by law. The chancellor and supreme court judges, on appeals from themselves, may state the reasons of their judgment, but shall have no vote. The secretary of state is clerk of the court. The chancellor, appointed by the governor and senate for seven years, constitutes the court of chancery, and is the ordinary and judge of the prerogative court. The supreme court consists of a chief justice, and not less than two associates, appointed by the governor and senate for seven years. The circuit court may be held by a judge of the supreme court, or by a distinct judge, and has, within the county, a common-law jurisdiction, except in criminal cases, concurrent with the supreme court; and its final judgments may be docketed in that court. The court of common pleas shall consist of not more than five judges, chosen by joint ballot of the legislature, for five years, one every year. Justices of the peace are chosen for five years by the people in towns. The salaries of the chancellor and supreme court judges shall not be diminished during their term. The attorney-general, clerks of the supreme court, and court of chancery, shall be appointed, for five years, by the governor and senate. Clerks and surrogates of counties are elected by the people therein, for five years; and sheriffs and coroners annually; but they cannot serve more than three consecutive years. All officers, not otherwise provided for, are appointed by the governor and senate. No person shall be imprisoned for debt, except in cases of fraud. In all libel cases, the truth may be given in evidence; and if published with good motives, and for justifiable ends, is a sufficient defence. The jury may determine the law and the facts. GOVERNMENT For the year ending January, 1848. Ch. G. M'Chesney, Stacy A. Paxson, John C. Smallwood, J. W. C. Evans, Daniel Dodd, jr., Alex. M. Cumming, Joseph Porter, Aaron Robertson, CHAS. C. STRATTON, of Gloucester Co., Governor (term of office ex of Trenton, pires Jan. 1848), $1,600 Secretary of State, Fees. Treasurer, 1,000 President of the Senate, $4.00 a day. of Burlington Co., Speaker of the Assembly, 4.00 a day. Clerk of the Senate, 3.50 a day. JUDICIARY. Court of Errors and Appeals. of Gloucester Co., Judge, of Passaic Co., do. of Warren Co., Andrew Sinnickson, Jonathan J. Spencer, of Burlington Co., Ferdinand S. Schenck, of Somerset Co., do. do. do. do. Salary. Term expires. 1852 1851 1850 1849 1848 1853 Henry W. Greene, of Trenton, Chief Justice, Whole amount received in 1846, Salaries, ments, Legislature, Printing, Court of errors and appeals, FINANCES. $15,616.50 Term expires. 1852 1850 State prison, Transportation of prisoners, & costs, 4,964.86 Payment of special loan, 15,000.00 Deaf and dumb, 1,877.42 Incidental, and various other ex penses, Balance in the treasury, Total, Term expires. 1853 1848 do. 1852 do. 1852 do. 1852 Attorney-General, 1850 Clerk, 1852 Reporter, 1847 Clerk in Chancery, 1850 13,779.50 8,773.81 $163,948.28 Salary. $1,800 & fees. Fees. Principal items of Expenditure to Jan. Chief- sources of Income to Jan. 1, 1, 1847. 1847. Salary. $1,500 & f. 1,400 & f. 1,400 & f. 1,400 & f. 1,400 & f. Fees & 80. Fees. 200 Fees. Balance of 1845-6, $5,278.98 Transit duties on railroads and 48,034.51 1,250.00 7,216.90 20,725.00 Div. on railroad and canal stock, 19,000.00 40,000.00 39,961.92 3,205.97 Total, $163,948.28 $163,948.28 Thomas Wharton, Joseph Reed, William Moore, IX. PENNSYLVANIA. Pennsylvania was granted by Charles II., by a charter signed on the 4th of March, 1681, to the illustrious William Penn, who was constituted the proprietary of the province. In 1682, William Penn, together with about two thousand settlers, most of whom, like himself, belonged to the society of Friends, or Quakers, arrived in the country; and in the following year he laid out the plan of the city of Philadelphia. He established a friendly intercourse with the Indians, which was not interrupted for more than seventy years. From the beginning of the 18th century till the commencement of the American Revolution, the government was generally administered by deputies appointed by the proprietaries, who mostly resided in England. GOVERNORS, DEPUTY-GOVERNORS, &C. Under the Proprietary Government. Thomas Mifflin, Thomas M'Kean, William Findlay, Appointed. William Penn, Prop. and Gov. 1682 James Logan, Thomas Lloyd, President, Appointed. 