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legislative functions。 An instance of this fact is presented by
the island of Vinodol； the inhabitants of which in 1288 met in a
kind of local folkmote at which certain men were chosen to
make a general codification of old laws； the memory of which was
still preserved。 In this way was formed the celebrated statute of
Vinodol； one of the chief sources of information as to the early
law of the Southern Slavs。
The Servian States…General； although much less democratic
than the Croatian； merit our attention on account of the great
influence which they exercised on the management of public
affairs。 It is true that the Servian Sobor is rather a council of
the higher orders； a sort of Anglo…Saxon Witenagemote； than a
folkmote or popular assembly。 The third estate was not admitted
to its meetings either as a body or by representation； and one of
the paragraphs of the celebrated code of Stefan Douschan
（fourteenth century） even strictly forbids the peasants to meet
in political assemblies。 But the lower nobility； who afterwards
played such a prominent part in the destinies of the Polish
nation； regularly sat in those meetings side by side with the
king； his council； the superior officers of State； the patriarch；
the ecclesiastical synod； and the members of the higher nobility。
These orders taken together exercised pretty neatly all the
functions of sovereignty。 They made legal enactments； such as the
code just mentioned； and they were the authors of the different
amendments introduced into it in the course of time。 They very
often elected the king； and sometimes dethroned him。 The
archbishop and the provincial governors were also chosen by the
Sobor； which likewise disposed of the public lands； and discussed
the most important matters of civil and ecclesiastical
government。
This rapid and rather superficial sketch of the early
political institutions of the Slavs； may at least serve to show
how considerable was the influence which the higher orders of
society； and very often the common people； exercised in the
management of the Slavonic State。 My necessarily dry exposition
of ancient chronicles and charters； cannot fail to recall the
well…known passage in the 〃Germania〃 of Tacitus： 〃De minoribus
principes consultant； de majoribus omnes。〃 Like the old Germanic
folkmote the Slavonic was a sort of supreme council； convened on
certain exceptionally important occasions。 During an interregnum
all authority passed into its hands； and it was accordingly
empowered to choose the future ruler of the land； and to declare
under what conditions he was to be admitted to the exercise of
the sovereign power。 In the ordinary course of public affairs；
the folkmote discussed important matters of civil； and in some
countries even of ecclesiastical government。 It pronounced on
questions of war and peace； controlled the exercise of the
legislative authority； and was sometimes even directly engaged in
the making of new； and the codifying of ancient laws。 Although
its authority was less prominent in executive and judicial
matters； yet it very often exercised the supreme right of
dethroning a king； and of judging persons accused of high
treason。
When we call to mind these facts； the idea of an early
Russian autocracy； admitting of no control on the part of the
governed； will certainly appear to us to be in direct
contradiction not only of the general evolution of political
institutions； but also of its usual form among Slavonic nations。
We must refuse to accept an anomaly unless it is established on
the authority of well…authenticated historical facts。 But no such
facts can be produced。 The Russian chronicles； in which； from the
want of other sources of information； we are obliged to seek for
the chief elements of a general theory of ancient Russian
political institutions； show us a state of things； which has
nothing in common with absolute monarchy。 On the first pages of
the chronicle attributed to the monk Nestor； the Eastern Slavs
are spoken of as possessing a sort of 〃gens〃 organisation； 〃each
one living with his kindred； and these kindreds occupying
distinct territorial districts。〃 （Kojdo s svoim rodom i na svoich
mestech； kojdo vladeiusche rodom svoim。） in the sentence just
quoted； the chronicler describes the social organisation of the
most enlightened tribe of the Eastern Slavs； the Polians； and
immediately afterwards he speaks of three brothers and their
sister； who exercised in common some sort of political authority
over the tribe。 According to this chronicler； the direct
descendants of these brothers ruled over the Polians。 It is also
recorded of the Drevlians； another Slavonic tribe； that it had
its own prince； Mal。 but the Polians and the Drevlians seem to
have been the only tribes living under monarchical rule。 The rest
of the Slavonic tribes established in Russia are represented to
us as having no princes； but as living divided into clans or
〃gentes；〃 which were often at war one with another （vsta rod na
rod）； a state of things which at length induced them 〃to seek a
foreign prince （kniaz） to command and judge them according to
justice。〃 The establishment of monarchical power thus appears to
have been the direct result of a free decision on the part of the
people。 The chronicle speaks of the tribes； which sent for a
foreign prince； as having previously assembled together
（snidoschasia vkoupe； sobravschesia）。 This means that the
decision to call in a foreign prince was the work of a folkmote。
Such is the first mention we possess of a Russian popular
assembly。 The facts I have recorded happened in the second half
of the ninth century； in the year 862。 Alluding to them； the
chronicle of Sousdal； under the year 1176； makes the following
general statement。 〃The inhabitants of Novgorod； of Smolensk； of
Kiev； and of Poloczk； and of all the principalities （volosti） of
Russia； were from the beginning； and are still； in the habit of
meeting at folkmotes as at a sort of council。〃 The term employed
to designate the folkmote is that of veche from the verb veschat；
to announce； to declare。 According to the sentence just quoted；
the veche may be traced from the oldest period of our national
existence。 This is directly confirmed； in relation to the
Polians； by the following statement： 〃In the years next
following；〃 says Nestor； speaking of the end of the ninth
century； 〃they thought in common （sdoumavsche） and decided to pay
to the Chasars a certain tax； the amount of which was one sword
from every hearth。〃 The Drevlians are also spoken of by the
chronicle as having on one occasion 〃thought in common with their
prince Mal；〃 and decided to slaughter the son of Rurik； Igor。
Now； this 〃thinking in common〃 of a whole tribe with its
political head； can only mean that the prince consulted the
folkmote； and with its help arrived at a definite decision。
A peculiar feature of the oldest Russian folkmotes； a feature
which totally disappears by the end of the tenth century； is；
that they are the assembly of a whole tribe； sometimes even of
several tribes； and not of the inhabitants of one single urban
district。 The Chronicle of Nestor speaks of t