The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-01-14
THE FIRST CONSTITUTION

N years ago today there important meeting in Hartford Important to those who took part in it. important in the influence it's acts have had the institutions and of the States and the United States Con- !! stution well.
 The meeting up "free planters" of the Colony Connecticut eldest daughter of the old of Massachusetts," and consisting Hartford Windsor, Wethersfed result of their Alterations that fine old document beginning with the phrase Forasmuch as hath pleased Almighty God" Fundemental Orders of Connecticut the seed from which sprang the modern American wea evidence of government of the people, by the people, for the people,"
 Properly speaking says Fiske constitution is document which defines the character and powers of the to which it's willing entrs them selves Historians that this document which resulted the deliberations of that group that January day in Hartford the first known history which swered this description It created government and marked he beginnings of American Democracy which, according to Fske Thomas Hooker deserves than other man to be called the father The of the United States today nea descent nearly related to that of Con- nectcu than that of of the other thirteen colonies
 Thomas Hooker had reached Hartford to be its pastor in 4ese journey wilderness Winthrop which the latter had defended the restriction of suffrage the ground that e best always the least that best part the wiser part always the lesser he wrote Fin matters which concern the common good general chosen by a to transact business which
 conceive most suitable to rule and most safe for the relief of the whoe; ca lucid statement the threshold of American history of the strongly contrasting views which bndred and fifty years later were to be represented on na tional scale by Hamilton and Jefferson"
 Seven months before the January meeting at which the Constitution adopted which be discerned Rockers hand this great preacher had delivered in which he had argued that he foundation of authority is laid in the free 
 belongs unto the people by Gods allowance that they appoint officers and magistrates have the right to the bounds and Limitations of the and place unto which they call them."
 three outstanding features in the Constitution of 1639-It federation of independent towns, and "a attributes sovereignty not expressly granted to the General Court remained, of original right in the townst tans mention of British other government outside of Connecicut prescribed condition of church member ship for the right of suffrage It was almost complete man \ hood suffrage.
 Connecticut federation of independent towns but this at the radical departure democracy the State today with the anomaly of allowing any with thousand population the representa- the Legislature New Haven with it's hundred and sxty-two thousand town like Warren with its population fy half the representation of Bridge port with its hundred and fory-three thousand. In it's Constitution of Connecticut accomplished at once manhood suffrage and this all the more noteworthy Massachusetts and New Hamp
 cations required New Haven than half the settlers dsfranchsed because they not church members s%
 But Connecticus suffrage only lasted couple decades franchise for the first time limited to property qualification and democratic suffrage back to Connecticut until other states had forged s, ahead and set the example,
 According to Prof. Seymour outbreak of single colony which did qure the ownership of property for the privilege of voting In ten after the Revolution New Hampshire and
 abolished their property qualification and subs td taxpaying into the Union with her old Constitution i777 which the most liberal all in country and Prof Porter says the only state where full manhood suffrage prevailed.
 The struggle suffrage after the Revolution passed to inc valleys Ohio Mississippi and though the bal ance the conservative elements in the eastern towns inc the victory of frontier democracy Turner tells population the offered these attractive examples of democratic
 onstituon Connecticut gave the franchise axpay CTS or of the militia, but it 1S45
 franchise was agaln made as broad as ID the Gonstuon A639