at freedom to express his dissent; but when once
determined, it was looked upon as the common concern of each member to
support the opinion of the majority.

The power of the Senate was different at different times. Under the
regal government, the Senate deliberated upon such affairs as the king
proposed to them, and the kings were said to act according to their
counsel as the consuls did afterwards according to their decrees.

Tarquin the proud, dropped the custom handed down from his predecessors,
of consulting the Senate about everything; banished or put to death the
chief men of that order, and chose no others in their room; but he was
expelled from the throne for his tyranny, and the regal government
abolished, A. U. 243. Afterwards the power of the Senate was raised to
the highest. Everything was done by its authority. The magistrates were
in a manner only its ministers. But when the Patricians began to abuse
their power, and to exercise cruelty on the Plebeians, especially after
the death of Tarquin, the multitude took arms in their own defence, made
a secession from the city, seized on Mons Sacer, and created tribunes
for themselves, who attacked the authority of the Senate, and in process
of time greatly diminished it.

Although the supreme power at Rome belonged to the people, yet they
seldom enacted anything without the authority of the Senate. In all
weighty matters, the method usually observed was that the Senate should
first deliberate and decree, and then the people order.

The Senate assumed to themselves exclusively, the guardianship of the
public religion; so that no new god could be introduced, nor altar
erected, nor the Sybiline books consulted without their order. They had
the direction of the treasury, and distributed the public money at
pleasure. They appointed stipends to their generals and officers, and
provisions and clothing to the armies. They settled the provinces which
were annually assigned to the consuls and praetors, and when it seemed
fit, they prolonged their command. They nominated, out of their own
body, all ambassadors sent from Rome, and gave to foreign ambassadors
what answers they thought proper. They decreed all public thanksgivings
for victories obtained, and conferred the honor of an ovation or triumph
with the title of imperator on their victorious generals. They could
decree the title of king to any prince whom they pleased, and declare
any one an enemy by a vote. They i