-such as "Take you wise men and understanding, and know among your
tribes and I will make them rulers over you," and "Thou shalt in any wise
set him king over thee whom the Lord thy God shall choose; one from among
thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee; thou mayest not set a
stranger over thee, which is not thy brother." The model followed in the
governmental organization was the liveries of the city of London which
chose the magistrates and were themselves elected by the companies.
Accordingly, the planters of New Haven elected a committee of eleven men,
and gave them power to choose the seven founders of the theocracy they
had decided to establish. The seven founders met as a court of election
in October of the same year and admitted upon oath several members of
"approved churches." After reading a number of passages from the Bible
bearing on the subject of an ideal ruler, they proceeded to the election
of a chief magistrate and four deputy magistrates. The franchise in all
cases was confined to church members. In the Hartford colony, which was
Connecticut proper, the earliest mention of elections is found in the
Fundamental Orders of 1638, which have become famous as the first written
constitution framed on the American continent. It was enacted that a
governor and six magistrates should be chosen annually by the freemen of
the jurisdiction. A deputy governor was also chosen. The Charter of
Charles II., which placed the New Haven and the Hartford colonies under
one government, provided for the same general officers, together with
twelve assistants, a secretary and a treasurer being added in 1689.

In 1643, the four colonies of Massachusetts, Plymouth, Connecticut and
New Haven formed a confederation for defence against the Indians and also
the Dutch, who had claimed that a portion of what is now the State of
Connecticut was included within their jurisdiction. The confederation was
called the United Colonies of New England, and its affairs were managed
by a board of eight commissioners, two from each colony. The
commissioners could summon troops in case of necessity and settle
disputes between the colonies. This union proved most effective in the
subsequent war with King Philip. It was the germ of American
confederation.

The election sermon was a prominent feature of election day in the
Puritan colonies. The clergyman to deliver the sermon was selected by the
freemen, and it was considered a great honor to be ch