churches in the United States. With respect to the character of the people of this State, there is no obvious diftinction between them and the Pennsylvanians.

TRADE AND MANUFACTURES.

We have already mentioned wheat as the ftaple commodity of this State. This is manufactured into flour and exported in large quantities. The exports from the port of Wilmington, where a number of fquare-rigged veffels are owned, for the year 1786, in the article of flour, was twenty thousand seven hundred and eighty-three barrels fuperfine; four hundred and fifty-fevet ditto common; two hundred and fifty-fix ditto middlings; and three hundred and forty-fix ditto ship stuff. The manufacture of flour is carried to a higher degree of perfection in this State, than in any others in the Union. Befides the well-conftructed mills on Red Clay and White Clay creeks, and other ftreams in different parts of the State, the celebrated collection of mills at Brandywine merit a particular defcription. Here are to be seen, at one view, twelve merchant mills (befides a faw mill) which have double that number of pairs of ftones, all of fuperior dimenfions, and excellent conftruction. Thefe mills are three miles from the mouth of the creeks on which they stand, half a mile from Wilmington, and twenty-feven from Philadelphia, on the post road from the eastern to the fouthern States. They are called the Brandywine mills, from the ftream on which they are erected. This ftream rifes near the Welch mountains in Pennfylvania, and after a winding couife of thirty or forty miles through falls, which Furnish numerous fears (one hundred and thirty of which are already occupied) for every fpecies of water works, empties into Christiana creek, near Wilmington. The quantity of wheat manufactured at thefe mills annually is not accurately afcertained: it is estimated, however, by the best informed on the fubject, that these mills can ́ grind four hundred thousand butliels in a year. But although they are capable of manufacturing this quantity yearly, yet, from the difAculty of procuring a permanent fupply of graif, the instability of the flour-market, and other circunaftances, there are not commonly more than from about two hundred and ninety to three hundred thoufand bufhels of wheat and corn manufactured here annually. In the fall of 1789, and spring of 1790, there were made at the Brandywine mills fifty thoufand barrels of fuperfine flour, one thoufand three hundred and fifty-four ditto of common, four hundred ditto

middlings

middlings, as many of ship stuff, and two thousand ditto corn meal. The quantity of wheat and corn ground, from which this flour, &c. was made, was three hundred and eight thousand bufhels, equal to the export in those articles from the port of Philadelphia for the fame year.

These mills give employment to about two hundred perfons, viz. about forty to tend the mills, from fifty to feventy coopers, to make cafks for the flour, a fufficient number to man twelve floops, of about thirty tons each, which are employed in the transportation of the wheat and flour, the reft in various other occupations connected with the mills. The navigation quite to thefe mills is fuch, that a veffel carrying one thousand bushels of wheat may be laid along fide of any of these mills; and befide fome of them the water is of fufficient depth to admit veffels of twice the above fize. The veffels are unloaded with astonishing expedition. There have been ine ftances of one thousand bufhels being carried to the height of four ftories in four hours. It is frequently the cafe, that veffels with one thousand bushels of wheat come up with flood tide, uniade, and go away the fucceeding ebb, with three hundred barrels of flour on board. In confequence of the machines introduced by the ingenious Mr. Oliver Evans, three quarters of the manual labour before found neceffary is now fufficient for every purpose. By means of thefe machines, when made use of in the full extent propofed by the inventor, the wheat will be received on the fhallop's deck, thence carried to the upper loft of the mill, and a confiderable portion of the fame returned in flour on the lower floor, ready for packing, without the affiftance of manual labour but in a very finall degree, in proportion to the bufinefs done. The tranfportation of flour from thefe mills to the port of Wilmington does not require half an hour; and it is frequently the cafe, that a cargo is taken from the mills and delivered at Philadelphia the fame day. The fituation of thefe mills is very pleasant and healthful. The first mill was built here about fifty years fince. There is now a fmall town of forty houses, principally ftone and brick, which, together with the mills and the veffels load-ing and unloading befide them, furnish a charming prospect from the bridge, from whence they are all in full view.

Befides the wheat and flour trade, this State exports lumber and various other articles. The amount of exports for the year ending September 30, 1791, was one hundred and ninety-nine thousand eight hundred and forty dollars.

PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS.

BRIDGES, &c.

Just before the commencement of the war, a work of confiderable importance was begun at Lewes, in the fouthern part of the State, viz. the erection of a bridge and causeway from the town, over the creek and marth to the oppofite cape. This expenfive work was juft completed when the British fhips firft came into the road of Lewes. In order to prevent too eafy a communication, they partially removed it; and it being afterwards neglected, it was in complete ruins at the clofe of the war. A bridge, upon the fame plan, but upon a new foundation, has lately been erected at the folé expenfe of individuals: it extends about a quarter of a mile from the town to the beach, over a wide creek and marfh. The inhabitants are compenfated for their expenfe by the facility of the communication between the town and the cape.

