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 houses, but, in common with the other magiftrates, has one voice only. The state 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 causes not capital, that arise within their limits; from which an appeal lies to the superior court of judicature, court of afsize and general jail delivery, whose jurisdiction extends over the whole state, and who also fit twice a year in each county. The constitution admits not of religious establishments, any farther than depends upon the voJuntary choice of individuals. All men profeffing one Supreme Being, are equally protected by the laws, and no particular sect can claim pre-eminence.] t 2 C CONNECTICUT. 10 1 ACCOUNT of the CONSTITUTION of CONNECTICUT. ONNECTICUT is divided into fix counties, and each county is divided into a number of towns. Each town has a right to send two representatives to the general court or assembly. The general court consists of two branches called the upper and lower house. The upper house is composed of the governor, deputy-governor, and twelve afsistants or counsellors; and the lower house of the representatives of the several towns. This court has the sole power to make and repeal laws, grant levies, dispose of lands belonging to the state, to particular towns and persons: to erect and stile judicatories and officers, as they shall fee necessary for the good government of the people; and also to call to account any court, magiftrate, or other officer, for any misdemeanor or mal-administration, and for just cause may fine, displace, or remove them, or deal otherwise, as the nature of the cafe fhall require; and deal or act in any other matter that concerns the good of the state, except the election of governor, deputy-governor, assistants, treasurer, and secretary, which shall be done by the freemen at the yearly court of election, unless there be any, vacancy by reason of death or otherwise, after the election, which may be filled up by the general court. This court has po power also, for reasons fatisfactory to them, to grant suspension, release, and jail delivery upon reprieve, in capital and criminal cases. The general court has two stated sessions annually, on the second Thursdays of May and October. رة The governor, or in his absence the deputy-governor, may call the affembly, on special emergencies, to meet at any other time. ( : The The governor, deputy-governor, assistants, and fecretary, are annually elected on the second: Thursday in May. The repre sentatives are newly chofen for each stated feffion. The judges and justices are annually appointed by the general court; the fame persons are commonly re-appointed from time to time during their capacity to serve, unless guilty of misbehaviour. The sheriffs 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 commissioned by the governor. The captains and fubalterns are chosen by the vote of the company and housholders living within the limits of the company; the person so chosen must be approved by the general court, and commiffioned by the governor, before they have power to execute their offices AN the military officers hold their offices during the pleasure of the assembly, nor can they resign their commissions without leave of the captain-general, under penalty of doing duty in the ranks as private foldiers, The mode of electing the governor, deputy-governor, assistants, treasurer, and secretary is, that the freemen in the several towns meet on the Monday next after the first Tuesday in April annually (being the day appointed by law for that purpose, and choofing representatives), and give in their votes for the perfons they choose for faid offices respectively, with their names written on a piece of paper, which votes are received and fealed up by a constable in the freemen's meeting; the votes for each of faid officers in a different paper, writing on the outside the name of the town, and the loffice for which the votes are given in, which are fent by the representatives to the general court, to be held on the second Thursday of May next enfuing; at which time, after the house of representatives have chosen a speaker and clerk, a com mittee is chofen of members of both houses, to fort and count the votes, and declare the names of the perfons chosen to faid offices. Any freemen qualified to vote for representatives, &c. may be elected to any office in the government. In chopfing afsistants twenty persons are nominated by the votes of the freemen, given in at their meeting for choofing representatives in September annually, and sealed up and fent to the general court in October then next, which are counted by a committee of both houses, and the twenty persons who have the greatest number of votes stand in nomination, out of which number twelve are to be chosen affistants by the freemen, the next April, in manner afore described.. 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 conversation, and forty shillings freehold, or forty pounds personal estate; if the selectmen of the town certify 3 + certify a person qualified in those respects, he is admitted a freemari, on his taking an oath of fidelity to the state. 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 sentence of the fuperior court on conviction of a misdemeanour. 