fettlers in this state, who have been described as making the first advances in the unfettled country, are attached to the prefent fimple and visionary frame of government. The second 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 wish for a safe, stable, and compound form of government. As the firft fpecies of fettlers are more idle and bold than the laft, who, though the most numerous, are quiet,-they have forced them to submit to it. Among other useful 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 legislature last year, (1787) the purport of which was to enable foreigners, (remaining in their native allegiance) to hold lands in Pennsylvania, which is not the cafe in Great-Britain, nor in any other of the United States. New Inventions.] Thefe have been numerous and useful. Among others are the following: A new model of the planetary world, by Mr. Rittenhouse, 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 fteam, 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 conftructed in Philadelphia, worked by one person 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 munufacturing 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 against 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, Newcastle, with twelve miles of the adjacent territory, A large debt was due from the crown to Mr. Penn, a part of which he offered to remit, on condition he obtained his grant. This, whatever benevolent motives are held out to the world, must have been a principal confideration with the king in making, the grant. and and the lands fouth to the Hoarkills. In December following, Mr. Penn effected an union of the lower counties with the province of Pennsylvania*. The firft frame of government for Pennfylvania is dated in 1682. By this form, all legislative powers were vefted 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 affembly was at firft 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 representatives was reduced, and the governor vested with a negative upon all bills paffed in affembly. By several specious 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 commiffioners to diffolve the frame of government; but not being able to effect his purpose, he, in 1688, appointed Capt. John Blackwell his deputy. From this period, the proprietors ufually refided in England, and administered the government by deputies, who were devoted to their intereft. Jealoufies arofe between the people and their governors, which never ceafed till the late revolution. The primary cause of these 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 himself oppofed in his views. had recourfe to artifice, and prevailed on certain members of the council to withdraw themfelves from the house; thus defeating the measures of the legislature. The houfe voted this to be treachery, and addressed the governor on the occafion. 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 commiffion, the number of counsellors in Pennfylvania was reduced. Under the adminiftration of governor Markham in 1696, a new form of government was established 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 to the revolution. See Franklin's historical review of the conftitution and government of Pennsylvania, page 14. + Tavo inftances of a fucceffion of members from the assembly, with fimilar views, have taken place fince the revolution, and seem to have been copied from the example in 1689. was was agreed upon and established. This was completed and delivered to the people by the proprietary, October 28, 1701, juft 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 Pennsylvania ufed to prefide. In September, 1700, the Sufquehannah Indians granted to Mr. Penn all their lands on both fides the river. The Sufquehannah, Shawanese, and Potomak 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 Pennsylvania. The Conoítoga 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 Susquehannah. In this deed the Sachems declared, that they had feen and heard read divers prior 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 velted in a mayor, recorder, aldermen, and commoncouncil, with power to enquire into treafons, murders, and other felonies and to enquire into and punish 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. Penn 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 felfish defigns of the proprietaries were vigorously and conftantly oppofed by the affembly, whofe firmness preferved the charter rights of the province. 2 At the revolution, the government was abolished. The proprietaries were abfent, and the people by their representatives formed a new conftitution on republican principles. The proprietaries were excluded from all fhare in the government, and the legislature offered them one hundred and thirty thousand pounds in lieu of all quit rents, which was finally accepted. The proprietaries, however, ftill poffefs in Pennsylvania 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 interesting 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 history of Pennsylvania with the following lift of governors. A Lift of the feveral PROPRIETORS, GOVERNORS, LIEUTENANTGOVERNORS, and Prefidents of the Province, with the times of their respective Administrations. PROPRIETORS. The Honourable William Penn, born 1644, died 1718. John Penn, died 1746. William Penn, Proprietor, from Oct. 1682, to Aug. 1684. Thomas Lloyd Governor, Charles Gookin, Aug. 1684, to Dec. 1688. Dec. 1688, to Feb. 1689-90. Feb. 1689-90, to April 26, 1693. 26 April, 1693, to 3 June, 1693. 3 June, 1693, to Dec. 1699. 3 Dec. 1699, to 1 Nov. 1701. 1 Nov. 1701, to Feb. 1702-3. Feb. 1702-3, to Feb. 1703-4. Feb. 1703-4, to Feb. 1708-9. March, 1708-9, to 1717. Sir William Keith, Bart. Patrick Gordon, 1717 to June, 1726. June, 1726 to 1736. Oct. 1754, to 19 Aug. 1756. 19 Aug. 1756, to 17 Nov. 1759. 17 Nov. 1759, to 31 Oct. 1763. 31 Oct. 1763, to 6 May, 1771. 6 May, 1771, to 16 Oct. 1771. 16 Oct. 1771. March, 1777, to April, 1778. Oct. 1778, to Oct. 1781. Nov. 1781, to Nov. 1782. Nov. 1782, to Oct. 1785. Oct. 1785, to Oct. 1788. Oct. 1788. DELAWARE. Miles. DELAWARE, SITUATION and EXTENT. Length 92 Boundaries.] BOUN {38° 30′ and 40° North Latitude. 0° and 1° 45' West Longitude. OUNDED north, by the territorial line*, which divides it from Pennsylvania; eaft, by Delaware river and Bay; fouth, by a due eaft and weft line, from Cape Henlopen, in lat. 38° 30′ to the middle of the peninfula, which line divides the ftate from Worcester county in Maryland; weft, by Maryland, from which it is divided by a line drawn from the western termination of the fouthern boundary line, northwards up the said peninsula, till it touch or form a tangent to the western part of the periphery of the above-mentioned territorial circle: containing about 1400 fquare miles. Climate.] In many parts unhealthy. The land is generally low and flat, which occafions the waters to ftagnate, and the confequence is, the inhabitants are subject to intermittents. Civil Divifions.] The Delaware ftate is divided into three counties, viz. Counties. Newcastle, Kent, Suffex, Chief Towns. Wilmington and Newcastle. Milford and Lewistown. Rivers.] Choptank, Nanticok and Pocomoke, all have their fources in this ftate, and are navigable for veffels of 50 or 60 tons, 20 or 30 miles into the country. They all run a weftwardly courfe into Chefapeek Bay. The eastern fide of the ftate, along Delaware bay and river, is indented with a great number of small creeks, but none confiderable enough to merit a description. Soil and Productions.] The fouth part of the state is a low flat coun try, and a confiderable portion of it lies in foreft. What is under cultivation is chiefly barren, except in Indian corn, of which it produces fine crops. In fome places rye and flax may be raised, but wheat is a foreigner in these parts. Where nature is deficient in one refource, she is generally bountiful in another. This is verified in the tall, thick forefts of pines, which are manufactured into boards, and exported in large quantities into every fea-port in the three adjoining ftates. As you proceed north the foil is more fertile, and produces wheat in large quantities, which is the staple commodity of the state. They raise all the other kinds of grain common to Pennsylvania. The state has no mountain in it, ex *The Territorial Line, so called, is a circle defcribed with a radius of 12 English miles, and whofe centre is in the middle of the town of New caftle. cept |