And when the people have said, "We will submit, and be governed by
laws made by such men, and in such forms," nobody else can say other
men shall make laws for them; nor can they be bound by any laws but
such as are enacted by those whom they have chosen and authorised to
make laws for them.
142. These are the bounds which the trust that is put in them by the
society and the law of God and Nature have set to the legislative
power of every commonwealth, in all forms of government. First: They
are to govern by promulgated established laws, not to be varied in
particular cases, but to have one rule for rich and poor, for the
favourite at Court, and the countryman at plough. Secondly: These laws
also ought to be designed for no other end ultimately but the good
of the people. Thirdly: They must not raise taxes on the property of
the people without the consent of the people given by themselves or
their deputies. And this properly concerns only such governments where
the legislative is always in being, or at least where the people
have not reserved any part of the legislative to deputies, to be
from time to time chosen by themselves. Fourthly: Legislative
neither must nor can transfer the power of making laws to anybody
else, or place it anywhere but where the people have.
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