or claufe, in a late grant to the governor and company of Connecticut colony in America, to the contrary thereof in any wife notwithstanding; the aforefaid Pawcatuck river having been yielded after much debate, for the fixed and certain bounds between thefe out faid colonies, by the agents thereof, who have also agreed, that the faid Pawcatuck river thall alfo be called alias Narrogancett or Narroganfett river, and to prevent future difputes that otherwife might arife thereby, for ever hereafter fhall be conftrued, deemed and taken to be the Narrogancett river, in our late grant to Connecticut colony, mentioned as the easterly bounds of that colony. And further, our will and pleafure is, that in all matters of public controverfies, which may fall out between our colony of Providence plantation, to make 'their appeal therein to us, our heirs and fucceffors, for redress in fuch cafes, within this our realm of England; and that it fhall be lawful to and for the inhabitants of the faid colony of Providence plantations, without lett or moleftation, to pafs and repass with freedom into and through the reft of the English colonies, upon their lawful and civil occafions, and to converfe, and hold commerce, and trade with fuch of the inhabitants of our other English colonies, as fhall be willing to admit them thereunto, they behaving themfelves peaceably among them; any act, clause, or fentence, in any of the faid colonies provided, or that fhall be provided, to the contrary in any wife notwithstanding. And Iaftly, we do for us, our heirs and fucceffors, ordain and grant unto the faid governor and company, and their fucceffors, by these prefents, that thefe our letters patents fhall be firm, good, effectual, and available, in all things in the law, to all intents, constructions and purposes whatfoever, according to our true intent and meaning herein before declared; and fhall be conftrued, reputed and adjudged in all cafes, moft favourably on the be half, and for the beft benefit and behoof of the faid governor and company, and their fucceffors, although exprefs mention, &c. In witnefs, . witnefs, c. Per Ipfum Regem. [Since the commencement of hoftilities by Great Britain, the ftate of Rhode-Island and Providence plantations has not affumed a form of government different from that contained in the foregoing charter. For in that, the king ceded to the governor and company, all powers, legislative, executive, and judicial, referving to himself, as an acknowledgement of his fovereignty, a render of the fifth part of the gold and filver ore that should be found within the territory. The governor, chief magiftrates, and legislators are chofen by the freemen as ufual, and all judicial and executive officers are annually elected by the governor and company, or upper and lower houfe of affembly. All procetles original and judicial, formerly iffued in the king's name, but they now iffue in the name of the governor and company. * H The The oaths of allegiance and of office are made conformable to the principles of the Revolution. The governor, in his legislative capacity, cannot give a negative to any act of the two houfes; but, in common with the other magiftrates, has one voice only. The ftate is divided into five counties, in each of which there is a court of common pleas and general feffions of the peace, held twice every year, for the trial of all caufes not capital, that arife within their limits; from which an appeal lies to the fuperior court of judicature, court of affize and general jail delivery, whofe jurifdiction extends over the whole ftate, and who alfo fit twice a year in each county. The conftitution admits not of religious eftablishments, any farther than depends upon the voluntary choice of individuals. All men profeffing one Supreme Being, are equally protected by the laws, and no particular fect can claim pre-eminence.] CONNECTICUT ACCOUNT of the CONSTITUTION of CONNECTICUT. ONNECTICUT is divided into fix counties, and each CONNECTICUT, a right to fend two reprefentatives to the general court or affembly. The general court confifts of two branches called the upper and lower houfe. The upper houfe is compofed of the governor, deputy-governor, and twelve affiftants or counfellors; and the lower houfe of the reprefentatives of the feveral towns. This court has the fole power to make and repeal laws, grant levies, difpofe of lands belonging to the ftate, to particular towns and perfons to erect and tile judicatories and officers, as they fhall fee neceffary for the good government of the people; and alfo to call to account any court, magiftrate, or other officer, for any misdemeanor or mal-administration, and for just cause may fine, difplace, or remove them, or 'deal otherwife, as the nature of the cafe fhall require; and deal or act in any other matter that concerns the good of the ftate, except the election of governor, deputy-governor, affiftants, treasurer, and fecretary, which shall be done by the freemen at the yearly court of election, unless there be any vacancy by reafon of death or otherwise, after the election, which may be filled up by the general court. This court has power alfo, for reafons fatisfactory to them, to grant fufpenfion, releafe, and jail delivery upon reprieve, in capital and criminal cafes. The general court has two ftated feffions annually, on the fecond Thurfdays of May and October. The governor, or in his abfence the deputy governor, may call deputy-governor, the affembly, on special emergencies, to meet at any other time. The The repre The governor, deputy-governor, affiftants, and fecretary, are annually elected on the fecond Thursday in May. fentatives are newly chofen for each ftated feffion. The judges and justices are annually appointed by the general court; the fame perfons are commonly re-appointed from time to time during their capacity to ferve, unlefs guilty of misbehaviour. The fheriffs are appointed by the governor and council, without limitation of time, but may be fuperfeded by the authority that appoints them. The governor for the time being is captain-general of the militia; the deputy-governor, lieutenant-general; the other ge neral officers, and the field officers, are appointed by the general court, and commiffioned by the governor. The captains and subalterns are chosen by the vote of the company and housholders living within the limits of the company; the perfon fo, chofen must be approved by the general court, and commiffioned by the governor, before they have power to execute their offices. All the military officers hold their offices during the pleasure of the affembly, nor can they refign their commiffions without leave of the captain-general, under penalty of doing duty in the ranks as private foldiers. 