from
Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856)
CONSTITUTED AUTHORITIES. Those powers which the constitution of each people
has established to govern them, to cause their rights to be respected, and
to maintain those of each of its members.
2. They arc called constituted, to distinguish them from the
constituting authority which has created or organized them, or has delegated
to an authority, which it has itself created, the right of establishing or
regulating their movements. The officers appointed under the constitution
are also collectively called the constituted authorities. Dall. Dict. mots
Contrainte par corps, n. 526.