CHAPTER IV.

HISTORY OF LEGISLATION DOWN TO 1861.
Exercise of Legislative Authority.
The most important exercise of legislative
power first occurred in 1772. In that year the
President and Council framed certain general regulations
 for the administration of justice, establishing
 both Civil and Criminal Courts throughout
 the lower provinces of Bengal. The Act of
1773 placed the legislative authority under the
supervision and subject to the veto of the Supreme
Court, but no enactments of importance were
passed under it until 1780, when further regulations
were framed for the more effectual and regular
administration of civil justice ; and in the same
year existing regulations were amended and confirmed.
 Early in 1781 a Revised Code was issued.
The Actof 1781 freed the legislature of the Supreme
Court, as regards legislation for the Provincial
Courts, although registration in the Supreme
Court was necessary to bind that Court to recognize
such regulations. Thus at this time the legislature
 had a two-fold power of legislation under two
separate Acts; one enabling them to make laws
for the settlement of Fort William and places
subordinate thereto in conformity with English
law, and subject to the assentof the Supreme
Court; and the other, under the Act of 1781, by
which the Governor-General and Council, or some