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nevolent gentleman, in his laft will, dated 1657, left, in the hands of Theophilus Eaton, Efq. and three others, a legacy of £1324, as an encouragement, in thefe foreign plantations, of breeding up hopeful youths both at the grammar-school and college.' In 1664, this legacy was equally divided between New-Haven and Hartford; and grammar-schools were erected, which have been fupported ever since.

At Greenfield there is a refpectable academy, under the care and inftruction of the Rev. Dr. Dwight. At Plainfield is another, under the care of the Rev. Mr. Benedict. This academy has flourished for several years, and furnished a number of ftudents for Yale and Dartmouth colleges. At Norwich and Windham, likewife, are academies furnished with able inftructors; each of these academies have fixty or feventy scholars.

YALE COLLEGE was founded in 1700, and remained at Killingworth until 1707-then at Saybrook, until 1716, when it was removed and fixed to New-Haven. Among its principal benefactors was governor Yale, in honor of whom, in 1718, it was named YALE COLLEGE. Its first building was erected in 1717, being 170 feet in length, and 22 in breadth, built of wood. This was taken down in 1782. The prefent college edifice, which is of brick, was built in 1750, under the direction of the Rev. Prefident Clap, and is 100 feet long, and 40 feet wide, three ftories high, and contains thirty-two chambers, and fixty-four ftudies, convenient for the reception of a hundred ftudents. The college chapel, which is alfo of brick, was built in 1761, being fifty feet by forty, with a fteeple 125 feet high. In this building is the public library, confifting of about 2500 volumes; and the philofophical apparatus, which is at prefent incomplete. It contains, however, the principal machines neceffary for exhibiting meft of the experiments in the whole courfe of experimental philofophy and aftronomy. The fum of £300, collected by fubfcriptions, is now in readiness to be expended in the purchase of fuch other instruruents and machines, as will render the philofophical apparatus complete. The college mufeum, to which additions are conftantly making, contains fome great natural curiofities.

This literary inftitution was incorporated by the general assembly of Connecticut. The first charter or incorporation was granted to eleven minifters, under the denomination of trustees, 1701. The powers of the trustees were enlarged by the additional charter, 1723. And by that of 1745, the truflees were incorporated by the name of The Preffdent and Fellows of Yale college, New-Haven.' The corporation are empowered to hold ellates, continue their fucceffion, make academic laws, elect and conftitute all officers of inftruction and government, ufual in universities, and confer all leained degrees. The ordinary executive government is in the hands of the prefident and tutors. The prefent officers of the college are, a prefident, who is alfo profeffor of ecclefiaftical history, a profeffor of divinity, and three tutors. The number of students for feveral years paft has been from 150 to 250, divided into four claffes. The prefent number is about 140. It is worthy of remark, that as many as five-fixths of those who have received their educations at this univerfity, were natives of Connecticut.

In 1732, the Rev. George Berkely, D. D. then dean of Derry, and afterwards bishop of Cloyne, in Ireland, made a generous donation of 880

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volumes of books, and an estate in Rhode Island, that rents yearly for 100 ounces of filver-which is divided into three parts; and annually ap propriated to the three best scholars in the Latin and Greek claffics. This has proved a great incentive among the ftudents to excel in claffical learning. The first donation to the college in land, confifting of about 600 acres, was made by major James Fitch, in 1701. The general affembly, in 1732, gave 1500 acres within the state. Dr. Daniel Lathrop, of Norvich, added a donation of £500 to the college funds in 1781. The courfe of education, in this univerfity, comprehends the whole circle of literature. The three learned languages are taught, together with fo much of the fciences as can be communicated in four years. Great attention is paid to oratory and the belles lettres.

In May and September, annually, the feveral claffes are critically examined in all their claffical ftudies. As incentives to improvement in conpofition and oratory, quarterly exercises are appointed by the prefident and tutors, to be exhibited by the reípective claffes in rotation. A public commencement is held annually, on the fecond Wednesday in September, which calls together a more numerous and brilliant affembly, than are convened by any other anniversary in the ftate.

Two thousand and eighty have received the honours of this university; of whom 633 have been ordained to the work of the gospel miniftry.

