NEW ENGLAND GAZETTEER.

The territory of Connecticut was formerly two colonies—Connecticut
and JVew Haven. The colony of Connecticut was planted by citizens
of Massachusetts, at Windsor, in 1633, and at Hartford and Wethersfield,
in 1635 and 1636. The colony of New Haven was settled by English-
men, in 1638. In 1665, the two colonies were united hy a charter
granted by Charles the Second. This charter was the basis of the gov-
ernment till 1818, when the present constitution was formed.

The executive power of this State is vested in a Governor, and a Lieu-
tenant-Governor, who is also President of the Senate.

The legislative power is vested in a Senate and a House of Represen-
tatives, which together are called The General Assembly. The Senate
consists of not less than IS and not more than 24 members. Most of the
towns may ,choose two Representatives; the others one each. All the
above are elected annually by the people on the first Monday of April.
The General Assembly has one stated session in each year, commencing
on the first Wednesday in May. These sessions are held alternately, in
the years of even numbers at New Haven, and in the years of odd num-
bers at Hartford.

The electors are all the white male citizens, of twenty-one years of
age, who have resided in the town in which they vote six months next
preceding, and have a freehold estate of the value of seven dollars; or
who have performed regular military duty in said town for one year next
previous to the voting; or who shall have paid a tax within a year of his
voting. Those entitled to be electors, before voting must be qualified by
taking the oath prescribed by law.

No person is obliged to join any religious society; but having joined
one he is liable by law to pay his proportion of the charges for its sup-
port. He may separate himself from such society hy leaving with tho
clerk thereof notice of his determination to close his connextion with
them.

The judicial department of the government embraces the Supreme
Court of Errors, the Superior Court, a County Court in each county, a
City Court in each city, a Court of Probate in each prohate district, and
as in other states in New England, an indefinite number of Justices of
the Peace in each county.

The Supreme Court of Errors consists of five Judges, who are ap-
pointed by the General Assembly, and hold their offices during good
behavior, hut not after seventy years of age. They are subject to re-
moval by impeachment, and by the Governor, on the address of two thirds
of the members of each House of the General Assembly. This court
has final and exclusive jurisdiction of writs of error, brought to revise
the judgment on decrees of the Superior Court, in law or equity, wherein