ments of morality may be inftilled into their minds: fuch as, when farther developed as their judgments advance in ftrength, may teach them how to promote their own greatest happiness, by fhewing them that it does not depend on the condition of life in which nature has placed them, but is always the refult of a good confcience, good health, occupations, and freedom in all ju pursuits.

Conftitution, Courts and Laws.

THE executive powers are lodged in the hands of a governer, cho

fen annually, and incapable of acting more than three years in feven. He is affifted by a council of eight members. The judiciary powers are divided among feveral courts, as will be hereafter explained. Legiflation is exercifed by two houses of affembly, the one called the houfe of delegates, compofed of two members from each county, chofen annually by the citizens, poffefling an eftate for life, in one hundred acres of uninhabited land, or twenty-five acres with a house on it, or in a house or lot in fome town; the other called the fenate, confifting of twenty-four members, chofen quadrennially by the fame electors, who, for this purpose, are diftributed into twenty-four diftricts. The concurrence of both houfes is neceffary to the paffing of a law. They have the appointment of the governor and council, the judges of the fuperior courts, auditors, attorney-general, treasurer, regifler of the landoffice.

This conflitution was the first that was formed in the whole united flates. In each county and corporation in Virginia, there is a court held monthly at a ftated place. The governor comm fhions the juftices who hold thefe courts. They do not receive a falary, and any four are fufficient to conftitute a court. They have jurifdiction refpectively, 1ft. To hear and ultimately decide on certain mifdemeanors: 2d. To examine into every criminal offence committed within their limits; and, if the culprit is deemed guilty of the offence imputed to him, to order him, for ultimate trial, to the diftri& court to which the county belongs-but no criminal can be put upon his trial, in a district court, without fuch previous examination, nor can the examining courts inflict any punishment on him: 3d. To hear and determine all civil caufes peculiar to the county or corporation, and all transitory actions of every kind: 4th. To regulate the police of the county, grant adminiftrations, and receive probate of wills and deeds, &c. Quarterly, thefe courts, fit for the dispatch of civil fuits, and, at all their other feffions, their other powers are exercifed. Every county and corporation is thrown into a diftrict, so as to make the number of districts in the ftate eighteen. For each of thefe diftricts a court is held, twice in each year, by the judges of the general court, at a flated place within each district. The jurifdiction of the district court is, 1ft, over all criminal caufes: 2d, over all caufes, at common law, of a civil nature, if, in pecuniary demands, the fum amounts to thirty pounds. They have alfo an appellate jurifdiction, from the county courts, in all civil cafes, at common law, if the fum recovered amounts to ten pounds. Each of the diftrict courts is to confift of two judges from the general court, to be allotted, at the feffions of the general court, twice in each year, One judge, however, in the absence of the other, may do all bufinefs of a civil nature; but no criminal can be tried, in the absence of either judge, without his confent, and a petition from him for that purpose. The general court confifts of ten judges, elected by joint ballot of both houfes of the affembly, and

commiffioned by the governor. It fits twice a year in Richmond. Its ju rifdiction, which has of late been transferred into the diftrict courts, for the convenience of fuitors, is now confined to cafes which affect public delinquencies, in tax-gatherers, &c. It can hear cafes, adjourned by the diftri&t judges, and fome others, but its powers are now very much confined. The high court of chancery fits four times a year, in Richmond. It confifts of one judge, who has original chancery jurifdiétion, co-extenfive with the flate. It has an appellate jurifdiction from the county and corporation courts in chancery. The court of appeal confifts of five judges, chofen by joint ballot of both houfes of the affembly. It fits twice a year in Richmond. It has not original jurifdiction in any cafe; but it has an appellate jurifdiction from the chancery, general, and diflrict courts, in all civil cafes, and its decrees and decifions are final.

In 1785, the affembly enacted that no man fhould be compelled to fupport any religious worship, place or minifter what foever, nor be enforced, restrained, molefled, or burdened in his body or goods, nor otherwise fuffer on account of his religious opinions or belief; but that all men fhould be free to profefs, and by argument to maintain their opinion, in matters of religion; and that the fame fhould in no wife diminifa, enlarge or affect their civil capacity.