1736 1738 1747 1748 President, do. 1754 do. 1756 1759 1763 1704 James Hamilton, President, 1771 1709 Richard Penn, 1771 Governor, 1773 1717 John Penn, do. 1726 The Proprietary Gov't ended 1776 Presidents under the First Constitution. elected 1777 John Dickinson, do. 1778 Benjamin Franklin, do. 1781 Thomas Mifflin, Governors under the New Constitution. elected do. do. 1817 David R. Porter, do. 1820 Francis R. Shunk, elected 1782 do. 1785 do. 1788 ABSTRACT OF THE CONSTITUTION. The first constitution of Pennsylvania was adopted in 1776; the second in 1790; and the present constitution in 1838. Every white freeman, 21 years old, resident in the state for one year, and in his election district for ten days next before the election, and who has paid within two years a state or county tax, assessed at least ten days before the election, may vote; but white freemen who are between 21 and 22 years old, being citizens of the United States, need not have paid a tax; and qualified voters, who are citizens of the United States, and who have removed from the state and returned, may vote after six months' residence. Representatives, not less than 60 or more than 100 in number, shall be 21 years old, citizens and inhabitants of the state for the last three years, and, for the last year, of the district which they represent, and shall be chosen annually. There shall be an enumeration of taxable inhabitants every seven years, to fix the number of senators and representatives, and every county shall have at least one representative; but counties erected after 1838 shall have none, until entitled thereto by their population. Senators, in number not less than one-fourth, nor more than one-third of the representatives, shall be chosen for three years, one-third every year. They shall be 25 years old, citizens and inhabitants of the state for the last four years, and for the last year, of their districts. The General Assembly shall meet on the first Tuesday of every January. No representative shall be appointed to any civil office created, or increased in pay, during his term. The governor shall be 30 years old, a citizen and inhabitant of the state for the last seven years, and shall be chosen on the second Tuesday of every October, for three years from the third Tuesday of January ensuing. He shall receive a fixed compensation, and shall not be eligible more than six years out of every nine. He may remit fines, and grant pardons, except in cases of impeachment. He may veto a bill; but it may be passed by a vote of twothirds of each house, notwithstanding his veto. He may appoint a secretary of the commonwealth during pleasure. The governor and senate appoint the judges of the supreme court for fifteen years; "all other judges required to be learned in the law, for ten years;" and the associate judges of the court of common pleas for five years; all being removable upon address of two-thirds of each house. The judges of the supreme court, and the presidents of the several courts of common pleas, shall receive a compensation, which shall not be diminished during their term. The judges of the supreme court have criminal jurisdiction in the counties; and when not in session there, the same jurisdiction, subject to such right of appeal as the law may give, shall be given to the common pleas. Limited chancery *powers, which may be enlarged by law, are given to both courts. Any two judges of the common pleas may hold, in any county, a court of quarter sessions of the peace, and an orphans' court; and, with the register of wills, shall compose the registers' court. Sheriffs and coroners shall be chosen by the people, in counties, for three years, but not for two consecutive terms. Prothonotaries of the supreme court are appointed by the court, for seven years. Clerks of the other courts, registers of wills, and recorders of deeds, 1 are elected by the people, in districts, for three years; and justices of the peace, or aldermen, in wards, boroughs, or towns, for five years. Every person directly or indirectly engaged in a duel is disqualified for office; but the governor may remove this disqualification. No person acknowledging "the being of a God, and a future state of rewards and punishments, shall, on account of his religious sentiments, be disqualified" for office. In all libel suits, if the matter concern the official conduct of public men, or the matter be proper for public information, the truth may be given in evidence. Imprisonment for debt is abolished, except in cases of fraud. Amendments to the constitution, if approved by a majority of the members of each house, shall be submitted to the people, and, if approved, in the same manner, by the next legislature, shall be again submitted to the people; and, if ratified by a majority of votes, shall be adopted. But no amendment shall be submitted oftener than once in five years. GOVERNMENT. FRANCIS R. SHUNK, Governor, Jesse Miller, Henry Petriken, John B. Gibson, of Perry Co., of Centre Co., (term of office expires on the 3d Tuesday in Jan., 1848,) $3,000 Sec. of State, and Superin 1,000 1,400 1,400 tendent of Common Schools, 1,700 1,200 1,000 300 of Chester, Canal Commissioners. Salary. JUDICIARY. Chief Justice, BC1 of Carlisle, do. Benjamin Champneys, of Lancaster, Prothonotary for the East District, Do West Do. P. C. Sedgwick, Salary. $3,666.67 2,400.00 1,600.00 1,600.00 1,600.00 $300 and fees. Fees. do. do. |