1 The mode of electing the governor, deputy-governor, affiftants, treasurer, and fecretary is, that the freemen in the feveral towns meet on the Monday' next after the first Tuesday in April annually (being the day appointed by law for that purpofe, and choofing reprefentatives), and give in their votes for the perfons they choose for faid offices refpectively, with their names written on a piece of paper, which votes are received and fealed up by a conftable in the freemen's meeting; the votes for each of said officers in a different paper, writing on the outside the name of the town, and the office for which the votes are given in, which are fent by the reprefentatives to the general court, to be held on the fecond Thursday of May next enfuing; at which time, after the house of representatives have chofen a fpeaker and clerk, a committee is chosen of members of both houses, to fort and count the votes, and declare the names of the persons chosen to faid offices. Any freemen qualified to vote for reprefentatives, &c. may be elected to any office in the government. In choosing affiftants twenty perfons are nominated by the votes of the freemen, given in at their meeting for choofing reprefentatives in September annually, and fealed up and fent to the general court in October then next, which are counted by a cornmittee of both houfes, and the twenty perfons who have the greatest number of votes ftand in nomination, out of which number twelve are to be chofen affiftants by the freemen, the next April, in manner afore defcribed. The qualifications requifite to entitle a person to vote in election of the officers of government are, maturity in years, quiet and peaceable behaviour, a civil converfation, and forty fhillings freehold, or forty pounds perfonal eftate; if the felectmen of the town 3 certify certify a perfon qualified in thofe refpects, he is admitted a freeman, on his taking an oath of fidelity to the ftate. The names of all that are thus admitted, are inrolled in the town-clerk's office, and continue freemen during life, unless disfranchised by a fentence of the fuperior court on conviction of a misdemeanour. The governor or in his abfence the deputy governor in the upper houfe, and the fpeaker in the lower houfe of affembly, have a cafting voice when the members of the refpective houfes, including the governor and speaker, are equally divided in opinion on any question. There is in this ftate a fuperior court, confifting of one chief judge and four other judges, which have authority in all criminal cafes, extending to life, limb, and banishment, and to hear and determine all civil actions brought by appeal from the county courts, or on writs of error. This court also hath authority in all matters of divorce. There are two ftated feffions of the fuperior court in each county annually. There are alfo county courts held in the feveral counties, confifting of one judge and four juftices of the quorum, who have jurifdiction in all criminal cafes arifing within their respective counties, where the punishment does not extend to life, limb, or banishment. The county courts also have original jurisdiction in all civil actions wherein the demand exceeds forty fhillings. The fuperior and county courts try matters of fact by a jury, according to the course of the common law. Juftices of the peace have authority to hear and determine civil • actions where the demand does not exceed forty fhillings. They alfo have authority in fome cafes of a criminal nature, punishable by fine not exceeding forty fhillings, or whipping not exceeding ten ftripes, or fitting in the ftocks. This ftate is alfo divided into a number of probate districts, lefs than counties; in each of which is appointed a judge for the probate of wills, granting adminiftration on inteftate eftates, appointing guardians for minors, ordering diftribution of inteftate eftates, &c. An appeal lies from any decree of this court to the fuperior court. The fuperior, county, and probate courts appoint their respec tive clerks. The general court has till very lately been the only court of chan cery in this state. But by a late law, the county courts determine matters of equity from five pounds to two hundred pounds value; the fuperior court from two hundred to eight hundred pounds value; and the general affembly all cafes exceeding the laft mentioned fum. All attornies at law are admitted and fworn by the county courts; there is no attorney general, but there ufed to be one king's attorney in each county; but fince the king has abdi cated the government, they are now attornies to the governor and company. The CONSTITUTION of the State of New-York. Established by the CONVENTION, authorised and empowered for that Purpose, April 20, 1777. HIS convention, in the name and by the authority of the good people of this ftate, doth ordain, determine, and declare, that no authority fhall, on any pretence whatever, be exercised over the people or members of this ftate, but fuch as fhall be derived from and granted by them. 2. This convention doth further, in the name and by the au thority of the good people of this ftate, ordain, determine, and declare, that the fupreme legislative power, within this ftate, shall be vefted in two feparate and diftinét bodies of men; the one to be called The Affembly of the State of New-York; the other to be called, The Senate of the State of New-York; who together fhall form the legislature, and meet once, at leaft, in every year for the dispatch of bufinefs. 3. And whereas, laws inconfiftent with the spirit of this conftitution, or with the public good, may be haftily and unadvifedly paffed, be it ordained that the governor, for the time being, the chancellor, and the judges of the fupreme court, or any two of them, together with the governor, fhall be, and hereby are, conftituted a council to revife all bills about to be paffed into laws by the legiflature, and for that purpose shall affemble themselves, from time to time, when the legislature shall be convened; for which nevertheless, they fhall not receive any falary or confideration, under any pretence whatever. And that all bills, which have paffed the fenate and affembly, fhall, before they become laws, be prefented to the faid council for their revifal and confideration; and if upon fuch revifion and confideration, it should appear improper to the faid council, or a majority of them, that the faid bill fhould become a law of this ftate, that they return the fame, together with their objections thereto in writing, to the fenate or houfe of affembly, in which foever the fame fhall have originated, who fhall enter the objections fent down by the council, at large, in their minutes, and proceed to reconfider the faid bill. But if after fuch reconfideration, two thirds of the faid fenate or house of assembly, fball, notwithstanding the faid objections, agree to pass the 1 fame, |