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tion is high and healthy. It lies open to Sandy-Hook, and has one of the best harbours on the continent. Veffels from fea may enter it in one tide, in almost any weather. Great efforts have been made, and legislative encouragements offered, to render it a place of trade, but without fuccefs. This town was early incorporated with city privileges, and continued to fend two members to the general affembly until the revolution. Until this event, it was the capital of Eaft- Jersey; and the legiflature and fupreme court ufed to fit here and at Burlington alternately.

BRUNSWICK (City) was incorporated in 1784, and is fituated on the fouth-weft fide of Raritan river, twelve miles above Amboy. It contains about two hundred houfes, and fixteen hundred inhabitants, one half of which are Dutch. Its fituation is low and unpleasant, being on the bank of the river, and under a high hill, which rifes back of the town. The ice, at the breaking up of the river in winter, frequently lodges on the fhallow fording-place, juft oppofite the town, and forms a temporary dam, which occafions the water to rife many feet above its ufual height, and fometimes to overflow the lower floors of those houses: which are not guarded against this inconvenience, by having their foundations elevated. The water in the fprings and wells is generally bad. The inhabitants are beginning to build on the hill above the town, which is very pleasant, and commands a pretty profpect. The citizens have a confiderable inland trade, and feveral small veffels belonging to the port.

PRINCETON is a pleafant, healthy village, of about eighty houses, fifty-two miles from New-York, and forty-three from Philadelphia. Its public buildings are a large college edifice of ftone, already described, and a Prefbyterian church, built of brick.

ELIZABETH-TOWN (City) is fifteen miles from New York. Its fituation is pleasant, and its foil is equal in fertility to any in the state. In the compact part of the town, there are about one hundred and fifty houses. The public buildings are, a very handsome prefbyterian brick church, lately built, an epifcopal church, alfo of brick, and an academy. Governor Livingston's feat is about a mile weftward of the compact part of the town. Its fine fituation-the elegance and convenience of the buildings-the arrangement and variety of fruit-trees-the gardens -the artificial fish-ponds, &c. difcover a refined and judicious taste.. Ornament and utility are happily united. It is, indeed, a feat worthy. of a Republican patriot, and of the author of the Philofophical Solitude*.'

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This is one of the oldeft towns in the flate. It was purchased of the Indians as early as 1664, and was fettled foon after.

NEWARK is nine miles from New York. It is a handsome, flourishing town, about the fize of Elizabeth-town, and has two prefbyterian churches, one of which is of stone, and unfinished, and is the largest and moft elegant building in the flate. Befides these there is an epifcopal church, a court-house and gaol. This town has the fame of making the best cyder in the world.

* A celebrated Ode, written by Governor Living fton in early life.

SHREWSBURY.

SHREWSBURY is between thirty and forty miles fouthweft by fouth from New York, on the fea coaft, and is the largest and most populous town in the county of Monmouth. The foil in this and the neighbouring towns of Freehold and Middletown, are remarkably fertile. The inhabitants, 4321 in number, in the whole township, are a mixture of friends, epifcopalians, prefbyterians and methodists. Each has a houfe of worship. The friends are the moft numerous. Among the first settlers of this town, which is one of the oldeft in the ftate, were a number of families from New England.

MIDDLETOWN is fifty miles eaft by north from Trenton, and thirty fouth-weft by fouth from New York, adjoining Shrewsbury. SandyHook (fo called from its shape and foil) is included in this township. Ón the point of the Hook stands the light house, one hundred feet high, built by the citizens of New-York.

Practice of Phyfic.] There is a Medical Society' in this flate, confifting of about thirty of their most respectable physicians, who meet twice a year. No perfon is admitted to the practice of phyfic, without a licence from the fupreme court, founded on a certificate from this fociety, or at least two of its members, teftifying his fkill and abilities. It is remarkable that in the county of Cape May, no regular phyfician has ever found fupport. Medicine has been adminiftered by women, except in fome extraordinary cafes.

years,

Practice of Law.] No perfon is permitted to practise as an attorney in any court without a licence from the governor. This cannot be obtained, unless the candidate fhall be above twenty-one years of age, and shall have ferved a regular clerkship with fome licensed attorney for four and have taken a degree in fome public cellege, otherwife he must ferve five years. He muft alfo fubmit to an examination by three of the most eminent counsellors in the ftate, in the prefence of the judges of the fupreme court. After three years practice as an attorney, he becomes a candidate for a counsellor's licence, which is granted on a like examination. In confequence of thefe wife regulations, the practice of law in this ftate is refpectable. Many of the people here, however, as in other ftates, think (because perhaps they are inftruments in obliging them to pay their debts) that the lawyers know too much. But their knowledge will not injure thofe who are innocent, and who will let them alone. Experience has verified this obfervation in the county of Cape May. No lawyer lives within fixty miles of that county, and it is feldom that any attend their courts. The confequence is, that no perfon's landed eftate was ever fold in this county, by a fheriff, for the payment of a debt. is wished that this county may ever form this fingular exception, perhaps, from all the counties in the United States.

