GENERAL DESCRIPTION.

GOVERNMENT.

PART FIFTH.

MINT. POST OFFICES.

NAVY. The form of Government in the U. States, is a Federal Republic. Each State in the Union is at liberty to govern itself, or to make laws relative to its own local or peculiar interests; at the same time, all the States are confederated together, in the adoption of one general Constitution or Government, with a view to the defence and prosperity of the Union at large. Each State Government consists of a Governor, and lieutenant Governor, a Senate and House of Representatives, all elected by the people.

The Constitution of the U. States, is the plan or basis of the General Government. It has been approved of by the several States, and they have all pledged themselves, to abide by its principles and regulations. The leading branches of the General Government are three. 1st. The Legislative branch, or General Congress, consisting of a Senate and House of Representatives.

The Senate of the United States.

The Senate now embraces 48 members, being composed of two members from each State, chosen for the term of six years, by the several State Legislatures. The House of Representatives, consists of members, chosen by the people, for two years; each State being entitled to send one representative for every 47,700 of its population. In the slave-holding States, however, only three fifths of the slave population are reckoned with the whites, in computing

the regular number of their representatives. 2. The Executive Department, consisting of a President and Vice President, chosen for the term of four years; with four Secretaries, called Heads of Departments, appointed by the President as his Council, viz. the Secretary of State, of War, of the Navy and of the Treasury. The President and Vice President are chosen by electors appointed by the people in the several States. 3d. The Judiciary or Supreme Court, consisting of a Chief Justice and six Associate Judges, all appointed by the President, with the consent of the Senate.

To Congress, is assigned the power of making or enacting the laws; and to the Judiciary, the duty of explaining and applying the laws, in particular or doubtful cases. The Vice President is President of the Senate. Congress assembles annually, on the first Monday of December, at the city of Washington, in an edifice erected for the purpose, called the Capitol. The present regular number of members, in the House of Representatives, is 240. The State of New York is entitled to send 40 members; Pennsylvania, 28; Virginia, 21; Ohio, 19; N. Carolina, Tennessee and Kentucky, each 13; Massachusetts, 12; S. Carolina and Georgia, each 9; Maine and Maryland, 8; Indiana, 7; Connecticut and N. Jersey, each 6; Vermont, N. Hampshire and Alabama, each 5.

The Mint of the U. States, is the national establishment for coining money, and is located at Philadelphia. Within the year 1831, it produced more than 11,792,000 pieces of coin, in gold, silver and copper, amounting in value to above 3,923,000 dollars. Of the gold coined that year, 518,000 dollars was received from the gold region of the U. S., chiefly from N. Carolina and Georgia. The number of Post Offices in the Union is above 9000.

The naval force consists of 51 vessels; 12 of which are ships of the line, containing 74 guns each, and there are 14 frigates of 44 guns each. The regular army of the U. States compared with the whole population, is not more than one to about 5000.

QUESTIONS.

What is the form of Government in the U. States? Of what does the Govern ment of each state consist? What is meant by the Constitution of the U. S.? How many are the leading branches of the General Government? What is the first branch, and of what does Congress consist? What is said of the Senate? What of the House of Representatives ? Of what does the second or Executive department of the Government consist? What is said of the third branch of the Government? What power or duty is assigned to Congress? What, to the President and Secretaries? What to the Judiciary? When and where does Congress assemble ? What number of members in the House of Representatives? How many members may the State of N. Y. send to that body? How many may Penn. ?. Virg. ? Ohio? What three States send 13 each? What one sends 12? How many may Conn. and N. Jer. send ?

What is meant by the Mint of the U. States? money was coined there in 1831 ?

Where is it located, and how much

What is the number of Post Offices? How many miles is the mail transported? Ans. 23 millions.

How many vessels in the navy? How is the standing army proportioned to the whole population ?

GENERAL DESCRIPTION, CONCLUDED.

RELIGION.

