is conjectured that pits were funk in a number of places, and lightly covered over, fo as to decoy the affailants in cafe of an attack, and defeat their attempts in ftorming the works. The entrenchment only remains ; but it appears to have been formerly ftockaded. The Indians are entirely ignorant of the origin of thefe works, but fuppofe they were erected by the Spanish Indians. The hill is an excellent ftation for a fort, and commands a delightful view of the country around it, which is low and fertile. There is a fortification, of a fimilar kind, at Unadilla, in the flat lands.

Conflitution.] By the prefent conftitution of Pennfylvania, which was eftablished in September, 1776, all legiflative powers are lodged in a fingle body of men, which is ftiled The general affembly of reprefentatives of the freemen of Pennfylvania.' The qualification required to render a perfon eligible to this affembly is, two years refidence in the city or county for which he is chofen; no member of the house can hold any other office, except in the militia.

The qualifications of the electors, are, full age, and one year's refidence in the itate, with payment of public taxes during that time. But the fons of freeholders are intitled to vote for reprefentatives, without any qualification, except full age.

No man can be elected as a member of the affembly more than four years in feven.

The reprefentatives are chofen annually on the fecond Tuesday in October, and they meet on the fourth Monday of the fame month. A quorum of the houfe confifts of two thirds of the whole number of members jelected; and the members, before they take their feats, are obliged to take an oath or affirmation of fidelity to the state; and alfo fubscribe a declaration or teft, acknowledging their belief in one God, and the infpiration of the fcriptures of the Old and New Teftament. The houfe chufe their own fpeaker, who, in the tranfaction of business, never leaves the chair. A journal of the proceedings of the affembly is pub lifhed regularly, and any member may infert the reafons of his vote upon the minutes of the houfe. To prevent hafty determinations on matters of importance, all bills of a public nature are printed before the laft feading, and, except in cafes of neceflity, are not paffed into laws before the next feffion. The power of impeachment is vefted in the general affembly.

The fupreme executive power is lodged in a prefident, and a council confifting of a member from each county. The prefident is elected annually by the joint ballot of the affembly and council, and from the members of council. A vice prefident is chofen at the fame time.

The counsellors are chofen by the freemen, every third year, and having ferved three years, they are ineligible for the four fucceeding years. The appointments of one third only of the members expire every year, by which rotation no more than one third can be new members. A counsellor is, by his office, a juftice of the peace for the whole ftate. The prefident and council form a court for the trial of impeachments.

The council meet at the fame time and place with the general affembly.

Z 2

The

The prefident and council appoint and commiffion judges of courts' naval officers, judge of the admiralty, attorney general, and other officers the appointment or whom is not exprefsly vefted in the people or general affembly. But the freemen chufe the juftices of peace, the colonels of militia, and the inferior military officers, and make a return of the perfons elected, to the prefident and council, who are impowered to com miffion them. The juftices of peace hold their commiffions for seven years, removeable however for mifconduct by the general affembly. A juftice, while in office, cannot be a reprefentative in affembly, nor take any fees but fuch as fhall be allowed by the legislature.

The judges of the fupreme court hold their office for seven years, and at the end of that term, may be re-appointed. They have a fixed falary; and are not permitted to take any fees or perquifites, or to hold any other office, civil or military.

Courts of common pleas, feffions and orphans courts, are held quarterly in each city and county.

The fupreme court, and courts of common pleas, have the powers of chancery courts, fo far as is neceffary for the perpetuating of teftimony, obtaining evidence from places out of the state, and the care of the perfons and eftates of thofe who are non compotes mentis.

Sheriffs and coroners are chofen annually by the freemen; but they can ferve but three fucceffive years, at the end of which they are ineligible during four years.

A register's office for the probate of wills, and granting letters of administration, and an office for the recording of deeds, are kept in each city and county: The officers are appointed by the general affembly, removeable at their pleafure, and commiffioned by the prefident and

council.

The conftitution of this ftate ordains, that the legislature fhall regulate entails in fuch a manner as to prevent perpetuities.

Any foreigner of a good character may purchafe and hold lands and other property, having first taken the oath of allegiance; and a year's refidence entitles him to the privileges of a natural born fubject; except that of being eligible to a feat in the legislature.