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Conflitution.] The government of this ftate, agreeably to their conftitution, is vested in a governor, legislative council, and general affembly. The governor is chofen annually, by the council and affembly jointly, and is stiled "Governor and commander in chief in and over the ftate of New Jersey, and the territories thereunto belonging, chancellor and ordinary in the fame." The legislative council is compofed of one member from each county, chofen annually by the people. They must be worth one thousand pounds in real and perfonal eftate within the county,

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and have been freeholders and inhabitants of the counties they represent for one year. The general affembly is compofed of three members from each county, chofen as above; each of them must be worth five hundred pounds, in real and perfonal estate within the county, and have been freeholders and inhabitants as above. All thefe, on taking their feats in the legislature, muft fwear "that he will not affent to any law, vote or proceeding, WHICH SHALL APPEAR ΤΟ HIM injurious to the public welfare of the state, or that shall annul or repeal that part of the conftitution which establishes annual elections, nor that part respecting trial by jury, nor that part which secures liberty of confcience."

The governor fits in, and prefides over the legislative council, and has a cafting vote in their debates. His privy or executive council is compofed of any three members of the legislative council; and the governor and any feven members of the council are a court of appeals in the last refort, as to points of law in civil cafes, and poffefs a power of pardoning criminals in all cafes whatsoever. The council chufe one of their members to be vice prefident, who, when the governor is absent from the ftate, poffeffes the fupreme executive power. The council may originate any bills, excepting preparing and altering any money bill, which is the fole prerogative of the affembly. In every other refpect their powers are equal. Every bill is read three times in each houfe. None of the judges of the fupreme court, or other courts, fheriffs, or any perfon poffeffed of any poft of profit under the governor, except juftices of the peace, is entitled to a feat in the affembly. The eftate of a fuicide is not forfeited for his offence.

Courts of Justice, Laws, &c.] The courts of justice in this ftate are, first, Justices Courts. A competent number of perfons are appointed in each county by the council and affembly, in joint meeting, who are called juftices of the peace, and continue in office five years, who, befides being confervators of the peace, agreeably to the English laws, are authorized to hold courts for the trial of caufes under twelve pounds. From this court, perfons aggrieved, may appeal to the quarter feffions. Secondly, Courts of quarter feffions of the peace, are held quarterly in every county, by at least three of the juftices. This court takes cognizance of breaches of the peace, and is generally regulated by the rules of the English law,

Thirdly, Courts of common pleas, which are held quarterly, by judges appointed for that purpofe, in the fame manner as the juftices of the peace, and who are commonly of their number, and hold their commiffions five years. This court may be held by a single judge, and has cognizance of demands to any amount, and is conftructed on, and governed by the principles of the English laws.

Fourthly, Supreme Courts, which are held four times a year, at Trenton, by three judges appointed for that purpose, who hold their offices three years, but one judge only is neceffary to the holding this court. This court has cognizance of all actions, both civil and criminal throughout the flate, having the united authority of the courts of king's bench, common pleas and exchequer in England. The courts of oyer and terminer and nifi prius, commonly held once a year in each county, for the trial of caufes arifing in the county, and brought to iffue in the

fupreme

fupreme court, are properly branches of this court, and are held by one of the judges of it, except that in the courts of oyer and terminer, fome of the gentlemen of the county are always added in the commiffion, as affiftants to the judge; but they cannot hold the court without him.

Fifthly, Orphan's Courts, lately established by act of affembly, are held by the judges of the court of common pleas, ex officio, and have cognizance of all matters relating to wills, administrations, &c.

Sixthly, Court of Chancery, held by the governor, ex officio, always open. It is a court of law and equity, founded on the fame principles, and governed by the fame rules, as the court of chancery in England.

Seventhly, High Court of Errors and Appeals, compofed of the governor, and feven of the council, and is a court of appeals in the last resort, in all cafes of law.

All the English laws which had been practifed upon in the state, and which were not repugnant to revolution principles, were adopted by the conftitution, and very few alterations of confequence have fince been made, except in the descent of real estates, which, instead of defcending to the eldest fon, agreeably to the old feudal fyftem, as formerly, are now divided (where there is no will) equally among the children, both male and female, except that the eldest son has two shares; a mode of descent much more confiftent with republican principles.

