"The municipality and township is the unit of our political structure. These local organizations conserve the largest mass of the interests, and direct the greater part of the daily life of our people. National and State laws touch only the circumference of the political and social being of the citizen; municipal ordinances and regulations affect his interest and comforts, daily and hourly, and are in contact with him at all points."-Gov. Hoyt's Message, Jan. 4, 1881. "Local assemblies of citizens constitute the strength of free nations. Municipal institutions are to liberty what primary schools are to science; they bring it within the people's reach; they teach men how to use and enjoy it; a nation may establish a system of free government, but without the spirit of municipal institutions it cannot have the spirit of liberty."-De Tocqueville. IN HISTORICAL AND POLITICAL SCIENCE HERBERT B. ADAMS, Editor History is past Politics and Politics present History - Freeman FOURTH SERIES IV PENNSYLVANIA BOROUGHS BY WILLIAM P. HOLCOMB BALTIMORE N. MURRAY, PUBLICATION AGENT, JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY 4. MEANING OF TOWN AND BOROUGH IN PENNSYLVANIA..... II. GROWTH OF PENNSYLVANIA TOWNS. 1. CHESTER THE FIRST TOWN AND STARTING POINT............ 4. PENN'S ESTABLISHMENT OF VILLAGES....... 5. LEGISLATIVE AND OTHER INFLUENCES.. 2. How BOROUGH GOVERNMENT CAME TO BE ADOPTED. INVOLVED IN THE QUESTION OF ADOPTION OF COUNTY 3. BRISTOL A TYPE OF BOROUGHS IN 18TH CENTURY......... 33 1. BOROUGH LEGISLATION IN THIS CENTURY.... 2. OFFICERS IN SMALL AND LARGE BOROUGHS... 3. POWERS OF THE BOROUGH COUNCIL........... 4. ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE... 5. POSSIBILITIES OF THE BOROUGH SYSTEM TO SECURE GOOD |