Civil Government in the United States Considered with Some Reference to Its Origins · Chapter 20Appendix E
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1638(9).
The first written constitution that created a government.
Forasmuch as it hath pleased the Allmighty God by the wise disposition of his diuyne pruidence so to Order and dispose of things that we the Inhabitants and Residents of Windsor, Harteford and Wethersfield are now cohabiting and dwelling in and vppon the River of Conectecotte and the Lands thereunto adioyneing; And well knowing where a people are gathered togather the word of God requires that to mayntayne the peace and vnion of such a people there should be an orderly and decent Gouerment established according to God, to order and dispose of the affayres of the people at all seasons as occation shall require; doe therefore assotiate and conioyne our selues to be as one Publike State or Comonwelth; and doe, for our selues and our Successors and such as shall be adioyned to vs att any tyme hereafter, enter into Combination and Confederation togather, to mayntayne and p'rsearue the liberty and purity of the gospell of our Lord Jesus w'ch we now p'rfesse, as also the disciplyne of the Churches, w'ch according to the truth of the said gospell is now practised amongst vs; As also in o'r Ciuell Affaires to be guided and gouerned according to such Lawes, Rules, Orders and decrees as shall be made, ordered & decreed, as followeth:—
1. It is Ordered, sentenced and decreed, that there shall be yerely two generall Assemblies or Courts, the one the second thursday in Aprill, the other the second thursday in September, following; the first shall be called the Courte of Election, wherein shall be yerely Chosen from tyme to tyme soe many Magestrats and other publike Officers as shall be found requisitte: Whereof one to be chosen Gouernour for the yeare ensueing and vntill another be chosen, and noe other Magestrate to be chosen for more than one yeare; p'ruided allwayes there be sixe chosen besids the Gouernour; w'ch being chosen and sworne according to an Oath recorded for that purpose shall haue power to administer iustice according to the Lawes here established, and for want thereof according to the rule of the word of God; w'ch choise shall be made by all that are admitted freemen and haue taken the Oath of Fidellity, and doe cohabitte w'thin this Jurisdiction, (hauing beene admitted Inhabitants by the maior p'rt of the Towne wherein they liue,) or the mayor p'rte of such as shall be then p'rsent.
2. It is Ordered, sentensed and decreed, that the Election of the aforesaid Magestrats shall be on this manner: euery p'rson p'rsent and quallified for choyse shall bring in (to the p'rsons deputed to receaue them) one single pap'r w'th the name of him written in yet whom he desires to haue Gouernour, and he that hath the greatest number of papers shall be Gouernor for that yeare. And the rest of the Magestrats or publike Officers to be chosen in this manner: The Secretary for the tyme being shall first read the names of all that are to be put to choise and then shall seuerally nominate them distinctly, and euery one that would hane the p'rson nominated to be chosen shall bring in one single paper written vppon, and he that would not haue him chosen shall bring in a blanke: and euery one that hath more written papers then blanks shall be a Magistrat for that yeare; w'ch papers shall be receaued and told by one or more that shall be then chosen by the court and sworne to be faythfull therein; but in case there should not be sixe chosen as aforesaid, besids the Gouernor, out of those w'ch are nominated, then he or they w'ch haue the most written pap'rs shall be a Magestrate or Magestrats for the ensueing yeare, to make vp the foresaid number.
3. It is Ordered, sentenced and decreed, that the Secretary shall not nominate any p'rson, nor shall any p'rson be chosen newly into the Magestracy w'ch was not p'rpownded in some Generall Courte before, to be nominated the next Election; and to that end yt shall be lawfull for ech of the Townes aforesaid by their deputyes to nominate any two whom they conceaue fitte to be put to election; and the Courte may ad so many more as they iudge requisitt.
4. It is Ordered, sentenced and decreed that noe p'rson be chosen
Gouernor aboue once in two yeares, and that the Gouernor be always a member of some approved congregation, and formerly of the Magestracy w'th this Jurisdiction; and all the Magestrats Freemen of this Comonwelth: and that no Magestrate or other publike officer shall execute any p'rte of his or their Office before they are seuerally sworne, w'ch shall be done in the face of the Courte if they be p'rsent, and in case of absence by some deputed for that purpose.
