Sheriffs and coroners are appointed annually, and can ferve but four years fuccellively. A court of errors and impeachment is inflituted, compofed of the Prefident of the Senate, Chancellor and Judges of the fupreme court or the major part of them, under the regulation of the Legiflature. The power of impeachment is vefied in the houfe of reprefentatives, and the members on trial mull be fworn. Belides the court of errors and impeachment, there is firft, a court of Chancery, coufifling of a Chancellor, appointed by the council of appointmeat. who holds his office during good behaviour, or until he arrive at the age of lixty years. Secondly, a Supreme court, the judges of which are appointed in the fame manner, and for the fame time as the chancellor. This is a circuit court. Thirdly, County courts, held in each county, the judges of which are apointed in the manner abovementioned, and the firft judge holds his office during good behaviour, or until he arrive at the age of fixty years. Befides thefe there are the juftice's courts, court of pro bares, court of Admiralty, court of exchequer, a court of oyer and terminer and general gaol delivery, and court of quarter feffions. The practice in the fupreme court, to which an appeal lies from the courts below, is in imitation of the fupreme court of the common plase and king's bench in England. A Finances. VARIETY of circumflances have confpired to fill the treasury of this flate, and wholy to fupercede the neceffity of taxation for several years paft; firft, confifcations and economical management of that property; fecond, fales of unappropriated lands; and third, a duty on imports previous to the eflablishment of the federal government. The two former were fold for continental certificates, at a time when the credit of the flate was, per haps, above the par of the Union, which was the cause of getting a large fom of the public debt in the treafury of the State at a depreciated value. Thefe certificates, fince the funding fyftem came into operation, added to the affamed flate debt, a vast quantity of which was alfo in the treasury, forms an enormous mafs of property, yielding an annuity of upwards of one hundred thousand dollars; and when the deferred debt fhall become a fix per cent. flock, this annuity will be upwards of two hundred thousand dollars. The ability of the flate therefore, is abuntantly competent to aid public inflituions of every kind, to make roads, ereét bridges, open canals, and o pufh every kind of improvement to the moil defirable length. It could be wifhed, that thofe citizens who were exiled during the war and whofe property was expofed during its continuance to wanton depredations, were amply rewarded, the Legislature poffefling fo fully the means of difcriminating this unhappy clafs of fufferers, and making them compenfation for their voluntary facrifices, we are not without hope that this will foon be the cafe. Forts, &c. HESE are principally in ruins. The demolition of the fort in the city of New-York has been mentioned. are fill vifible. Fort Stanwix, built by the Britifht in 1758, at the expense it is faid, of fixty thousand pounds, is one hundred and feven miles wellward of Schenecteda, on an artificial eminence bordering on the Mohawk river, and in travelling this diftance, you país fort Hunter, fort Anthony, fort Plain, fort Herkemer, and fort Schuyler. As you proceed wellward of fort Stanwix, you pafs fort Bull, and fort Breweton, at the weft end of Oneida lake. Fort George is at the fouth end of lake George. At the point were lake George communicates with lake Champlin is the famous poft of Ticonderoga, by which word the Canadians underflood noify.--The works at this place are in fuch a ftate of dilapidation, that a franger can fcarcely form an idea of their conftruction. They are, however, fitua ted on fuch high ground as to command the communication between the lakes George and Champlain. Oppofite, on the fouth fide of the water that, empties out of lake George, is a mountain, to appearance inacceffible, catted Mount Defiance, whither general Burgoyne, in the late war, with a boldness, fecrecy, and dispatch almost unparalled, conveyed a number of cannon, fores and troops. The cannon were raifed by large brais tackles from tree to tree and from rock to rock, over dens of rattle fakes, to the fummit, which entirely commands the works of Ticonderoga. This circumflance muf ever be confidered as a full juftification of General Sinclair's fudden retreat with the American army, and the obfervation which he made on his trial, in his own defence, that "Though he had loft a poft he had faved a flate,” was afterwards verified. Crown-point is fifteen miles north of Ticonderoga on lake Champlain. The fort at this place for which a British garrifon was always kept, from the reduction of Canada till the American revolution, was the moll rogualr and the most expenfive of any ever conftructed and fupported by the British government in North-America. The walls are of wood and earth, about fixteen feet high, and twenty foot tick, and nearly one hundred and fifty yards fquare, furrounded by a deep and broad ditch cut through a folid rock. It stands on a rifing ground, perhaps two hundred yards from the Jake, with which there was a covered way by which the garrifon could be fupplied with water in time of a fiege. The only gate opens on the north