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V. COMMENTARIES
common law courts (which have stood an hundred and fifty years
equal in rectitude to any in the world) and impose upon us a court
of appeals in the common law to judge in equity law and fact denying
the benefit of a jury, on credit the only security of property to the
common or poor people; and as it is the only thing that has saved
the British people from tyranny, we think it is the only thing that
will save us as to that high court. We are sorry to say we think it
would be the direct road to bribery and corruption. Let Congress
have all the powers that is necessary for them and let them be there-
with content.
Governor Samuel Huntington to Secretary Charles Thomson
Norwich, 11 December1
I have been honored with your letter of the 28th ultimo with the
Journals of Congress which you have mentioned.2
The attention of this state is principally turned to the new proposed
Constitution and most of our delegates elected to attend Congress
the current year are also elected members of the state Convention
which will meet the first Thursday in January to take into considera-
tion the new proposed Constitution; which creates some embarrass-
ment. But on the receipt of your letter, I have notified two of the
delegates to attend Congress forthwith and hope they may arrive
without delay.3
I am also to acknowledge the receipt of your several letters of the
3d and 28th of September, and also the 2d and 18th of October with
the papers to which they severally refer, excepting the act of Congress
mentioned in your letter of the 18th of October, for keeping up a body
of 700 troops, which I have not been able to find, and must request a
copy of that act as soon as may be.
1. RC, PCC, Item 66, Connecticut State Papers, 1775-89, Vol. II, 378, DNA. Thom-
son was Secretary of the Confederation Congress.
2. Thomson's circular letter of 28 November requested improved attendance in
Congress (LMCC, VIII, 684).
3. Connecticut elected seven delegates to Congress each year, but only two or
three of them ever attended at any one time. In December 1787 the delegates were
John Chester, Joseph Platt Cooke, Pierpont Edwards, Benjamin Huntington, Stephen
Mix Mitchell, John Treadwell, and Jeremiah Wadsworth (CSR, VI, 282, 355, 356).
All but Cooke and Huntington were delegates to the state Convention. For Governor
Samuel Huntington's letters to Jeremiah Wadsworth and Joseph Platt Cooke on
Connecticut's representation in Congress, see Mfm:Conn. 49-51, 82.
Advertisement
New Haven Gazette, 13 December1
BROKE into the State of Connecticut on the evening of the 12th
ultimo a large overgrown creature marked and branded CENTINEL.
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