5. It is Ordered, sentenced and decreed, that to the aforesaid Conrte of Election the seu'rall Townes shall send their deputyes, and when the Elections are ended they may p'rceed in any publike searuice as at other Courts. Also the other Generall Courte in September shall be for makeing of lawes, and any other publike occation, w'ch conserns the good of the Comonwelth.
6. It is Ordered, sentenced and decreed, that the Gou'rnor shall, ether by himselfe or by the secretary, send out sumons to the Constables of eu'r Towne for the cauleing of these two standing Courts, on month at lest before their seu'rall tymes: And also if the Gou'rnor and the gretest p'rte of the Magestrats see cause vppon any spetiall occation to call a generall Courte, they may giue order to the secretary soe to doe w'thin fowerteene dayes warneing; and if vrgent necessity so require, vppon a shorter notice, giueing sufficient grownds for yt to the deputyes when they meete, or els be questioned for the same; And if the Gou'rnor and Mayor p'rte of Magestrats shall ether neglect or refuse to call the two Generall standing Courts or ether of them, as also at other tymes when the occations of the Comonwelth require, the Freemen thereof, or the Mayor p'rte of them, shall petition to them soe to doe: if then yt be ether denyed or neglected the said Freemen or the Mayor p'rte of them shall haue power to giue order to the Constables of the seuerall Townes to doe the same, and so may meete togather, and ehuse to themselues a Moderator, and may p'rceed to do any Acte of power, w'ch any other Generall Courte may.
7. It is Ordered, sentenced and decreed that after there are warrants giuen out for any of the said Generall Courts, the Constable or Constables of ech Towne shall forthw'th give notice distinctly to the inhabitants of the same, in some Publike Assembly or by goeing or sending from howse to howse, that at a place and tyme by him or them lymited and sett, they meet and assemble the: selues togather to elect and chuse certen deputyes to be att the Generall Courte then following to agitate the afayres of the comonwelth; w'ch said Deputyes shall be chosen by all that are admitted Inhabitants in the seu'rall Townes and haue taken the oath of fidellity; p'ruided that non be chosen a Deputy for any Generall Courte w'ch is not a Freeman of this Comonwelth.
The foresaid deputyes shall be chosen in manner following: euery p'rson that is p'rsent and quallified as before exp'rssed, shall bring the names of such, written in seu'rrall papers, as they desire to haue chosen for that Imployment. and these 3 or 4, more or lesse, being the number agreed on to be chosen for that tyme, that haue greatest number of papers written for the: shall be deputyes for that Courte; whose names shall be endorsed on the backe side of the warrant and returned into the Courte, w'th the Constable or Constables hand vnto the same.
8. It is Ordered, sentenced and decreed, that Wyndsor, Hartford and Wethersfield shall haue power, ech Towne, to send fower of their freemen as deputyes to euery Generall Courte; and whatsoeuer other Townes shall be hereafter added to this Jurisdiction, they shall send so many deputyes as the Courte shall judge meete, a resonable p'rportion to the number of Freemen that are in the said Townes being to be attended therein; w'ch deputyes shall have the power of the whole Towne to giue their voats and alowance to all such lawes and orders as may be for the publike good, and unto w'ch the said Townes are to be bownd.
9. It is ordered and decreed, that the deputyes thus chosen shall haue power and liberty to appoynt a tyme and a place of meeting togather before any Generall Courte to aduise and consult of all such things as may concerne the good of the publike, as also to examine their owne Elections, whether according to the order, and if they or the gretest p'rte of them find any election to be illegall they may seclud such for p'rsent from their meeting, and returne the same and their resons to the Courte; and if yt proue true, the Courte may fyne the p'rty or p'rtyes so intruding and the Towne, if they see cause, and giue out a warrant to goe to a newe election in a legall way, either in p'rte or in whole. Also the said deputyes shall haue power to fyne any that shall be disorderly at their meetings, or for not coming in due tyme or place according to appoyntment; and they may returne the said fynes into the Courte if yt be refused to be paid, and the tresurer to take notice of yt, and to estreete or levy the same as he doth other fynes.
