ability; and now that he is gone, I feel that I cannot better contribute to the fulfilment of his patriotic intention than by inviting the consideration of political students in this Dominion to the governmental institutions of the mother country, as described in these volumes, which claim to present fuller information upon that subject than is obtainable elsewhere. For the same reason, I venture to hope that my work may be of service to public men in England, inasmuch as, whatever may be its defects or omissions, it is the first attempt that has been ever made to collect and embody, in a systematic form, the laws, usages, and traditions. of parliamentary government. LIBRARY OF PARLIAMENT, OTTAWA, CANADA: February 1869. ALPHEUS TODD. Germs of our present Constitution in that of the Saxons A Privy Council always associated with the Crown of England. The King's Councils after the Conquest The Curia Regis, or permanent Council PAGE Presence of Privy-councillors therein Independent authority of the Privy Council Responsibility of the King's Ministers, under Edward II. and Restraints upon the exercise of the Royal Authority' The Privy Council under Henry VI. . Ascendency of the Crown under Henry VIII. Proceedings in Council during this reign Origin of the Office of Secretary of State . The Star Chamber, and other Committees of the Council . Personal powers of Privy Councillors The Councils of the Crown under Queen Elizabeth and Charles I. Never to be divulged without leave of the Sovereign. Committees of the Privy Council under the Stuart Kings Cromwell's method of Government The Cabinet under Charles II. Sir W. Temple's plan for remodelling the Privy Council Constitutional Government secured by the Revolution of 1688 Notices of the presence of Ministers, and other placemen, in the Subsequent legislation, permitting Ministers to sit in the House of Early resort to nomination boroughs' to secure seats for Ministers II. The later history, and present organisation of the Cabinet (1) Development of the rule requiring unanimity therein Coup d'état of the Whigs to thwart the designs of Bolingbroke 104 (2) Origin and enforcement of total changes in a Ministry, in con- formity to the expressed opinions of the House of Commons 110 (3) Origin and development of the Prime Minister's office Condition of the Cabinet, from 1660 to 1783. Lack of a recognised head to the Ministry during most of this Departmental system of Government, from before the Revo- Consequences to the Crown of the consolidation of powers in May belong to either House of Parliament, and may hold any (4) Present Organisation of the Cabinet Subordinate Ministers, their number and tenure Ministerial offices, with inconsiderable duties, their use and |