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Mines, minerals, and fofils.] On the bank of Connecticut river, two miles from Middleton, is a lead mine, which was wrought during the war, at the expence of the state, and was productive. It is too expenfive to work in time of peace. Copper mines have been difcovered and opened in feveral parts of the state, but have proved unprofitable, and are much neglected. Iron mines are numerous and prodnative. Steel ore has been found in the mountains between Woodbury and New Milford. Talks of various kinds, white, brown and chocolate-coloured cryftals, zink or fpelter, a femi-metal, and feveral other foffils and metals have been found in Connecticut.

Mode of levying taxes.] All free holders in the ftate are required by law, to give in lifts of their polls and rateable eftate f, to perfons appointed in the respective towns to receive them, on or before the 10th of Sept. annually. Thefe are valued according to law, arranged in proper order, and fent to the general affembly annually in May.

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+ In Connecticut, borfes, borned cattle, improved and unimproved land, boufes, fhipping, all forts of riding carriages, clocks and watches, filver plate and money at intereft, are rateable eftate. All males between fixteen and Seventy years of age, unless exempted by law, are fubjects of taxation.

The fum total of the lift of the polls and rateable eftate of the inhabitants of Connecticut, as brought into the general affembly at May, 1787,. was as follows:

Sum total of the fingle lift,

Affeftments,

1,484,901 6:4:

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One quarter of the fourfolds,

Total,

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On this fum taxes are levied, fo much on the pound, according to the fum proposed to be raised. A tax of two-pence on the pound, would raife £12,782: 45.

The ordinary annual expences of government before the war, amounted to near £4000 fterling, exclufive of that which was appropriated to the fupport of schools. The expences have fince increased.

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Mineral Springs.] At Stafford is a medicinal fpring, which is faid to be a fovereign remedy for fcorbutic, cutaneous and other diforders. Guilford is a fpring, whofe water, it is faid, when feparated from the fountain, will evaporate even when put into a bottle, and tightly corked.

Conftitution and Courts of Justice.] It is difficult to fay what is the conftitution of this ftate. Contented with the form of government which, criginated from the charter of Charles II. granted in 1662, the people have not been, difpofed to run the hazard of framing a new conftitution fince the declaration of independence. They have tacitly adopted their old charter as the ground of civil government, fo far as it is applicable to an independent people.

Agreeably to this charter, the fupreme legislative authority of the ftate is vefted in a governor, deputy governor, twelve affiftants or counfellors, and the reprefentatives of the people, ftyled the General Affembly. The governor, deputy governor and affiftants, are annually chofen by the freemen in the month of May. The reprefentatives (their number not to exceed two from each town) are chofen by the freemen twice a year, to attend. the two annual feffions, on the fecond Thurfdays of May and October. This aflembly has power to erect judicatories, for the trial of caufes civil and criminal, and to ordain and establish laws for fettling. the forms and ceremonies of government. By thefe laws the general affembly is divided into two branches, called the upper and lower houses. The upper house is compofed of the governor, deputy governor and affiftants. The lower houfe, of the reprefentatives of the people. No. law can pafs without the concurrence of both houfes. The judges of the fuperior court hold, their offices during the pleasure of the general affembly. The judges of the county courts, and justices, are annually appointed. Sheriff's are appointed by the governor and council, without imitation of time. The governor is captain-general of the militia, the deputy-governor, lieutenant-general. All other military officers are appointed by the affembly, and commiffioned by the governor.

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The mode of electing the governor, deputy-governor, afliftants, treasurer and fecretary, is as follows: The freemen in the feveral towns meet on the Monday next after the first Tuesday in April, annually, and

give in their votes for the persons they choofe for the faid offices refpectively, with their names written on a piece of paper, which are received and fealed up by a constable in open meeting, the votes for each office by themfelves, with the name of the town and office written on the outside. These votes, thus fealed, are fent to the general affembly in May, and there counted by a committe from both houfes. All freemen are eligible to any office in government. In choofing affiftants, twenty perfons are nominated, by the vote of each freeman, at the freeman's meeting for choofing reprefentatives in September annually. Thefe votes are fealed up, and fent to the general affembly in October, and are there counted by a committe of both houfes, and the twenty perfons who have the moft votes ftand in nomination; out of which number the twelve who have the greateft number of votes, given by the freemen at their meeting in April, are, in May, declared affiftants in the manner above-mentioned. The qualifications of freemen are, maturity in years-quiet and peaceable behaviour -a civil converfation, and freehold eftate to the value of forty fhillings per annum, or forty pounds perfonal eftate in the lift, certified by the felect men of the town; it is neceffary, also, that they take the oath of fidelity to the ftate. Their names are enrolled in the town-clerk's office, and they continue freeinen for life, unless disfranchised by fentence of the fuperior court, on condition of misdemeanour.

