I.— THE FINANCIAL HISTORY OF CONNECTICUT. 



FIRST PERIOD. 1789-1818. PROLONGATION OF COLONIAL PERIOD. 



A. Introduction. 



Connecticut as a state had no constitution until 1818. The govern- 

 ment was not interrupted by the overthrow of Great Britain's domin- 

 ion. In 1662 King Charles II had granted the colony a charter wh'ch 

 "confirmed to the colonists the right to govern themselves which 

 they had assumed from the beginning" and which made Connecticut 

 "independent except in name."^ The colonists instituted a very 

 democratic form of government and made their own laws. The Revo- 

 lution naturally abrogated this charter but the general assembly, the 

 legislative body of the state, voted to continue it as the supreme law 

 of the state. In 1789, therefore, the same general governmental 

 machinery and code of laws existed as had already been in force for 

 many years. 



B. FiNANCLAL Organs of State Gcwernment. 



The general assembly was the legislative body and was composed of 

 " assistants" and " deputies." The assistants were twelve in number^ 

 and were elected at large by the people of the entire 

 Assembly state. The deputies were elected by the people of the 

 towns which they represented. Every town had at least 

 one deputy and some towns had two.'^ The general assembly held two 

 sessions annually, one in May and one in October. It made the laws 

 of the state, voted appropriations and provided for meeting the 

 expenditures of the state. Thus it had the right of taxation and the 

 determination of the rate of taxation. 



The chief executive of the state was the governor, who, however, 

 did not have the veto power. The two most important officials in the 

 Governor actual handhng of the money were the treasurer and the 

 Treasurer comptroller of the pubhc accounts. The treasurer's 

 Comptroller ^^^y ^^^ ^^ receive all money belonging to the state 

 and to pay it out as directed by law. The office of comptroller was 

 created as a result of the Revolutionary War. During this war it was 



1 Bancroft, Hist, of the U. S., vol. i, part 2, chap. 3, p. 358. 



2 Conn. Laws (Revision of 1784), p. 27. 

 ^ Conn. Laws (Revision of 1784), p. 28. 



