Connecticut as a corporate colony

Introduction

Continuity of the history of Connecticut 1

English colonization the result of private initiative 2

The proprietary and corporate types of colonial agencies. . . 2

The royal type a later development 3

Characteristics of the proprietary and royal types; the

democratic and prerogative elements 3

Characteristics of the corporate type ; purely democratic . . 4

Grouping of colonial types 5

The three corporate colonies ; their essential identity in form 5 The founders of Connecticut created a de-facto corporate

colony by conscious imitation of Massachusetts 6

The royal charter confirmed an existing government 6

Plan of work ; first to consider Connecticut as a type of the

corporate colony, and second to consider Connecticut in

its relations to the home government 6

Chapter I. Organs Of Legislation And Administration

The General Court 7

Organization 7

The Massachusetts commission 7

The ''Corte" before 1639 7

The Court as organized by the Fundamental Orders 8

Special manner of organization 9

Changes made by the charter 11

Separation of the two houses 12

Meetings alternate between Hartford and New

Haven 13

Powers 13

Powers of the Massachusetts commission 13

Powers of the General Court before 1639 14

Erroneous idea of the independence of the towns. . 14

Powers granted by the Fundamental Orders 14

iii

IV CONTENTS.

The broad extent of these powers 15

The General Court the "supreme power of the

Commonwealth" 15

No Bill of Rights 15

Varied character of legislation 16

Much special legislation 16

Powers of the General Court in administration. . . 16 The General Court retains control of nearly all

branches of administration 17

Quarrel between the two houses over the power of

appointment 18

The royal charter made no material change in the

powers of the General Court 20

The charter not fundamental 20

Powers of the General Court not changed during

the eighteenth century 21

Governor 21

No distinct executive authority before 1639 21

Office of governor provided in the Fundamental

Orders 21

Qualifications 22

Powers 22

Summoned the General Court, but could not

adjourn or dissolve it 22

Presided over the meetings of the General

Court 22

Had no veto power 22

Had few administrative powers 23

Powers as provided by the charter 23

The governor's message 23

The governor's influence in the government

depended upon his personality 24

Council 24

The "particular court" 24

The council first provided by the charter 24

Frequent restatement of the council 25

Fear of a "standing" council 26

Powers of the council 26

Control of the council by the General Court 27

CONTENTS. V

Absence of council records during the eighteenth

century 27

Chapter II. Finance And Currency

Scope of the chapter 28

Sources op revenue 28

Direct taxes 29

Land tax 29

Land assessed according to probable revenue 29

Classification of land 29

General property tax 29

Poll tax 30

Income or faculty tax 30

Crude manner of levying the income tax 31

Exemptions from taxation 31

Indirect taxes 32

Excises 32

Customs duties 32

A primitive protective tariff 33

Tonnage duties 34

Collection of revenue 35

The treasurer 35

The constable 35

Early manner of levying taxes 35

Inequalities of the system 35

The Grand List 36

"Fourfold" assessments 36

The listers and inspectors of lists 36

Excise and customs officers 37

Expenses 37

Provisions for defence 37

Salaries and pensions of soldiers 38

Military supplies 38

Forts and fortifications 38

Coast defence vessels 39

Large military expenses due to the intercolonial wars -. 39

VI CONTENTS.

Salaries of officials 39

Small and irregular 39

Fear of stated salaries 40

Fees more important than salaries 40

Extra compensation and pensions 41

Expenses of colonial agents 41

Provisions for education 41

Provisions for the protection of the natives 42

Appropriations 42

Special appropriations for each expense 42

Controlled by the General Court 42

Auditing committees 42

Lack of a medium of exchange 42

Use of wampum 42

Use of commodities 43

Foreign coins 44

Pine tree currency 44

Variety of currencies in use 44

Act of Parliament regulating foreign coins 45

"Proclamation" money 46

Paper currency 46

First appearance in New England 46

First appearance in Connecticut 46

Frequent emissions 48

Efforts to encourage the circulation of the bills. ... 48

Counterfeiting and mutilation of the bills 49

Made legal tender 50

The New London Society emits bills of credit 51

Action of the colonial authorities in regard to them 51

A Connecticut land bank 52

"New Tenor" bills 53

Great depreciation of bills 55

Sinking of the paper currency 56

Issuance of interest-bearing notes 57

A further resort to fiat currency 58

CONTENTS. Vll

Chapter III. Land System

CO

Title to land •'^

Title based upon possession and purchase from the

CO

natives ^^

Restriction of the right to purchase from the Indians. . 59

Title confirmed by the royal charter 60

Colonial grants "-^

The power to grant lands before 1639 61

The power granted to the General Court by the Fundamental Orders 61

Two kinds of grants (a) to individuals, (&) to groups

of individuals 61

Individual grants more common in the seventeenth century ^^

Grants to groups of individuals more important 61

Purpose of such grants 61

Activity of the General Court in settling new towns. . . 62 The relation of the General Court to the administration of the public domain the same as in the other corporate colonies 62

Town and proprietary grants 63

Variety of treatment in the different towns 63

In the older towns the land was regulated in the town

meeting "4

Distinction between proprietors and other inhabitants

toward the end of the seventeenth century 65

Contests between the commoners and non-commoners in

the different towns ^^

Attitude of the General Court 66

Consideration of the New London petitions 67

Victory for the proprietors 68

Organization of the proprietors 68

Administration of land in the towns of the eighteenth

century 69

Division and sale of the "Western Lands" 70

Appearance of land speculators and absentee proprietors 72

Division of land *^

Character of land '^^

Vlll CONTENTS.

Laying out of the town plot and the assignment of

home lots 75

Basis of division in the older towns 75

Individual grants 76

Common fields, fences and herds 77

Town commons 77

Restrictions upon alienation of land 78

Basis of division of land in the later towns 79

Common fields and herds less frequent in the later

towns 79