 hereditary Right of sitting with the King and Peers, IN PERSON, for the Guardianship of their own Liberties and the Institution of their own Laws.
Such Representatives, therefore, can never have it in their Power to give, delegate, or extinguish the Whole or any Part of the People's inseparable and unextinguishable Share in the legislative Power, neither to impart the Same to any One of the other Estates, or to any Persons or Person whatever, either in or out of Parliament. Where Plenipotentiaries take upon them to abolish the Authority of their Principals; or where any secondary Agents attempt to defeat the Power of their Primaries; such Agents and Plenipotentiaries defeat their own Commission, and all the Powers of the Trust necessarily revert to the Constituents.
The Persons of these temporary Trustees of the People, during their Session, and for fourteen Days before and after every Meeting, Adjournment, Prorogation, and Dissolution of Parliament, are equally exempted, with the Persons of Peers, from Arrest and Duress of every Sort.
They are also, during their Session, to have ready Access to the King or House of Lords, and to address or confer with them on all Occasions.
No Member of the House of Commons, no more than of the House of Peers, shall suffer, or be questioned, or compelled to witness or answer, in any Court or Place whatsoever, touching any thing said or done by himself or Others in Parliament. In order that perfect Freedom of Speech and Action may leave nothing undone for the Public-Weal.
They have also (during Session) an equal Power with the House of Lords, to punish Any who shall presume to traduce their Dignity, or detract from the Rights or Privileges of any Member of their House.
The Commons form a Court of Judicature, distinct from the Judicature of the House of Lords. Theirs is the peculiar Privilege to try and adjudge the Legality of the Election of their own Members. They may fine and confine their own Members, as well as Others, for Delinquency or Offence against the Honour of their House. But, in all other Matters of Judicature, They are merely a Court of
Inquisition
and
Presentment,
and not a Tribunal of
difinitive Judgment.
In this Respect, however, they are extremely formidable. They constitute the
Grand Inquest
of the Nation; for which great and good Purpose they are supposed to be perfectly qualified by a personal Knowledge of what hath been transacted, throughout the several Shires, Cities, and Boroughs, from whence they assemble and which they represent.
Over and above their Inquiry into all public Grievances;
wicked Ministers,