10. It is Ordered, sentenced and decreed, that euery Generall Courte, except such as through neglecte of the Gou'rnor and the greatest p'rte of Magestrats the Freemen themselves doe call, shall consist of the Gouernor, or some one chosen to moderate the Court, and 4 other Magestrats at lest, w'th the mayor p'rte of the deputyes of the geuerall Townes legally chosen; and in case the Freemen or mayor p'rte of them, through neglect or refusall of the Gouernor and mayor p'rte of the magestrats, shall call a Courte, y't shall consist of the mayor p'rte of Freemen that are p'rsent or their deputyes, w'th a Moderator chosen by the: In w'ch said Generall Courts shall consist the supreme power of the Comonwelth, and they only shall haue power to make laws or repeale the:, to graunt leuyes, to admitt of Freemen, dispose of lands vndisposed of, to seuerall Townes or p'rsons, and also shall haue power to call ether Courte or Magestrate or any other p'rson whatsoeuer into question for any misdemeanour, and may for just causes displace or deale otherwise according to the nature of the offence; and also may deale in any other matter that concerns the good of this comonwelth, excepte election of Magestrats, w'ch shall be done by the whole boddy of Freemen.
In w'ch Courte the Gouernour or Moderator shall haue power to order the Courte to giue liberty of spech, and silence vnceasonable and disorderly speakeings, to put all things to voate, and in case the vote be equall to haue the casting voice. But non of these Courts shall be adiorned or dissolued w'thout the consent of the maior p'rte of the Court.
11. It is ordered, sentenced and decreed, that when any Generall Courte vppon the occations of the Comonwelth haue agreed vppon any sume or somes of mony to be leuyed vppon the seuerall Townes w'thin this Jurisdiction, that a Comittee be chosen to sett out and appoynt w't shall be the p'rportion of euery Towne to pay of the said letiy, p'rvided the Comittees be made up of an equall number out of each Towne.
14'th January, 1638, the 11 Orders abouesaid are voted.
I —— being now chosen to be Gou'rnor wthin this Jurisdiction, for the yeare ensueing, and vntil a new be chosen, doe sweare by the greate and dreadfull name of the everliueing God, to p'rmote the publicke good and peace of the same, according to the best of my skill; as also will mayntayne all lawfull priuiledges of this Comonwealth; as also that all wholesome lawes that are or shall be made by lawfull authority here established, be duly executed; and will further the execution of Justice according to the rule of Gods word; so helpe me God, in the name of the Lo: Jesus Christ.
I, —— being chosen a Magestrate w'thin this Jurisdiction for the yeare ensueing, doe sweare by the great and dreadfull name of the euerliueing God, to p'rmote the publike good and peace of the same, according to the best of my skill, and that I will mayntayne all the lawfull priuiledges thereof according to my vnderstanding, as also assist in the execution of all such wholsome lawes as are made or shall be made by lawfull authority heare established, and will further the execution of Justice for the tyme aforesaid according to the righteous rule of Gods word; so helpe me God, etc.
[Until 1752, the legal year in England began March 25 (Lady Day), not January 1. All the days between January 1 and March 25 of the year which we now call 1639 were therefore then a part of the year 1638; so that the date of the Constitution is given by its own terms as 1638, instead of 1639.]
1. The thirteen original states.
2. States formed directly from other states. Vermont from territory disputed between New York and New Hampshire, Kentucky from Virginia, Maine from Massachusetts, West Virginia from Virginia.
3. States from the Northwest Territory (see p. 253). Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, in part.
4. States from other territory ceded by states. Tennessee, ceded by North Carolina, Alabama, ceded by South Carolina and Georgia, Mississippi, ceded by South Carolina and Georgia.
5. States from the Louisiana purchase (see p. 253). Louisiana, North Dakota, Arkansas, South Dakota, Missouri, Montana, Kansas, Minnesota, in part, Nebraska, Wyoming, in part, Iowa, Colorado, in part.
