CHAPTER XIII. On the State of the Constitution Under Charles Ii.

ON THE STATE OF THE CONSTITUTION UNDER CHARLES II.

Effect of the Press -- Restrictions upon it before and after the Restoration -- Licensing Acts -- Political Writings checked by the Judges -- Instances of illegal Proclamations not numerous -- Juries fined for Verdicts -- Question of their Right to return a General Verdict -- Habeas Corpus Act passed -- Differences between Lords and Commons -- Judicial Powers of the Lords historically traced -- Their Pretensions about the Time of the Restoration -- Resistance made by the Commons -- Dispute about their original Jurisdiction -- And that in Appeals from Courts of Equity -- Question of the exclusive Right of the Commons as to Money-bills -- Its History -- The Right extended farther -- State of the Upper House under the Tudors and Stuarts -- Augmentation of the Temporal Lords -- State of the Commons -- Increase of their Members -- Question as to Rights of Election -- Four different Theories as to the Original Principle -- Their Probability considered Page 1