It is necessary to notice, indeed, that this republic does not have, officially, ever existed. One does not meet this word in any the instruments of this time, it is there never question of the commune of Marseilles. The name of Republic was thus given to this shape of communal government of the Marseillais only by analogy with that of the Italian cities which governed themselves. But the Marseilles constitution was certainly most republican and most democratic among all those of this time.
Here that it was, the organization of the Government: A supreme magistrate, Podestat, dominated all. He was to be foreign not to be subjected to the local influences and enjoyed a processing of 1.800 pounds royal and 37 pounds for housing and wood die heating. Podestat had under its commands a viguier or lieutenant and three Syndics, whose functions consisted in defending the rights and continuing the actions of the Republic. Finances were entrusted to three directors of the treasury called clavaires. Three archivaires were given the responsability to write the acts of the government, of the guard of the files, the seal and the stamp. The war and the navy were directed by an admiralty made up of six officers called prud' men of war. Came then, in sub-order, the inspectors of the public paths, the intendants twelve - two by districts - charged ensuring the subsistence and with taking care of the frauds on the food and the weight. There was moreover the great Council made up of four twenty-nine members, four twenty middle-class men, traders or merchants, three doctors in right and six heads of trade. Each year, October 29, the syndics, the clavaires and six heads of trades met. They chose in each of the six districts of the city, two citizens " honest and discrete ". Those twelve chose, with their tower, sixty and eleven citizens taken indistinctly in all the districts. These four twenty three advisers six heads of trade, called on a list of one hundred joined to in turn sit only one week. This great Council was invested the most extended capacities, it was named only for one year and its members were re-eligible only after three years. After having chosen their sixty and eleven colleagues, the first twelve voters immediately chose seven voters, three among the sixty and eleven and four heads of trades. Those were locked up and kept at sight until they had proceeded to the election of Podestat and its officers. The election was held secret until the day of All Saints' day. The public Podestat and officials were also appointed only for the year, but they could be re-elected after one year. The Absolute power lay in the assembly of the people or Parliament. All the citizens having their civil laws were allowed there. This assembly took place itself for all the significant businesses. She decided peace or war, concluded the alliance or commercial treaties.
The Parliament was convened in the cemetery of Accoules. This place became the Forum of the Marseillais thereafter; it is there that the great constitutional ceremonies occurred during several centuries. One also appointed each year hundred heads of trades elected by their respective corporations. No one could not arrive at this honor if it were not of Marseilles, if there had not been a residence for more than three years and if it did not have at least a book royal crowned. The six heads of trades which formed part of the general Council had the font of the streets and the publicly-owned establishments. These institutions were thus primarily democratic; they were based on popular sovereignty. It was truly the government of the people by the people. The commune of Marseilles was in that quite higher than the Italian republics, which all were aristocratic. No aristocratic element entered, indeed, in the system of government of Marseilles. No distinction enters the noble ones and the commoners; no privilege of birth. The people and the properties were subjected to the same rule and the same loads. Well better, the noble ones could, without derogating, to deliver itself to the trade, which was, a source of consideration and influence. In Marseilles, all arts, all the professions were interested in the public thing. Finally it seems, when this organization by far is considered, that it was there really the reign of freedom and the equality and that the citizens of the commune of Marseilles knew other distinctions only those which the virtues and the talent conferred.