In October 1786, an act was paffed by the affembly prohibiting the importation of flaves into the commonwealth, under penalty of forfeiting the fum of one thousand pounds for every flave. And every flave imported contrary to the true intent and meaning of this aft, becomes free.

THIS

CHA P. XX.

STATE OF KENTUCKY.

Situation, Extent, Boundaries, &c.

HIS State is fituated between 36° 30′ and 39° 30′ north latitude, and 8" and 15° west longitude from Philadelphia; its length is about twe hundred and fifty miles, and its breadth two hundred. It is bounded on the north and north-weft by Great Sandy creek and the Ohio river; on the weft by Cumberland river; on the fouth by the lands laid off from North-Carolina, called the Tenneffee government; on the caft by Sandy river, and a line drawn due fouth from its fource, till it ftrikes the northern boundary line of North-Carolina.

It is divided into fourteen counties, viz. Jefferfon, Fayette, Bourbon, Mercer, Nelfon, Maddifon, Lincoln, Woodford, Mafon, Washington, Clark, Scott, Legan and Franklin, containing in the whole about 50,000 íquare miles and about 130,000 inhabitants.

LEXINGTON,

Chief Towns.

EXINGTON, was formerly the capital of Kentucky, fituated on a rich extensive plain. It contains about 250 houfes, 3 places of worship, a court-house, a gaol and upwards of 2000 inhabitants, it is 24 miles E. of Frankfort and 775 S. W. of Philadelphia. N. Lat. 38° 6 W, Long.. 35° 8.

1

Frankfort, is the capital of this fate, fituated on the N. E. branch of Kentucky river. It is a very flourishing town, containing a number of handfome houfes. The State houfe is a fine ftone building, 789 miles S. W. of Philadelphia. N. Lat. 38° 14 W. Long. 95 28.

Washington is the fhire town of Mafon county, of about 100 houfes, a Prefbyterian church, court-house and gaol, 62 miles N. E. of Lexington, and 708 S. W. of Philadelphia.

Leeftown or Leefburg is 20 miles west of Lexington on the Eastern bank of Kentucky river, regularly laid out and flourishing.

Louifville is a port of Entry on the eaft fide of the Ohio at the rapids, nearly oppofite Fort Fenny. It contains about 100 houfes and promifes to be a place of great trade. It is 40 miles W. of Frankfort.

In addition to thefe, there is Beards town, in Nelfon county; and Har rodfburgh in Mercer county; both on the head waters of Salt river. Danville, Boonsborough, and Granville are alfo encreafing towns. Several new townships are marked out, and no doubt can be entertained but that a rapid progrefs will be made in feitling them..

Climate.

THIS country is more temperate and healthy than almost any of

the other fettled parts of America. In fummer it is without the fandy heats which Virginia and Carolina experience, and receives a fine air from its rivers. In winter, which at moft only lafts three months, commonly but two, and is but feldom fevere, the people are safe in bad houses; and the beafts have a good fupply without fodder. The winter begins about Christmas, and ends about the firft of March, at fartheft does not exceed the middle of that month. Snow feldom falls deep or lies long. The weft winds often bring ftorms, and the east winds clear the fly; but there is no fteady rule of weather in that respect, as in the northern States. The weft winds are fometimes cold and nitrous. The Ohio running in that direction, and there being mountains on that quarter, the western winds, by fweeping along their tops, in the cold regions of the air, and over a long tract of frozen water, collect cold in their course, and convey it over the Kentucky country; but the weather is not fo intenfely fevere as thefe winds bring with them in Pennsylvania. The air and feafons depend very much on the winds, as to heat and cold, dryness and moisture.

Face of the Country, Soil, and Productions.

IN deferibing a country like this, it is almoft impoffible to treat thefe

fubjects feperately without a repetition of the fame remarks and observations; we, therefore, have preferred blending them together, and as an attention to the different rivers which water this State will greatly affift the reader, in attaining a proper view of the foi, &c. we fhall first mention the principal of them.

The beautiful river Ohio bounds Kentucky on the north-western fide in its whole length, being a mile and fome times lefs in breadth, and is fufficient to carry boats of great burthen; its general courfe is fouth 60° weft; and in its course it receives numbers of large and fmall rivers, which mingle with its freams. The only difadvantage this fine river has, is a rapid one mile and a half long, and one mile and a quarter broad, called the falls of Ohio. In