LOCAL GOVERNING AGENCIES. 455 



onwards there is a marked distinction between the King and 

 the Ealdorman. The King is a sovereign, the Ealdorman 

 is only a magistrate.&quot; Just noting that under Cnut, eal- 

 dormen became subordinated by the appointment of earls, 

 and again that under William I. earldoms were filled up afresh, 

 we observe that after the Wars of the Roses had weak 

 ened them, the hereditary nobles had their local powers inter 

 fered with by those of centrally-appointed lords-lieutenant. 

 Not only provincial governing agencies of a personal kind 

 come to be thus subordinated as the integration furthered by 

 war progresses, but also those of a popular kind. The old 

 English Scirgerefa, who presided over the Sciregemot, was at 

 first elective, but was afterwards nominated by the king. 

 Under a later regime there occurred a kindred change: 

 &quot; 9 Edward II. abolished the popular right to election&quot; to the 

 office of sheriff. And similarly, &quot;from the beginning of 

 Edward III. s reign, the appointment of conservators &quot; of the 

 peace, who were originally elected, &quot; was vested in the crown,&quot; 

 &quot; and their title changed to that of justices.&quot; 



With sufficient distinctness such facts show us that, rapidly 

 where a cluster of small societies is subjugated by an 

 invader, and slowly where one among them acquires an 

 established supremacy, the local rulers lose their directive 

 powers and become executive agents only ; discharging what 

 ever duties they retain as the servants of newer local agents. 

 In the course of political integration, the original governing 

 centres of the component parts become relatively automatic 

 in theii functions. 



510. A further truth to be noted is that there habitually 

 exists a kinship in structure between the general government 

 and the local governments. Several causes conspire to pro 

 duce this kinship. 



Where one of a cluster of groups has acquired power 

 over the rest, either directly by the victories of its ruler 

 over them, or indirectly by his successful leadership of 



