dubious, or necessary to be settled by parliament itself, being in this state only the skeleton of the bill.

In the House of Lords, if the bill begin there, it is (when of a private nature) referred to two of the judges, who examine and report the state of the facts alleged; to see that all necessary parties consent, and to settle all points of technical propriety. This is read a first time, and, at a convenient distance, a second time; and after such reading the speaker opens to the house the substance of the bill, and puts the question, whether it shall proceed any farther?

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The introduction of the bill may be originally opposed, as the bill itself may be at either of the readings; and if the opposition succeed, the bill must be dropped for that session; as it must, also, if opposed with success, in any of the subsequent stages.

After the second reading the bill is committed; that is, it is referred to a committee, which is either selected by the house in matters of small importance; or else, upon a bill of consequence, the house resolves itself into a committee of the whole house.

A committee of the whole house is composed of every member; and to form it, the speaker quits the chair, (another member being appointed chairman,) and may sit and debate as a private member. In this committee the bill is debated clause by clause; amendments made; the blanks filled up; and sometimes the bill entirely new

modelled. After it has gone through the committee, the chairman reports it to the house, with such amendments as the committee have made; and then the house reconsiders - the whole bill again, and the question is repeatedly put upon every clause and amendment.

When the house has agreed to, or dissented from, the amendments of the committee, and sometimes added new amendments of its own; the bill is then ordered to be engrossed, or written in a strong gross hand on one or more rolls of parchment sewed together. When this is finished it is read a third time, and amendments are sometimes then made upon it; and, if a new clause be added, it is done by tacking a separate piece of parchment to the bill, which is called a rider. The speaker then again opens the contents, and, holding it up in his hands, puts the question, Whether the bill shall pass? If this be agreed to, the title is then settled.' After this, one of the members is directed to carry it to the lords, and desire their concurrence. This member, attended by several more, carries it to the bar of the House of Lords, and there delivers it to their speaker, who comes down from his woolsack to receive it.

In the House of Peers it passes through the same forms as in the other house, (except engrossing, which is already done;) and if rejected, no more notice is taken of it. But if it is agreed to, the lords send a message by two masters in chancery, (or sometimes two of the judges,) that they have agreed to the same; and the bill in'

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that case remains with the lords, if they have made no amendments to it. But if any amendments are made, such amendments are sent down with the bill to receive the concurrence of the commons. to the amendments, a conference usually follows between members deputed from each house, who for the most part settle and adjust the difference. But if both houses remain inflexible, the bill is dropped. If the commons: agree to the amendments, the bill is sent back to the lords by one of the members, with a message to that effect.

If the commons do not agree

The same forms are observed, mutatis mutandis, when the bill begins in the House of Lords. And when both houses have done with any bill, it is always deposited in the House of Peers, to wait the royal assent; except in the case of a bill of supply, which, after receiving the concurrence of the lords, is sent back to the House of Commons.

As each of the two houses has a negative on the propositions made by the other, there is consequently no danger of their encroaching on each other's rights, nor on those of the king, who has likewise his negative upon them both. Any question judged by them conducive to the public good, without exception, may be made the subject of their respective deliberations. Such, for instance, as new limitations or extensions to be given to the authority of the king; the establishing of new laws; or making changes in those already in being. The different kinds

of public provisions, or establishments; the various abuses of administration; and remedies become in every session objects of attentive consideration to parliament. Here, however, it is necessary to make an important observation. All bills for granting money, must have their origin in the House of Commons. The lords cannot take this object into their consideration, but in consequence of a bill presented to them by the latter. And the commons have at all times been so anxiously tenacious of this privilege, that they have never suffered the lords even to make any change in the money-bills which they have sent them. And the lords are expected simply and solely, either to accept or reject them. When there is no business that requires immediate despatch, the king usually waits till the end of the session; or, at least till a certain number of bills are ready for him, before he declares his royal pleasure. When the time is come, the king goes to parliament in the same state with which he opened it; and while he is seated on the throne, a clerk, who has a list of the bills, gives or refuses, as he reads, the royal assent.

When the royal assent is given to a public bill, the clerk says, "Le roi le veut." If the bill be a private bill, he says, "Soit fait comme il est desiré." If the bill have subsidies for its object, he says, "Le roi remercie ses loyaux sujets, accepte leur benévolence, et aussi le veut." If the king does not think proper to assent to the bill, the clerk says, "Le roi

s'avisera;" which is a mild way of giving a refusal. tal

It is, however, singular that the king of England should make use of the French language to declare his intentions to his parliament. This custom was introduced at the conquest, and has been continued, like other matters of form, which sometimes subsist for ages, after the real substance of things has been altered. And Judge Blackstone expresses himself on this subject in the following words:

A badge, it must be owned, (now the only one remaining,) of the conquest; and which one would wish to see fall into oblivion, unless it be reserved as a solemn memento to remind us that our Liberties are mortal, having once been destroyed by a foreign force." When the king has declared his different intentions, he prorogues the parliament. Those bills which he has rejected, remain without force; those to which he has assented, become the expressed will of the highest power acknowledged in England. They are Laws. And though each of the constituent parts of the parliament might, at first, have prevented the existence of those laws; the united will of all the three is now necessary repeal them.

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General Forms of the Two Houses of Parliament.“

IN the House of Lords, the princes of the blood sit by themselves on the sides of the throne. At the wall on the king's right hand,