The Pennsylvania evening post — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-07-27 00:00:00, page 1

A succinct Account of the Constitution of
the free and independent State of CON
NECTICUT.
CONNECTICUT is divided into fix counties,
and each county is divided into a number of towns.
Each towß has a right to fend two Representatives
to the General Court or Assembly. The General
Court consists of two branches called the Upper and Lower
House. The Upper House is composed of the Governor,
Deputy-Governor, and twelve Assistants or Counfellors, and
the Lower House of the Representatives of the several towns.
This Court has sole power to make and repeal laws, grant
levies, dispose of lands, belonging to the Rate, to particular
towns and persons ; to ered and Rile judicatories, and offi
cers as they shall fee necessary for the good government of the
people, and also call to account any Court, Magistrate or
other officer, for any misdemeanor or maladministration,
and for just cause may fine, displace or remove them, or deal
otherwise as the nature of the case shall require; and deal and
a& id any other matter that concerns the good of the state,
except the ele&ion of Governor, Deputy-Governor, Assistants,
Treasurer, and Secretary, which shall be done by the free
men at the yearly court of election, unless there be any va
cancy by reason of death or otherwise after the election, which
may be filled up by the General Court. This Court has
poweralfo for reasons fatisfadory to them, to grant suspension,
release, and jail delivery upon reprieve in capital and crimi
ral cases. The General Court has two Stated sessions annu
ally, on the second Thursdays of May and October. The Go
vernor, or in his absence the Deputy-Governor, may call the
Assembly, on Special emergencies, to meet at any other time.
The Governor, Deputy-Governor, Assistants, and Secretary
are annually eleded on the second Thursday in May. The
Representatives are newly chosen for each Rated session. The
Judges and Justices are annually appointed by the General
Court; the fame persons are commonly reappointed from time
to time during their capacity to serve, unless guilty of mis
behavior. The Sheriffs are appointed by the Governor and
Council, without limitation of time, but may be superseded
by the authority that appoints them. The Governor for the
time being is Captain-General of the militia ; the Deputy-
Governor, Lieutenant-General, the other general officers and
the field officers are appointed by the General Court, and com
missioned by the Governor. The Captains and subalterns are
chofen.by-vote of the company and householders living with
in the limits of the company^ the persons so chosen must be
approved by the General Court, and commissioned by the Go
vernor, before they have power to execute their offices. All
the military officers hold their offices during the pleasure of
the Assembly, 'nor can they resign their commissions without
leave of the Captain-General, under penalty of doing duty in
the ranks as private soldiers.
The mode of electing the Governor, Deputy-Governor,
Assistants, Treasurer and Secretary is, thatthe freemen in the
ftvetal towns meet on the Monday next after the firft Tues
day in April annually (being the day appointed by law for
The PENNSYLVANIA EVENING POST,
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SATURDAY, JULY 27, 1776.
371
that purpose, and for choosing Representatives) and give in
their votes for the persons they choose for said offices respec
tively, with their names written on a piece of paper, which
votes are received and sealed up by a constable in the free
men's meeting, the votes for each of said officers in a different
paper, writing on the outside the name of the town, and the
office for which the votes were given in, which are sent by the
Representatives to the General Court, to be held on the se
cond Thursday of May next ensuing ; at which time, after the
the House of Representatives have chosen a Speaker and Clerk,
a committee is chosen of Members of both Houses to fort and
count the vot^s, and declare the names of the persons chosen
to said offices. Any freeman qualified to vote for 'Reprefen
tatives, &c. may be elected to any office in the government.
In choosing Assistants twenty persons are nominated by the
votes of the freemen given in at their meeting for 'choofing
Representatives in September annually, and sealed up ana
sent to the General Court in October then next, which are
counted by a Committee of both Houses, and the twenty
persons who have the greatest number of votes Stand in nomi
nation, out of which number twelve are to be chosen Assist
ants by the freemen, the next April, in manner afore described.
The qualifications requisite to entitle a person to vote in
ele&ion of the officers of government are, maturity in years,
quiet and peaceable behavior, a civil conversation, and forty
Shillings freehold, or forty pounds personal estate, in the lift
of rateable estate, if the Selectmen of the town certify a per
son qualified in those refpeds, he is admitted a freeman, on
his taking an oath of fidelity to the date. The names of all,
that are thus admitted, are inrolled in the town-clerk's office,
and continue freemen during life, unless disfranchifed by
a Sentence of the Superior Court on conviction of misdemea
nor.
The Governor in the Upper House, and the Speakerin the
Lower House of Assembly, have a calling voice when the
other members are equally divided in opinion on any ques
tion.
There is in this State a Superior Court confiding of one
Chief Judge and four other Judges, which has authority in all
criminal cases 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 also
hath authority in all matters of divorce. There are two
stated sessions of the Superior Court in each county annually.
There are also County Courts-held in the several counties,
confiding of one judge and four Justices of the quorum, who
have jurifdiaion in all criminal causes arising within their
refpedive counties, where rhe punishment does not extend
to life, limb, or banishment. The County Courts also have
original jurifdiaion in all civil adions wherein the demand
exceeds forty drillings.
The Superiorand County Courts try matters of fad by a
jury, according to the course of the common law.
Justices of the Peace have authority to hear, and determine,
civil aaions where the demand does not exceed forty drillings.
They ^lfo have authority in feme cases of a criminal nature,
.punishable by fine not exceeding forty Killings, or whipping
[Num. 237.