The British Commonwealth, Or, a Commentary on the Institutions and Principles of British Government (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1854. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XXXVIII. CONCLUSION. It has been the chief purpose of the preceding Commentary on the British Government to examine the relations between its various parts--to exhibit the system of responsibility and mutual control, by which each civil institution is invested with power adequate for the exercise of its jurisdiction, and is restrained from exceeding it. The whole scheme of the Constitution is one of mutual restraint; the very essence of British Government consists in this--that none of its institutions is entirely independent; the very life of the Commonwealth is its freedom from all absolute human authority. We have seen how admirably each branch of the Legislature is thus adapted for its purposes, and protected from encroachment upon its powers. By the Royal prerogatives of summoning and dissolving successive Parliaments, they are restrained from attempts to perpetuate their existence; while, on the other hand, the dependence of the Executive on the Legislature for supplies of money secures the regular convocation of the latter, and Mutual Responsibility of Governing Bodies. 567 the responsibility of the Executive to it. The independence of the two Houses of Parliament is maintained by the separate authority of each to annul the legislative measures of the other, while the predominant influence of the elective assembly is secured by its right of initiating all Bills affecting the public revenue. Again, the House of Lords is, by its tenure of power, rendered independent of the immediate influence of popular impulses, and yet, by the Royal prerogative of creating peers is, like the other powers of government, ultimately amenable to the national authority. When we considered the constitution of the Judicial power, we found it included in the same s...