6. States from Mexican cessions. California, Wyoming, in part, Nevada, Colorado, in part.
7. States from territory defined by treaty with Great Britain (see p. 254). Oregon, Washington, Idaho.
8. States from other sources. Florida, from a Spanish cession, Texas, by annexation (see p. 254).
(Ratio of representation based on census of 1890—173,901.)
Popula- Popula- Rep tion to Area in tion, in Elect. Dates. No. Names. sq.m. sq. m. 1890. Cong vote 1892. 1892. Ratified the Constitution. 1787, Dec. 7 1 Delaware 82.1 2,050 168,493 1 3 Dec. 12 2 Pennsylvania 111.2 45,215 5,258,014 30 32 Dec. 18 3 New Jersey 179.7 7,815 1,444,933 8 10 1788, Jan. 2 4 Georgia 30.8 59,475 1,837,353 11 13 Jan. 9 5 Connecticut 149.5 4,990 746,258 4 6 Feb. 6 6 Massachusetts 269.2 8,315 2,238,943 13 15 April 28 7 Maryland 85.3 12,210 1,042,390 6 8 May 23 8 South Carolina 37.6 30,570 1,151,149 7 9 June 21 9 New Hampshire 40.4 9,305 376,530 2 4 June 25 10 Virginia 39. 42,450 1,655,980 10 12 July 26 11 New York 121.9 49,170 5,997,853 34 35 1789, Nov. 21 12 North Carolina 30.9 52,250 1,617,947 9 11 1790, May 29 13 Rhode Island 276.4 1,250 345,506 2 4
Admitted to the Union. 1791, March 4 14 Vermont 34.6 9,565 332,422 2 4 1792, June 1 15 Kentucky 46. 40,400 1,858,635 11 13 1796, June 1 16 Tennessee 42. 42,050 1,767,518 10 12 1803, Feb. 19 17 Ohio 89.4 41,060 3,672,316 21 23 1812, April 30 18 Louisiana 22.9 48,720 1,118,587 6 8 1816, Dec. 11 19 Indiana 60.3 36,350 2,192,404 13 15 1817, Dec. 10 20 Mississippi 42.7 46,810 1,289,600 7 9 1818, Dec. 3 21 Illinois 67.5 56,650 3,826,351 22 24 1819, Dec. 14 22 Alabama 28.9 52,250 1,513,017 9 11 1820, March 15 23 Maine 20. 33,040 661,086 4 6 1821, Aug. 10 24 Missouri 38.5 69,415 2,679,184 15 17 1836, June 15 25 Arkansas 20.9 53,850 1,128,179 6 8 1837, Jan. 25 26 Michigan 35.5 58,915 2,093,889 12 14 1845, March 3 27 Florida 6.6 58,680 391,422 2 4 1815, Dec. 29 28 Texas 8.4 265,780 2,235,523 13 15 1846, Dec. 28 29 Iowa 34.1 56,025 1,911,896 11 13 1848, May 29 30 Wisconsin 30. 56,040 1,686,880 10 12 1850, Sept. 9 31 California 7.6 158,360 1,208,130 7 9 1858, May 11 32 Minnesota 15.6 83,365 1,301,826 7 9 1859, Feb. 14 33 Oregon 3.2 96,030 313,767 2 4 1861, Jan. 29 34 Kansas 17.3 82,080 1,427,096 8 10 1863, June 19 35 West Virginia 30.7 24,780 762,794 4 6 1864, Oct. 31 36 Nevada 0.4 110,700 45,761 1 3 1867, March 1 37 Nebraska 13.6 77,510 1,058,910 6 8 1876, Aug. 1 38 Colorado 3.9 103,925 412,198 2 4 1889, Nov. 2 { 39 North Dakota } 2.5 70,795 182,719 1 3 { 40 South Dakota } 4.2 77,650 328,808 2 4 1889, Nov. 8 41 Montana 0.9 146,080 132,159 1 3 1889, Nov. 11 42 Washington 5. 69,180 349,390 2 4 1890, July 3 43 Idaho 0.9 84,800 84,385 1 3 1890, July 10 44 Wyoming 0.6 97,890 60,705 1 3
Organised. 1850, Sept. 9 Utah 2.4 84,970 207,905 1850, Sept. 9 New Mexico 1.2 122,580 153,593 1863, Feb. 24 Arizona 0.5 113,020 59,620 1868, July 27 Alaska 577,390 no census 1834, June 30 Indian Territory 31,400 no census 1889, April 22 Oklahoma 1.5 39,030 61,834 1791, Mar 3 Dist. of C. 3,291.1 70 230,392
1892, total House of Representatives 356 + Senate 88 = electoral votes, 444.