towards the lake, where there was a draw-bridge. On the right and reft, as you enter the fort, are a row of flone barracks, not inclegantly built, fufficient to contain fifteen hundred or two thoufand troops; the parede is between them, and is a flat fmooth rock. There were feveral out-works, which are now in ruins, as is the principal fort, except the walls, and the walls of the barracks, which fill remain. Of the new created forts we fall fpeak more under the head of the general view of the United States. Indians. THE body of the fix nations inhabit the wcfiern parts of this State. The principal part of the Mahawk tribe refide on Grand river in Upper Ganada; and there are two villages of Senecas on the Allegany river, near the north line of Pennsylvania, and a few Delawares and Skawaghees, on Buffaloe creek. Including thefe, and the Stockbridge and Mohegan Indians, who have migrated and fettled in the vicinity of Oneida, there are, in the fix nations, according to an accurate ellimate lately made by the Rev. Mr. Kirkland, millionary among them, fix thoufand three hundred and thirty fouls. He adds, that among thefe there is comparatively but very few children. The following extract of a letter from Mr. Kirkland, will give the reader an idea of the characters, which, according to Indian tradition, are excluded from the happy country: "The region of Pure Spirits, the five nations cali Eskanane. The only characters which, according to their traditions, cannot be admitted to participate of the pleafures and delights of this happy country, are reduced to three, viz. fuicides; the difobedient to the counfels of the chiefs; and fuch as put away their wives on account of pregnancy. According to their tradition, there is a gloomy, fathomlefs gulph, near the borders of the delightful maufions of Efkanane, over which all good and brave fpiri's pafs with fafety, under the conduct of a faithful and skilful guide appointed for that purpofe; but when a fuicide, or any of the above-mentioned characters, approach this gulph, the conductor, who poffeffes a moft penetrating eye, inantly difcovers their fpiritual features and character, and denies then his aid, alligning his reafons. They will, however, attempt to crofs upon a small pole, which before they reach the middle, trembles and fakes, il prefenily down they fail with horrid fhrieks. In this dark and dreary gulph, they fuppofe refides a great dog, fome fay a dragon, infected with the itch, which makes him perpetually reflefs and fpiteful. The guilty inhabitants of this miferable region, all catch this disease of the great dog, and grope and roam from fide to fide of their gloomy manfion in perpetual torSometimes they approach fo near the happy fields of Eskanane, that they can hear the fongs and dances of their former companions. This only feaves to increase their torments, as they can difcern no light, nor difcover any paffage by which they can gain accefs to them. They fuppofe idcots and dogs go into the fame gulph, but have a more comfortable apartment, where they enjoy fome little light." Mr. Kirkland adds, that feveral other nations of Indians with whom he has conversed on the fubject, have nearly the fame traditionary notions of a future fate. They almoft univerfally agree in this, that the departed fpirit is ten days in its paifige to their happy Elyfium, after it leaves the body; fome of them fuppole its courfe is towards the fouth; o thers that it afcends from fome lofty mountai... ments. The Oneidas inhabit on Oneida creek, twenty one miles west of Fort Stanwix. The Tufcaroras migrated from North-Carolina and the frontiers of Virgi ria, and were adopted by the Oneidas, with whom they have ever fince lived. They were originally of the fame nation. The Senecas inhabit the Cheneffee river, at the Cheneffee caftie. They have two towns of fixty or feventy fouls each, on French Creek, in Pennfylvania; and another town on Buffaloe creek, attached to the British; two finali towns on Allegany river, attached to the Americans. Obeil, or Cornplanter, one of the Seneca chiefs, refided here. The Mohawks were acknowledged by the other tribes, to use their own expreffions, to be "the true old heads of the confederacy; and were, formerly, a powerful tribe, inhabiting on the Mohawk river. As they were ftrongly attached to the Johnfon family on account of Sir William Johnfon, they emigrated to Canada, with Sir John Johnfon, about the year 1776. There is now only one family of them in the State, and they live about a mile from Fort Hunter. The father of this family was drowned in the winter of 1788. All the confederated tribes, except the Oneidas and Tufcaroras, fided with the British in the late war, and fought against the Americans. The Onondagas live near the Onondaga lake, about twenty-five miles from the Oneida lake. In the fpring of 1779, a regiment of men were fent from Albany, by General F. Clinton, against the Onondagas. This regiment furprifed their town, took thirty-three prifoners, killed twelve or fourteen, and returned without the lofs of a man. A party of the Indians were at this time ravaging the American frontiers. There are very few of the Delaware tribe in this State. The Five Confederated Nations were fettled along the banks of the Sufquehannah, and in the adjacent country, until the year 1779, when General Sullivan, with an army of four thousand men, drove