Norwich bulletin., 1913-06-06

l was sileneed fer nen HfeEnaity, and although forty y-seven cenfermlst ! preachers vouehed felf his seundness of doctrine, he was ferced te flee to
 Holland, and three years later to America He sought that which he I most desired self government His
 English congregation had preceded l him to America and settled at New town (CambFidge1, near Boston. Upon l MT Rockers arrival he, at their re- lquest, again became their spiritual i leader.
 l In Massachusetts precisely the same l conditions existed that had driven him 1 to Holland and later to the new world, so now he decided to found a cemmu- nity where all the people might rule, or, in other words, to found govern ment sof the people. by the people, and for the people"
 The general court was at first leath to allow the emigration, fearing lest 1 1t should weaken the Massachusetts Bay colony and incite the hostile Dutch against the en1lgrants. But after a winter of serious debating the
 general court reluctantly gave it's con- sent on condition that the emigTants still remained under the legal author ity of .Massa chusetts.
 In the early part Of June. 1856. company of one hundred men, women
 and children; driving 160 head of cat- tie before them, made the arduous but
 picturesque journey of one hundred
 miles through forests, over hills and through underbrIsh to their new home. The company was led by that
 born leader of men, Thomas Hooker, aided by his friends, Samuel Stone, Roger Ludlow, the lawyer and states
 man, and John Haynes, who became the first governor of Connecticut. The emigrants were willing to deny them selves many luxuries that they might
 s<taIf government and religious freedom. It has beautifully been said of the emil grants that God sifted a whole nation that He might send choice grains into the wilderness.
 The towns of Wethersfield and Windsor had been settled not long De- fore and these, with Hartford, consu-
 tuted the Connecticut colony. The colonists were thrifty and of the bet ter class of English yeomanry. Find ing themselves beyond the limits or the the charter granted by the Flynn outh company to Massachusetts, the settlers established a government of tnefr own The representatives to the first general court of Connecticut met at Newtown (Hartford), in April, 1887. An act was passed pronlDlLng the sale of firearms to the Indians.
 The memorable meeting of the gen. eral court held in April, 1888, was opened Dy d S0TulOA p1SdG14C0 " eA~7 tor Hooker The text was Deut. I: 13. His doctrine was '.the choice of public magistrates belongs unto the people by Gods own allowance. As God hath given us liberty, let us take it." The fundamental orders known as the constitution were adopted at this meeting and went into effect Tn January. 1639 It is not known whose pen drew up the remarkable document, but undoubtedly its writing was ln- spfred by that great legislator and democrat, Thomas Hooker. It was probably drafted by the lawyer, Roger Ludlow, This was the first written constitution in the history of the world adopted by the suffrage of the people. It was the first upon which government was based and formed the basis of the constitution of the United States. adopted in 17S7 John F'iske writes: "It was the first written con- stftution known to history that ere ated a government, and it marked the beginning of American democracy. No mention of allegiance to the English king nor of the company which held a patent on the land was made. It was the triumph of liberty over big otry.
 Well may we be proud of that con- stitution and of the legislators who adopted it. men who dared stand by their principles at the risk of persecu- tion. Deep is the debt of gratitude we owe to Thomas Hooker, to whom no higher title of honor can be given than that already assigned to him-the First American Democrat.