1 The governor or in his absence the deputy governor in the upper house, and the speaker in the lower house of assembly, have a cafting voice when the members of the respective houses, including the governor and speaker, are equally divided in opinion on any question. There is in this state a superior court, confifting of one chief judge and four other judges, which have authority in all criminal cases, 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 stated sessions of the fuperior court in each county annually.::: There are also county courts held in the several counties, comfifting of one judge and four justices of the quorum, who have jurisdiction 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. Justices of the peace have authority to hear and determine civil actions where the demand does not exceed forty shillings. They also have authority in some cases of a criminal nature, punishable by fine not exceeding forty shillings, or whipping not exceeding ten stripes, or fitting in the stocks. This state is also divided into a number of probate districts, less than counties; in each of which is appointed a judge for the probate of wills, granting administration on inteftate estates, appointing guardians, for minors, ordering distribution of ins teftate eftates, &c. An appeal lies from any decree of this court to the fuperior court. г. 1. The fuperior, county, and probate courts appoint their respective clerks, The general court has till very lately been the only court of chancery in this state. But by a late law, the county courts determine matters of equity from five pounds to two hundred pounds value; the superior court from two hundred to eight hundred pounds value; and the general assembly all cases exceeding the last mentioned fum. All attornies at law are admitted and sworn by the county courts; there is no attorney general, but there used to be lone king's attorney in each county; but since the king has abdicated the government, they are now attornies to the governor and company. NEW-YORK. The CONSTITUTION of the State of New-York. Established by the CONVENTION, authorised and empowered for that Purpose, April 20, 1777. THIS convention, in the name and by the authority of the good people of this state, doth ordain, determine, and declare, that no authority shall, on any pretence whatever, be exercised over the people or members of this state, but such as shall be derived from and granted by them. 2. This convention doth further, in the name and by the authority of the good people of this state, ordain, determine, and declare, that the supreme legislative power, within this state, shall be vested in two feparate and distinct bodies of men; the one to be called The Assembly of the State of New-York; the other to be called, The Senate of the State of New-York; who together shall form the legislature, and meet once, at least, in every year for the dispatch of business. 3. And whereas, laws inconsistent with the spirit of this constitution, or with the public good, may be hastily and unadvisedly passed; 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, shall be, and hereby are, constituted a council to revise all bills about to be passed into laws by the legislature, and for that purpose shall assemble themselves, from time to time, when the legislature shall be convened; for which nevertheless, they shall not receive any falary or confideration, under any pretence whatever. And that all bills, which have passed the fenate and assembly, shall, before they become laws, be presented to the said council for their revisal and confideration; and if upon such revision and confideration, it should appear improper to the faid council, or a majority of them, that the said bill should become a law of this state, that they return the fame, together with their objections thereto in writing, to the fenate or house of assembly, in which foever the same shall have originated, who shall enter the objections fent down by the council, at large, in their minutes, and proceed to reconfider the said bill. But if after fuch reconfideration, two thirds of the faid senate or house of assembly, shall, notwithstanding the faid objections, agree to pass the fame, 1 same, it shall, together with the objections, be sent to the other branch of the legislature, where it shall also be reconfidered, and if approved by two thirds of the members present shall be a law. And in order to prevent any unnecessary delays, be it further ordained, that if any bill shall not be returned by the council within ten days after it shall have been presented, the same shall be a law, unless the legislature shall, by their adjournment, render a return of the said bill within ten days impracticable; in which case the bill shall be returned on the first day of the meeting of the legislature, after the expiration of the said ten days. 4. That the assembly shall consist of at least seventy members, to be annually chosen in the several counties in the pro portions following, viz. For the city and county of New-York, nine. The city and county of Albany, ten. The county of Dutchess, feven. The county of Westchester, fix. The county of Ulfter, fix. The county of Suffolk, five. The county of Gloucester, two. 5. That as foon after the expiration of seven years, subsequent to the termination of the present war as may be, a cenfus of the electors and inhabitants in this state be taken, under the direction of the legislature. And if on such cenfus, it shall appear, that the number of representatives in assembly from the faid counties, is not justly proportioned to the number of electors in the faid counties respectively, that the legiflature do adjust and apportion the fame by that rule. And further, that once in every seven years, after the taking of the said first cenfus, a just account of the electors resident in each county shall be taken; and if it shall thereupon appear, that the number of electors in any county, shall have encreased or diminished one or more seventieth parts of the whole number of electors, which on the said first census shall be found in this state, the number of representatives for such county shall be increased or diminished accordingly, that is to say, one representative for every seventieth part as aforesaid. 6. And |