the lowest order; the inftructors want inftruction, and through a long and fhameful neglect of all the arts and fciences, our common fpeech is extremely corrupt, and the evidences of a bad taste, both as to thought and language, are visible in all our proceedings, public and private.' This was undoubtedly a just representation at the time when it was written; and although much attention has fince been paid to education in fome populous towns, the observations are now but too justly applicable to the country at large. There are many flourishing academies and grammar fchools, lately eftablished in the ftate; but many parts of the country are either unfurnished with schools, or the schools which they have are kept by low ignorant men, and are worse than none; for children had better remain in ignorance than be ill taught. But a great proportion of the United States are in the fame fituation in regard to schools.

King's-College, in the city of New York, was principally founded by the voluntary contributions of the inhabitants of the province, affitted by the general affembly, and the corporation of Trinity church, in the year 1754, a royal charter being then obtained, incorporating a number of gentleinen therein mentioned, by the name of "The governors of the college of the province of New York, in the city of New York, in America ;" and granting to them and their fucceffors for ever, amongst various other rites and privileges, the power of conferring all fuch degrees, as are usually conferred by either of the English universities.

By the charter it was provided that the prefident fhall always be a member of the church of England, and that a form of prayer collected from the liturgy of that church, with a particular prayer for the college, shall be daily used, morning and evening, in the college chapel; at the fame time, no teft of their religious perfuafion was required from any of the fellows, profeffors or tutors; and the advantages of education were equally extended to ftudents of all denominations.

The building (which is only one third of the intended structure) confifts of an elegant ftone edifice, three complete ftories high, with four ftair cafes, twelve apartments in each, a chapel, hall, library, mufeum, anatomical theatre. and a school for experimental philofophy.

All students, but thofe in medicine, before the revolution, were obliged to lodge and diet in the college, unlefs they were particularly exempted by the governors or prefident; and for the fecurity of their morals, &c.. the edifice was surrounded by an high fence, which alfo encloses a large court and garden; and a porter ufed conftantly to attend at the front gate, which was locked at ten o'clock each evening in fummer, and at nine in winter; after which hours, the names of all that came in were delivered weekly to the prefident.

The college is fituated on a dry gravelly foil, about 150 yards from the bank of Hudfon's river, which it overlooks; commanding a moft extenfive and beautiful profpect.

Since the revolution the literature of the ftate has engaged the attention of the legislature. In one of their late feffions an act paffed conftituting twenty-one gentlemen (of whom the governor and lieutenant governor, for the time being, are members ex officiis) a body corporate and politic, by the name and tile of The regents of the university of the ftate of New York. They are entrusted with the care of literature in general

in the ftate, and have power to grant charters of incorporation for erecting colleges and academies throughout the ftate-are to vifit thefe inftitutions as often as they fhall think proper, and report their ftate to the legiflature once a year. All degrees above that of master of arts are to be conferred by the regents.

King's college, which we have already defcribed, is now called COLUMBIA COLLEGE. This college, by an act of the legislature paffed in the fpring of 1787, was put under the care of twenty four gentlemen, who are a body corporate, by the name and ftyle of The truitees of Columbia college in the city of New-York.' This body poffeffes all the powers vefted in the governors of King's college, before the revolution, or in the regents of the univerfity, fince the revolution, fo far as their power refpected this inftitution, except the conferring of the higher degrees. No regent can be a trustee of any particular college or academy in the ftate,

The college edifice has received no additions fince the peace. The funds produce, anually, about £1000. The library and mufeum were deftroyed during the war. The philofophical apparatus cost about 300 guineas. Until the revolution the college did not flourish. The plan upon which it was originally founded, was contracted, and its fituation unfavourable. The former objection is removed, but the latter muit remain. It has between thirty and forty ftudents, in four claffes. The number for feveral years has been increafing The officers of inftruction and immediate government are, a prefident, profeffor of languages, profeffor of mathematics, profeffor of logic and rhetoric, profeffor of natural philofophy, profeffor of geography, and a profeffor of moral philofophy. There are many other profeffors belonging to the university, but their profefforfhips are merely honorary.

There are feveral academies in the ftate. One is at Flatbush, in King's county, on Long-Ifland, four miles from Brooklyn-ferry. It is fituated in a pleasant, healthy village. The building is large, handfome, and convenient, and is called Erasmus Hall. The academy is flourishing under the care of a principal and other fubordinate inftructors. The truftees of this inftitution have been incorporated by the regents of the univerfity.

