planes,
rising from one story to th e other, till you
arrive at tbe council chamber, which is the
uppermost story. This staircase was espe