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CONSTITUTION
Connecticut
1776
Instead
of drafting a new Constitution in 1776 like 11 of the
original states, Connecticut chose to continue under
the old Royal Charter with such legislative amendments
as seemed necessary from time to time. This made it
much easier for the Congregational Church to continue
as the established church of the state. Regardless of
the apparent lack of preference for one religion or
sect in the Charter, Connecticut was very much dominated
by the Congregational Church. Although religious persecution
had generally disappeared by the time of the Revolutionary
War, many still felt that the ecclesiastical laws of
the church and the colony denied liberty of conscience.
In fact, the Congregational Church continued as a dominant
power in state politics for nearly a generation after
the declaration of our nation's independence.
RJ&L
Religious Institutions Group
An
Act containing an Abstract and Declaration of the Rights
and Privileges of the People of
this
State, and security the same.
The
People of this State, being by the Providence of God, free
and independent, have the sole and exclusive Right of governing
themselves as a free, sovereign, and independent State;
and having from their Ancestors derived a free and excellent
Constitution of Government whereby the Legislature depends
on the free and annual Election of the People, they have
the best Security for the Preservation of their civil and
religious Rights and Liberties. And forasmuch as the free
Fruition of such Liberties and Privileges as Humanity, Civility
and Christianity call for, as is due to every Man in his
Place and Proportion, without Impeachment and infringement,
hath ever been, and will be the Tranquility and Stability
of Churches and Commonwealths; and the Denial thereof, the
Disturbance, if not the Ruin of both.
Paragraph
1. Be it enacted and declared by the Governor, and Council,
and House of Representatives, in General Court assembled,
That the ancient Form of civil Government, contained in
the Charter from Charles the Second, King of England, and
adopted by the People of this State, shall be and remain
the civil Constitution of this State, under the sole authority
of the People thereof, independent of any King or Prince
whatever. And that this Republic is, and shall forever be
and remain a free, sovereign and independent State, by the
Name of the STATE of CONNECTICUT.
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* * *
Source:
the federal and state constitutions, colonial charters,
and other organic laws of the united states 257-58 (Ben:
Perley Poore, 1878).
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