STATES, or ESTATES, a term applied to ſeveral orders or claſſes of people aſſembled to conſult of matters for the public good.
Thus ſtates-general is the name of an aſſembly conſiſting of the deputies of the ſeven United Provinces. There are uſually 30 in number, ſome provinces ſending two, others more; and whatever reſolution the ſtates-general take, muſt be confirmed by every province, and by every city and republic in that province, before it has the force of a law. The deputies of each province, of what number ſoever they be, have only one voice, and are eſteemed as but one perſon, the votes being given by provinces. Each province preſides in the aſſembly in its turn, according to the order ſettled among them. Guelderland preſides firſt, then Holland, &c.
States of Holland are the deputies of eighteen cities, and one repreſentative of the nobility, conſtituting the ſtates of the province of Holland: the other provinces have likewiſe their ſtates, repreſenting their ſovereignty; deputies from which make what they call the ſtates-general. In an aſſembly of the ſtates of a particular province, one diſſenting voice prevents their coming to any reſolution.