The courts are as follow: The juftices of the peace, of whom a nume ber are annually appointed in each town by the general affembly, have authority to hear and determine civil actions, where the demand does not exceed four pounds. If the deinand exceeds forty fhillings, an appeal to the county is allowed. They have cognizance of fmall offences, and may punish by fine, not exceeding forty fhillings, or whipping, not exceeding ten ftripes, or fitting in the ftocks. There are eighty county courts in the ftate, held in the feveral counties by one judge and four juftices of the quorum, who have jurifdiction of all criminal cafes, arifing within their refpective Counties, where the punishment does not extend to life, limb, or banishment. They have original jurifdiction of all civil actions which exceed the jurifdiction of a juftice. Either party may appeal to the fuperior court, if the demand exceeds twenty pounds, except on bonds or notes vouched by two witneffes.

There are feveral courts of probate in each county, confifting of one judge. The peculiar province of this court, is the probate of wills, granting adminiftration on inteftate eftates, ordering diftribution of them, and appointing guardians for minors, &c. An appeal lies from any decree of this court to the fuperior court.

The fuperior court confifts of five judges. It has authority in all criminal cafes extending to life, limb or banishment, and other high crimes and mifdemeanors, to grant divorces, and to hear and determine all civil actions brought by appeal from the county courts, or the court of probate, and to correct the errors of all inferior courts. This is a circuit court, and has two ftated feffions in each county annually. The fuperior and county courts try matters of fact by a jury, or without, if the parties will agree.

There is a fupreme court of errors, confifting of the deputy-governor and the twelve affiftants. Their fole bufinefs is to determine writs of

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error, brought on judgments of the fuperior court, where the error complained of appears on the record. They have two ftated feffions annually, viz. on the Tuesdays of the weeks preceding the stated feffions of the general affembly.

The county court is a court of chancery, empowered to hear and determine cafes in equity, where the matter in demand does not exceed one hundred pounds. The fuperior court has cognizance of all cafes where the demand exceeds that fum. Error may be brought from the county, to the fuperior court, and from the fuperior court to the fupreme court of errors, on judgment in cafes of equity as well as of law.

The general affembly, only, have power to grant pardons and reprieves -to grant commiffions of bankruptcy or protect the perfons and eftates of unfortunate debtors.

The common law of England, fo far as it is applicable to this country, is confidered as the common law of this state. The reports of adjudication in the courts of king's bench, common pleas and chancery, are read in the courts of this ftate as authorities; yet the judges do not confider the m as conclufively binding, unless founded on folid reafons which will apply in this ftate, or fanctioned by concurrent adjudications of their own courts. The feudal fyftem of defcents was never adopted in this state. All the real estate of inteftates is divided equally among the children, males and females, except that the eldest fon has a double portion. And all eftates given in tail, mut be given to fome perfon then in being, or to their immediate iffue, and fhall become fee fimple estates to the iffue of the first donee in tail The widow of an inteftate is entitled to a third part of the perfonal estate for ever, and to her dower, or third part of the houses and lands belonging to the inteftate at the time of his death, during her life.

Practice of law. The practice of law in this ftate has more fimplicity, but lefs precifion, than in England. Affiftants and judges are impowered to iffue writs through the eftate, and juftices, through their respective counties. In these writs, the fubftance of the complaints or the declarations must be contained, and if neither of the parties fhew good reason for delay, the causes are heard and determined the fame term to which the writs are returnable. Few of the fictions of law, fo common in the English practice, are known in this state The plaintiff always has his election to attach or fummon the defendant. Attornies are admitted and qualified by the county courts. Previous to their admiffion to the bar, they must ftudy two years with a practifing attorney in the flate, if they have had a college education, and three years if they have not; their morals must be good, and their characters unblemished, and they must fuftain an examination by the attornies of the court of the county where they are admitted, and be by them recommended to the court. When admitted to the county court, they can practice, without other qualifications, in any court in the ftate. They are upon an average, about thirteen attornies to each county, one hundred and four in the ftate; a very great proportion for the real exigencies of the people. Yet from the litigious fpirit of the citizens, the

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A volume of reports of adjudications of the fuperior court, it is expected will foon be published by a gentleman of abilities, in the profeffion of law, under the infpection of the court.

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