them from their country to Niagara, but could not bring them to action. They waited, but waited in vain, for the affiftance of the elements, or, as they expreffed themfelves, for the affiftance of the Great Spirit. Had heavy rains fallen while General Sullivan's army was advanced into their country, perhaps few of his foldiers would have efcaped, and none of their baggage, ammunition, or artillery. This expedition had a good effect. General Sullivan burnt feveral of their towns and deftroyed their provifions. Since this irruption into their country, their former habitations have been moftly deferted, and many of them have gone to Canada. pro On the 13th of November, 1787, John Livingston, Efq. and four others, obtained of the Six Nations of Indians a leafe for nine hundred and ninety-nine years, on a yearly rent referved of two thousand dollars, of all the country included in the following limits, viz. Beginning at a place commonly known by the name of Canado creek, about feven miles west of Ford Stanwix, now Fort Schuyler, thence north-eastwardly to the line of the vince of Quebec; thence along the faid line to the Pennfylvania line; thence eaft on the faid line, Pennfylvania line, to the line of property, fo called by the State of New-York; thence along the faid line of property to Canada creek aforefaid. And on the 18th of January, 1788, the fame perfons obtained a leafe of the Oneida Indians for nine hundred and ninety-nine years, on a rent reserved for the first year, of twelve hundred dollars, and increas ing at the rate of one hundred dollars a year, until it amounts to one thoufaed, five hundred dollars, of all the tract of land commonly cailed the Oneic coun try, except a refervation of feveral tracts specified in the leafe. But thefe leafes having been obtained without the confent of the legiflature of the State, the Senate and Affembly, in their feffion, March 1788, refolved, the said leases are purchases of lands, and therefore, that by the conftitution of this State, the faid leafes are not binding on the faid Indians, and are not valid." Since this a treaty has been concluded with the faid Indians, the bargain of the leafes annulled, and all the country purchased of the natives, except a reservation to the Oneidas, Cayugas, and Onondagas, defined by certain marks and boundaries. "That CHA P. XII. STATE OF NEW-JERSEY. Situation, Extent. THE grenet part of this fate likes between the meredian of Phitsa delphia, and 1° calt longitude, fituated between 39 and 41 degrees 24 min. N. latitude. It is 160 miles long and 52 broad; bounded E. by Hudfon river and the fea: S. by the fea; W. by Delaware bay, and the river which divide it from the Rates of Delaware and Pennfylvania; N. by a line drawn from the mouth of Mahakkamak river in lat. 41° 24′ to a point on Hudfor river, in lat. 41°, containing about 8320 fquare miles. It is divided into thirteen counties, viz. Cape May, Cumberland, Salem, Gloucester, Burlington, Hunterdon, Suffex, Bergen, Effex, Middlesex, Monmouth, Sommerfet and Morris. The whole contains about two hundred thousand inhabitants, Face of the Country, Sea Coaft, c. THE countics of Suffex, Morris, and the northern part of Bergen, are mountainous. The South mountain, which is one ridge of the great Allegany range, croffes this State in about latitude 41°. This mountain embofoms fuch amazing quantities of iron ore, that it may not improperly be called the Iron Mountain. The Kittatinny ridge paffes through this State north of the South mountain. Several fpurs from thefe mountains are projected in a fouthern direction. One paffes between Springfield and Chatham; another runs weft of it, by Morristown, Bafkinridge, and Vealtown. The inte rior country is, in general, agreeably variegated with hills and vallics. The fouthern counties which lie along the fea coafl, are pretty uniformly flat and fandy. The noted Highlands of Navefink, and Center bill, are almoft the only hills within the diftance of many miles from the fea coaft. The Highlands of Navefink are on the fea coaft near Sandy-Hook, in the township of Middleton, and are the first lands that are difcovered by mariners, as they come upon the coaft. They rife about fix hundred feet above the furface of the water. New-Jerfey is washed on the east and fouth-eaft, by Hudfen river and the ocean; and on the weft, by the river Delaware. The most remarkable bays are, Arthur Kill, or Newark bay, formed by the union of Paffaik and Hackinfack rivers. This bay opens to the right and left, and embraces Staten Island. There is a long bay formed by a beach, four or five miles from the fhore, extending along the coaft north-eaft and fouthwest, from Manafquand river, in Monmouth county, almost to Cape May. Through this beach are a number of inlets, by which the bay communicates with the ocean. On the top of a mountain, in Morris county, is a lake or pond, three miles in length, and from a mile to a mile and an half in breadth, from which proceeds a continual ftream. It is in fome places deep. The water is of a fea green colour; but when taken up in a tumbler, is, like the water of the ocean, clear and of a crystalline colour. The rivers in this State, though not large, are numerous. A traveller, in palling the common road from New-York to Philadelphia, croffes three conSderable rivers, viz. the Hackinfach and Paffaik, between Bergen and New! No. 26. |