Page:Letters of Junius, volume 2 (Woodfall, 1772).djvu/108

98 concession so extraordinary in itself, so contradictory to the principles of their own institution, cannot but alarm the most unsuspecting mind. We may well conclude, that the lords would hardly have yielded so much to the other house, without the certainty of a compensation, which can only be made to them at the expense of the people. The arbitrary power they have assumed of imposing fines and committing, during pleasure, will now be exercised in its full extent. The house of commons are too much in their debt to question or interrupt their proceedings. The crown too, we may be well assured, will lose nothing in this new distribution of power. After declaring, that to petition for a dissolution of parliament is irreconcilable with the principles of the constitution, his Majesty has reason to expect that some extraordinary compliment will be returned to the Royal prerogative. The three branches of the legislature seem to treat their separate rights and interests as the Roman Triumvirs