A Council of Cenfors, compofed of two members from each county, chofen by the freemen, on the fecond Tuefday of October every seventh year, is inftituted for the purpofe of enquiring whether the constitution has been preferved inviolate-whether the different branches of govern ment have performed their duty as guardians of the people-whether the public taxes have been justly laid and collected, and in what manner the monies have been difpofed of and alfo whether the laws have been duly executed. For thefe purpofes, they have power to fend for perfons, papers and records-to pafs public cenfures, order impeachments, and to recommend to the legislature the repeal of laws which they deem unconftitutional. They have power alfo to order a convention for the purpose. of amending the conftitution; publishing the articles propofed to be amended fix months before the election of the delegates. Thefe powers continue in the council of cenfers for one year.

The people of Pennfylvania have different political fentiments, according to their progrefs in induftry and civilized life. The first clafs of

fettlers

fettlers in this state, who have been described as making the firft advances in the unfettled country, are attached to the prefent fimple and vifionary frame of government. The fecond fettlers are divided in their opinions refpecting it. But ninety-nine out of an hundred of the third fettlers, or real farmers, are oppofed to it, and wifh for a fafe, ftable, and compound form of government. As the first fpecies of fettlers are more idle and bold than the laft, who, though the most numerous, are quiet, they have forced them to fubmit to it.

Among other ufeful laws of this ftate, of a public nature, are, one that declares all rivers and creeks to be highways-a law for the emancipation of negroes, already mentioned-a bankrupt law, nearly on the model of the bankrupt laws of England-a law commuting hard labour for a long term of years, for death, as a punishment for many crimes which are made capital by the laws of England. Murder, arfon, and one or two other crimes, are yet punished with death-A bill was before the legiflature last year, (1787) the purport of which was to enable foreigners, (remaining in their native allegiance) to hold lands in Pennfylvania, which is not the cafe in Great Britain, nor in any other of the United States.

New Inventions.] These have been numerous and useful. Among others are the following: A new model of the planetary worlds, by Mr. Rittenhoufe, commonly, but improperly, called an Orrery-a quadrant, by Mr. Godfrey, called by the plagiary name of Hadley's quadranta fteam-boat, fo conftructed, as that by the affiftance of steam, operating on certain machinery within the boat, it moves with confiderable -rapidity against the ftream, without the aid of hands, Meffrs. Fitch and Rumfay contend with each other for the honour of this inventiona new printing prefs, lately invented and constructed in Philadelphia, worked by one perfon alone, who performs three-fourths as much work in a day, as two perfons at a common prefs. Befides these there have been invented many manufacturing machines, for carding, fpinning, winnowing, &c. which perform an immenfe deal of work with very little manual affiftance.

Hiftory.] Pennfylvania was granted by king Charles II. to Mr. William Penn, fon of the famous admiral Penn, in confideration of his father's -fervices to the crown*. Mr. Penn's petition for the grant was prefented to the king in 1680; and after confiderable delays, occafioned by Lord Baltimore's agent, who apprehended it might interfere with the Maryland patent, the charter of Pennsylvania received the royal fignature on the 4th of March, 1681. To fecure his title againft all claims, and prevent future altercation, Mr. Penn procured a quit-claim deed from the duke of York, of all the lands, covered by his own patent, to which the duke could have the leaft pretenfions. This deed bears date, August 21, 1682. On the 24th of the fame month, he obtained from the duke, by deed of feoffment, Newcattle, with twelve miles of the adjacent territory,

A large debt was due from the crown to Mr. Penn, a part of which be offered to remit, on condition he obtained his grant. This, whatever benevo lent motives are held out to the world, must have been a principal confideration quit b be king in making the grant.

and the lands fouth to the Hoarkills. In December following, Mr. Penr effected an union of the lower counties with the province of Pennfylvania

The first frame of government for Pennsylvania is dated in 1682. By this form, all legiflative powers were vested in the governor and freemen of the province, in the form of a provincial council, and a general affembly. The council was to confift of feventy-two members, chofen by the freemen; of which the governor, or his deputy, was to be perpetual prefident, with a treble vote, One-third of this council went out of office every year, and their feats were fupplied by new elections.

The general affemhiy was at firit to confift of all the freemen-afterwards of two hundred, and never to exceed five hundred.

In 1683, Mr. Penn offered another frame of government, in which the number of reprefentatives was reduced, and the governor vefted with a negative upon all bills paled in affembly. By feveral fpecious arguments, the people were perfuaded to accept this frame of government.