There is a very flourishing academy at East Hampton, on the east end of Long-fland; to which alfo the regents have given a charter of incorporation by the name of CLINTON ACADEMY.

one

There are other academies, or more properly grammar fchools, in different parts of the ftate. There are feveral in the city of New York, furnished with able inftructors; one at Kingston, in Uliter county; at Goshen, in the county of Orange; two at Albany; one at Skenectady;one at Lanfingburgh, and another at Weft Chefter. None of these have yet applied for charters. Befides thefe, in many parts of the state there are schools erected, which are maintained by the voluntary contributions of the parents. A fpirit for literary improvement, is evidently diffufing its influence throughout the state.

Religion. The conftitution of this ftate provides for the free exercife and enjoyment of religious profeflion and worship, without difcrimination or preference, within the ftate, for all mankind. Provided that the

liberty

1

liberty of confcience hereby granted, fhail not be fo conflrued as to excufe acts of licentioufnefs, or justify practices inconfiftent with the peace and fafety of the ftate.'

The various religious denominations in this ftate, with the number of their respective congregations, are as follow:

The prefbyterian churches are governed by congregational, prefbyterial, and fynodical affemblies. Thefe affemblies poflefs no civil jurifdiction. Their power is wholly moral or fpiritual, and that only minitterial and declarative. They poffefs the right of requiring obedience to the laws of Chrift, and of excluding the difobedient from the privileges of the church; and the powers requifite for obtaining evidence and inflicting cenfure; but the highest punishment, to which their authority extends, is to exclude the contumacious and impenitent from the congregation of believers.

The church feffion, which is the congregational affembly, confifts of the minifter or minifters and elders of a particular congregation. This body is invetted with the fpiritual government of the congregation.

A prefbytery confifts of all the minifters, and one ruling elder from each congregation, within a certain district. Three minifters and three elders, conftitutionally convened, are competent to do bufinefs. This body have cognizance of all things that regard the welfare of the particular churches within their bounds, which are not cognizable by the feflion. Alfo, they have a power of receiving and iffuing appeals from the feflions

of examining and licenfing candidates for the minittry-of ordaining, fettling, removing, or judging minitters-of refolving queftions of doctrine or difcipline, and whatever elfe pertains to the fpiritual concerns of the churches under their care.

A Synod is a convention of feveral prefbyteries. The fynod have power to admit and judge of appeals, regularly brought up from the prefbyteries to give their judgment on all references made to them, of an ecclefiaftical kind-to correct and regulate the proceedings of prefbyteries,

&c.

The higheft judicatory of the prefbyterian church is ftiled The general council of the prefbyterian church in the United States of America. This grand council is to confift of an equal delegation of bishops and elders from each prefbytery within their jurifdiction, by the title, of commiffioners to the general council. Fourteen commiflioners make a quorum. The Council conftitute the bond of union, peace, correfpondence, and mutual confidence among all their churches; and have power to receive and iffue all appeals and references which may regularly be brought before them from the inferior judicatories-to regulate and correct the proceedings

of

the

the fynods, &c. Thus the whole prefbyterian intereft is judiciously combined and governed.

The fynods of New-York and Philadelphia, during their feffion at Philadelphia, in May, 1788, refolved themfelves into four fynods, viz. The fynod of New-York; the fynod of Philadelphia; the fynod of Virginia; and the fynod of Carolina. These fynods are to meet annually in their respective states, whence they take their names and ; once a year, by their commiflioners, in general council, at Philadelphia.

;

There are number of Prefbyterian churches, commonly called Seceed ers, who have a separate ecclefiaftical jurifdiction. Thefe, as well as the other prefbyterians, and the Dutch reformed churches, hold the doctrines of the gospel upon the Calvinistic plan, without any effential differences. The Dutch reformed churches in this ftate are divided into four claffes viz. The claffis of New-York, comprehending eighteen churches ; the claffis of Kingston, twenty-three churches; the claffis of Albany, twentythree churches; a part of the claffis of Hackinfak, four churches. Thefe claffes, together with the claffis of Hackinfak and New-Brunswick, in New-Jersey, compose the Dutch reformed fynod of New-York and NewJersey. The claffes confift of minifters and ruling elders; each claffis delegates two minifters and an elder to reprefent them in fynod. From the firit planting of the Dutch churches in New-York and New-Jerfey, they have, under the direction of the claffis of Amfterdam, been formed exactly upon the plan of the established church of Holland, as far as that is ecclefiaftical. A ftrict correspondence is maintained between the Dutch reformed fynod of New-York and New-Jersey, and the fynod of NorthHolland, and the claffis of Amfterdam. The acts of their fynods are mutually exchanged every year, and mutual advice is given and received. in difputes refpecting doctrinal points and church difcipline.

