ASSEMBLIES of the Roman people were called comitia.
Under the Gothic governments, the supreme legislative power was lodged in an assembly of the states of
the kingdom, held annually for the like purposes as our parliament. Some remains of this usage subsisted in the annual assemblies of the states of some provinces of France previous to the late revolution; but these were no more than shadows of the ancient assemblies. It is only in Great Britain, and perhaps in Sweden, that such assemblies retain their ancient powers and privileges.