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In Connecticut, the provisions to secure the safety of morals, are perhaps the most strict; and the operation of the laws also much fortified by the 'steady habits' of the people-but in this respect the laws of all the New England states have a similarity, and by mentioning a few of those of Massachusetts a conception may be formed of those of the other states. Bribery entails a perpetual disqualification for office, gamblers may be bound to good behavior, and a person who kills another in a duel is not only hung, but dissected. Any person of able body and not otherwise necessarily prevented, who shall fail to attend on Sunday some place of public worship for the space of three months, is liable to a fine of 10 shillings, and tything-men, who are a kind of Censores Morum, are bound by oath to give information of all who travel unnecessarily on the sabbath, and may enter on that day the public houses, to see that order and propriety are observed. Their authority is however chiefly exercised in the remote towns, in strictly watching the demeanor of the younger people at church or meeting, where the least levity is sure to bring down an immediate reprimand; it is considered highly disreputable to give this officer occasion either to 'knock' or to speak out.' There are penalties for every profane oath, of from one dollar to two dollars, and for the subsequent offences, the penalties are much increased. The law however allows a liberal discount for every profane oath or curse after the first, if uttered on the same occasion; the penalty in this case being reduced to 25 cents or 50 cents.

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*The following are extracted from the old code called the Blue Laws of Connecticut, and some records of the ancient Courts.

It is ordered by this Courte, and authority thereof, That no person or persons licenced for common interteinment, shall suffer any to bee drunken, or drinke excessively, viz. above halfe a pinte of wyne, for one person, at one time, or to continue tipling above the space of halfe an houre, or at unreasonable times, or after nine of the clock at night, in or about any of theire howses, on penalty of five shillings for every such offence; and every person found drunken, viz. so that hee bee thereby bereaved or dissabled in the use of his understanding, appearing in his speech or gesture, in any of the said howses or elsewhere, shall forfeitt ten shillings; and for excessive drinking, three shillings foure pence; and for continuing above halfe an houre, tipling, two shillings six pence; and for tipling at unseasonable times, or after nine o'clock at night, five shillings, for every offence in these perticulars, being lawfully convicted thereof; and for want of payment, such shall bee imprisoned untill they pay, or bee sett in the stocks, one houre or more, in some open place, as the weather will permitt, not exceeding three houres at one time; provided, notwithstanding, such licensed persons may intertein seafaring men or land travellers in the night season, when they come first on shoare, or from theire journeye, for theire necessary refreshment, or when they prepare for theire voyage or journye the next day early, so bee no dissorder amongst them, and allso, strangers and other persons, in an orderly way, may continue at such howses of common interteinment during meal times, or uppon lawful business, what time theire occassions shall require.

And it is allso ordered, That if any person offend in drunkenness, excessive or long drinking, the second time, they shall pay double fynes; and if they fall into the same offence the third time, they shall pay treble fynes; and if the parties bee not able to pay theire fynes, then hee that is found drunken shall bee punished by whipping, to the number of ten stripes; and hee that offends by excessive or long drinking, shall bee put into the stocks for three hours when the weather may not hazzard his life or limbs; and if they offend the fourth time, they shall bee imprisoned untill they put in two sufficient sureties for their good behavior.

It is ordered by this Courte, and authority thereof, That every person of the age of discretion, which is accounted fourteene yeares, who shall wittingly and willingly, make or publish any lye, which may bee pernicious to the publique weal, or tending to the damage or injury of any perticular person, to deceive and abuse the people with false news or reportes, and the same duly prooved in any courte, or before any one magistrate, who hath hereby power graunted, to heare and determine all offences against this law, such persons shall bee fyned for the first offence, ten shillings, or if the party bee unable to pay the same then to bee sett in the stocks so long as the said courte or magistrates shall appointe, in some open place, not exceeding three houres; for the second offence a that kinde, whereof any shall bee legally convicted, the summe of twenty shillings, or bewhipped uppon the naked body, not exceeding twenty stripes, and for the third offence

Dancing and revelling in public houses, is attended with a fine of 30 shillings to the proprietor, and of 6 shillings to each of the company. All gaming debts are void; and to win over 20 shillings renders the winner liable on indictment to pay double the sum to the poor of the town, and incapacit tates him from holding office for a year. It is penal to play at cards, dice, or billiards in a public house, or even to expose to view any of the implements aforesaid, or for a person to be sitting at any table with any of the said implements before him. It is provided that the following description of persons be shut up in the house of correction' viz. all rogues, vagabonds and idle persons, going about begging, or using any subtle craft, juggling or unlawful games or plays, feigning themselves to have knowledge in physiognomy, palmistry, or pretending that they can tell destinies or fortunes, or discover

that way, forty shillings, or if the party bee unable to pay, then to bee whipped with more stripes, not exceeding thirtye; and if yett, any shall offend in like kinde, and bee legally convicted thereof, such person, male or female, shall bee fyned ten shillings at a time, more then formerly, or if the party so offending, bee unable to pay, then to be whipped with five or six stripes more then formerly, not exceeding forty at any time: And for all such as being under age of discretion, that shall offend in lyinge contrary to this order, theire parents or masters shall give them due correction, and that in the presence of some officer, if any magistrate shall so appointe; provided allso, that no person shall bee barred of his just action of slander, or otherwise, by any proceeding uppon this order.

