part thereof otherwise than what hath been agreed upon by the Governor, Provincial Council, and General Assembly.

"XII. That the Governor and Provincial Council shall order and erect all public schools, and encourage and reward the authors of useful sciences, and laudable inventions in the said province.

"XIII. That for the better management of the powers and trust aforesaid, the Provincial Council shall, from time to time, divide itself into four committees, distinct, and proper, for the more easy administration of the affairs of this province, which divides the seventy-two into four eighteens, every one of which eighteens shall consist of six out of the three orders, or yearly elections, each of which shall have a distinct portion of business, as follows:-First, a committee of plantations to situate and settle cities, ports, and market towns, and highways; and to hear and decide all suits and controversies relating to plantations. Secondly, a committee of justice and safety, to secure the peace of the province, and punish the mal-administration of those who prevent justice, to the prejudice of public or private interest. Thirdly, a committee of trade, and treasury, who shall regulate all trade and commerce, according to law; encourage manufacture and country growth, and defray the public charge of the province.-And, Fourthly, a committee of manners, education, and arts; that all wicked and scandalous living may be prevented, and that youth may be successively trained up in virtue and useful knowledge and arts; the quorum of each of which committees being six, that is, two out of each of the three orders, or yearly elections, as aforesaid, make a constant and standing council of twenty four, which will have the power of the Provincial Council, being a quorum of it, in all cases not excepted in the fifth article; and in the said committees, and standing council of the province, the governor or his deputy, shall or may preside therein, as aforesaid; and in the absence of the governor or his deputy, if no one is by either of them appointed, the said committees, or council shall appoint a president for that time, and not otherwise, and what shall be resolved at such committees shall be reported at the said coun

cil of the province, and shall be by them resolved and confirmed, before the same shall be put in execution; and that these said committees shall not sit at one and the same time; unless in cases of necessity.

"XIV. And to the end that all laws prepared by the Governor and Provincial Council aforesaid, may yet have the more full concurrence of the freemen of the province, it is declared, granted and confirmed, that at the time and place or places for the choice of a Provincial Council, as aforesaid, the said freemen shall yearly choose members to serve in General Assembly, as their representatives, not exceeding two hundred persons, &c. But not less than two thirds of these shall make a quorum in the passing of laws, and choice of such officers as are by them to be chosen.

"XV. That the laws so prepared, and proposed, as aforesaid, that are assented to by the General Assembly, shall be enrolled as laws of the province, with this stile ;-By the governor, with the assent, and approbation of the freemen, in provincial council, and General Assembly.

"XVI. That for the establishment of the government and laws of this province, and to the end there may be an universal satisfaction; in the laying of the fundamentals thereof; the General Assembly may for the first year, consist of all the freemen of, and in said province, and ever after it shall be yearly chosen as aforesaid; which number of two hundred shall be increased and enlarged as the country shall increase in people, so as it do not exceed five hundred at any time; the appointment and apportioning of which, as also the laying, and methodizing of the choice of the Provincial Council, and General Assembly, in future times, most equally to the divisions of the hundreds, and counties which the province shall hereafter be divided into, shall be in the power of the Provincial Council to propose, and the General Assembly to resolve.

"XVII. That the Governor and Provincial Council shall erect from time to time, standing courts of justice, in such places, and number as they shall judge convenient for the good government of the said province. And that the Provin

cial Council, shall on the thirteenth day of the first month, yearly, elect, and present to the governor, or his deputy, a double number of persons to serve as judges, treasurers, masters of rolls, within the said province for the year next ensuing; and the freemen in the said province, in the county courts, when they shall be erected, and until then, in the general assembly, shall on the three and twentieth day of the second month, yearly, elect and present to the governor or his deputy, a double number of persons to serve for sheriffs, justices of the peace, and coroners, for the year next ensuing; out of which respective electors, the governor or his deputy shall nominate and commissionate the proper number for each office, the third day after such presentments, or else the first named in such presentment shall stand and serve for that office the year ensuing.

