The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-01-02
ORGANIZED FOR BUSINESS
THE CONVENTIONAL LCONVENIION
 OPENED YESTERDAY
At tho Capitol in Hartford Elk -Chtef Justice Andrews Elected President by Reclamation --The First Contest De- "Confercncs of Members" Organized by MT. Clark of Hnddam.

| "COnfercnce Of Members" Organized
 by Mir Clark of Hmddam.
 l The constitutional convention con- corning which there has been so much
 talk in Connecticut during the last year
 opened at 12 o'clock yesterday in the
 hall of representatives at the capitol in
 Hartford, the convention being called
 to order by Charles G. R. Vinal, eecre- tary of state. One hundred and sixty
 vention were present, the absent dele
 gate being the member for Greenwich.
 After the reading of the roll call by
 Secretary Vinal Judge Hamersley of
 the supreme court administered the
 oath to the delegates and Lauren l..
 Nettleton of Killingworth, the oldest delegate, was chosen temporary chair man. Ex-Chief Justice Andrews of Litehf1eld was nominated for president of the convention by Donald T. War ner of Salisbury On motion of MT. Warner Judge Andrews was elected by exclamation.
 As Judge Andrews took the chair he was loudly applauded His opening ad- dress was as follows
 Gentlemen of the convention:
 Our meeting together has been ordered by the people of the state to consider their present constitution 1, l, a1,o ,I,a, A~ made in it and if SC what those changes shall be.
 "A constitution is that body of rules and maxfms iii accrodance with which the powers of sovereignty are habitual- ly exercised; and it's provisions are the rule of conduct for those branches of the government which administer the sovereign power.
 The American idea of a constitution is that it's rules are fundamental; that upon these the structure of the govern ment depends--and it is intended to be permanent. The powers of sovereignty cannot be readily changed. The Amer ican idea of a constitution has in 1t the 1 further element that it rests on the of the governed One of the lllbSI pIlilQSUPiliL uL HlSlOIldHS III l bringing together various of the pithy sayings into which the teachings of l history have been crystaHzed among others mentions this one: The doubt ! full precedents of one generation be- | come the fundamental maxims of a | soon succeeding one The history of | the people of the state of Connecticut furnishes most striking example of | the truth of this aphorism. It is less than BOO years since Thomas Hooker right here in Hartford said in respect to the choosing of magistrates that the of authority is in the con- sent of the people. It was a doubtful saying at the time But within a few 1t became an acknowledged with the American people that governments derive all their just pow ATS from the consent of the governed
 Those who heard Thomas Hooker put his precepts into immediate prao- ice, They established certain funda- mental orders for their own govern nent to which all those governed did actually give their consent. At that ime a constitution by that name was lot known. But those orders, in truth. were a constitution. They furnished he rules in accordance with which all he powers and functions of their gov- rnment were habitually exercised. The orders continued in full orce till the charter came. The eolon- sts never gave their consent to the harter in the sense that they had iven it to the fundamental orders. 'hey were however, wise in their gen. ration They administered their gov :,
 (Continued on Eighth Page)