It is ordered by this Courte and authority thereof, That no master of a familye shall give interteinment or habitation to any younge man to sojourne in his familye, but by the allowance of the inhabitants of the towne where he dwells, under the penalty of twenty shillings per week: And it is also ordered, That no young man that is neither married, nor hath any servant, nor is a pullique officer, shall keepe howse by himselfe, without the consent of the towne, for, and under paine or penalty of twenty shillings a week.

And it is allso ordered and declared, That no person whatsoever, male or female, not being at his or her owne dispose, or that remaineth under the government of parents, masters or guardians, or such like, shall either make or give interteinment to any motion or sute, in way of marriage, without the knowledge and consent of those they stand in such relation to, under the severe censure of the courte, in case of delinquency not attending this order; nor shall any third persons intermeddle in making any motion to any such, without the knowledge and consent of those under whose government they are, under the same penalty.

It is ordered, and by this Courte decreed, That if any person within this jurisdiction shall sweare rashly and vainely, either by the holy name of God, or any other oath, and shall sinfully and wickedly curse any, hee shall forfeitt to the common treasure, for every such severe offence, ten shillings:

It is ordered by the authority of this Courte, That no person under the age of twenty one years, nor any other, that hath not already accustomed himselfe to the use thereof, shall take any tobacko, untill hee hath brought a certificate under the hands of some who are approved for knowledge and skill in phisick, that it is usefull for him, and allso, that hee hath received a lycense from the courte, for the same. And for the regulating of those, who either by theire former taking it, have, to theire owne apprehensions, made it necessary to them, or uppon due advice, are pursuaded to the use thereof. It is ordered, That no man within this colonye, after the publication hereof, shall take any tobacko, publiquely, in the streett, highways or any barne yards, or uppon training days, in any open places, under the penalty of six-pence for each offence against this order, in any the perticulars thereof, to bee paid without gainsaying, uppon conviction, by the testimony of one witness, that is without just exception, before any one magistrate. And the constables in the several townes, are required to make presentment to each perticular courte, of such as they doe understand, and can evict to bee transgressors of this order.

At a Court held at New-Haven, A. D. 1643.

Andrew Low, jun. for breaking into Mr Ling's house, where he brake open a cupboard and took from thence some Strong Water,* and 6d. in money, and ransackt the house from roome to roome, and left open the doors, for which fact being committed to prison brake forth and escaped, and still remains horrible obstinate and rebellious against his parents, and incorrigible under all the means that have been used to reclaim him. Whereupon it was ordered that he shall be as severely whipt as the rule will bare, and work with his father as a prisoner with a lock upon his leg so that he may not escape.

*Rum.

lost or stolen goods, common pipers, fiddlers, runaways, stubborn servants, or children, common railers, or brawlers, and such as neglect their callings or employments,' &c. &c.

The same act provides that no negro or African who is not a citizen of some of the United States,' or a subject of the Emperor of Morocco, shall tarry longer than three months in the commonwealth, on penalty of being committed to the house of correction, and whipped, not exceeding ten stripes, and ordered to depart in ten days.' It is provided also to guard against all further needless delays on the part of the African,' that if he shall not so depart, the same process shall be had, and punishment inflicted, and so toties quoties.' It is proper to add however that these laws, though unrepealed, are in point of fact, obsolete. It is enacted in a better spirit, that the overseers of the poor 'shall provide for strangers in distress.' The poor of a town are, however, often set up at auction in the country, for the term of a year; that is the lowest bidder, or he that will support them for the least sum, takes them or any of them, for that term. This is disgraceful; though it is not said that the poor are sold, but that they are 'bid off.'

24. HISTORY. Driven from England by persecution, the Puritans came to America and laid the foundation of the Plymouth colony in 1620. This was the beginning of the settlement of New England. The colonies of Rhode Island and Connecticut were peopled almost entirely from Massachusetts, and the governments of N. Hampshire and Maine were, in the early times, united to that settlement. Vermont had a somewhat different origin, and was settled partly by the way of the river Hudson and Canada. The first colonists of New England encountered a powerful opposition from the Pequod and Narraganset Indians, who inhabited Rhode Island and Connecticut. In 1637, the colonies of Massachusetts, Plymouth and Connecticut united their forces in a war against the Pequods, and a vigorous campaign was carried on, in which the Indians were defeated in several battles, and one of their fortified towns was taken and burnt. These misfortunes struck the savages with terror, and for nearly 40 years afterwards, they gave no molestation to the English settlers.

