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[The State of Rhode-Island and Providence plantations has not assumed a form of government different from that in the foregoing chapter. For in that, the king ceded to the Governor and Company, all powers, legislative, executive, and judicial, reserving to himself, as an acknowledgement of his sovereignty, a render of the fifth part of the gold and silver ore that should be found within the territory. The Governor, Chief Magistrates, and Legislators are chosen by the freemen as usual, and all judicial and executive officers are annually elected by the Governor and Company, or upper and lower House of Assembly. All processes, original and judicial, formerly issued in the King's name, but they now issue in the name of the Governor and Company. The oaths of allegiance and of office are made conformable to the principles of the Revolution. The Governor, in his legislative capacity, cannot give a negative to any act of the two Houses; but, in common with the other Magistrates, has one voice only.

The State is divided into five counties, in each of which there is a Court of Common Pleas and General Sessions of the Peace, held twice every year, for the trial of all causes not capital, that arise within their limits; from which an appeal lies to the Superior Court of Judicature, Court of Assize and General Jail Delivery, whose Jurisdiction extends over the whole State, and who also sit twice a year in each county. The Constitution admits not of religious establishments, any further than depends upon the voluntary choice of individuals. All men professing one Supreme Being, are equally protected by the laws, and no particular sect can claim pre-eminense.]

CON

CONNECTICUT,

Account of the Conftitution of Connecticut..... YONNECTICUT is divided into fix counties, and each county is divided into a number of towns.Each town has a right to fend two Reprefentatives to the General Court of Affembly. The General Court confifts of two branches, called the Upper and Lower Houfe. The Upper Houfe is compofed of the Governor, Dep.Governor, and 12 Affiftants o: Counsellors; and the L.Houfe, of theReprefentatives of the feveral towns.This Court has the fole power to make and repeal laws, grant levies, difpofe of lands, belonging to the State, to particular towns and perfons; to erect and ftile judicatories and officers, as they shall fee neceflary for the good government of the People; alfo to call to account any Court, Magiftrate, or other Officer, for any mifdemeanor or mal adminiftration; and for juft caufe may fine, difplace, or remove them, or deal otherwife, as the nature of the cafe shall require; and deal or act in any other matter that concerns the good of the State, except the election of Governor, Deputy-Governor, Affiftants, Treasurer, and Secretary, which shall be done by the freemen, at the yearly Court of Election, unless there be any vacancy, by reason of death or other wife, after the election, which may be filled up by the General Court. This Court has power alfo, for reafons fatisfactory to them, to grant fufpenfion, releafe, and jail delivery upon reprieve, in capital and criminal cafes. The General Court has two flated feffions annually, on the fecond Thurfday of May and October.

The Governor, or in his abfence, the Deputy-Governor, may call the Affembly, on special emergencies, to meet at any other time. The Governor, DeputyGovernor, Affiftants and Secretary, are annually elected on the fecond Thurday in May. The Reprefentatives are newly chofen for each stated feffion.

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Judges and Juftices are annually appointed by the Gen eral Court; the fame perfons are commonly re-appointed, from time to time, during their capacity to ferves unle's guilty of mifbehaviour. The Sheriffs are appointed by the Governor and Council, without limitation of time; but may be fuperfeded by the authority that ap points them. The Governor, for the time being, is Captain-General of the inilitia; the Deputy-Governor, Lieutenant-General; the other general officers, and the field officers, are appointed by the General Court, and commiffioned by the Governor. The captains and fubalterns are chofen by the vote of the company and houtholders living within the limits of the company; the perfons, fo chofen, must be approved by the General Court, and commiffioned by the Governor, before they have power to execute their offices. All the mil. itary officers hold their offices during the pleasure of the Alfembly nor can they refign their commiffions, without leave of the Captain-General, under penalty of doing duty in the ranks, as private foldiers. The mode of electing the Governor, Deputy-Governor, Afliftants, Treasurer, and Secretary, is, that the freemen, in the feveral towns, meet on the Monday next after the first Tuefday in April, annually (being the day appointed by law for that purpofe, and chooting Reprefentatives) and give in their votes for the perfons they choose for faid offices refpectively, with their names written on a piece of paper, which votes are received and fealed up by a conftable, in the freemen's meeting-the votes for each of faid offices, in a different paper-writing on the outfide the name of the town, and the office, for which the votes are given in; which are fent by the Reprefentatives, to the General Court, to be held on the fecond Thurfday of May next enfüing, at which time, after the Houfe of Reprefentatives have chofen a Speaker and Clerk, a Committee is chofen of Members of both Houfes, to fort and count the votes, and declare the names of the perfons chofen to faid offices. Any freeman, qualified to vote for Representatives, &c. may be elected to any office in the government. In choofing Affiftants, twenty perfons are nominated by

the

the votes of the freemen, given in at their meeting for chooling Reprefentatives in September annually, and fealed up and fent to the General Court in October then next; which are counted by a committee of both Houles, and the twenty perfons, who have the greatest number of votes, ftand in nomination, out of which number, twelve are to be chofen affistants, by the freemen, the next April, in manner a fore defcribed.

The qualifications requifite to entitle a perfon to vote in elections of the officers of government, are maturity in years, quiet and peaceable behaviour, a civil converfation, and forty fhillings freehold, or forty pounds perfonal eftate; if the Selectmen of the town certify a perfon qualified in thofe refpects, he is admitted a freeman, on his taking an cath of fidelity to the State.

The names of all that are thus admitted, are enrolled in the Town Clerk's office, and continue freemen during life, unlefs disfranchifed by a sentence of the Superior Court, on conviction of a mildemeauor.

The Governor, or, in his abfence, the Deputy-Governor, in the Upper Houfe-and the Speaker in the Lower House of Affembly-have a cafting voice, when the Members of the refpective Houfes, including the Governor and Speaker, are equally divided in opinion on any queftion.

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There is, in this State, a Superior Court, confifting one Chief Judge, and four other Judges, who have authority in all criminal cafes, extending to life, limb, and banishment, and to hear and determine all civil actions, brought by appeal from the county Courts, or on writs of error. This Court alfo hath authority in all matters of divorce. There are two flated feffions of the Superior Court, in each county annually.

There are alfo County Courts held in the feveral counties, confifting of one Judge and four Juftices of the quorum, who have jurifdiction in all criminal cafes, arifing within their respective counties, where the punishment does not extend to life, limb, or banifhment.The County Courts alfo, have original jurifdiction in all civil actions, wherein the demand exceeds forty fhillings.

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The Superior and County Courts try matters of fact, by a jury, according to the courfe of common law.

Juftices of the Peace have authority to hear and determine civil actions, where the demand does not exceed forty fhillings. They alfo have authority, in fome cafes of a criminal nature, punishable by fine not exceeding forty fhillings, or whipping not exceeding ten stripes, or fitting in the flocks.

This State is also divided into a number of probate diftricts, less than counties; in each of which is appointed a Judge for the probate of wills, granting adminiftration on inteftate eftates, appointing guardians for minors, ordering diftribution of inteftare estates, &c. An appeal lies, from any decree of this Court,

to the Superior Court.

The Superior, County, and Probate Courts appoint their respective Clerks.

The General Court has, till very lately, been the only Court of Chancery in this State. But by a late law, the County Courts determine matters of equity, from five pounds to two hundred value; the Superior Court from two hundred to eight hundred pounds value; and the General Affembly, all cafes exceeding the last mentioned fum.

All attornies at law are admitted and fworn by the County Courts; there is no Attorney General, but there used to be one King's Attorney in each County; but fince the King has abdicated the Government, they are now attornies to the Governor and Company.

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