Several canals in different parts of this State are contemplated, one of which is down the waters of the Brandywine.

LIGHT-HOUSE

The light-houfe, near the town of Lewes, was burnt in 1777. Since the war it has been completed and handfomely repaired. It is a fine stone structure, eight ftories high; the annual expence of which is estimated at about fix hundred and fifty pounds currency.

CONSTITUTION,

DECLARATION OF RIGHTS.

I. That all government of right originates from the people, is founded in compact only, and instituted folely for the good of the whole.

II. That all men have a natural and unalienable right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their own confciences and understandings; and that no man ought, or of right can be compelled to attend any religious worship, or maintain any ministry, contrary to or againft his own free will and confent; and that no authority can or ought to be vefted in, or affumed by any power whatever, that shall in any cafe interfere with, or in any manner controul, the right of confcience, in the free exercise of religious worship.

III. That

III. That all perfons profeffing the Chriftian religion ought for ever to enjoy equal rights and privileges in this State, unless under colour of religion any man disturb the peace, the happiness or fafety of fociety.

IV. That the people of this State have the fole, exclufive, and inherent right of governing and regulating the internal police of the fame.

V. That perfons intrufted with the legiflative and executive pow ers are the trustees and fervants of the public, and as fuch accountable for their conduct; wherefore, whenever the ends of government are perverted, and public liberty manifeftly endangered by the legiflative fingly, or a treacherous combination of both, the people may, and of right ought to establish a new, or reform the old Go

vernment.

VI. That the right in the people to participate in the legislature is the foundation of liberty and of all free government; and for this end all elections ought to be free and frequent, and every freeman having fufficient evidence of a permanent common interest with, and attachment to the community, hath a right of fuffrage.

VII. That no power of fufpending laws, or the execution of laws, ought to be exercifed, unlefs by the legislature.

VIII. That for redrefs of grievances, and for amending and ftrengthening of the laws, the legislature ought to be frequently convened.

IX. That every man hath a right to petition the legislature for the redress of grievances, in a peaceable and orderly manner.

X. That every member of society hath a right to be protected in the enjoyment of life, liberty, and property, and therefore is bound to contribute his proportion towards the expense of that protection, and yield his perfonal service when neceffary, or an equivalent thereto; but no part of a man's property can be justly taken from him, or applied to public ufes, without his own confent, or that of his legal reprefentatives: nor can any man that is confcientiously fcrupulous of bearing arms, in any cafe be justly compelled thereto, if he will pay fuch equivalent.

XI. That retrofpective laws punishing offences committed before. the existence of such laws, are oppreffive and unjuft, and ought not to be made.

XII. That every freeman, for every injury done him in his goods, lands, or perfon, by any other perfon, ought to have remedy by the

courfe

courfe of the law of the land, and ought to have justice and right for the injury done to him, freely without fale, fully without any denial, and speedily without delay, according to the law of the land.

XIII. That trial by jury of facts where they arife, is one of the greatest fecurities of the lives, liberties, and eftates of the people. XIV. That in all profecutions for criminal offences, every man hath a right to be informed of the accufation against him, to be al lowed counsel, to be confronted with the accufers or witneffes, to examine evidence on oath in his favour, and to a speedy trial by an impartial jury, without whofe unanimous confent he ought not to be found guilty.

XV. That no man in the courts of common law ought to be compelled to give evidence against himself.

XVI. That exceffive bail ought not to be required, nor exceffive fines impofed, nor cruel or unusual punishments inflicted.

XVII. That all warrants without oath to search fufpected places, or to seize any perfon or his property, are grievous and oppreffive; and all general warrants to fearch fufpected places, or to apprehend all persons suspected, without naming or defcribing the place or any perfon in fpecial, are illegal and ought not to be granted.

XVIII. That a well-regulated militia is the proper, natural, and fafe defence of a free Government.

XIX. That standing armies are dangerous to liberty, and ought not to be raised or kept up without the confent of the legislature.

XX. That in all cafes and at all times the military ought to be under strict subordination to, and governed by, the civil power.

XXI. That no foldier ought to be quartered in any house in time of peace, without the confent of the owner; and in time of war, in fuch manner only as the legislature fhall direct.

XXII. That the independency and uprightness of judges are ef fential to the impartial administration of juftice, and a great fecurity to the rights and liberties of the people.

XXIII. That the liberty of the prefs ought to be inviolably preferved.

FRAME OF GOVERNMENT.

Agreed to and refolved upon by the Representatives in full Convention of the Delaware State, formerly ftyled, "The Government of the Counties of Newcastle, Kent, and Suffex, upon Delaware;"

the