There are now remaining

119 in the harbour, 19 fhips,

9 fnows, 8 brigs, 2 schoonTotal 303 ers, and 1 floop. In all 39.

As in the province of Penfylvania, there is no poll tax, neither any militia incorporated and regulated; we can give no estimate of their numbers of whites and flaves, by proportional calculations.

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There

There never was any militia within this colony on a legal establishment; what not long ago appeared and made fuch a show by their numbers, were only voluntiers commiffioned by the governor. The quakers have always been about three quarters of the affembly, though in number perhaps not exceeding one quarter of the people; the quakers artfully perfuade the Dutch and Germans, that if they chufe others than quakers for their representatives, they would immediately have a militia law impofed on them, which would fubject them to greater flavery, than what they fuffered in their own Country.

This colony by importation of foreigners and other ftrangers in very great numbers, grows prodigiously; by their laborious and penurious manner of living, in confequence they grow rich where others ftarve, and by their fuperior industry and frugality may in time out the British people from the colony. The greateft year of importation of Germans, Irish, a few Welch and Scots, was from December 25, 1728, to December 25, 1729, being about 6200 perfons. In the year 1750, Germans imported into this province and territories, were 4317; British and Irish passengers and fervants above 1000.

We omitted to obferve, that fome Palatines who came over to New-York by queen Anne's bounty, 1707, in the province of New-York, they were not allowed a fufficient encouragement of quantities of land; and by encouragement of Sir William Keith governor of Penfylvania, they removed to Penfylvania.

The numbers of foreigners, principally Germans, imported into this province or colony, in the course of about 25 years last past, has been fo exceffive; that if it is not limited by a provincial act, or by the dernier refource, an act of the British parliament, the province and territories of Penfylvania may foon degenerate into a foreign colony, endangering the quiet of our adjacent colonies.

The

The legislature.

In the colony are only two negatives in the legislature. the governor and houfe of reprefentatives, called the affembly. The council fo called, is only the proprietor's council to the proprietor's governor, but not a king's council; they have no concern in the legislature otherways than by advising the governor in his negative. The acts of legiflature run thus; "Be it enacted by the << honourable Efq; lieutenant governor of the pro"vince of Penfylvania, and of the counties of New"caftle, Kent and Suffex on Delaware river; by and << with the consent of the representatives of the freemen of faid province, in general affembly met."

The governor of Penfylvania is only the proprietary Penn's deputy, and is ftiled lieutenant governor and his honour; his falary in late years has been per annum 1000l. currency out of the excise duty for the province of Penfylvania, and 200l. per ann. from the territories called the three lower counties. By act of parliament, all lieutenant governors or deputies nominated by lords proprietors, or principal hereditary governors of British colonies in North-America, muft have the royal appro

bation.

The proper province of Pensylvania was at first divided into the three counties of Philadelphia, Bucks and Chester, each fending eight reprefentatives to the affembly; about 20 years fince was added the county of Lancafter, fending four representatives; and lately an addition is made of two new counties back inland, by the names of York and Cumberland, they are allowed only two members each, with two reprefentatives from the city of Philadelphia, make thirty-four reprefentatives, which compose the houfe of affembly. The qualification for an elector or elected, is, a freeman refident in the country for two years, and worth in real or perfonal eftate, or both jointly, the value of fifty pounds their currency, which if required, is to be declared upon oath' or affirmation.

The three lower counties on Delaware river called the territories, are a diftinct jurifdiction, and their affembly of representatives confifts of fix members from Newcastle county; fix from Kent, and fix from Suffex counties, in all eighteen members.

Their general affemblies are annually elective on the firft day of the month of October. The reprefentatives are not by towns or parish elections (Philadelphia excepted) as in New-England colonies, but by county elections. Penfylvania proper, called the province, for many years, confifted of only three counties called the upper counties, viz. Buckingham county, chief town Eritol, nearly over-againft Burlington of the Jerfies; Philadelphia county, chief town Philadelphia, in about 40 d. N. lat. and Chester county, chief town Chester, about 15 miles (on the river) below Philadelphia; and a few years fince was made the inland county of Lancaster, chier town Lancaster, laying both fides of Sefquahanna river; and very lately two more inland counties, York and Cumberland. The territories are called the three lower counties on Delaware river, viz. Newcastle county, chief town Newcastle, about 35 miles below Philadelphia; Kent county, chief town Dover; and Lewis county, chief town Lewis or Hore-kill, near cape Henlopen of Delaware bay.

Courts of judicature.

Juries are all returned by the fheriff, excepting in par ticular cafes, but not often, there may be a ftruck jury by confent of parties, and that must be in the prefence of one of the judges, the fheriff, and the parties. ...The fheriffs and coroners are annually elected at the fame time with the reprefentatives, by a county election; the people elect two for each office, out of which the governor chufes one, who in the fame manner may be re-elected for three years running, but after three years, cannot be re-elected, but by the intervention of three years out of office, and then is capable of a new election. Juftices

Juftices of the peace, are all of the governor's appointing, and fit in quarter feffions, conformable to the laws and inftitutions of England.

The judges of the common pleas are the justices of the peace in each refpective county; when the quarter feffions are finished, they continue to fit in quality of the judges of common pleas by commiffion from the governor Their prefent times of fitting are,

For the county of Philadelphia, at Philadelphia, the firft Monday in March, June, September, and December. For the city of Philadelphia, the mayor's courts are the first Tuesday in January, April, July, and last Tuefday in October.

For the county of Buckingham, or Bucks, at NewTown (11 miles weft from Bristol) on the eleventh day following the courts of Philadelphia county.

For the county of Chefter, at Chester, the last Tuefday in May, Auguft, November, and February.

For the county of Lancaster, at Lancaster, firft Tuefday in February, May, Auguft, and November.

For the county of Suffex, at Lewis, the first Tuesday in February, May, Auguft, and November.

For the county of Kent, at Dover, the second Tuesday of the laft faid months.

For the county of Newcastle, at Newcastle, the third Tuesday of faid months.

The fupreme court confifts of a chief juftice and two afliftant judges commiffioned by the governor: they have all the authority of the King's Bench, CommonPleas, and court of Exchequer in England, in the words of the provincial law; they not only receive appeals, but all caufes once commenced in the inferior courts, after the first writ, may be moved thither by a habeas corpus, certiorari, writs of error, &c.

The judges of this fupreme court have alfo a ftanding and diftinct commiffion, to hold as to them fhall feem needful, courts of oyer and terminer, and general

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