CON 
CON 
pleases to the legislature ; and the right of 
taxation belonging to the Commons, atfords 
every reason for patiently acquiescing in 
their enactments, particularly as the na- 
tional disbursements are annually laid be- 
fore the public. The nature and degrees of 
punishment being fixed by laws, neither the 
monarch nor the magistrate can vary them, 
nor can a man be imprisoned falsely with 
impunity, through the operation of the ha- 
heas corpus act, or unjustly condemned when 
twelve impartial men of his own class de- 
cide upon his guilt or innocence. The power 
of framing laws vested in the two Houses of 
Parliament is restrained by the King’s ne- 
gative, and the abuse of that is prevented 
by their ability to refuse him supplies. In 
addition, all acts of the Crown are illegal 
without the subscription of its greatofficers ; 
besides which. Parliament has the right of 
addressing the King, and punishing evil 
advisers. The appointment of obnoxious 
ministers may be resisted by the opposition 
of Parliament to their measures, and the 
prerogative Of declaring war may be check- 
ed by 'the refusal of money to cany it on, 
and by the same means no improper use 
can be made of the regular army. 
From this sketch of the free and enviable 
constitution of Great Britain we may justly 
infer, that no form of government ever did 
or can possess more inherent excellencies, 
and that it bears in its veiy nature ample 
means to alter and amend its few imperfec- 
tions. 
Constitution also denotes an ordinance, 
decision, regulation, or law, made by autho- 
rity of any superior, ecclesiastical or civil. 
”1110 constitutions of the Roman emperors 
make a part of the civil law, and the consti- 
tutions of the church make a part of the 
canon law. 
Constitutions, apostolical, a collection 
of regulations attributed to the apostles, and 
.supposed to have been collected by St. Cle- 
ment, whose name they likewise bear. It 
is the general opinion, however, that they 
are spurious, and that St. Clement had no 
hand in them. They appeared first in the 
fourth age, but have been much changed and 
corrupted since tliat time. They are divid- 
ed into eight books, consisting of a great 
number of rules and precepts relating to the 
duties of Christians, and particularly the 
ceremonies and discipline of the church. 
Mr. Wliiston, in opposition to the general 
opinion, asserts them to be a part of tlie 
sacred writings, dictated by the apostles in 
their meetings, and wrote down from their 
VOL. II. 
own moutli by St. Clement, and intended as 
a supplement to the New Testament, or 
rather as a system of Christian faitli and 
polity. Tlie reason why the constitutions 
are suspected by the ortliodox, and, per- 
haps, the reason also why tlieir genuineness 
is defended by Mr. Whiston, is, that they 
seem to favour Arianism. 
CONSTRUCTION, in geometry, is the 
drawing such lines, such a figure, &c. as 
are previously necessary for the making any 
demonstration appear more plain and unde- 
niable. 
Construction of equations, in algebra, 
the method of drawing a geometrical figure 
whose properties shall express tlie given 
equation, in order to demonstrate the truth 
of it geometrically. See Equations, con- 
struction of. 
Construction, in grammar, the con- 
necting the words of a sentence according 
to the rules of the language. Construction 
is either simple or figurative, according as 
the parts of the discourse are placed in their 
natural order ; or recede from that simpli- 
city, when shorter and more elegant ex- 
pressions are used than the nature affords. 
The construction of words, called syntax, 
is distinguished into two parts, concord and 
regimen. 
CONSUL, is an officer established by 
virtue of a commission from the King, and 
other princes, in all foreign countries of any 
considerable trade, to facilitate and dispatch 
business, and protect the merchants of the 
nation. The consuls are to keep up a cor- 
respondence with the ministers of England 
residing in the courts whereon their consu- 
late depends. They ai e to support the com- 
merce and the interest of the nation; to 
dispose of the sums given and the presents 
made to the lords and principals of places, 
to obtain their protection, and prevent the 
insults of the natives on the merchants of 
the nation. By the treaty of Utrecht be- 
tween Great Britain and Spain, the consul 
residing in the King of Spain’s dominions 
shall take inventories of the estates of the 
English dying intestate in Spain ; and these 
estates shall be intrusted with two or three 
merchants, for the security and benefit of 
the proprietors and creditors. 
CONSULTATION, in law, a writ by 
which a cause being removed from the spi- 
ritual court to the King’s court, is returned 
tliither again ; and the reason is, that if tlie 
judges of the King’s court, by comparing 
the libel with the suggestion of the party, 
find the suggestion false or not proved, and 
3b 