The principles and conftitution of the Baptift churches have already been mentioned.

The Epifcopalian churches hold the fame principles-have the fame mode of worship and church government-and are in every other refpect conftituted upon the fame plan with the church of the fame denomination in England.

For an account of the Friends and the Moravians, fee Pennsylvania.

The Methodist intereft, though finall in this ftate, has greatly increased in the fouthern ftates fince the revolution. They have eftimated their number at 37,800. But their numbers are fo various in different places, at different times, that it would be a matter of no finall difficulty to find out their exact amount. The late famous Mr. John Wesley has been called the Father of this religious fect. They warmly oppofe the Calvinistic doctrines of election and final perfeverance, and maintain that finlefs perfection is attainable in this life. Their mode of preaching is entirely extemporaneous, very loud and animated, bordering on enthufiafm. They appear ftudiously to avoid connection in their difcourfes, and are fond of introducing pathetic ftories, which are calculated to affect the tender paffions. Their manner is very folenin, and their preaching is frequently attended with a furprising effect upon their audiences. Their churches are fupplied by their preachers in rotation.

The

The Shakers are a fect who fprung up in Europe. A part of them came over from England to New-York in 1774, and being joined by others, they fettled at Nifqueaunia, above Albany, whence they fpread their doctrines, and increased to a confiderable number; but their interest is now fast declining. The late Anna Leefe, whom they ftiled the Ele& Lady, was the head of this fect. Her followers afferted, that he was the woman spoken of in the twelfth chapter of the Revelation, and that she spoke feventy-two tongues:And although thefe tongues were unintelligible to the living, fhe converfed with the dead who understood her language. They alledged alfo that he was the mother of all the Elect-that he travailed for the whole world that no bleffing could defcend to any perfon but only by and through her, and that in the way of her being poffeffed of their fins,. by their confefling and repenting of them, one by one, according to her direction. The Elect Lady used to affert that she was immortal-that the day of judgment had commenced, and that she and her followers were already fet to judge the world. But her death has indifputably proved that he was not immortal as to her bodily prefence; and this circumftance, no doubt, has created fufpicions in the minds of fome of her followers refpecting fome other of her affertions and doctrines, and occafioned them to renounce the fcheme.

Their worship, if fuch extravagant conduct may be fo called, confifts principally in dancing, finging, leaping, clapping their hands, falling on their knees, and uttering themselves in groans and fighs, in a found refembling that of the roaring of water; turning round on their heels with aftonishing swiftnefs, to fhew, as they fay, the power of God. gefticulations are performed in the most voilent and boitterous manner, and occafion, at intervals, a fhuddering not unlike that of a perfon in a ftrong fit of the ague. Hence they are called, not improperly, Shakers.

All these

Before we leave this head, we muft mention, that in April, 1784, the legislature of this state paffed an act enabling all religious denominations to appoint truttees, not lefs than three, or more than nine, who fhall be a body corporate, for the purpofe of taking care of the temporalities of their refpective congregations, and for the other purposes therein mentioned.

The minilters of every denomination in the ftate are fupported by the voluntary contributions of the people, raised generally by fubfcription, or by a tax upon the pews, except the Dutch churches in New-York, Albany, Skenectady, and Kington, which have, except the two laft, large ellates confirmed by a charter. The Epifcopal church also in New-York poffefs a very large estate in and near the city.

Conflitution and Courts of Juflice. The prefent conftitution of the state was established by convention, authorised for the purpose, April 20, 1777. The fupreme legislative powers of the state are vested in two branches, a Senate and Affembly. The members of the fenate are elected by the freeholders of the itate, who poffefs freehold eftates to the value of £100, clear of debts. For the purpose of electing fenators, the ftate is divided into four great districts, each of which chooses a certain number, viz. New-York,

Nine Senators.