mouth of the Hudson, at this time explored the country west of the Connecticut river, and formed two establishments, one at Branford, and the other at the mouth of the Little River at Hartford, which retains the name of Dutch Point to this day.

In 1633, a settlement was formed, and a fort built at the mouth of the Connecticut, by a small company from England, with Mr. Fenwick at their head, under the patronage of Lords Say and Seal, and Brook, and the place retains the name of Say-Brook to this day. This settlement, obtained a grant of the river Connecticut, by a treaty with the Pequots, which embraced the adjacent country indefinitely. These great preliminaries being settled, the way was opened for the settlement of the colony of Connecticut, 1634. In 1635, a little colony of about one hundred persons, from the towns of Dorchester, Newtown, and Cambridge, in Massachusetts, removed in a body, across this howling wilderness, with their families and effects; and in fourteen days they traversed the desart, which for the first time, became vocal with the praises of the true God; explored the banks of the Connecticut at Windsor, near the mouth of the Scantic; a part of the company passed over to the mouth of Windsor river, and here they planted down, in anxious expectation of their effects, and supplies for the approaching winter; which they had sent round by water. Here the scenes and distresses of the pilgrims. of Plymouth, were renewed; they were in the midst of numerous, fierce and savage tribes; divided from their friends by a pathless desart; their effects and supplies were all lost on their passage, and the blasts of a New-England winter, threatened them with inevitable ruin., . Here the motto of our fathers was most conspicuously displayed, “QUI TRANSTULIT sustinet," (He who transplanted sustains.) He who shielded the three worthies of Israel, in the fiery furnance,

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and Daniel in the lion's den, shielded this little flock from the tempestuous blasts of winter, the murderous savages, and fed them as with quails and manna from heavTheir suffering kept them near to God, and when spring returned, their hearts expanded with grateful emotions of gratitude and praise, to God their deliverer.

en.*

In October, 1636, a company from Watertown, settled at Wethersfield, and in 1637, a company from Newtown, (Massachusetts,) with their pious clergyman, the Rev. Mr. Hooker, at their head, took up their march with their little flocks, and herds; traversed the desert, as the Windsor company had done before, and settled at Hartford. These settlements laid the foundation of the colony of Connecticut, by a solemn compact, bearing date January 14, 1638. This compact was confirmed by King Charles H. 1662, and has continued to this day, the palladium of the civil and religious liberties of Connecticut. Would you learn the true worth of the characters of our fathers, look at the wisdom and virtue contained in this compact; a compact which for the correctness, and purity of its principles, stands unrivalled in the annals of man.. For the truth of this remark, read the compact, and witness its effects.

THE ORIGINAL CONSTITUTION OF CONNECTICUT, APRIL, 1639.

FORASMUCH as it hath pleased Almighty God, by the wise disposition of his divine providence, so to order and dispose of things, that we, the inhabitants and residents of Windsor, Hartford and Wethersfield, are now cohabiting, and dwelling in and upon the river of Connecticut, and the lands thereunto adjoining, and well knowing where a people are gathered together, the word of God

*They had neither bread nor meat; but fed on game when it could be obtained, and even acorns, and the bark of trees, and whatever nutriment they could procure.

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requireth, that to maintain the peace and union of such a people, there should be an orderly and decent government established, according to God, to order and dispose of the affairs of the people, at all seasons, as occasion shall require; do therefore associate, and conjoin ourselves to be as one public state, or commonwealth; and do for ourselves, our successors, and such as shall be adjoined unto us, at any time hereafter, enter into combination and confederation, together, to maintain and preserve the liberty, and purity of the gospel of our Lord Jesus, which we now profess, as also the discipline of the churches, which according to the truth of said gospel, is now practised among us; as also in our civil affairs to be guided, and gov erned according to such laws, rules, orders, and decrees, as shall be made, ordered, and decreed, as followeth :

I. It is ordered, sentenced, and decreed, that there shall be yearly two general assemblies, or courts; the one on the 2d Thursday of April, and the other on the 2d Thursday of September following. The first shall be called the Court of Election, wherein shall be chosen from time to time, so many magistrates and other public officers, as shall be found requisite; whereof one to be chosen governor for the year ensuing, and until another be chosen, and no other magistrate to be chosen for more than one year; provided always, there be six chosen, besides the governor; which being chosen and sworn according to an oath recorded for that purpose, shall have power to administer justice, according to the laws here established, and for want thereof, according to the rule of the word of God; which choice shall be made by all that are admitted freemen, and have taken the oath of fidelity, and do cohabit within this jurisdiction, having been admitted inhabitants by the major part of the town, where they live, or the major part as shall be then present.

II. It is ordered, sentenced, and decreed, that the elec tion of the aforesaid magistrates shall be on this manner; every person present, and qualified to vote shall bring in (to the persons deputed to receive them,) one single paper, with the name written on it whom he desires to have governor, and he that hath the greatest number of papers shall be governor for that year; and the rest of the magistrates and public officers, to be chosen in this manner; the secretary for the time being, shall read the names of all that are to be put to choice, and then shall severally nominate them destinctly, and every one that would have the person nominated to be chosen, shall bring in one single paper, written upon; and he that would not have him chosen shall bring in a blank, and every one that has more written papers than blanks, shall be a magistrate for that year, which papers shall be received, and told by one or more that shall be chosen by the court, and sworn to be faithful therein; but in case there shall not be six persons, as aforesaid, besides the governor, out of those which are nominated, then he or they which have the most written papers, shall be a magistrate, or magistrates for the year ensuing, to make up the aforesaid number.

III. It is ordered, sentenced, and decreed, that the se cretary shall not nominate any person new, nor shall any person be chosen newly into the magistracy, that was not propounded in some general court, before to be nominated at the next election; and to that end it shall be lawful for each of the towns aforesaid, by their deputies to nominate any two, whom they conceive fit to be put to election, and the court may add as many more, as they may judge requisite.

IV. It is ordered, sentenced, and decreed, that no person be chosen governor, above once in two years, and that the governor be always a member of some approved congregation, and formerly of the magistracy within this jurisdiction.

and all the magistrates, freemen of this commonwealth; and that no magistrate, or other public officer, shall execute any part of his or their office, before they are severally sworn, which shall be done in the face of the court, if they be present, and in case of absence, by some one deputed for that purpose.

V. It is ordered, sentenced, and decreed, that to the aforesaid Court of Executions, the several towns shall send their deputies, and when the elections are ended, they may proceed in any public services, as at other courts; also the other general court, in September, shall be for making laws, and any other public occasions, which concern the good of the commonwealth.

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VI. It is ordered, sentenced, and decreed, that the governor shall, either by himself, or by the secretary, send out summonses to the constables of every town, for the calling of those two standing courts, one month at least before their several terms; and also, if the governor and the greatest part of the magistrates see cause, upon any special occasion, to call a general court, they may give orders to the secretary so to do, within fourteen days warning; and if urgent necessity require, upon a shorter notice, giving sufficient grounds for it to the deputies, when they meet, or else be questioned for the ssme. And if the governor or the major part of the magistrates, shall either refuse or neglect, to call the two standing courts, or either of them, as also at other times when the occasions of the commonwealth may require, the freemen thereof, or the major part of them, may petition to them so to do, and then if it be either neglected or denied, the said freemen, or the major part of them, shall have power to give order to the constables of the several towns, to do the same, and so may meet together, and choose to themselves a moderator, and may proceed to do any act of power, which any other general courts may.