Showing Percentages of Urban Population.
Date. | Pop. of U.S. | No. of | Pop. of Cities. | % of | | Cities | |of Urban Pop. —————————————————————————————————- 1790 | 3,929,214 | 6 | 131,472 | 3.33 1800 | 5,308,483 | 6 | 210,873 | 3.9 1810 | 7,239,881 | 11 | 356,920 | 4.9 1820 | 9,633,822 | 13 | 474,135 | 4.9 1830 | 12,866,020 | 26 | 864,509 | 6.7 1840 | 17,069,453 | 44 | 1,453,994 | 8.5 1850 | 23,191,876 | 85 | 2,897,586 | 12.5 1860 | 31,443,321 | 141 | 5,072,256 | 16.1 1870 | 38,558,371 | 226 | 8,071,875 | 20.9 1880 | 50,155,783 | 286 | 11,318,597 | 22.5 1890 | 62,622,250 | 443 | 18,235,670 | 29.1 ——————————————————————————————————
Applicant's No..
DIRECTIONS.—1. The number above is your examination number. Write it at the top of every sheet given you in this examination.
2. Fill promptly all the blanks in this sheet. Any omission may lead to the rejection of your papers.
3. Write all answers and exercises in ink.
4. Write your name on no other sheet but this.
Place this sheet in the envelope. Write your number on the envelope and seal the same.
I declare upon my honour as follows:
1. My true and full name is (if female, please say whether Mrs. or Miss)
2. Since my application was made I have been living at (give all the places)
3. My post-office address in full is
4. If examined within twelve months for the civil service—for any post-office, custom-house, or Department at Washington—state the time, place, and result.
5. If you have ever been in the civil service, state where and in what position, and when you left it and the reasons therefor.
6. Are you now under enlistment in the army or navy?
7. If you have been in the military or naval service of the United States, state which, and whether you were honourably discharged, when, and for what cause.
8. Since my application no change has occurred in my health or physical capacity except the following:
9. I was born at ——, on the —— day of ——, 188.
10. My present business or employment is
11. I swore to my application for this examination as near as I can remember at (town or city of) ——, on the —— day of ——, 188.
All the above statements are true, to the best of my knowledge and belief.
(Signature in usual form.)——————
Dated at the city of ——, State of ——, this —— day of ——, 188_.
Question 1. One of the examiners will distinctly read (at a rate reasonable for copying) fifteen lines from the Civil-Service Law or Rules, and each applicant will copy the same below from the reading as it proceeds.
Question 2. Write below at length the names of fifteen States and fifteen cities of the Union.
Question 3. Copy the following precisely:
"And in my opinion, sir, this principle of claiming monopoly of office by the right of conquest, unless the public shall effectually rebuke and restrain it, will effectually change the character of our Government. It elevates party above country; it forgets the common weal in the pursuit of personal emolument; it tends to form, it does form, we see that it has formed, a political combination, united by no common principles or opinions among its members, either upon the powers of the Government or the true policy of the country, but held together simply as an association, under the charm of a popular head, seeking to maintain possession of the Government by a vigorous exercise of its patronage, and for this purpose agitating and alarming and distressing social life by the exercise of a tyrannical party proscription. Sir, if this course of things cannot be checked, good men will grow tired of the exercise of political privileges. They will see that such elections are but a mere selfish contest for office, and they will abandon the Government to the scramble of the bold, the daring, and the desperate."—Daniel Webster on Civil Service, in 1832.
Question 4. Correct any errors in spelling which you find in the following sentences, writing your letters so plainly that no one of them can be mistaken:
Unquestionebly every federil offeser should be able to spell corectly the familier words of his own languege.