"XVIII. But forasmuch as the present condition of the province requires some immediate settlement, and admits not of so quick a revolution of officers; and to the end, the said province may with all convenient speed, be well ordered and settled, I William Penn do therefore think fit to appoint such men for judges, treasurers, masters of rolls, sheriffs, justices of the peace, and coroners, as are most fitly qualified for those employments, to whom I shall make and grant commissions for the said offices, respectively, to hold to them to whom the same shall be granted, for so long a time as every such person shall well behave himself in the office or place, to him respectively granted, and no longer. And upon the decease or displacing of any such officer, the succeeding officer, or officers, shall be chosen as aforesaid.

"XIX. That the General Assembly shall continue so long as may be needful to impeach criminals, fit to be there impeached, to pass bills into laws, that they shall think fit to pass into laws, and till such time as the governor and council shall declare that they have nothing further to propose unto them for their assent and approbation; and that declaration shall be a dismission to the General Assembly, for that time; which General Assembly shall be, notwithstanding, capable of assembling to.

gether, upon the summons of the Provincial Council, at any time during that year, if the said council shall see occasion for their so assembling.

"XX. That all the electors of members or representatives of the people, to serve in Provincial Council, and General Assembly, and all questions to be determined by both, or either of them, that relate to the passing of bills into laws, to the choice of officers, to impeachments by the General Assembly, and judgment of criminals upon such impeachments, by the Provincial Council, and to all other cases by them respectively judged of importance, shall be resolved and determined by ballot; and unless upon sudden and indispensible occasions, no business in Provincial Council, or in respective committees, shall be finally determined on the same day that it is moved.

"XXI. That at all times, when and so often as it shall happen, that the governor shall or may be an infant, under the age of one and twenty years, and no guardians, or commissioners are appointed, in writing by the father of such infant, or that such guardians, or commissioners are deceased; that during the time of such minority, the Provincial Council shall from time to time, as they shall see fit, constitute and appoint guardians, or commissioners, not exceeding three; one of which three shall preside as deputy, and chief guardian, during such minority, and shall have and execute during such minority, with the consent of the other two, all the powers of a governor, in all the public affairs, and concerns of the said province.

"XXII. That as often as any day of the month mentioned in this charter shall fall upon the first day of the week, (commonly called the Lord's day,) the business appointed for that day shall be deferred till the next day, unless in case of emergency.

“XXIII. That no act, law, or ordinance whatsoever, shall at any time hereafter, be made or done by the governor of this province, his heirs, or assigns, or by the feemen in the Provincial Council, or the General Assembly, to alter, change, or diminish the form, or effect of this charter, or any part or clause thereof, or contrary to the true intent and meaning thereof.

and

without the consent of the governor, his heirs, or assigns, six parts of seven of the said freemen in said Provincial Council, and General Assembly.

"XXIV. And lastly, I the said William Penn, for myself, my heirs and assigns, have solemnly declared, and granted, and confirmed, and do, &c. that neither I nor my heirs, or assigns, shall procure or do any thing or things whereby the liberties, in this charter contained and expressed, shall be infringed or broken, &c. In witness whereof, &c.

APPENDIX G....No. V.

Acts and Laws passed at Chester, December 1682, by the first assembly called by William Penn, after his arrival in the colony. Intitled " the Great Law or body of laws of the Province of Pennsylvania, and Territories thereunto belonging, passed at an assembly held at Chester, alias Upland, on the 7th day of the tenth month, called December, 1682.

PREAMBLE.

Whereas the glory of God, and the good of mankind is the reason and end of all government, and therefore government itself is a venerable ordinance of God; and for as much as it is principally desired, and intended by the proprietary, and governor and friends of the Province of Pennsylvania, and territories thereunto belonging, to make and establish such laws as shall best preserve true christian and civil liberty, in opposition to all unchristian, licentious, and unjust practices; whereby God may have his due, Cesar his due, and the people their due, from tyranny and oppression on the one side, and from insolence, and licentiousness on the other; so that the best and firmest foundation may be laid, for the present and future happiness of both the governor and the people of this