VII. It is ordered, sentenced, and decreed, that after there are warrants given out for the warning of any of the said general courts, that the constable or constables of each town, shall forthwith, give notice distinctly, to the inhabitants of the same, in some public assembly, or by going or sending from house to house, that at a place and time by him or them limited and set, they meet and assemble themselves together, to elect certain deputies, to be at the general court then following, to agitate the affairs of the commonwealth, which said deputies shall be chosen by all that are admitted inhabitants, in the several towns, and have taken the oath of fidelity; provided that none be chosen, a member of the general court, who is not a freemen of this commonwealth: the aforesaid deputy shall be chosen in the following manner: every person that is present and qualified, as before expressed, shall bring the names of such persons, written upon a piece of paper, as they desire to have chosen for that employment, and those three or four, more or less, being the number agreed on to be chosen at that time, that have the greatest number of papers written for them, shall be deputies for that court; whose names shall be indorsed upon the back of the warrant, and returned into the court, by the constable's hand, unto the same.

VIII. It is ordered, sentenced, and decreed, that Windsor, Hartford, and Wethersfield, shall have power to send four of their freemen from each town, as deputies to every general court, and whatsoever other towns shall be hereaf ter added to this jurisdiction, they shall send so many deputies, as the court shall judge meet; a reasonable proportion to the number of freemen in each town, being to be attended therein; which deputies shall have the power of the whole town, to give their votes, and allowance to all such laws and orders, as may be for the public good, and unto which the said towns are to be bound.

IX. It is ordered, sentenced, and decreed, that the deputies thus chosen, shall have power to appoint a time and

place, of meeting together, before any general court, to advise and consult of all such things as may concern the public good, as also to examine their own elections, whether according to the order; and if they, or the greatest part of them, find any election to be illegal, they may seclude such person for the present from their meeting, and return the same and their reasons to the court; and if it be true, the court may fine the party or parties, so intruding upon th town, if they see cause, and give out a warrant to go to a new election in a legal way, either in part or in the whole; also the said deputies shall have power to fine any one that is disorderly in their meetings, or for not coming in due time or place, according to appointment'; and they may return said fine into the court, if it be refused to be paid, and the treasurer is to take notice of it, and to estreate or levy the same as he doth other fines.

It is ordered, sentenced, and decreed, that every general court (except such as through neglect of the governor, and the greatest part of the magistrates, the freemen themselves do call) shall consist of the governor, or some one chosen to moderate the court, and four other magistrates at least, with the major part of the deputies, of the several towns, legally chosen; and in case the freemen or the major part of them, through neglect or refusal of the governor, and major part of the magistrates, shall call a court that shall consist of the major part of the freemen that are present, or their deputies, with a moderator chosen by them, in which said general court, shall consist the supreme power of the commonwealth, and they only shall have power to make laws, or repeal them, to grant levies, to admit freemen, and to dispose of lands undisposed of, to several towns or persons, and also shall have power to call other courts, or magistrate, or any other person whatsoever, into question, for any misdemeanor; and may for just cause displace or deal with otherwise, according to the nature of the offence; and

also may deal in any other matter that concerns this commonwealth, except election of magistrates, which shall be done by the whole body of the freemen; in which court the governor or moderator, shall have power to order the court to give liberty of speech; and silence unreasonable and disorderly speaking, to put all things to vote, and in case the vote be equal, to have a casting vote; but none of these courts shall be adjourned or dissolved, without the consent of the major part of the same.

XI. It is ordered, sentenced, and decreed, that when any general court have agreed upon the occasions of the commonwealth, upon any sum or sums of money, to be levied upon the several towns within this jurisdiction, that a committee be chosen to set out, and appoint what shall be the proportion of evey town to pay, of the said levy, provided the committee be made up of an equal number from each town. January, 14th 1638-9.

I have inserted this compact at large, to shew the simplicity of that form of government, that formed the basis of the colony of Connecticut, and which served as her political standard, through a period of nearly two centuries; a standard that gave to Connecticut more political peace, and enjoyment, than ever fell to the lot of any other body politic, in the whole family of man; out of this compact, have grown up with the rising colony, a system of habits, and morals, that have been as powerful in their effects in restraining vice, and promoting virtue, in suppressing discord, and promoting order, as the laws themselves; a set of morals and habits, which in Connecticut may fairly be denominated, the handmaids of the laws. These habits serve to shew with what reverence, the sons have cherished the virtues, and the virtuous institutions of their sires, as well as the blessings they have inherited as their rich reward. May the latest posterity, enjoy the same blessings from a continuation of the same habits

To enumerate the distressing incidents, that awaited the first settlers, forms no part of my plan; they would be uninteresting, and swell the work unnecessarily. The great outlines of events that marked the wisdom and goodness of that God, who planted this little church in the wilderness, and protected the pilgrims, shall be my only guide.

In 1636, the first court in Connecticut, was held at Wethersfield, and about the same time, the Pequots began their depredations upon the English settlements, which led to a war, that opened a field for exploring the country, as well as for conquest, and led also, to the settlement of the colony of New-Haven. This was effected by a company from Boston, with the Rev. Mr. Davenport at their head, a man of great piety and worth, accompanied by Messrs. Eaton and Hopkins, (two noted London merchants,) who settled the town of New-Haven,* 1638; where the first sermon was preached, under a large spreading oak, April 1638; which gave rise to the celebrated song of the Pilgrims, " Around the huge oak."

This settlement at New-Haven, formed an independent compact, very similar to that of Connecticut, and the two colonies remained independent, until their mutual union, in 1665, under the title of the Colony of Connecticut, in which Hartford and New-Haven became, alternately, the seat of government. The government of the Colony of New-Haven, was more immediately a Theocracy, than either of the other colonies of New-England; the church was at the head of the colony, and the learned and pious Mr. Davenport was at the head of the church. They held all things in common; all purchases were made in the name of the colony, and all lands apportioned by a regular distribution. None were admitted as freemen, but such as were church members; of course all the officers of the colony, both civil and military, were men of religion.

*Indian name Quinipiokę.

This fundamental principle of the colony, was confirmed by their first general court, held at New-Haven, October 1639. This court consisted of the governor,* lieutenantgovernor,, magistrates, and two representatives from each town, to be chosen annually. This general court was vested with both legislative and judicial powers, with the right of appeal, in all cases, to the supreme court, which was composed of all the magistrates of the colony, six of whom constituted a quorum.

Thus organized, this Theocracy took the word of God for the rule of their faith and practice, and his moral and judicial laws, for the basis of their civil code. The Antinomian absurdities, which were distracting the church in Massachusetts, when Messrs. Davenport, Eaton, and Hopkins, arrived there from England, led them to guard this colony, against similar evils, in the first foundation of their institutions; and the purity of the church which grew out of this, as well as the wisdom of their civil and judicial institutions, have proved lasting monuments of the wisdom and piety of their founders.

In 1644, the title of Lords Say and Seal, and Brook, was conveyed to the pilgrims of Connecticut by purchase, for 1000l. In 1647, the General Court of Connecticut, prohibited the use of tobacco, with severe penalties. In 1650, commissioners of the United Colonies of New-England and the Colony of New-York settled, by arbitration, their line of division and boundary. In 1653, Middletown was settled. In 1657, died Governor Eaton, greatly lamented in New-England. In 1660, Norwich was settled. In 1661, Connecticut Colony, by their agent, Maj. John Mason, extinguished by purchase, all the Indian claims to the whole colony; and in 1662, they obtained that charter of King Charles II. which constituted them a body politic, with the confirmation of their ancient grant

Theophilus Eaton, Esq. was their first governor.