Lose her hankercheif and elivate her head immediatly or she will spedily loose her life by strangelation.
Question 1. Multiply 2341705 by 23870 and divide the product by 6789.
Give operation in full.
Question 2. Divide two hundred and five thousand two hundred and five, and two hundred and five ten-thousandths, by one hundred thousand one hundred, and one hundredth.
Question 3. Multiply 10-2/3 by 7-1/8 and divide the product by 9-1/2, reducing the same to the simplest form.
Give operation in full.
Question 4. The annual cost of the public schools of a city is $36,848. What school-tax must be assessed, the cost of collecting being 2 per cent., and 6 per cent of the assessed tax being uncollectible?
Give operation in full.
Question 5. Add 7-3/4, 3/5 of 6-2/9, 8-11/12, 6-1/2 divided by 8-1/8, and reduce to lowest terms.
Give operation in full.
Question 6. The Government sold 3000 old muskets at 22-1/2 per cent, of their cost. The purchaser becoming insolvent paid only 13 per cent. of the price he agreed to pay; that is, he paid $900. What did each musket cost the Government?
Give operation in full.
Question 7. What will it cost to carpet a room 36 feet wide by 72 feet long with 3/4 width carpet at $2.12 per yard, including cost of carpet-lining at 11 cents a square yard and 12 cents a yard for making and laying the carpet?
Give operation in full.
Question 8. A owned 7/8 of a ship and sold 4/5 of his share to B, who sold 5/9 of what he bought to C, who sold 6/7 of what he bought to D. What part of the whole vessel did D buy?
Give operation in full.
Question 9. A man bought a cargo of wool and sold seven thousand and forty-five ten-thousandths of it. How much had he left?
Give operation in full in decimal fractions.
Question 10. A merchant imported from Bremen 32 pieces of linen of 32 yards each, on which he paid for the duties, at 24 per cent, $122.38, and other charges to the amount of $40.96. What was the invoice value per yard, and the cost per yard after duties and charges were paid?
Give operation, in full.
Question 1. On a mortgage for $3,125, dated July 5, 1880 (interest at 3-1/2 per cent), a payment of $840 was made April 23, 1881. What amount was due January 17, 1882?
Give operation in full.
Question 2. The Government sold an old vessel for $160,000, payable two fifths in eight months and the residue in seventeen months from the sale. What was the present cash value of the vessel, the current rate of interest on money being five per cent?
Give operation in full.
Question 3. Write a promissory note to be given by J. Brown to J. Smith, for 60 days, without grace, for $500, at 5 per cent interest, and state what amount will be due at maturity of the note.
Question 4. James X. Young, a contractor, had the following dealings with the Treasury Department: He furnished January 4, 1882, 14 tables at $16 each; June 6, 1882, 180 desks at $18.50 each; December 7, 1882, 150 chairs at $2 each, and July 18, 1883, 14 book-cases at $90 each. He was paid cash as follows: January 31, 1882, $224; June 30, $1,800; December 18, $300; and July 31, 1883, he was allowed on settlement $75 for cartage and charged $25 for breakages. State his account and show balance due.
Question 1. State the meaning of tense and of mood, and explain the difference between them in the English language or grammar.
Question 2. Correct any errors you find in the following sentences:
The boy done it, and he is as restless here as he will be if he was with you.
He had did it and spoke of doing it before we come here.
Question 3. Write a letter to Senator Jackson answering in full his letter of September 7 to the Secretary of the Treasury in which he asks: "How must my nephew proceed to obtain a clerkship in the Treasury Department, under the Civil-Service Law, and what are the requisite qualifications of a good clerk?"
Question 1. Write without abbreviation the names of fifteen seaports of the Union.
Question 2. Name four of the principal tributaries of the Mississippi River.
Question 3. Bound the State in which you live.
Question 4. Which States are peninsular, and upon what waters are they situated?
Question 5. Name six of the principal railroads in the United States.
Question 6. Name seven of the leading agricultural products of the United States, and state in what section of the country each is most extensively cultivated.