Conkling, Roscoe

(1829-1888), of New York, Senatcr, was elected to Congre as a Republican in 1858, 1860 and 1868, was chosen U. S. Senator in 1867 and re-elected in 1873 and 1879. In the Senate he was from the first a member of the Judiciary Committee, was a zealous supporter of the administration of President Grant, and advocated his election for a third term. In 1881 he broke with President Garfield on a question of patronage and resigned his seat in the Senate, and was not re-elected, Conzecticnt is named from the river of that name, which is an Indian word meaning “long river.’? Two colonies were established in Connecticut. Certain people, who were di atisfied with the close connection of Church and State in Ma achusetts Bay colony, left that province for the valley of the Connecticut under Thomas Hooker, where they settled Hartford, Windsor and Wethers field. In 1639 they adopted a -Constitution which made no reference to the King of England, and provided for the election of all officers annually by the people, with no religious qualification. In 1635 John Winthrop founded Say brook. Two years later New Haven was founded by a company from England, who came over, under Theophilus Eaton and John Davenport, to establish a strict theocracy. They adopted the Bible as their Constitution, and refused to institute trial by jury, because it was not recognized by the Bible. In 1643 Hartford and New Haven both joined the New England Confederation for protection against the Dutch, who claimed the valley of the Connecticut. New Haven was incorporated with Hartford, in 1662, under a charter from Charles II., which named the South Sea as the western boundary. This charter was adopted as a Constitution in 1776, and continued in force until 1818. In 1687 Andros had demanded this charter, but it was concealed in the ‘‘ charter oak.” In 1700 Yale College was founded. The claims of Connecticut to western lands were surrendered to the General Government. Her claim to West more land County, in Northern Pennsylvania, was set aside in 1782. Connecticut ratified the national Constitution January 9, 1788, by a vote of 128 to 40. Connecticut was strongly Federalist until 1820, was opposed to the War of 1812, and sent delegates to the Hartford Convention of 1814. The State cast its electoral votes for the Democratic candidates in the years 1836, 1852, 1876, 1884, 1888 and 1892. The State has been doubtful in State politics. In 1891 there was a dispute over the election of Governor, which caused Governor Bulkley to hold over after the expiration of his term. The population of the State in 1790 was 337,496; in 1900 it had increased to 908,355. (History by Hollister.)