Not long after, a difpute between Mr. Penn and Lord Baltimore required the former to go to England, and he committed the adminiftration of government to five commiffioners, taken from the council. In 1686, Mr, Penn required the commithioners to diffolve the frame of government; but not being able to effect his purpose, he, in 168, appointed Capt. John Blackwell his deputy. From this period, the proprietors ufually reuded in England, and adininiftered the government by deputies, who were devoted to their intereft. Jealoufies arofe between the people and their governors, which never ceafcd till the late revolution. The primary caufe of thefe jealoufies, was an attempt of the proprietary to extend his own power, and abridge that of the affembly; and the confequence was inceffant difputes and diffenfions in the legislature.

In 1689, governor Blackwell, finding himfelf oppofed in his views, had recourfe to artifice, and prevailed on certain members of the council to withdraw themfelves from the houfe; thus defeating the measures of the legislature t. The houfe voted this to be treachery, and addressed the governor on the occasion.

In 1693, the king and queen affumed the government into their own hands. Col. Fletcher was appointed governor of New-York and Pennfylvania by one and the fame commiffion, with equal powers in both provinces. By this commifiion, the number of counsellors in Pennfylvania was reduced.

Under the adminiftration of governor Markham in 1696, a new form of government was eftablished in Pennfylvania, The election of the council and affembly now became annual, and the legislature, with their powers and forms of proceeding, was new modelled.

In 1699, the proprietary arrived from England, and affumed the reins of government. While he remained in Pennsylvania, the last charter of privileges, or frame of government, which continued till the revolution,

*See Franklin's historical review of the conftitution and government of Pennsylvania, page 14.

+ Two inftances of a feceffion of members from the affembly, with fimilar views, have taken place fince the revolution, and feem to have been copied from this example in 1639.

was

was agreed upon and established. This was competed and delivered to the people by the proprietary, October 28, 1701, just on his embarking for England. The inhabitants of the territory, as it was then called, or the lower counties, refufed to accept this charter, and thus feparated themfelves from the province of Pennfylvania. They afterwards had their own affembly, in which the governor of Pennfylvania ufed to prefide.

In September, 1700, the Sufquehannah Indians granted to Mr. Penn all their lands on both fides the river. The Sufquehannah, Shawanefe, and Patomak Indians, however, entered into articles of agreement with Mr. Penn, by which, on certain conditions of peaceable and friendly behaviour, they were permitted to fettle about the head of Patomak, in the province of Pennfylvania. The Conostoga chiefs alfo, in 1701, ratified the grant of the Sufquehannah Indians, made the preceding year.

In 1708, Mr. Penn obtained from the Sachems of the country, a confirmation of the grants made by former Indians, of all the lands from Duck creek, to the mountains, and from the Delaware to the Sufquchannah. In this deed the Sachems declared, that they had feen and heard read divers priar deeds which had been given to Mr. Penn, by former chiefs.

While Mr. Penn was in America, he erected Philadelphia into a corporation. The charter was dated October 25, 1701, by which the police of the city was vefted in a mayor, recorder, aldermen, and commoncouncil, with power to enquire into treafons, murders, and other felonies; and to enquire into and punifh fmaller crimes. The corporation had alfo extenfive civil jurifdiction; but it was diffolved at the late revolution, and Philadelphia is governed like other counties in the ftate.

By the favourable terms which Mr. Fenn offered to fettlers, and an unlimited toleration of all religious denominations, the population of the province was extremely rapid. Notwithstanding the attempts of the proprietary, or his governors, to extend his own power, and accumulate property by procuring grants from the people, and exempting his lands from taxation, the government was generally mild, and the burdens of the people by no means oppreffive. The feififh defigns of the proprietaries were vigorously and conftantly oppofed by the affembly, whole firmness preferved the charter rights of the province.

At the revolution, the government was abolished. The proprietaries were abfent, and the people by their reprefentatives formed a new con ftitution on republican principles. The proprietaries were excluded from all thare in the government, and the legislature offered them one hundred and thirty thoufand pounds in lieu of all quit rents, which was finally accepted. The proprietaries, however, ftill poflefs in Pennfylvania many large tracts of excellent land.

It is to be regretted, that among all the able writers in this important ftate, none has yet gratified the public with its interefting history. As therefore history is not profeffedly the province of a geographer, a more particular detail of historical facts, than has already been given, will not be expected. We fhall therefore conclude the hiftory of Pennfylvania with the following lift of governors.