Military ftrength.] The military ftrength of New-Jerfey confifts only of the militia about 30,000 in number, who have been too much neglected fince the war.

Revenue.] About £.10,000 are raised annually for the fupport of government, and for the payment of incidental charges, and of the penfions of those who were disabled in the public fervice during the war; and about £44,000 raised annually for the payment of the intereft on the public debt of this state, and their quota of the debt of the United States. This revenue is raised by a tax on lands, iron works, mills, diftilleries, breweries, ferries, fifheries, carriages, ftages, taverns, horses, cattle, &c. Hiftory. It is a task of no fmall difficulty to give the reader a juft view of the hiftory of New Jerfey. Dr. Douglafs obferves, in great truth, that the affairs of this colony have always been in a confused state, which occafions an unavoidable confusion in its history.'

The first fettlers of New Jersey, were a number of Dutch emigrants from New York, who came over between the years 1614 and 1620, and fettled in the county of Bergen. Next after thefe, in 1627, came over a colony of Swedes and Finns, and fettled on the river Delaware. They afterwards purchased of the Indians, the land on both fides NewSwedeland ftream, (now called Delaware river) from Cape Henlopen to the falls; and, by prefents to the Indian chiefs, obtained peaceable poffeffion of it. The Dutch and Swedes, though not in harmony with each other, kept poffeffion of the country many years. In 1683, the Dutch had a house devoted to religious worship at New Caftle; the Swedes at the fame time had three, befides one on the island of Tenecum, one at Christiana, and one at Wicoco. The prefent Swedish churches in Philadelphia and Gloucester county in New Jersey, are defcendants of these first settlers.

In March, 1634, Charles II. granted all the territory, called by the Dutch New-Netherlands, to his brother the Duke of York: And in June, 1664, the duke granted that part now called New Jersey, to Lord Berkley of Stratton, and Sir George Carteret, jointly; who, in 1665, agreed upon certain conceffions with the people for the government of the province, and appointed Philip Carteret, Efq. their governor. He purchafed confiderable tracts of land from the Indians, for fmall confiderations, and the fettlements increased.

The Dutch reduced the country in 1672; but it was restored by the peace of Westminster, February 9th, 1674.

In confequence of the conqueft made by the Dutch, and to obviate any objections that might be made on account of it against the former grant, a new patent was iflued, in 1674, to the duke of York, for the fame country. In July of this year, New Jersey was divided, and Weft Jerfey was granted, by the duke of York, to the affigns of Lord Berkley; and Eaft Jerfey to Sir G. Carteret. The division line was to run from the fouth-eaft point of Little Egg Harbour, on Barnegate Creek, being about the middle between Cape May and Sandy Hook, to a creek, a little below Ancocus creek, on Delaware river, thence about thirty-five miles, ftrait course, along Delaware river, up to 41° 40′ north latitude. This line has never been fettled, but has ever fince continued to be a fubject of contention.

In 1675, Weft Jerfey, which had been granted to Lord Berkley, was fold to John Fenwick, in truft for Edward Bylinge. Fenwick came over with a colony, and fettled at Salem. These were the first English fettlers in Weft Jerfey. In 1676, the interest of Bylinge in Weft Jersey, was affigned to William Penn, Gavin Lourie, and Nicholas Lucas, as trustees, for the use of his creditors. Mutual quit claims were executed between Sir George Carteret and the truftees of Bylinge. This partition was confirmed in 1719, by an act of the general affembly of the Jerfeys. In 1678, the duke of York made a new grant of Weft Jersey to the affigns of Lord Berkley.

Agreeably to Sir George Carteret's will, dated December 5, 1678, Eaft Jerfey was fold, in 1682, to twelve proprietors, who by twelve feparate deeds, conveyed one-half of their intereft to twelve other perfons, feparately, in fee fimple. This grant was confirmed to thefe twentyfour proprietors, by the duke of York, the fame year. These twentyfour fhares, by fales of fmall parts of them, and by these small parts being again divided among the children of fucceffive families, became at laft fubdivided in fuch a manner, as that fome of the proprietors had only one-40th part, of a 48th part of a 24th fhare. Weit Jersey was in the fame condition. This created much confufion in the management of the general proprietors, particularly in regard to appointing goverTheic inconveniencies, aided by other caufes of complaint, which had been increafing for feveral years, and were fait advancing to a dangerous crifis, difpofed the proprietors to furrender the government to the crown, which was accordingly done, and accepted by queen Ann, on the 17th of April, 1702. Till this time the government of New Jerfey was proprietory; it now became royal, and fo continued till the memorable fourth of July, 1776.

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