It was not long after the preceding events, that the New England colonies again united for their common defence. In 1643, Massachusetts, Plymouth, Connecticut and New Haven entered into a league, offensive and defensive against the Dutch, French and Indians who menaced them with hostilities. But the most memorable occasion upon which they acted in concert, was that of Philip's war. Philip, or Metacom, as he was called by his own people, was an Indian chief of great courage and talent, and the deadly enemy of the whites. By his intrigues and persuasions, he succeeded in forming a confederacy for the extirpation of the English settlers. In the summer of 1675, the war broke out; the frontier towns were suddenly attacked, the inhabitants slaughtered, the houses burnt, and many parts of the country laid waste. These ravages continued the whole summer and autumn, and more than 600 buildings were burnt to the ground. It was late in the year before any sufficient force could be raised to make head against the Indians. In December, an army of a thousand men took the field under Governor Winslow, and marched into the enemy's country.

On the 18th of December, 1675, this army reached the strong hold of the Narragansets, in the western part of the state of Rhode Island; it consisted of a rising ground in the midst of a swamp, strongly fortified with palisades, and an outer defence of thick brush. The weather was severe, and the ground covered with snow. The army surrounded the fort, and began a vigorous attack; the Indians made an obstinate defence, and the battle lasted three hours; the English finally obtained the victory after one thousand

Indian warriors had fallen. Philip escaped, and was hunted from one lurking place to another, but disdained to sue for peace. He was finally shot in a skirmish, and his death put an end to the war.

In 1684, James II. took away the charters of Connecticut and Massachusetts, and Sir Edmund Andros was appointed Governor of all New England. He landed at Boston, in December 1686, and began a most insolent and tyrannical administration.

The people endured his arbitrary sway with considerable patience for above two years, but their hatred of his government could not longer be restrained. Andros resided at Boston, when in April 1689, intelligence arrived of the landing of the Prince of Orange in England, with the intention of dethroning James II. The people assembled in the streets, declaiming against the tyranny of the Governor; the drums beat to arms, and in a short time, the town was in a state of complete insurrection. Andros fled into the citadel on Fort Hill, where he was besieged, and forced to surrender. He was deposed from his office and sent to England for trial. The charters of the colonies were now restored, and the separate colonial governments continued till the revolution. On all great emergencies however they united, and deemed the interest of one, the interest of all. Thus accustomed to act in unison, while at the same time they came from the same country, spoke the same language and entertained similar religious and social views, the inhabitants of New England were woven into one great family. Though now divided into six independent sovereignties, they still recognise the ties which united their fathers, and are seldom found, on subjects of general interest, disunited in opinion.

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CHAPTER VIII. NEW YORK.

PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY.

1. BOUNDARIES AND EXTENT. New York is bounded N. by Lake Ontario and the river St Lawrence; E. by Vermont, Massachusetts, and Connecticut; S. by Pennsylvania, and New Jersey; W. by Pennsylvania, Lake Erie and Niagara river. It lies between 40° 30′ and 45° N. lat. and between 73° and 79° 55′ W. lon. It is 340 miles in length from E. to W. and 304 in breadth. It contains, including Long Island, 46,085 square miles.

2. MOUNTAINS. The eastern part of this state only, is mountainous. The Apalachian chain enters from New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and extends northeasterly across the state to Connecticut and Massachusetts. The chief branch of this chain is called the Shawangunk ridge. This is broken through by the Hudson river 50 miles above New York, where the mountains are

known by the name of the Highlands. At this place they form a chain 16 miles in breadth, and send off a branch to the N. called the Catskill Mountains. This branch afterwards makes a bend to the W. and then returns in a northerly direction, and finally crosses the St Lawrence into Canada. The general height of these eminences is about 3,000 feet, where they first leave the Hudson; after this they constitute an irregular range of hills, which, as they cross the Mohawk, form a cataract in that river, called Little Falls. Beyond the Mohawk, they throw off a spur toward the N. called the Helderberg, which is an elevated plain of uniform altitude, with rugged and precipitous sides. The Peruvian Mountains, consist of a lofty tract in the northern part of the state, lying round the sources of the Hudson, and separating the waters of Lake Champlain from those of the St Lawrence. They received their name from the early French inhabitants, in consequence of a belief then entertained, that they possessed great mineral treasures. The loftiest summit of this range called Whiteface, is about 3,000 feet above the level of Lake Champlain. The more northern portions of these mountains have been little explored.

The eastern face of the Catskill ridge is steep and precipitous, displaying

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