With respect to religion, the people of the U. States, are generally Protestants; though it is estimated that the Roman Catholic population now amounts to 800,000, and their churches 785. The most numerous Protestant sects in this country, are the Calvanistic Baptists, the Methodists, Presbyterians, Orthodox Congregationalists, Episcopalians, Dutch Reformed, German Reformed, Evangelical Lutherans and Friends or Quakers. These, and other denominations which might be specified, are considered Evangelical in their leading sentiments. Their differences of opinion relate chiefly to the subject of ecclesiastical government, or to some of the outward forms and rites, or less essential truths, of revealed religion. The Baptists consider the baptism of infants unscriptural, and, practice only the baptism of professed believers, and in the mode of immersion or plunging. They are found in all parts of the Union, but the greater half, in the Southern and Western States. The Baptist population is estimated at about 2,744,000, embracing above 5000 churches, 3000 ministers, and 385,000 communicants. The Methodist population is computed at 2,600,000, including 2,200 ministers, and 550,000 communicants; the greater proportion, being in the S. and W. States. The Presbyterian population in all, may be reckoned at 2,300,000, including 2,160 ministers, 3,475 churches, and 240,300 members, under the superintendance of Presbyteries or Ecclesiastical Councils. They are principally in the Middle, S. and Western States. The Congregationalists hold that every church has a right to govern itself, according to the rules of Christ, and is not bound, unless voluntarily, to submit to the decisions of general councils. In this respect chiefly, they profess to differ from Presbyterians. The Congregational population is estimated at 1,260,000; churches 1,380; ministers, 1000; communicants, 140,000; chiefly in New England. The Episcopalians resemble in sentiment the Established Church of England. They have in the U. States, 13 bishops, 600 ministers, 922 churches, located generally in the Atlantic States and Ohio. The Friends or Quakers have between 4 and 500 churches, chiefly in Pennsylvania and other Middle States. The probable amount of Evangelical Churches in the United States, may be not far from 15,000, embracing 10,000 ministers, and

1,500,000 members or communicants. About three fourths of the whole population are represented as belonging either to the Bap tist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Congregational or Episcopal persuasion. All religious denominations in this country are freely tolerated, and may enjoy true liberty of conscience. The moral and religious character of the American people, would probably bear comparison with that of any other nation on the globe; yet how low and defective is it, when compared with the purity of the gospel standard, or the solemnity of christian obligations and vows. A wide field is opening in this country for errors and vices of every name, and these, in many districts exhibit a highly luxuriant growth, polluting the land and alarming the fears of every true patriot and virtuous citizen. Much intellectual and moral dark-· ness is still to be deplored, and there is a great destitution in many parts, of the mere outward privileges of Christianity, especially in the more recent settlements. At least five millions of the population of the U. States are represented as not enjoying the stated labors of the Gospel ministry, and it is computed that more than 5000 ministers are needed to supply this deficiency. There is also an extensive want of bibles, and of schools, and of competent teachers. A multitude of adults may be found, unable to read a good book if they had one, and there are many thousands of children and youth, roving lawless on the Sabbath, in the woods, who know next to nothing of the first principles of learning or virtue. But to check the prevalence of these evils, the friends of truth and humanity in America have done much. They are setting noble examples to the world, of united and benevolent exertion. Within 20 years past, several national societies of this character have arisen, which stand as eternal monuments of American Christian philanthropy, and of the fixed purpose of Heaven to smile on every sincere and faithful effort of man, to bless and save his fellow

man.

QUESTIONS.

Of what religion generally are the people of the U. States? What is the amount of the Catholic churches and pop. ? What are the most numerous Protestant sects 3/ In what parts of the Union are the Baptists found? In what parts are the Methodists? Where are the Presbyterians chiefly located? Where are the Congregationalists most numerous? Where the Episcopalians? Where the Friends or Quakers? Do the people of this country enjoy free toleration on the subject of religion 3

NEW-ENGLAND.

MAINE, NEW-HAMPSHIRE, VERMONT, MASSA

CHUSETTS, RHODE-ISLAND, CONNECTICUT.

Extent, 32,000 square miles.-Population, 400,000.-12 per square mile.

The State of Maine has an extensive territory, being about as large as the rest of N. England, and nearly equal in size to half of Virginia, the largest state in the Union. It is a mountainous or hilly country, moist and cold, and not very fertile, especially on the coast. The soil is best adapted to grass, grain and flax.

That part of the state which lies on the Kennebeck river or between the Kennebeck and the Penobscot, is the richest and most populous. The inhabitants are chiefly settled in the southern half of the state. The northern half remains principally covered with forests. Maine is divided into 10 counties which are subdivided into about 300 towns. Portland on Casco bay, is by far the largest town, in population, wealth and commerce. It has an excellent harbour, and a population of about 12,500. Augusta, on the Kennebeck, is now the seat of government. Pop. 4,000. Besides which, there are ten towns, containing between 3000 and