the Unitarians, 5 congregations and 3 ministers; and there is a considerablenumber of Roman Catholics, some Universalists, Jews , &c.
Pennsylvania was granted by Charles II. by a charter signed on Histothe 4th of March, 1681, to the illustrious William Penn , who was ' s ory 'constituted the proprietary of the province. In 1682, William Penn , togetherwith about two thousand settlers, most of whom, like himself, belonged to thesociety of Friends or Quakers , arrived in the country; and in the followingyear he laid out the plan of the city of Philadelphia . lie established a friendlyintercourse with the Indians, which was not interrupted for more than seventyyears.
From the beginning of the 18th century till the commencement of theAmerican Revolution , the government was generally administered by deputiesappointed by the proprietaries, who mostly resided in England.
The first Constitution of Pennsylvania was adopted in 1776; the Constitu .present Constitution in 1790. non andgo-
The legislative power is vested in a General Assembly, consisting vernment -of a Senate and House of Representatives .
The representatives are elected annually on the second Tuesday in Octoberby the citizens of Philadelphia and of the several counties, apportioned according to the number of taxable inhabitants. The number cannot be less than 60,nor more than 100.
The senators are chosen for four years, one fourth being elected annually,at the time of the election of the representatives. Their number cannot begreater than one third, nor less than one fourth of the number of the represent-atives.
[In 1829, it was enacted by the General Assembly, “that until the nextenumeration of taxable inhabitants, and an apportionment thereon, the senate,at a ratio of 7,700 [taxable inhabitants], shall consist of 33 members;” and“the house of representatives, at a ratio of 2,554, shall consist of 100 mem-bers.”—The following statement shows the representative number, and thenumber of members of the legislature, at different periods.
Ratio. Senators. Ratio. Reps.
1793 to 1800 24. 78
1800 “ 1807 4,670 25.1,350 86
1807 “ 1814 4,500 31.1,500 95
1814 “ 1821 5,250 31.1,750 97
1821 “ 1828 6,300 33.2,100 100
1828 “ 1835 7,700 33.2,544 100.]
The executive power is vested in a governor, who is elected by the peopleon the second Tuesday in October, and who holds his office during three years,from the third Tuesday in December next following his election ; and he can-not hold the office more than 9 years in any term of 12 years.
The General Assembly meets annually (at Harrrisburg), on the first Tues-day in December, unless sooner convened by the governor.
The judicial power is vested in a Supreme Court , in courts of oyer andterminer and jail-delivery, in courts of common pleas, an orphan’s court, aregister’s court, a court of quarter sessions of the peace for each county, andin such other courts as the legislature may, from time to time, establish. Thejudges of the Supreme Court pnd the several courts of common pleas, are ap-pointed by the governor, and hold their offices during good behavior.
The right of suffrage is possessed by every freeman of the age of 21years, who has resided in the state two years next preceding an election, andwithin that time paid a state or county tax, assessed at least six months beforethe election.
This state sends 28 representatives to congress. Governor’s salary, S4.000.