LAWS RELATIVE TO THE POLICE.

poor

The laft law relative to the regulation of the poor was passed in the year 1771. It appoints overfeers of the poor, both in Philadelphia and other cities of the state. It ordains the levying of taxes for their provifion; recommends the establishment of houses of industry; and regulates the manner of removing poor families who become burthenfome, and have not acquired the right of being relieved in the city where they reside. The right of being relieved is acquired by a year's refidence; and payment, during that time, of the rates. Domestics and apprentices acquire the right fimply by a year's refidence. All persons who have not acquired the right, and are declared by the overfeers of the poor to be in danger of becoming chargeable to the city, are conveyed to the place of their birth; the overfeers of the poor of which place are to reimburse the city that has thus conveyed them the expences of the journey. Every father or mother, grandfather or grandmother, or child, of poor perfons not able to gain their livelihood, is obliged to provide for them, if they have the means, on the penalty of five dollars and a half for every month that they neglect this facred duty. An appeal is allowed to the court of justices of the peace,

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peace, from the fentence of the overfeer of the poor, who, in the firft inftance, decides in fuch cafes..

A law of Pennfylvania, paffed in 1789, gave every foreigner, although not a refident in America, the right of acquiring and poffeffing every fpecies of property, as if he were a member of the ftate. This law, which was to be in force only for two years, was renewed at the end of that period, and no doubt will continue to be renewed till it is declared permanent. This law deferves to be placed among the most enlightened and politic of the state of Pennsylvania, and will, no doubt, induce foreigners to fettle in that fine country, in preference to every other.

The laws relative to the Indian natives, that were paffed by the affemblies of Pennsylvania, were characterised by the forefight and equity which governed William Penn in all his tranfactions with those people; but by the federal conftitution, the congrefs only can pafs laws relative to the commerce of the feveral states with foreign nations, in which defcription the Indians are comprifed. Pennfylvania, therefore, fince it was independent, has no particular law on that fubject.

Liberty of confcience is more compleat in Pennsylvania than in any of the other states. It

was

was fo in the birth of the colony; yet, by a law of 1705, the inhabitants were compelled to profefs a belief in Jefus Chrift, in the Holy Ghost, and the Scriptures. This profeffion was neceffary to place an inhabitant of the state out of the reach of perfecution. The constitution adopted at the beginning of the revolution gave wider limits to liberty of confcience; and finally, the conftitution made in 1790 declarés, "that every

man has a natural right, of which he cannot be juftly deprived, to worship God according to the dictates of his own confcience; that no man can juftly be compelled to obferve any form of worship, or to incur any expence for public worship; that no human authority can, on any pretence, force the confciences of men; and that no preference can be given by law to any particular form of worship." It adds, "that every man, acknowledging the existence of God, and a future ftate of rewards and punishments, may hold any office in the republic of Pennsylvania." In fact, there is no ftate in the Union in which religion and its minifters have lefs influence than in this ftate; its minifters here, as every where else, are willing enough to erect themselves into a body, and to influence the public opinion, but the number that favour their pretensions is fo fmall, that it can scarcely be faid to exift.

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The

The laws that enjoin the observation of Sunday, are more regarded in Pennsylvania than in any of the northern states, because they are more reasonable and moderate.. They prohibit merely the felling of goods in an open shop, or in the markets; following the chace; or attending any public diverfion. The law which prohibits games of hazard, and the fighting of game-cocks, are punctually obeyed, because it is agreeable to the manners and taste of the people; but that which imposes a penalty of three quarters of a dollar for drunkenness is far from being so strictly observed.

LAWS RELATIVE TO THE MILITARY.

The law regulating the militia was passed in 1793. Every male, from the age of eighteen to that of forty-five, is in fact a foldier of the state. The captain of the company in the district enrolls every young man who attains the age of eighteen: a notice, which is ferved upon him by a fubaltern of the company, is the only form required to enter him in the militia, in which he remains till he is five and forty. The profeffions which exempt males from this fervice are nearly the fame as thofe that give the fame exemption in the other states. White men who are domeftics hired for a term, and apprentices, are exempt during the term of their engagement,

except in the cafe of an actual invafion. The militia is compofed of divifions, brigades, regiments, battalions, and companies. The brigades are formed of regiments, and never exceed eight, nor are less than two; regiments are composed of two battalions; and each battalion of four companies, which, according to the population of the canton, may be compofed of any number, from forty to eighty men. Every battalion has a company of grenadiers, and another of rifle-men. A company of artillery, and a body of cavalry are attached to every divifion. A divifion comprises the militia of two or three counties, according to their population; and each county forms one brigade or more, as it is more or lefs populous. A divifion is commanded by a major-general; a brigade, by a brigadier-general; a regiment, by a lieutenant-colonel; a battalion, by a major; and a company, by a captain, lieutenant, and enfign. Beside the staff-officers of the regiments, a brigadier-general infpects the divifions. The general officers are appointed by the governor; the lieutenant-colonels appoint their own majors; they are themselves, as well as the captains, lieutenants, and enfigns, chofen by the foldiers, and non-commiffioned officers of the regiment, battalion, or company, in which the vacancy happens. The commiffion of the officers